Harmful Friendship
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uṟiṉaṭ ṭaṟiṉorūu moppilār kēṇmai / peṟiṉu miḻappiṉu meṉ.
What true gain is there in obtaining, or true loss in losing, the friendship of people without constancy who join while benefit is available and leave when it is gone?
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“What though you gain or lose friendship of men of alien heart, / Who when you thrive are friends, and when you fail depart?”
“Behold the unworthy wretches who would fawn on thee when it is to their profit and forsake thee when thou canst serve them no more: what mattereth it whether thou gain their friendship or lose it?”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உறின் நட்டு அறின் ஒரூஉம் ஒப்பு இலார் கேண்மை= தமக்குப் பயன்உள்வழி நட்புச்செய்து, அஃது இல்வழி ஒழியும் ஒப்பிலாரது நட்பினை; பெறினும் இழப்பினும் என்= பெற்றால் ஆக்கம் யாது? இழந்தால் கேடுயாது?
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar asks what gain comes from obtaining, or what harm comes from losing, the friendship of people without constancy who associate while benefit is present and depart when it is absent.