நாக்கு சுட்டாலும் காயம் ஆறும், வார்த்தை சுட்டால் ஆறாது
Naakku suttaalum kaayam aarum, vaarthai suttaal aaraadhu
Meaning
A burn from fire heals with time; a wound from cruel words often doesn't heal so easily.
Story
In anger, a father spoke harsh words to his son. He apologized soon after, but those words stayed lodged in his son's memory for years. A burn on his hand healed in a week; the scar from those words took far longer to fade.
Reader's Note
Before speaking in anger, pause and consider how long those words will actually stay with someone.