Internal Enmity
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eṭpaka vaṉṉa ciṟumaittē yāyiṉu / muṭpakai yuḷḷatāṅ kēṭu.
Though internal enmity be as small as a split sesame seed, the ruin of an entire greatness lies within it.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Though slight as shred of 'seasame' seed it be, / Destruction lurks in hidden enmity.”
“Though the split be small even like a slit in a sesamum seed, ruin hangeth over the house that is divided against itself.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
உட்பகை எட்பகவு அன்ன சிறுமைத்தே ஆயினும்= அரசனது உட்பகை அவன் பெருமையே நோக்க எள்ளின் பிளவை ஒத்த சிறுமையுடைத்தே ஆயினும்; கேடு உள்ளதாம்= பெருமையெல்லாம் அழியவரும் கேடு அதன் அகத்ததாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that internal enmity may look as small as one split sesame seed when measured against a ruler’s greatness. Yet the destruction capable of erasing that greatness already lies within the small hostility. This does not license suspicion of every minor error. Once harmful conduct is verified at a point that supports the larger body, its physical smallness is no reason to ignore it.