False Friendship
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maṉatti ṉamaiyā tavarai yeṉaittoṉṟuñ / colliṉāṟ ṟēṟaṟpāṟ ṟaṉṟu.
“When minds are not in unison, 'its never; just, / In any words men speak to put your trust.”
“Behold the men whose hearts are not with thee: though their words tempt thee, place not the slightest faith in them.”
When a person’s allegiance is materially unaligned with yours, it is not sound to place confidence in words alone in any matter.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
மனத்தின் அமையாதவரை= மனத்தால் தம்மொடு மேவாதாரை; எனைத்தொன்றும் சொல்லினால் தேறற்பாற்று அன்று= யாதொரு கருமத்தினும் சொல்லால் தெளிதல் முறைமைத்தன்று நீதிநூல்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Never place faith in the sweet assurances of those who are inwardly estranged; words alone must never be mistaken for genuine alignment of heart.