Maalai pozhudhin mayakkathilae

 [A wonderful song, beautifully rendered and the last stanza will stay with you for the rest of your life]

Maalai pozhudhin mayakkathile 

Naan kanavu kanden thozhi 

Manadhil irundhum vaarthaigalillai

Kaaranam en thozhi?

Inbam sila naal thunbam sila naal 

Endradhu yaar thozhi 

Inbam kanavil thunbam edhiril

Kanbadhum en ehozhi 

[while ‘mayakkam’ means faint or confused state, it is also applied to times of day. Here the poet says the evening time, twilight more specifically to be in that state. Think of it as when you wake up from a deep afternoon slumber and how you feel when you wake up, it’s sort of pleasant but dizzy. 

The word ‘thozhi’ means girl friend. It dates back to ancient literature when the lady waiting for her lover to come back from his sojourns would lament to her dearest friend.]

In the dizzying twilight of evening

I had a dream girl

No words issued from my heart 

Why is that so, girl? 

Who said pain is for a few days

And pleasure longer, friend? 

Please (I find) in dreams,

And pain in front (of me, as reality)

Why does it seem like that, girl?

Manamudithavar pol 

arugunile oru vadivu kanden thozhi 

Mangay en kayil kungumam thandhaar 

maalyittar thozhi 

Vazhimarandheno vandhavar nenjil saayndhu vitten thozhi 

Avar maraven maraven endrar udane 

marandhu vittar thozhi 

Parandhuvittar thozhi

I saw someone next to me

Who liked like my husband 

He put kumkum (vermillion) in my hand

Put garland (around my neck)

Did I forget my way (where I was going or coming)?  (also could mean  did I forget my manners of being a lady?)

I rested on the chest (of the man who came)

‘Never will I forget you’, said he

But immediately forgot 

And flew away! 

Kanavinil vandhavar yaarena kaeten 

Kanavar endrar thozhi 

Kanavar endral avar kanavu mudindhadhum 

Pirindhadhu En thozhi?

Ilamai ellam verum kanavu mayam 

Adhil maraindhadhu sila kaalam 

Thelivum ariyadhu mudivum theriyadhu

Mayangadhu edhir kaalam

The one who came in my dream

I asked who he was, girl

He said he was my husband

But if he was, then why did he leave

once the dream was over, friend?

Youth is just an empty, vacuous dreamy state, 

In  disappears part of our time (on earth),

Without knowing clarity 

and without knowing (where and how it will all) end 

Swoons the future.