The Wasting Away
தலைவியின் மெலிந்த மேனியைக் கண்டு தோழி பரிந்துகூறுதல். — The confidante comforting her upon noticing how thin and frail she has become.
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paṇainīṅkip paintoṭi cōrun tuṇainīṅkit / tolkaviṉ vāṭiya tōḷ.
“When lover went, then faded all their wonted charms, / And armlets' golden round slips off from these poor wasted arms.”
“The arms that lost their wonted comeliness at the parting of the beloved, are now grown so thin that their very bracelets slip off from them of themselves.”
These arms, which lost their old beauty when their companion went away, have now lost their fullness as well, and the bright bangles slip from them of themselves.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
துணை நீங்கித் தொல்கவின் வாடிய தோள்= அன்றும் துணைவர் நீங்குதலான் அவராற்பெற்ற செயற்கை அழகேயன்றிப் பழைய இயற்கை அழகும் இழந்த இ்ததோள்கள்; பணை நீங்கிப் பைந்தொடி சேரும்= இன்று அதற்கும்மேலே தம் பெருமையிழந்து வளை கழலாநின்றன. இவை இங்ஙனம் செயற்பாலன அல்ல, எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Having surrendered their natural grace the moment he left, it is unjust that these wasted arms should now let their bangles slip loose for all to see.