The Way of Building a Family Name
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Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
kuṭiceyvārk killai paruva maṭiceytu / māṉaṅ karutak keṭum.
There is no season for those who set out to raise their household. Slacken, and stop to weigh your own dignity, and the household is ruined.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Wait for no season, when you would your house uprear; / 'Twill perish, if you wait supine, or hold your honour dear.”
“There is no season for them that desire the advancement of their family: if they take things easy or stand upon their dignity, their house will be brought low.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மடி செய்து மானம் கருதக் கெடும்= தம் குடியினை உயரச்செய்வார், அச்செயலையே நோக்காது காலத்தை நோக்கி மடியினைச் செய்துகொண்டு, மானத்தையும் கருதுவாராயின் குடி கெடும்; குடி செய்வார்க்குப் பருவம் இல்லை= ஆகலான், அவர்க்குக் காலநியதி இல்லை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those raising a household ruin it if they watch the season instead of the work, let the hand slacken, and weigh their standing as well. For them there is no such thing as a right time to begin.