The Rumour
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neyyā lerinutuppē meṉṟaṟṟāṟ kauvaiyāṟ / kāma nutuppē meṉal.
To think that gossip will put out love is to think that ghee will put out a fire. Talk is fuel, not water.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“With butter-oil extinguish fire! 'Twill prove / Harder by scandal to extinguish love.”
“To think of extinguishing my passion by raising this clamour is like wanting to put out a fire by pouring ghee over it.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கௌவையால் காமம் நுதுப்பேம் எனல்= ஏதிலார் எடுக்கின்ற அலரால் நாம் காமத்தை அவித்தும் என்று கருதுதல்; நெய்யால் எரி நுதுப்பேம் என்றற்று= நெய்யால் எரியை அவித்தும் என்று கருதுதலோடு ஒக்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains "kauvaiyāl kāmam nutuppēm enal" as: to suppose that we shall put out love by means of the scandal raised by unconnected townspeople. Such a supposition, he says, is the same as supposing that we shall put out a blaze by pouring ghee on it.