The Character of Enmity
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kuṇaṉilaṉāyk kuṟṟam palavāyiṉ māṟṟārk / kiṉaṉilaṉā mēmāp puṭaittu.
“No gracious gifts he owns, faults many cloud his fame; / His foes rejoice, for none with kindred claim.”
“If a prince hath no virtues and many vices he will have no allies and his enemies will rejoice.”
If one has no cultivated virtue and many faults, one will be left without allies; that very lack becomes strength for opponents.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
குணன் இலனாய்க் குற்றம் பலவாயின் இனன் இலனாம்= ஒருவன் குணன் ஒன்றும் இலனாய் உடைய குற்றம் பலவாய வழி, அவன் துணையிலனாம்; மாற்றார்க்கு ஏமாப்பு உடைத்து= அவ்விலனாதல் தானே அவன்பகைவர்க்குத் துணையாதலை உடைத்து.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
When a person has no virtues and countless vices, all allies desert them; and that utter friendlessness becomes the greatest strength of their adversaries.