Friendship
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iṉaiya rivaremak kiṉṉamyā meṉṟu / puṉaiyiṉum pulleṉṉu naṭpu.
Even when people adorn it by saying, “This person is thus much to us, and we are thus much to them,” friendship spoken of in such measures appears mean.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Mean is the friendship that men blazon forth, / 'He's thus to me' and 'such to him my worth'.”
“There is beggary in the friendship that can be reckoned, though it boasteth saying, Thus much do I love him and thus much he loveth me.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இவர் எமக்கு இனையர் யாம் இன்னம் என்று புனையினும்= இவர் நமக்கு இத்துணை அன்பினர், யாம் இவர்க்கு இத்தன்மையம் என்று ஒருவரை ஒருவர் புனைந்து சொல்லினும்; நட்புப் புல் என்னும்= நட்புப் புல்லிதாய்த் தோன்றும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that even if two people embellish the bond by declaring how much each loves the other, friendship presented through such comparative measures appears paltry.