Long-Standing Friendship
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kēḷiḻukkaṅ kēḷāk keḻutakaimai vallārkku / nāḷiḻukka naṭṭār ceyiṉ.
For one skilled in the familiar liberty of friendship, who does not accept reports of a friend’s fault uncritically, the day an old friend actually errs becomes a useful day for truth and repair.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“In strength of friendship rare of friend's disgrace who will not hear, / The day his friend offends will day of grace to him appear.”
“Behold the men who refuse to listen to any imputations against the friend of their bosom: the day that he doth them an injury is a feast-day unto them.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கேள் இழுக்கம் கேளாக் கெழுதகைமை வல்லார்க்கு= நட்டார்செய்த பிழையைத் தாமாகவே அன்றிப் பிறர்சொன்னாலும் கொள்ளாத உரிமை அறியவல்லார்க்கு; நட்டார் இழுக்கம் செய்யின் நாள்= அவர் பிழைசெய்வாராயின், அது பயன்பட்ட நாளாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that for one skilled in old friendship’s familiar liberty—who does not accept a friend’s alleged fault merely because others report it—the day the friend actually errs becomes a day that can be put to use through direct truth and correction.