II. Porutpaal

II.6 Natpiyal

Athikaaram 82 Thee natpu

Kural 811

Paruhuvaar pohlinum panbilaar kaenmai
Peruhalir kundrall inithu.


English translation:

II. WEALTH

II.6 chapter on Friendship


Chapter. 82 Bad Friendship


Kural 811

Though evil men should all-absorbing friendship show,
Their love had better die away than grow.
The decrease of friendship with those who look as if they would eat you up (through excess of love) while they are really destitute of goodness is far better than its increase.


My understanding:

Friendship of an ill-charactered person, even if it looks as if they are very fond of you, it is good if you could let it fade out rather than letting it grow.




Other kurals:


Kural - 812
What though you gain or lose friendship of men of alien heart,
Who when you thrive are friends, and when you fail depart?
Of what avail is it to get or lose the friendship of those who love when there is gain and leave when there is none ?

my understanding:
if there is no gain in having their friendship or no loss if loosing their friendship of a person who doesn't deserve, what is the point in having it orloosing it?


Kural - 813
These are alike: the friends who ponder friendship's gain
Those who accept whate'er you give, and all the plundering train.
Friendship who calculate the profits (of their friendship), prostitutes who are bent on obtaining their gains, and thieves are (all) of the same character.


Kural - 814
A steed untrained will leave you in the tug of war;
Than friends like that to dwell alone is better far.
Solitude is more to be desired than the society of those who resemble the untrained horses which throw down (their riders) in the fields of battle.


Kural - 815
'Tis better not to gain than gain the friendship profitless
Of men of little minds, who succour fails when dangers press.
It is far better to avoid that to contract the evil friendship of the base who cannot protect (their friends) even when appointed to do so.


Kural - 816
Better ten million times incur the wise man's hate,
Than form with foolish men a friendship intimate.
The hatred of the wise is ten-million times more profitable than the excessive intimacy of the fool.


note: here and in the following kural, he uses the numbering system "kohdi" which is equivalent to ten million.


Kural - 817
From foes ten million fold a greater good you gain,
Than friendship yields that's formed with laughers vain.
What comes from enemies is a ten million times more profitable than what comes from the friendship of those who cause only laughter.



Kural - 818
Those men who make a grievous toil of what they do
On your behalf, their friendship silently eschew.
Gradually abandon without revealing (beforehand) the friendship of those who pretend inability to carry out what they (really) could do.



Kural - 819
E'en in a dream the intercourse is bitterness
With men whose deeds are other than their words profess.
The friendship of those whose actions do not agree with their words will distress (one) even in (one's) dreams.



Kural - 820
In anywise maintain not intercourse with those,
Who in the house are friends, in hall are slandering foes.
Avoid even the least approach to a contraction of friendship with those who would love you in private but ridicule you in public.