Praising Her Beauty
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mātar mukampō loḷiviṭa vallaiyēṟ / kātalai vāḻi mati.
He turns to the moon and blesses it, then sets it an impossible test: shine the way her face shines, and you can have my love too. The praise works by making the beloved the standard everything else must fail against.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Farewell, O moon! If that thine orb could shine / Bright as her face, thou shouldst be love of mine.”
“Bless thee, O Moon! If thou canst shine like the face of this lovely one, I shall love thee in very truth.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மதி வாழி= மதியே வாழ்வாயாக!; மாதர் முகம் போல் ஒளிவிட வல்லையேல் காதலை= இம்மாதர் முகம் போல யான் மகிழும்வகை ஒளிவீச வல்லையாயின், நீயும் என் காதலை உடையையாதி.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that in this couplet the lover speaks to the moon: 'Long life to you, moon. If you can pour out light the way this woman's face pours it out, in the way that gladdens me, then you too shall have my love.' The blessing is given first, and the love is offered only on that condition.