Manly Exertion
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teyvattā ṉākā teṉiṉu muyaṟcitaṉ / meyvaruttak kūli tarum
Even when fate prevents the intended result, effort is not wholly barren; it yields a return proportionate to the real exertion—skill, knowledge, evidence, or readiness for another opening.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Though fate-divine should make your labour vain; / Effort its labour's sure reward will gain.”
“Even though the Gods be against, Industry is bound to pay the wages of labour.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தெய்வத்தான் ஆகாது எனினும்= முயன்றவினை, பால்வகையாற் கருதிய பயனைத் தாராதாயினும்; முயற்சி தன் மெய்வருத்தக் கூலி தரும்= முயற்சி தனக்கு இடமாகிய உடம்பு வருந்திய வருத்தத்தின் கூலியளவு தரும், பாழாகாது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that even if an undertaking does not yield its intended result because of fate, effort gives at least a wage proportionate to the body's real exertion and does not become wholly wasted. This is not praise of pain or overwork. Bodily strain is classical language for actual invested effort; the teaching protects the secondary return without promising the original outcome.