Abstaining from Intoxicants
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uḷḷoṟṟi yuḷḷūr nakappaṭuva reññāṉṟuṅ / kaḷḷoṟṟik kaṇcāy pavar.
“Who turn aside to drink, and droop their heavy eye, / Shall be their townsmen's jest, when they the fault espy.”
“Behold the men who drink in secret and pass their days in torpid insensibility: their neighbours will soon find them out, and hold them in utter contempt.”
Those who drink secretly and reel with clouded eyes will be exposed and mocked by their own townsfolk.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கள் ஒற்றிக் கண்சாய்பவர்= கள்ளை மறைந்துண்டு அக்களிப்பால் தம் அறிவுதளர்வார்; உள்ளூர் உள் ஒற்றி எஞ்ஞான்றும் நகப்படுவர்= உள்ளூர் வாழ்பவரான் உள்நிகழ்கின்றது உய்த்துணர்ந்து எஞ்ஞான்றும் நகுதல் செய்யப்படுவர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who drink in secret and stumble around with drooping, glazed eyes will have their hidden vice uncovered and become laughingstocks in their own town.