THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 89 -

VERSES 881 TO 890

ãìªçéæ      The  Inner   Enemy
 
å¨Èùªå©Õ몠  ¬äªäèê   ¬äªäè   êëõÐå©Õ몠         881
¬äªäèôè몠  ¬äªäè   âòá¨äª
 
å¨Èùª    å©Õ몠        (the usually pleasant) shade and water
¬äªäèê         if would produce suffering
¬äªäè         it is bad
êëõÐå©Õ몠      the nature of kith and kin
¬äªäè    Í몠      is bad
¬äªäè    âòá¨äª         if it would produce suffering
 
Disease   can   be   found   even   in   pleasing   places   with   shade   and   water.
Even   so   is   the   treachery   of   ones'   friends   and   kin   (881).  
ôèóªîçèùª   çéæôéõ   í¢ªò÷ªæ   í¢ªàæ       882
îæóªîçèùª   çéæôõР  âêèìõе
 
ôèóªîçèùª         openly hostile like the sword
çéæôéõ         the enemy
í¢ªò÷ªæ       do not fear
í¢ªàæ         fear
îæóªîçèùª         appearing like one's wellwisher
çéæôõР        of the enemy
âêèìõе         relationship
 
Open   enmity   of   one   wielding   a   sword   need   not   be   feared   as   much   as the   hidden   enmity   of   one   who   poses   as   a   friend   (882).  
ãìªçéæ   í¢ªò¨êÐê÷ª   æèæÐæ   ãéùô¨ìêÐÊ       883
ëìªçéæá¨äª   ëèúêР  âê×ëª
 
ãóª   çéæ       secret enmity
í¢ªò¨         apprehending
ê䪠  æèæÐæ         protect oneself
ãéù²       weak
¬ìêÐÊ       at that time
ëúª   çéæá¨äª         like the tool of the potter
ëèú         infallibly
âê×몠        will destroy
 
Guard   carefully   against   the   inner   enemy, lest   he   strike you   down   like   the   potter's   tool   (883).  
ëä몠  ëèúè   ãìªçéæ   îêèäª÷¨äª
¬ä몠  ëèúè     884
Öê몠  çù²ëª   êÕëª
 
ëä몠   ëèúè         unreconciled
ãìªçéæ       inner enmity
îêèäª÷¨äª         if it occurs
¬ä몠   ëèúè         resulting in separation from near and dear
Öê몠        trouble
çù²ëª         many
êÕ몠        will bring
 
Unreconciled   inner   enmity   will   bring   all   manner   of   trouble through   unreconciled   kinsmen   (884).  
ã÷äªËé÷áè䪠  ãìªçéæ   îêèäª÷¨äª
¬÷äªËé÷áè䪠  885
Öê몠  çù²ëª   êÕëª
 
ã÷äªËé÷áè䪠        among kith and kin
ãìªçéæ       inner enmity
îêèäª÷¨äª         if arises
¬÷äªËé÷áè䪠      of a deadly nature
Öê몠        troubles
çù²ëª         many
êÕ몠        will follow
 
When   inner   enmity   develops   among   kith   and   kin,   all  manner   of   deadly   troubles   will   follow   (885).  
øäª÷èéë   øäª÷¨áèõР  æúªçï䪠  ö¢ª¢èäª×몠   886
âçèäª÷èéë   øäª÷ùª   íõ¨Ê
 
øäª÷èéë       enmity
øäª÷¨áèõÐæúª         with one's kith and kin
çï䪠        if arises
ö¢ª¢èäª×몠        always
âçèäª÷èéë         without ruinous results
øäª÷ùª         to live
íõ¨Ê         is difficult
 
Inner   enmity   among   kith   and   kin   is   certain   to   lead   to   ruin   (886).  
âòçªç¨äª   µúõÐòÐò¨îçèùª   ÔïÄ몠  Ôìèîê      887
ãìªçéæ   ã÷ª÷   Æï
 
âòçªç¨äª         of a vessel
µúõÐòÐò¨îçèùª         like the lid sitting fit on top
ÔïÄ몠        even if appearing as a unit
Ôìèîê       will not live in harmony
ãìªçéæ         entertaining inner enmity
ã÷ª÷         within
Æï         people of such disposition
 
An   appearance   of   unity   as   between   a   vessel   and   its   lid,cannot
obscure   the   discord   that   comes   of   inner   enmity   (887).  
íõëªâçèÕ   âçèäªîçèùêР  îê±ëª   ãõëªâçèÕÊ     888
ãìªçéæ   ã÷ª÷   Æï
 
íõëªâçèÕ         filed away
âçèäªîçèù         like a metal piece (that is)
îê±ëª       will wear off
ãõ몠      (the) strength (of)
âçèÕÊ         worn off
ãìªçéæ         inner enmity
ã÷ª÷           affected by
Æï         a united people
 
The   strength   of   a   united   people,   if   affected   by   inner   enmity,   will
wear   off   like   iron   when   it   is   worked   on   with   a   file   (888).  
öìªçæ²   íäªä   ò¨×éëêÐîê   Íá¨Ä몠    889
ãìªçéæ   ãóªóêè몠  îæÌ
 
öóª   çæ²         split gingelly seed
íäªä               like
ò¨×éëêÐîê      small
Íá¨Ä몠   even though
ãìªçéæ         inner enmity
ãóªóÊ    Í몠      will bring about
îæÌ         harm
 
Inner   enmity,   even   if   small   like   a   split   gingelly   seed,  can   bring   about   ruin   (889).  
ãìëªçèÌ   ¬ùèêôõР  ôèȪæÐéæ   Æ짪æÕóª     890
çèëªîçèÌ   ãìÄé÷åР  ê÷ª×
 
ãìëªçèÌ         unity of mind
¬ùèêôõР        those who do not have
ôèȪæÐéæ         their life
Æ짪æÕóª         in a hut
çèëªîçèÌ         with a serpent
ãì䪠      along
ãé÷åÐÊ         living
í÷ª×         is like
 
Living   with   an   inner   enemy   is   like   sharing   your dwelling   with   a   snake   (890).    
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