Eyes Worn Out with Grief
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pēṇātu peṭṭā ruḷarmaṉṉō maṟṟavark / kāṇā tamaivila kaṇ.
There is a man who wanted me with his words and never cherished me in his heart. And what of it — without the sight of him my eyes will not settle.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who loved me once, onloving now doth here remain; / Not seeing him, my eye no rest can gain.”
“Verily there be those who love without being loved! For here are my eyes which know no repose for not seeing him.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பேணாது பெட்டார் உளர்= நெஞ்சத்தால் விழையாது வைத்துச் சொன்மாத்திரத்தால் விழைந்தவர் இவ்விடத்தே உளர்; மற்று அவர்க் கண் காணாது அமைவில= அவ்வுண்மையாற் பயன் யாது? அவரைக் கண்கள் காணாது அமைகின்றன இல்லையாயின.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The woman says there is a man who wanted her with his words and not with his heart. She knows the affection was not real, and she asks herself what good that knowledge is. Her eyes still will not settle without the sight of him. Parimelazhagar states it without softening: the wanting was speech only, and the longing stands unchanged for all that.