Honour
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oṭṭārpiṉ ceṉṟoruvaṉ vāḻtali ṉannilaiyē / keṭṭā ṉeṉappaṭuta ṉaṉṟu.
“Better 'twere said, 'He's perished!' than to gain / The means to live, following in foeman's train.”
“It is better for a man to meet his doom at once without any ado than to maintain himself by hanging on to those that scorn him.”
Far better is it to be said that one perished on the spot than to live begging behind those who despise him.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஒட்டார் பின் சென்று ஒருவன் வாழ்தலின்= தன்னை இகழ்வார் பின்னே சென்று பொருள் பெற்று அதனால் ஒருவன் உயிர் வாழ்தலின்; அந்நிலையே கெட்டான் எனப்படுதல் நன்று= அது செய்யாது இறந்தான் என்று சொல்லப்படுதல் அவனுக்கு நன்று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Rather than dragging out a shameful existence begging behind those who despise you, it is far nobler to perish on the spot.