False Friendship
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cīriṭaṅ kāṇi ṉeṟitaṟkup paṭṭaṭai / nērā nirantavar naṭpu.
“Anvil where thou shalt smitten be, when men occasion find, / Is friendship's form without consenting mind.”
“The friendship that an enemy pretendeth is only an anvil whereon to hammer thee when he seeth his opportunity.”
The friendship of those inwardly opposed, who remain close until they find the right opening, is an anvil that supports the blow.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நேரா நிரந்தவர் நட்பு= கூடாதிருந்தே தமக்கு வாய்க்குமிடம் பெறுந்துணையும் கூடியொழுகுவார் நட்பு; சீரிடம் காணின் எறிதற்குப் பட்டடை= அதுபெற்றால், அற எறிதற்குத் துணையாய பட்டடையாம்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The feigned friendship of those who are inwardly unaligned is like an anvil on which one is supported only to be struck down the moment an advantageous opening appears.