The Dread of Begging
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irantu muyirvāḻtal vēṇṭiṟ parantu / keṭuka vulakiyaṟṟi yāṉ.
“If he that shaped the world desires that men should begging go, / Through life's long course, let him a wanderer be and perish so.”
“If He that made the earth intended that man should live even by begging, may He wander about the world and perish.”
If the creator destined people to live by begging, may he too wander homeless and perish.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உலகு இயற்றியான், இரந்தும் உயிர் வாழ்தல் வேண்டின்= இவ்வுலகத்தைப் படைத்தவன் இதன்கண் வாழ்வார்க்கு முயன்று உயிர்வாழ்தலை அன்றி இரந்தும் உயிர்வாழ்தலை வேண்டி விதித்தானாயின்; பரந்து கெடுக= அக்கொடியோன் தானும் அவரைப்போன்று எங்கும் அலமந்து கெடுவானாக.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
If the creator of this universe ordained that human beings should live by begging rather than by honest labor, may that creator wander across the world like a beggar and perish.