Naanmanik Kadigai – 19
If husband is upset, his doe eyed wife is rattled;
if a scholar is upset, his learning is rattled;
if the ruled are upset, ruler is rattled;
if harp strings are upset, song is rattled.
பெற்றான் அதிர்ப்பின், பிணை அன்னாள்தான் அதிர்க்கும்;
கற்றான் அதிர்ப்பின், பொருள் அதிர்க்கும்; பற்றிய
மண் அதிர்ப்பின், மன்னவன் கோல் அதிர்க்கும்;
பண் அதிர்ப்பின், பாடல் அதிர்ந்துவிடும்.
Naanmanik Kadigai, is a collection of 101 poems written by Vilambi Naganar. This collection is considered to have been written at the same time as Silappathikaaram, around 2nd Century AD. All poems in this collection are advisory in nature. They contain 4 phrases connected by a common underlying meaning. Hence the name Naan (four) mani (gem) kadigai (fragment). Their meaning is direct and easily understood.
Old Tamil Poetry 