The Kural · Chapter
LXXXIII: False Friendship explained
This chapter warns against false friends who feign friendship while harboring enmity, advising caution and strategic feigned friendship when open rupture is not possible.
What happens
This chapter warns against false friends who feign friendship while harboring enmity, advising caution and strategic feigned friendship when open rupture is not possible.
Themes in this chapter
Social Harmony and Ethics
The chapter emphasizes ethical discernment in social relationships, warning against hypocritical friendships that disrupt harmony.
Characters to notice
- the Kural
The text of the Kural itself delivers the teachings on false friendship.
Key passages
“The friendship that an enemy pretendeth is only an anvil whereon to hammer thee when he seeth his opportunity.”
An enemy's pretended friendship is merely a tool to harm you when the chance arises.
Opening couplet setting the theme of deceptive enmity.
“Fear thou the hypocritical ruffians that smile to the face but nurse their spite within their bosom.”
Beware of hypocrites who smile outwardly but harbor resentment inside.
Warning against those who conceal malice behind a friendly facade.
“Trust not an enemy though he bendeth low in his speech: for the bending of the bow forebodeth nothing but harm.”
Do not trust an enemy even if he speaks humbly, as a bent bow only portends harm.
Metaphor comparing humble speech to a drawn bow, ready to strike.
“When thou canst not yet break openly with thy foe, feign friendship to his face but keep him off from thy heart.”
If you cannot openly break with your enemy, pretend friendship outwardly but keep him at a distance inwardly.
Final couplet advising strategic dissimulation when open conflict is unwise.