Thirukkural 888 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
அரம்பொருத பொன்போலத் தேயும் உரம்பொருது
உட்பகை உற்ற குடி.
Transliteration
Aramporudha Ponpolath Theyum Uramporudhu
Utpakai Utra Kuti
Modern English
“Internal hostility steadily wears down a group's strength, just as filing wears away iron.”
Modern Interpretation
Internal hostility steadily wears down a group's strength, just as filing wears away iron. For example, constant mistrust can slowly drain a company's best people and ideas.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Internal hostility steadily wears down a group's strength, just as filing wears away iron.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
By secret spite the house wears out Like gold crumbling by file's contact
G.U. Pope Translation
As gold with which the file contends is worn away,So strength of house declines where hate concealed hath sway
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
A family subject to internal hatred will wear out and lose its strength like iron that has been filed away
Tamil commentary
அரத்தால் தேய்க்கப்படும் இரும்பு தேய்வது போல, உட்பகை கொண்ட குடு்ம்பமும் கட்சியும் அரசும் தமக்கும் பொருது தம் பலம் இழக்கும்.
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