The Way of Building a Family Name
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karumañ ceyavoruvaṉ kaitūvē ṉeṉṉum / perumaiyiṟ pīṭuṭaiya til.
For a person there is nothing of greater dignity than the greatness that says, of the work to be done, 'I will not stay my hand.'
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who says 'I'll do my work, nor slack my hand', / His greatness, clothed with dignity supreme, shall stand.”
“Nothing advanceth a man’s family so much as his determination never to weary in labouring with his hands.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கருமம் செயக் கைதூவேன் என்னும் பெருமையின்= தன் குடிசெய்தற்பொருட்டுத் தொடங்கிய கருமம் முடியாமையின் எண்ணிய கருமம் செய்தற்கு யான் கையொழியேன் என்னும் ஆள்வினைப் பெருமைபோல; ஒருவன் பீடு உடையது இல்= ஒருவனுக்கு மேம்பாடுடைய பெருமை பிறிதில்லை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
A man says he will not let his hand rest until the work he began for his household is finished. No other greatness a person can have stands above that one.