Internal Enmity
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uṟaṉmuṟaiyā ṉuṭpakai tōṉṟi ṉiṟaṉmuṟaiyā / ṉētam palavun tarum.
If internal enmity appears under the form of kinship, it brings many harms—extending, in the ancient royal frame, even to death.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Amid one's relatives if hidden hath arise, / 'Twill hurt inflict in deadly wise.”
“When a kinsman turneth traitor against thee, he will bring on thee a multitude of evils and jeopardise thy very life.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உறல்முறையான் உட்பகை தோன்றின்= புறத்து உறவுமுறைத் தன்மையோடு கூடிய உட்பகை அரசனுக்கு உண்டாவதாயின்; இறல் முறையான் ஏதம் பலவும் தரும்= அஃது அவனுக்கு இறத்தன் முறையோடு கூடிய குற்றம் பலவற்றையும் கொடுக்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that if internal enmity arises in a ruler while joined outwardly to the manner of kinship, it gives many faults extending along the course of death. This is severe ancient political language about mortal danger. It does not condemn relatives as a class; the causal concern is hostile purpose using kinship-like confidence and access to accumulate multiple harms.