Harmful Friendship
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nakaivakaiya rākiya naṭpiṟ pakaivarāṟ / pattaṭutta kōṭi yuṟum.
“From foes ten million fold a greater good you gain, / Than friendship yields that's formed with laughers vain.”
“The hate of enemies is a hundred million times more valuable than the friendship of boon companions and flatterers.”
What comes from open enemies is ten crores better than friendship formed with those who make one an object of laughter.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நகை வகையர் ஆகிய நட்பின் = தாம் அறிதல் வகையர் ஆகாது, நகுதல் வகையர் ஆதற்கு ஏதுவாகிய நட்பான் வருவனவற்றின்; பகைவரால் பத்து அடுத்த கோடி உறும் = பகைவரான் வருவன பத்துக்கோடி மடங்கு நல்ல.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Suffering at the hands of declared enemies is ten times ten million times better than enduring the false companionship of those who expose you to public ridicule and contempt.