Farming
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cellāṉ kiḻava ṉiruppi ṉilampulan / tillāḷi ṉūṭi viṭum.
“When master from the field aloof hath stood; / Then land will sulk, like wife in angry mood.”
“If the goodman visiteth not his land but sitteth at home, the land will take huff even as the goodwife.”
If an owner fails to visit his fields daily, the land turns cold and withholds its bounty.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கிழவன் செல்லான் இருப்பின்= அந்நிலத்திற்கு உரியவன் அதன்கண் நாடோறும் சென்று பார்த்து அடுத்தன செய்யாது மடிந்து இருக்குமாயின்; நிலம் இல்லாளிற் புலந்து விடும்= அஃது அவன் இல்லாள் போலத் தன்னுள்ளே வெறுத்துப் பின் அவனோடு ஊடிவிடும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
If a landholder stays away in negligence instead of inspecting his fields daily, the earth will sour and withhold its harvest just like a neglected wife who turns away in cold displeasure.