Random Poetry - Sangam poem by Kaniyan Poonkunranaar

Thanks to the website (http://www.cs.utk.edu/~siddhart/tamilnadu/POEMS/poem_yad.html), I have picked up the translation of my favourite Sangam poem (written between 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE) "Yaathum Oore Yaavarum Kelir" by Kaniyan Poonkunranaar.

The translation:
Any place is a city indeed, and all are kindred;
Good and evil do not proceed from others.
Suffering and soothing are to these similar.
Even death is not new. We would neither feel the thrill of
Calling life pleasant; nor would we out of spite
Call it unpleasant. Just as, when with lightning
The sky pours cool drops, uncontrolled,
Hurtling on rock, resounding, a raft is carried away
In the course of (a) great river of plenty,
In the course of Order is (our) dear soul carried;
Since we have benn enlightened by this vision of the wise,
We would not be amazed bt the great in their glory, and
We would even less despise the petty.

Thanks once again to the website and the translator Satyanad Kichenassamy.

To know more about Sangam literature, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangam_literature.