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cātali ṉiṉṉāta tillai yiṉitatūu / mīta liyaiyāk kaṭai
“'Tis bitter pain to die, 'Tis / worse to live.”
“Nothing is bitterer than death: but even death is sweet when one hath not the power to do charity.”
Nothing is more agonizing than death; yet even death becomes sweet when one is utterly unable to give relief to the poor.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
சாதலின் இன்னாதது இல்லை= ஒருவற்குச் சாதல்போல இன்னாதது ஒன்று இல்லை; அதூஉம் ஈதல் இயையாக்கடை இனிது= அத்தன்மைத்தாகிய சாதலும், வறியார்க்கு ஒன்று ஈதல் முடியாதவழி இனிது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Nothing is more agonizing than death; yet even death becomes sweet when one is utterly unable to give relief to the poor.