Tyrannical Rule
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allaṟpaṭ ṭāṟṟā taḻutakaṇ ṇīraṉṟē / celvattait tēykkum paṭai.
“His people's tears of sorrow past endurance, are not they / Sharp instruments to wear the monarch's wealth away?”
“Verily it is the tears of those groaning under oppression that wear away the prosperity of the prince.”
The tears shed by subjects whose suffering has passed endurance become the very force that wears away the oppressive ruler's wealth.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அல்லல்பட்டு ஆற்றாது அழுத கண்ணீர் அன்றே= அரசன் முறைசெய்யாமையான் குடிகள் துன்பமுற்று அதனைப் பொறுக்கமாட்டாது அழுதகண்ணீர் அன்றே; செல்வத்தைத் தேய்க்கும் படை= அவன் செல்வத்தைக் குறைக்கும் கருவி.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The desperate tears of oppressed citizens weeping under unbearable injustice are the very weapon that erodes and destroys a tyrant's wealth.