The Pallor of Longing
பிரிவால் உடலில் படரும் பசலை நிறம் தன் துயரத்தை ஊருக்குக் காட்டிவிட்டதே எனக் குமுறுதல். — Lamenting the sorrowful pallor (பசலை) spreading on her skin, revealing her inner hurt.
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uḷḷuvaṉ maṉyā ṉuraippa tavartiṟamāṟ / kaḷḷam piṟavō pacappu.
“I meditate his words, his worth is theme of all I say, / This sickly hue is false that would my trust betray.”
“In my heart I think nought but his thoughts, with my tongue I speak nought but his praises: and yet, witchcraft! this pallor hath overspread my frame.”
In my mind I hold nothing but him; on my tongue there is nothing but his good. And still the pallor came. It is a cheat — or what else would you call it?
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
யான் உள்ளுவன்= அவர் சொற்களை யான் மனத்தால் நினையாநிற்பேன்; உரைப்பது அவர்திறம்= வாக்கால் உரைப்பதும், அவர் நற்றிறங்களையே; பசப்புக் கள்ளம்= அங்ஙனம் செய்யாநிற்கவும், பசப்பு வந்துநின்றது, இது வஞ்சனையாய் இருந்தது, எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
My mind remembers him without ceasing, and my lips speak only of his virtues; that pallor should invade me despite such devotion feels like an outright betrayal.