Thirukkural – 1307
There’s a distress in lover’s tiff too – when mind worries
whether love-making will be delayed or not.
ஊடலின் உண்டாங்கோர் துன்பம் புணர்வது
நீடுவ தன்று கொல் என்று.
They are meeting after a long separation. She feigns a tiff with him, to make him wait more. But the tiff comes with its own distress, as her mind worries whether they will start making love soon or will it be delayed further because of the tiff. Implied meaning is feigned tiff shouldn’t extend too much and delay the conjugal union.
Dr. Mu Varadarasan and others take ‘நீடுவது’ as ‘love-making time will be extended’ and interpret the Kural as “Whether love-making time will extend or be cut short because of the tiff”. Devaneya Paavaanar takes it as ‘time to start making love will be lengthened (delayed)’ and interprets the Kural as “Whether love-making will be delayed because of the tiff or start soon”. I have gone with Devaneya Paavaanar’s interpretation.
ஊடல் – lover’s tiff / quarrel / pouting
ஆங்கோர் – ஆங்கு + ஓர் – there (is) a
புணர்வது – making love
நீடுவது – extend
அன்று – not
Old Tamil Poetry 