Cherishing Kindred
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uḻaippirintu kāraṇattiṉ vantāṉai vēnta / ṉiḻaittirun teṇṇik koḷal.
When a relative who left the king's side without cause returns for a purpose, the king should attend to that cause, examine thoughtfully, and then receive the person.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Who causeless went away, then to return, for any cause, ask leave; / The king should sift their motives well, consider, and receive!”
“When a kinsman that hath broken with thee cometh back to thee for a reason, accept thou him, but with caution.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உழைப்பிரிந்து காரணத்தின் வந்தானை= காரணமின்றித் தன்னிடத்து நின்றும் பிரிந்துபோய்ப் பின் காரணத்தான் வந்த சுற்றத்தானை; வேந்தன் இழைத்து இருந்து எண்ணிக் கொளல்= அரசன் அக்காரணத்தைச் செய்துவைத்து ஆராய்ந்து தழீஇக் கொள்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that when a relative who left the king without cause later returns because of a cause, the king should arrange what that cause requires, examine thoughtfully, and then embrace or receive the person.