Cherishing Kindred
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paṟṟaṟṟa kaṇṇum paḻaimaipā rāṭṭutal / cuṟṟattār kaṇṇē yuḷa.
“When wealth is fled, old kindness still to show, / Is kindly grace that only kinsmen know.”
“Constancy of attachment even in adversity belongeth only unto kindred.”
Even after wealth is gone, continuing to honour an established bond is a grace the Kural attributes uniquely to kin.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பற்று அற்ற கண்ணும் பழைமை பாராட்டுதல்= ஒருவன் செல்வம் தொலைந்து வறியனாய வழியும் விடாது தம்மோடு அவனிடைப் பழைமையை எடுத்துக் கொண்டாடும் இயல்புகள்; சுற்றத்தார் கண்ணே உள= சுற்றத்தார்மாட்டே உளவாவன.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Even when a person loses all wealth and is reduced to poverty, the enduring loyalty to honor old bonds of kinship and love belongs only to true relatives.