Assessing Enmity
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iḷaitāka muḷmaram kolka kaḷaiyunar / kaikolluṅ kāḻtta viṭattu.
“Destroy the thorn, while tender point can work thee no offence; / Matured by time, 'twill pierce the hand that plucks it thence.”
“Fell down thorn-trees while yet they are young: for when they are overgrown they will themselves cut the hand that attempteth to fell them.”
Remove the thorn tree while it is still tender; once it has matured, it will injure the hand of the person who tries to clear it.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
முள் மரம் இளைதாகக் கொல்க= களைய வேண்டுவதாய முள்மரத்தை இளைதாய நிலைமைக்கண் களைக; காழ்த்தவிடத்துக் களையுநர் கைகொல்லும்= அன்றியே முதிர்ந்த நிலைமைக்கண் களையலுறின் களைவார் கையினை அதுதான் களையும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Uproot a thorn tree while it is still a tender shoot; for once it grows into a mature tree, it will wound the very hand that attempts to fell it.