Tyrannical Rule
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tuḷiyiṉmai ñālattiṟ keṟṟaṟṟē vēnta / ṉaḷiyiṉmai vāḻu muyirkku.
As the absence of rain afflicts living beings across the world, the absence of a ruler's compassionate protection afflicts those who live under his rule.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“As lack of rain to thirsty lands beneath, / Is lack of grace in kings to all that breathe.”
“How fareth the earth under a rainless sky? even so fare the people under the rule of a cruel prince.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
துளியின்மை ஞாலத்திற்கு எற்று= மழையில்லாமை வையத்து வாழும் உயிர்கட்கு எவ்வகைத் துன்பம் பயக்கும்; அற்றே வேந்தன் அளியின்மை வாழும் உயிர்க்கு= அவ்வகைத் துன்பம் பயக்கும், அரசன் தண்ணளி இல்லாமை அவன் நாட்டு வாழும் குடிகட்கு.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that the absence of a king's cooling compassion and protection brings the same kind of distress to his subjects that the absence of rain brings to living beings in the world.