Impermanence
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nāḷeṉa voṉṟupōṟ kāṭṭi yuyirīrum / vāḷa tuṇarvāṟ peṟiṉ
What presents itself as one thing called a ‘day’ is, to those who perceive it, a blade that steadily cuts away life.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“As 'day' it vaunts itself; well understood, 'tis knife', / That daily cuts away a portion from thy life.”
“Tine looketh like an innocent thing: but verily it is a saw that is continually sawing away the life of man.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நாள் என ஒன்றுபோல் காட்டி ஈரும் வாளது உயிர்= அறுக்கப்படுவதொரு காலவரையறைபோலத் தன்னைக் காட்டி ஈர்ந்து செல்கின்ற வாளினது வாயது உயிர்; உணர்வார்ப் பெறின்= அஃது உணர்வாரைப் பெறின்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says time appears as a harmless unit called a day, yet continually removes a portion from the bounded span of life. A discerning person recognises that cutting action.