The Wasting Away
மெலிந்த கைகளில் இருந்து வளையல்கள் நழுவுவதைக் கண்டு தோழியிடம் வாடுதல். — Her bracelets slipping loose from wasted arms as separation drains her vitality.
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ciṟumai namakkoḻiyac cēṭceṉṟā ruḷḷi / naṟumalar nāṇiṉa kaṇ.
“Thine eyes grown dim are now ashamed the fragrant flow'rs to see, / Thinking on him, who wand'ring far, leaves us in misery.”
“My eyes think on him who left me saying that it was but to increase my happiness that he went, and are ashamed to show their face before flowers.”
Remembering the man who went far away and left this misery here with us, your eyes have lost their light, and now they stand ashamed before the fragrant flowers that once stood ashamed before them.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
சிறுமை நமக்கு ஒழியச்சேட்சென்றார் உள்ளி= இவ்வாற்றாமை நம்கண்ணே நிற்பத் தாம் சேணிடைச் சென்ற காதலரை நீ நினைந்து அழுதலால்; கண் நறுமலர் நாணின= நின்கண்கள் ஒளியிழந்து முன் தமக்கு நாணிய நறுமலர்கட்கு இன்று தாம் நாணிவிட்டன, எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
While sorrow remains with us, your eyes have wept endlessly for your distant lover until, drained of their luster, they now stand ashamed before the fragrant flowers.