தணியாத காதல் துன்பத்தை நான் அறிந்ததே இந்தக் கண்கள் எனக்கு அவரைக் காட்டியதால்தானே? இப்போது அவரைக் காட்டு என என்னிடம் அழுவது எதற்கு?

கண்கள் செய்த குற்றத்தால்தானே காதல் நோய் ஏற்பட்டது? அதே கண்கள் அந்தக் காதலரைக் காட்டுமாறு கேட்டு அழுவது ஏன்?

தீராத இக்காமநோய், கண்கள் காட்ட யாம் கண்டதால் விளைந்தது; அவ்வாறிருக்க, காட்டிய கண்கள், இன்று அன்பு கொண்டு உணராமல் துன்பத்தால் வருந்துவது ஏன்?

As this incurable malady has been caused by my eyes which showed (him) to me, why should they now weep for (him)

Kural 1171 reflects upon the paradoxical nature of love and the emotional turmoil it often brings. The speaker in this verse is experiencing the pain of love, which they describe as an "incurable malady". Interestingly, the speaker attributes this ailment to their own eyes, which first introduced them to the object of their affection. The question raised in the second half of the verse brings forth the speaker's confusion and despair. They question why their eyes, which are the cause of their suffering, should now weep for the person they have shown. It's a poignant commentary on the irony of longing for someone who is the source of one's pain. This verse captures the complexities of love - the initial attraction, the subsequent attachment, and the resultant suffering when the loved one is not around. It also underscores the unpredictable and often contradictory nature of human emotions, especially in the context of love and longing. In a broader sense, this Kural can be seen as a reflection on the consequences of our choices and actions. Just as the eyes in the verse, we may sometimes find ourselves suffering from the very decisions we have made, questioning our own actions in retrospect.