Not Backbiting
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kaṇṇiṉṟu kaṇṇaṟas solliṉum sollaṟka / muṉṉiṉṟu piṉnōkkās sol
“In presence though unkindly words you speak, say not / In absence words whose ill result exceeds your thought.”
“Slander not a man behind his back, even though he hath insulted thee to thy very face.”
Even if someone has rebuked you to your face, mercilessly, do not say behind their back a word that ignores its consequences.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கண் நின்று கண் அறச் சொல்லினும் = ஒருவன் எதிரே நின்று கண்ணோட்டம் அறச் சொன்னான் ஆயினும்; முன் இன்று பின் நோக்காச் சொல் சொல்லற்க = அவன் எதிர் இன்றிப் பின் வரும் குற்றத்தை நோக்காத சொல்லைச் சொல்லாது ஒழிக.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Even if someone has scolded you to your face without mercy, do not say behind their back a careless word that takes no thought of its consequences. If you must say it, say it openly, not in the safety of their absence.
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