The Distress of Her Beauty
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piṇaiyēr maṭanōkku nāṇu muṭaiyāṭ / kaṇiyevaṉō vētila tantu.
She already carries a gentle, fawn-like gaze and a natural reserve. Anything added from outside cannot improve on what is already hers.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Like tender fawn's her eye; Clothed on is she with modesty; / What added beauty can be lent; By alien ornament?”
“To what end are these trinkets that merely mar her beauty, when she hath the guileless look of the fawn and modesty as her especial ornaments?”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பிணை ஏர் மடநோக்கும் நாணும் உடையாட்கு= புறத்து மான் பிணையொத்த மடநோக்கினையும், அகத்து நாணினையும் உடையவளாய இவட்கு; ஏதில தந்து அணி எவன்= ஒற்றுமையுடைய இவ்வணிகளே அமைந்திருக்க, வேற்றுமையுடைய அணிகளைப் படைத்து அணிதல் என்ன பயனுடைத்து?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Outwardly she has a soft gaze like a doe's, and inwardly she has modesty; these ornaments already belong to her and suit her. When such ornaments are already present, what use is it to make and wear other ornaments that are alien to her, asks Parimelazhagar.