Thirukkural 887 in English

Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.

Tamil original

செப்பின் புணர்ச்சிபோல் கூடினும் கூடாதே
உட்பகை உற்ற குடி.

Transliteration

Seppin Punarchchipol Kootinum Kootaadhe
Utpakai Utra Kuti

English Translation

“A house hiding hostiles in core Just seems on like the lid in jar”

Plain-English meaning

Never indeed will a family subject to internal hatred unite (really) though it may present an apparent union like that of a casket and its lid

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Tamil pronunciation

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English Translation

A house hiding hostiles in core Just seems on like the lid in jar

G.U. Pope Translation

As casket with its cover, though in one they live alway,No union to the house where hate concealed hath sway

Plain-English Meaning

Never indeed will a family subject to internal hatred unite (really) though it may present an apparent union like that of a casket and its lid

செப்பு, மூடியோடு சேர்ந்து இருப்பதுபோல் உட்பகை கொண்ட குடும்பமும், கட்சியும், அரசும் வெளியே சேர்ந்து இருந்தாலும் உள்ளத்துள் சேரவே மாட்டா.

Chapter 89

உட்பகை

Traitorous kinsmen will make you sad As water and shade do harm when bad

You need not sword-like kinsmen fear Fear foes who feign as kinsmen dear

The secret foe in days evil Will cut you, beware, like potters' steel

The evil-minded foe within Foments trouble, spoils kinsmen!

A traitor among kinsmen will Bring life-endangering evil

Discord in kings' circle entails Life-destroying deadly evils

A house hiding hostiles in core Just seems on like the lid in jar

By secret spite the house wears out Like gold crumbling by file's contact

Ruin lurks in enmity As slit in sesame though it be

Dwell with traitors that hate in heart Is dwelling with snake in selfsame hut