Thirukkural 817 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
நகைவகைய ராகிய நட்பின் பகைவரால்
பத்தடுத்த கோடி உறும்.
Transliteration
Nakaivakaiya Raakiya Natpin Pakaivaraal
Paththatuththa Koti Urum
Modern English
“A rival's honest criticism can help more than the friendship of people who only joke and never truly care.”
Modern Interpretation
A rival's honest criticism can help more than the friendship of people who only joke and never truly care. If a teammate points out a serious flaw, value that help over empty laughter from a cheerful group.
Listen
Tamil pronunciation
Compare translations
Modern Plain English
A rival's honest criticism can help more than the friendship of people who only joke and never truly care.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
Ten-fold crore you gain from foes Than from friends who are vain laughers
G.U. Pope Translation
From foes ten million fold a greater good you gain,Than friendship yields that's formed with laughers vain
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
What comes from enemies is a hundred million times more profitable than what comes from the friendship of those who cause only laughter
Tamil commentary
சிரித்துச் செல்லும் இயல்பினராகிய நட்பைக் காட்டிலும், பகைவரால் வருவன பத்துக் கோடி மடங்கு நன்மையாம்.
Chapter 82
More from Evil Friendship
தீ நட்பு
Swallowing love of soulless men Had better wane than wax anon
Kural 812Who fawn in wealth and fail in dearth Gain or lose; such friends have no worth
Kural 813Cunning friends who calculate Are like thieves and whores wicked
Kural 814Better be alone than trust in those That throw in field like faithless horse
Kural 815Friends low and mean that give no help- Leave them is better than to keep
Kural 816Million times the wise man's hate Is better than a fool intimate
Kural 817Ten-fold crore you gain from foes Than from friends who are vain laughers
Kural 818Without a word those friends eschew Who spoil deeds which they can do
Kural 819Even in dreams the tie is bad With those whose deed is far from word
Kural 820Keep aloof from those that smile At home and in public revile