II. Porutpaal

II.6 Natpiyal

Athikaaram 81 Pazhaimai

Kural 801

Pazhaimai enappaduvathu yaathenin yaathum
Kizhamaiyai keezhnthida natpu.



English translation:

II. WEALTH

II.6 chapter on Friendship


Chapter. 81


Kural 801


Familiarity is friendship's silent pact,
That puts restraint on no familiar act.
Imtimate friendship is that which cannot in the least be injured by (things done through the) right (of longstanding intimacy).

my understanding:

What pazhaimai is, not letting the friendship down.



Kural - 802
Familiar freedom friendship's very frame supplies;
To be its savour sweet is duty of the wise.
The constituents of friendship are (things done through) the right of intimacy; to be pleased with such a right is the duty of the wise.



Kural - 803
When to familiar acts men kind response refuse,
What fruit from ancient friendship's use?
Of what avail is long-standing friendship, if friends do not admit as their own actions done through the right of intimacy ?

Kural - 804
When friends unbidden do familiar acts with loving heart,
Friends take the kindly deed in friendly part.
If friends, through the right of friendship, do (anything) without being asked, the wise will be pleased with them on account of its desirability.



Kural - 805
Not folly merely, but familiar carelessness,
Esteem it, when your friends cause you distress.
If friends should perform what is painful, understand that it is owing not only to ignorance, but also to the strong claims of intimacy.



Kural - 806
Who stand within the bounds quit not, though loss impends,
Association with the old familiar friends.
Those who stand within the limits (of true friendship) will not even in adversity give up the intimacy of long-standing friends.


Kural - 807
True friends, well versed in loving ways,
Cease not to love, when friend their love betrays.
Those who have (long) stood in the path of affection will not give it up even if their friends cause (them) their ruin.

Kural - 808
In strength of friendship rare of friend's disgrace who will not hear,
The day his friend offends will day of grace to him appear.
To those who understand that by which they should not listen to (tales about) the faults of their friends, that is a (profitable) day on which the latter may commit a fault.

Kural - 809
Friendship of old and faithful friends,
Who ne'er forsake, the world commends.
They will be loved by the world, who have not forsaken the friendship of those with whom they have kept up an unbroken long-standing intimacy.

Kural - 810
Ill-wishers even wish them well, who guard.
For ancient friends, their wonted kind regard.
Even enemies will love those who have never changed in their affection to their long-standing friends.


PS:
There are three words used with significance in all these kurals: Thahaimai, Pazhaimai and Kizhamai, which are not very well understood by any of the translators.

so, I have left the Pope's translation as it is. when I find a better translation (for these words) I will post this chapter again, as I am not conviced with the translation.