Shallow Understanding
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aṟiviṉmai yiṉmaiyu ḷiṉmai piṟitiṉmai / yiṉmaiyā vaiyā tulaku.
Among all forms of lack, lack of understanding is the deepest; the world does not reckon lack of other possessions as that same kind of want.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Want of knowledge, 'mid all wants the sorest want we deem; / Want of other things the world will not as want esteem.”
“The veritable poverty is the poverty of sense: the world regardeth not other poverty as poverty.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இன்மையுள் இன்மை அறிவின்மை= ஒருவனுக்கு இல்லாமை பலவற்றுள்ளும் மிக்க இல்லாமையாவது, அறிவில்லாமை; பிறிதின்மை இன்மையா வையாது உலகு= மற்றைப் பொருள் இல்லாமையோவெனின், அதனை அப்பெற்றித்தாய இல்லாமையாகக் கொள்ளார் உலகத்தார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that a person may lack many things, but the greatest lack among them is lack of understanding. People do not classify absence of other material things as that same defining want.