The Solitary Anguish
அன்பு செய்யாதவரை நினைந்து மனம் உருகுவது யாருக்கு நன்மை தரும் எனத் தனக்குள் அரற்றுதல். — The desolate grief of carrying one-sided longing while the beloved is far away.
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nacaiyiyār nalkār eṉiṉum avarmāṭṭu / icaiyum iniya cevikku
“Though he my heart desires no grace accords / to me,”
Editors' note: our transcription of Pope for this couplet breaks off mid-sentence and carries only the first clause. We show exactly what our source holds rather than complete it from memory, so read Aiyar and the modern translation for the second half — that any word at all spoken about him is sweet to her ear.
“Even if the beloved is unkind to us, any message that cometh from him is sweet to the ear.”
Though the man I long for grants me no kindness, any word at all that is spoken about him is sweet to my ear.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நசைஇயார் நல்கார் எனினும்= என்னால் நச்சப்பட்ட காதலர் என்மாட்டு அன்பிலரே ஆயினும்; அவர் மாட்டு இசையும் செவிக்கு இனிய= அவர் திறத்து யாதானும் ஓர் சொல்லும் என் செவிக்கு இனியவாம், எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Even if the one I love withholds all tenderness from me, any word spoken about him sounds infinitely sweet to my ear.