Assessing Enmity
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taṉṟuṇai yiṉṟāṟ pakaiyiraṇṭāṟ ṟāṉoruvaṉ / ṉiṉṟuṇaiyāk koḷkavaṟṟi ṉoṉṟu.
“Without ally, who fights with twofold enemy o'ermatched, / Must render one of these a friend attached.”
“If thou hast to contend alone and without allies against two enemies, try to gain over one of them to thy side.”
If one person has no ally and faces two enemies, take the more suitable one of those two as a temporary ally.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
தன்துணை இன்றால்= தனக்கு உதவும் துணையோவெனின் இல்லை; பகை இரண்டால்= நலிவு செய்யும் பகையோவெனின் இரண்டு; ஒருவன் தான் அவற்றின் ஒன்று இன்றுணையாக் கொள்க= அங்ஙனமாய் நின்றவழி, ஒருவனாகிய தான், அப்பகை இரண்டனுள் பொருந்தியது ஒன்றை அப்பொழுதைக்கு இனிய துணையாகச் செய்து கொள்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
When standing alone without allies against two opposing adversaries, one should astutely win over the more suitable of the two to become a supportive ally.