Farming
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iravā rirappārkkoṉ ṟīvar karavātu / kaiceytūṇ mālai yavar.
“They nothing ask from others, but to askers give, / Who raise with their own hands the food on which they live.”
“Behold the men that eat the bread of husbandry: they will not only not beg themselves, but they will also give alms to those that beg, without ever saying nay.”
Those who live by the labor of their own hands never beg; they give freely to all who ask.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கை செய்து ஊண் மாலையவர் இரவார்= தம் கையால் உழுதுண்டலை இயல்பாக உடையார் பிறரைத் தாம் இரவார்; இரப்பார்க்கு ஒன்று கரவாது ஈவர்= தம்மை இரப்பார்க்கு அவர் வேண்டியது ஒன்றனைக் கரவாது கொடுப்பர்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those whose natural way of life is to till the earth with their own hands and eat of their toil will never beg from anyone; instead, they generously give to those who ask without hiding what they have.