The Possession of Self-control
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tīyiṉāṟ cuṭṭapuṇ uḷḷāṟum āṟātē / nāviṉāṟ cuṭṭa vaṭu
“In flesh by fire inflamed, nature may thoroughly heal the sore; / In soul by tongue inflamed, the ulcer healeth never more.”
“The burn caused by fire healeth in its time: but the wound burned in by the tongue remaineth green for ever.”
A burn from fire heals over in time, but the wound burned in by the tongue never heals.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தீயினால் சுட்ட புண் உள் ஆறும் = ஒருவனை ஒருவன் தீயினால் சுட்ட புண் மெய்க்கண் கிடப்பினும் மனத்தின்கண் அப்பொழுதே ஆறும்; நாவினால் சுட்ட வடு ஆறாது = அவ்வாறு அன்றி வெவ்வுரையை உடைய நாவினால் சுட்ட வடு என்றும் ஆறாது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
A wound burned into the body by fire heals over in time — even at once in the mind; but the scar burned in by a cruel tongue never heals at all. Words can leave a mark deeper than fire.
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