Thirukkural 882 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
வாள்போல பகைவரை அஞ்சற்க அஞ்சுக
கேள்போல் பகைவர் தொடர்பு.
Transliteration
Vaalpola Pakaivarai Anjarka Anjuka
Kelpol Pakaivar Thotarpu
Modern English
“An open enemy is easier to guard against than someone who acts like a friend while secretly wishing you harm.”
Modern Interpretation
An open enemy is easier to guard against than someone who acts like a friend while secretly wishing you harm. For example, a clear competitor is safer to deal with than a partner who quietly misuses shared information.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
An open enemy is easier to guard against than someone who acts like a friend while secretly wishing you harm.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
You need not sword-like kinsmen fear Fear foes who feign as kinsmen dear
G.U. Pope Translation
Dread not the foes that as drawn swords appear;Friendship of foes, who seem like kinsmen, fear
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Fear not foes (who say they would cut) like a sword; (but) fear the friendship of foes (who seemingly
Tamil commentary
வாளைப்போல் வெளிப்படையாகத் தெரியும் பகைவர்க்கு அஞ்ச வேண்டா; நண்பரைப்போல் வெளியில் காட்டி மனத்துள் பகைவராகவே இருப்போரின் தொடர்புக்கு அஞ்சுக.
Chapter 89
More from Enmity within
உட்பகை
Traitorous kinsmen will make you sad As water and shade do harm when bad
Kural 882You need not sword-like kinsmen fear Fear foes who feign as kinsmen dear
Kural 883The secret foe in days evil Will cut you, beware, like potters' steel
Kural 884The evil-minded foe within Foments trouble, spoils kinsmen!
Kural 885A traitor among kinsmen will Bring life-endangering evil
Kural 886Discord in kings' circle entails Life-destroying deadly evils
Kural 887A house hiding hostiles in core Just seems on like the lid in jar
Kural 888By secret spite the house wears out Like gold crumbling by file's contact
Kural 889Ruin lurks in enmity As slit in sesame though it be
Kural 890Dwell with traitors that hate in heart Is dwelling with snake in selfsame hut