Long-Standing Friendship
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kēḷiḻukkaṅ kēḷāk keḻutakaimai vallārkku / nāḷiḻukka naṭṭār ceyiṉ.
“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.”
“Behold the men who refuse to listen to any imputations against the friend of their bosom: the day that he doth them an injury is a feast-day unto them.”
For one skilled in the familiar liberty of friendship, who does not accept reports of a friend’s fault uncritically, the day an old friend actually errs becomes a useful day for truth and repair.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கேள் இழுக்கம் கேளாக் கெழுதகைமை வல்லார்க்கு= நட்டார்செய்த பிழையைத் தாமாகவே அன்றிப் பிறர்சொன்னாலும் கொள்ளாத உரிமை அறியவல்லார்க்கு; நட்டார் இழுக்கம் செய்யின் நாள்= அவர் பிழைசெய்வாராயின், அது பயன்பட்ட நாளாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
For those blessed with such intimate friendship that they refuse to listen to others reporting a companion's fault, the day their friend truly errs is a golden day to offer loving correction.