Internal Enmity
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niḻaṉīru miṉṉāta viṉṉa tamarnīru / miṉṉāvā miṉṉā ceyiṉ.
Even shade and water become painful when they cause illness; so do the qualities of intimates when their conduct causes harm.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Water and shade, if they unwholesome prove, will bring you pain. / And qualities of friends who treacherous act, will be your bane.”
“Even groves and fountains give no joy if they breed disease: even so kinsmen too are an abomination when they seek one’s ruin.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நிழல் நீரும் இன்னாத இன்னா= ஒருவனுக்கு அனுபவிக்க வேண்டுவனவாய நிழலும் நீரும் முன் இனியவேனும் பின் நோய்செய்வன இன்னாவாம்; தமர் நீரும் இன்னாசெயின் இன்னாவாம்= அதுபோலத் தழுவவேண்டுனவாய தமர் இயல்புகளும், முன் இனியவேனும் பின் இன்னாசெய்வன இன்னாவாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that shade and water are things people naturally wish to enjoy. Although pleasant at first, they become painful if they later cause illness. In the same way, the qualities of intimates—people one would normally embrace—become painful when they later cause harm. Closeness itself is not condemned; the reversal rests on conduct that actually injures.