False Friendship
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
iṉampōṉ ṟiṉamallār kēṇmai makaḷir / maṉampōla vēṟu paṭum.
“Friendship of those who seem our kin, but are not really kind. / Will change from hour to hour like woman's mind.”
“Behold the men who look like friends but are enemies at heart: their friendship will alter even as the heart of a woman.”
The friendship of those who seem like one’s own but are not truly so changes when opportunity appears—an idea the verse compares, through an unacceptable historical stereotype, to women’s minds.
Ask about this Kural
Answers are drawn only from this Kural's sourced text and named commentary, and always cite what they used.
Choose a section
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இனம்போன்று இனமலலார் கேண்மை= தமக்கு உற்றார் போன்று உறாதாரோடு உளதாய நட்பு; மகளிர் மனம்போல வேறுபடும்= இடம்பெற்றால் பெண்பாலார் மனம்போல வேறுபடும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
The false companionship of those who pretend to be akin while remaining unaligned shifts capriciously from moment to moment, bringing instability and sorrow.