Folly
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peritiṉitu pētaiyār kēṇmai piriviṉkaṭ / pīḻai taruvatoṉ ṟil.
“Friendship of fools is very pleasant thing, / Parting with them will leave behind no sting.”
“Greatly delectable is the friendship of fools: one feeleth no pangs when one parteth from them.”
The friendship of people who act without good judgment is ‘very pleasant’ in this ironic sense: when it ends, the separation causes no pain.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பிரிவின்கண் தருவது பீழை ஒன்று இல்= பின் பிரிவுவந்துழி, அஃது இருவர்க்கும் தருவதொரு துன்பமில்லை; பேதையார் கேண்மை பெரிது இனிது = ஆதலாற் பேதையாயினார் தம்முட் கொண்ட நட்பு மிகவினிது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Friendship with shallow fools is ironically sweet; for when the day of parting inevitably arrives, it leaves behind not the slightest sorrow in the heart.