Lamenting at Evening
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poruṇmālai yāḷarai yuḷḷi maruṇmālai / māyumeṉ māyā vuyir.
Remembering the man whose very nature is the getting of wealth, at this bewildering evening my life, which would not perish, is perishing.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“This darkening eve, my darkling soul must perish utterly; / Remembering him who seeks for wealth, but seeks not me.”
“The life which is yet clinging on to me will soon depart: for eventide recalleth to me the image of him who is mad after wealth.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மாயா என் உயிர்= காதலர் பிரிவைப் பொறுத்து இறந்துபடாதிருந்த என் உயிர்; பொருண்மாலையாளரை உள்ளி மருண்மாலை மாயும்= இன்று பொருள் இயல்பே தமக்கு இயல்பாக உடையவரை நினைந்து, இம்மயங்கும் மாலைக்கண்ணே இறந்துபடாநின்றது, எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Her life had borne the separation and had not gone, Parimelazhagar explains. Today it is going. It is going at this bewildering evening hour, as she remembers the man who has the nature of wealth-getting for his own nature. It held until now; today it does not. Contained in that is the point that endurance has a limit.