776. Promises without action

ஆற்றுவேன் என்றே யமர்ந்தான் அமர்வதேஊற்றுக்குத் தூர்த்த மணல்

aatruven endre yamarndaan amarvadheootrukkudh thoortha manal

He said, ‘I will do it,’ and sat down. That sitting is sand heaped into a spring.

777. Thinking instead of doing

எண்ணி யிருந்தான் எழுந்திலன் எண்ணமேகண்ணி யிருந்த கயிறு

enni yirundaan ezhundilan ennamekanni yirunda kayiru

He sat in thought and did not rise: the thought itself was the rope that made the noose.

778. An innocent excuse

சற்றே படுப்பேன் எனுஞ்சொல்லே கற்கோட்டைக்குற்றமிலா வாயிற் கதவு

satre paduppen enunjolle karkottaikkutramilaa vaayir kadhavu

“I’ll lie down, just a little”: those words are the blameless door of a stone fortress.

The fortress is idleness, walled in stone. Its door is a phrase so harmless that nobody would blame it, and through it one walks in.