83.1 False Friendship

83.1 False Friendship

Question:

            What is false friendship? Are there examples of false friendship?

           

Answer:

If there is no accord in mind with someone, their words should

not be trusted.                                                                                    (Couplet – 825)

Do not be deceived by the kind and courteous words of an enemy.

They are like the bending of the bow by the archer in preparation

for launching an arrow.                                                                      (Couplet – 827)

The false friendship of an enemy is like an anvil to strike when

the opportunity is right.                                                                     (Couplet – 821)

The saluting hands of an enemy may be hiding a lethal weapon.

So also are his tears of sympathy.                                                      (Couplet – 828)

 

மனத்தின் அமையா தவரை எனைத்தொன்றும்

சொல்லினால் தேறற்பாற்று அன்று.                                  (குறள் – 825)

சொல்வணக்கம் ஒன்னார்கண் கொள்ளற்க வில்வணக்கம்

தீங்கு குறித்தமை யான்.                                                          (குறள் – 827)

சீரிடம் காணின் எறிதற்குப் பட்டடை

நேரா நிரந்தவர் நட்பு.                                                                (குறள் – 821)

தொழுதகை யுள்ளும் படையொடுங்கும் ஒன்னார்

அழுதகண் ணீரும் அனைத்து.                                               (குறள் – 828)

 

 

                                               

Explanation:

In the Chapter on Evil Friendship (Chapter 82), Valluvar says that friendships of pleasure, utility, friendships with undependable people, and a few other types of friendships are evil. One should gradually reduce those friendships and eventually discontinue them if possible. When someone really an enemy pretends like a friend, Valluvar refers to their friendship as false.  

 

There are circumstances when an enemy with evil intentions acts like a friend to inflict harm. For example, Judas acted like a close associate of Jesus and betrayed him. Nathuram Godse pretended like an ardent admirer and disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and shot him in close quarters. Sometimes, a friend might turn into an enemy and continue his friendship hiding his enmity. The Roman politician Marcus Julius Brutus, popularly known as Brutus, was a friend of the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. Brutus turned into an enemy and assassinated Julius Caesar. There are numerous other instances of enemies pretending to be friends to hurt their friends. Judging from Judas’ betrayal of Jesus and Brutus’ assassination of Julius Caesar, it appears that this type of wicked behavior has been in existence for a long time. Valluvar considers the friendships of those with enmity at heart false friendships because they are fake and not genuine.  

 

Valluvar also warns his readers not to trust the words of people who are enemies and act like friends (Couplet – 825). when an archer bends his bow, he intends to shoot an arrow to hurt an enemy or to kill an animal (Couplet –  827). An enemy faking friendship and speaking kind, courteous and sweet words is like the archer bending his bow to inflict harm. Valluvar also compares the false friendship of an enemy to an anvil supporting the iron ready to be stuck by the blacksmith (Couplet – 821). Furthermore, Valluvar cautions his readers not to trust the tears of sympathy of an enemy acting like a friend because it may be like the hidden lethal weapon in the folded hand (Couplet – 828).