இந்த ஊர்ப் பெண்கள் பேசும் பேச்சே உரமாக தாயின் தடைச்சொல் நீராக என் காதல் பயிர் வளரும்.

ஒருவரையொருவர் விரும்பி மலர்ந்த காதலானது ஊர்மக்கள் பேசும் பழிச்சொற்களை எருவாகவும் அன்னையின் கடுஞ்சொற்களை நீராகவும் கொண்டு வளருமே தவிரக் கருகிப் போய்விடாது

இந்தக் காம நோய் ஊராரின் அலர் தூற்றலே எருவாகவும் அன்னை கடிந்து சொல்லும் கடுஞ்சொல்லே நீராகவும் கொண்டு செழித்து வளர்கின்றது.

This malady (of lust) is manured by the talk of women and watered by the (harsh) words of my mother

Kural 1147 explores the nature of unreciprocated love or lust, comparing it to a malady that continues to thrive and grow. The verse uses agricultural metaphors to convey this concept. The "talk of women" is compared to the manure that enriches the soil and allows crops to flourish. It means that the whispers, rumors, and talks about the beloved in society can often intensify and fuel the feelings of affection or lust in a person's heart. The "harsh words of my mother" are compared to water, a vital element for the growth of a plant. This indicates that even the stern warnings and reprimands from a mother, which are meant to dissuade the individual from such feelings, ironically contribute to the growth of these emotions. Instead of quelling the feelings, they serve to heighten the emotional intensity and longing, much like how water, though necessary for growth, can also lead to overgrowth or flooding if mismanaged. In essence, this verse portrays the irony of how societal gossip and parental admonishment, which ideally should deter a person from the path of unrequited love, end up nurturing and fuelling it instead. It is a commentary on the paradoxical nature of human emotions and the way societal and familial influences can often have unintended consequences.