Not Coveting
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aruḷveḵki āṟṟiṉkaṇ niṉṟāṉ poruḷveḵkip / pollāta sūḻak keṭum
“Though, grace desiring, he in virtue's way stand strong, / He's lost who wealth desires, and ponders deeds of wrong.”
“Even he who hungereth after grace and walketh in the path shall perish if he hankereth after wealth and plotteth evil.”
Even one who loves grace and walks the household path to it is ruined the moment he covets another's wealth and plots crooked ways to get it.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அருள் வெஃகி ஆற்றின்கண் நின்றான் = அருளாகிய அறத்தை விரும்பி அதற்கு வழியாகிய இல்லறத்தின்கண் நின்றவன்; பொருள் வெஃகி பொல்லாத சூழக் கெடும் = பிறர் பொருளை அவாவி அதனை வருவிக்கும் குற்றநெறிகளை எண்ணக் கெடும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Even a person who loves grace and has taken up the household life as the path toward it will fall to ruin the moment he covets another's wealth and starts plotting crooked ways to get it. Greed undoes even the seeker on the good road.