Impermanence
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orupoḻutum vāḻva taṟiyār karutupa / kōṭiyu malla pala
People do not know whether they will live even for one moment, yet they entertain not merely millions but countless plans.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who know not if their happy lives shall last the day, / In fancies infinite beguile the hours away!”
“Man knoweth not if he shall last the next minute: but his thoughts are more than ten million.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
ஒரு பொழுதும் வாழ்வது அறியார்= ஒருபொழுது அளவும் தம்முடம்பும் உயிரும் இயைந்திருத்தலைத் தெளியமாட்டார்; கோடியும் அல்ல பல கருதுப= மாட்டாது வைத்தும், கோடியளவுமன்றி அதனினும் பலவாய நினைவுகளை நினையாநிற்பர் அறிவிலாதார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar contrasts uncertainty about the body's remaining joined with life for even a moment with the ignorant mind's immeasurably numerous projects. The criticism concerns unexamined multiplication of plans, not prudent preparation.