Hospitality
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
vittum iḍal vēṇḍum kollō virundu ōmbi / miccil misaivāṉ pulam
Would the field of one who feeds guests first and eats what remains even need sowing? The implied self-growing harvest is poetic praise, not agricultural or financial advice.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who first regales his guest, and then himself supplies, O'er all his fields, unsown, shall plenteous harvests rise.”
“Behold the man who feedeth his guest first and then only eateth what is left: standeth his land in need even of sowing?”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
விருந்தோம்பி மிச்சில் மிசைவான் புலம் = முன்னே விருந்தினரை மிசைவித்துப் பின் மிக்கதனைத் தான் மிசைவானது விளைபுலத்திற்கு; வித்தும் இடல் வேண்டுமோ = வித்திடுதலும் வேண்டுமோ? வேண்டா. (தானே விளையும் என்பது குறிப்பெச்சம். 'கொல்' அசைநிலை.)
Source: Tamil Wikisource
As for the field of the one who feeds his guests first and eats only what is left over — does such a field even need to be sown? It will yield of itself. The generous host's livelihood flourishes without his having to strive for it.