Internal Enmity
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ceppiṉ puṇarccipōṟ kūṭiṉuṅ kūṭātē / yuṭpakai yuṟṟa kuṭi.
Though it may appear joined like a metal container fitted with its lid, a household possessed by internal enmity is not truly united.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“As casket with its cover, though in one they live alway, / No union to the house where hate concealed hath sway.”
“The house that is divided against itself is like a vessel that is fitted with a lid: though it appeareth to be a single unit, it will never make a united whole.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
செப்பின் புணர்ச்சி போல் கூடினும்= செப்பினது புணர்ச்சிபோலப் புறத்து வேற்றுமைதெரியாமற் கூடினாராயினும்; உட்பகை உற்ற குடி கூடாது= உட்பகை உண்டாய குடியில் உள்ளார் அகத்துத் தம்முள் கூடார்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that members of a household affected by internal enmity may appear joined outwardly with no difference visible, like the fitting of a metal container and its lid. Yet inwardly they are not joined among themselves. The distinction is between a seamless outer appearance and real internal union, not between uniform and diverse opinion.