Compassion
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poruḷaṟṟār pūppar orukāl aruḷaṟṟār / aṟṟārmaṟ ṟāta laritu
“Who lose the flower of wealth, when seasons change, again may bloom; / Who lose 'benevolence', lose all; nothing can change their doom.”
“The poor in substance may one day thrive and prosper: but they that lack pity are poor indeed and their day cometh never.”
Those stripped of material wealth may one day rise and prosper again; but those devoid of compassion remain morally ruined, and their restoration is exceedingly rare.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பொருள் அற்றார் ஒருகால் பூப்பர்= ஊழான் வறியராயினார் அது நீங்கிப் பின் ஒருகாலத்துச் செல்வத்தால் பொலிவர்; அருள் அற்றார் அற்றார் மற்று ஆதல் அரிது= அவ்வாறு அன்றி அருள் இலாதார் பாவம் அறாமையின் அழிந்தாரே, பின் ஒருகாலத்தும் ஆதல் இல்லை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Those stripped of material wealth may one day rise and prosper again; but those devoid of compassion remain morally ruined, and their restoration is exceedingly rare.