Thirukkural

PART II. WEALTH - The Post-marital love
Chapter. 118. Eyes consumed with Grief

Kural - 1171
They showed me him, and then my endless pain
I saw: why then should weeping eyes complain?
As this incurable malady has been caused by my eyes which showed (him) to me, why should they now weep for (him).

Kural - 1172
How glancing eyes, that rash unweeting looked that day,
With sorrow measureless are wasting now away!
The dyed eyes that (then) looked without foresight, why should they now endure sorrow, without feeling sharply (their own fault).

Kural - 1173
The eyes that threw such eager glances round erewhile
Are weeping now. Such folly surely claims a smile!
They themselves looked eagerly (on him) and now they weep. Is not this to be laughed at ?

Kural - 1174
Those eyes have wept till all the fount of tears is dry,
That brought upon me pain that knows no remedy.
These painted eyes have caused me a lasting mortal disease; and now they can weep no more, the tears having dried up.

Kural - 1175
The eye that wrought me more than sea could hold of woes,
Is suffering pangs that banish all repose.
Mine eyes have caused me a lust that is greater than the sea and (they themselves) endure the torture of sleeplessness.

Kural - 1176
Oho! how sweet a thing to see! the eye
That wrought this pain, in the same gulf doth lie.
The eyes that have given me this disease have themselves been seized with this (suffering). Oh! I am much delighted.

Kural - 1177
Aching, aching, let those exhaust their stream,
That melting, melting, that day gazed on him.
The eyes that became tender and gazed intently on him, may they suffer so much as to dry up the fountain of their tears.

Kural - 1178
Who loved me once, onloving now doth here remain;
Not seeing him, my eye no rest can gain.
He is indeed here who loved me with his lips but not with his heart but mine eyes suffer from not seeing him.

Kural - 1179
When he comes not, all slumber flies; no sleep when he is there;
Thus every way my eyes have troubles hard to bear.
When he is away they do not sleep; when he is present they do not sleep; in either case, mine eyes endure unbearable agony.

Kural - 1180
It is not hard for all the town the knowledge to obtain,
When eyes, as mine, like beaten tambours, make the mystery plain.
It is not difficult for the people of this place to understand the secret of those whose eyes, like mine, are as it were beaten drums.


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With Thanks:
Verse & Prose of Thirukkural have been used from the Book: TIRUKKURAL with translations in English by Rev Dr G U Pope, Rev W H Drew, Rev John Lazarus and Mr F W Ellis Published by The South India Saiva Siddhantha Works Publishing Society, Tinnevelly, Limited. India (1982).

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