Greatness
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mēliruntu mēlallār mēlallar kīḻiruntuṅ / kīḻallār kīḻal lavar
“The men of lofty line, whose souls are mean, are never great / The men of lowly birth, when high of soul, are not of low estate.”
“Even if they are noble, those that are not noble are not noble; and even if they are lowborn, those that are not low are not low.”
The ignoble are never great though placed on high; the noble are never base though living in humble station.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மேல் அல்லார் மேல் இருந்தும் மேல் அல்லர்= செயற்கு அரிய செய்கலாது சிறியராயினார், உயர்ந்து அமளி முதலியவற்றின் மிசையிருந்தவராயினும், பெரியராகார்; கீழ் அல்லவர் கீழ் இருந்தும் கீழ் அல்லார்= அவை செய்து பெரியராயினார், தாழ்ந்த வறுநிலத்து இருந்தாராயினும், சிறியர் ஆகார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those devoid of noble character are never great, even if placed in high stations; while those rich in virtue are never low, even when living in humble conditions.