146. Hope has limits

கண்மூடி வீழ்ந்தார்க்குக் கைதாங்கும் நம்பிக்கைமண்மூடி வீழ்ந்தார்க்கு மண்

kanmoodi veezhndaarkkuk kaidhaangum nambikkaimanmoodi veezhndaarkku man

For those who fall with their eyes closed, hope is a hand that holds them up; for those who fall with earth closed over them, what meets them is earth.

Earth closed over someone is the picture of a grave. In Tamil, ‘eyes closed’ (kan moodi) and ‘earth closed’ (man moodi) differ by one sound.

147. Despair cannot predict

விடியா தெனவே இரவு உரைக்கும்உரைத்தல் இரவின் இயல்பு

vidiyaa thenave iravu uraikkumuraithal iravin iyalpu

Night always insists there will be no dawn; saying so is the nature of night.

148. Hope from others

தன்னம்பிக் கைதொலைந்தாள் நெஞ்சில் பிறர்வைத்தநம்பிக்கை வாழும் விதை

thannambik kaidholaindaal nenjil pirarvaithanambikkai vaazhum vidhai

She has lost her trust in herself; the trust others placed in her heart is a seed, and it is alive.