Not Coveting
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ilameṉṟu veḵkutal seyyār pulamveṉṟa / puṉmaiyil kāṭsi yavar
“Men who have conquered sense, with sight from sordid vision freed, / Desire not other's goods, e'en in the hour of sorest need.”
“Behold the men that have mastered their senses and enlarged their vision: they covet not, saying, Lo, we are in want.”
Those who have mastered the senses and see clearly never covet another's goods, even when they say to themselves, 'I am in want.'
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இலம் என்று வெஃகுதல் செய்யார் = யாம் வறியம் என்று கருதி அது தீர்தற் பொருட்டுப் பிறர் பொருளை விரும்புதல் செய்யார்; புலம் வென்ற புன்மை இல் காட்சியவர் = ஐம்புலன்களையும் வென்ற குற்றம் இல்லாத காட்சியினை உடையார். (வெல்லுதல் பாவநெறிக்கண் செல்லவிடாமை.)
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those who have conquered the five senses and see things clearly do not covet others' goods even when they think 'we are poor.' Mastery of the senses removes both the felt want and the greed it would breed.