Tirukkural-On Virtue-An Open House Or Hospitality-Kural-90

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This is one of the most beautiful Kurals of Valluvar, noted for a very delicate simile.

The delicate blossom of anicham withers away even on being smelt;
A sensitive guest shrinks at an unwelcome look of the host.

The poorer the guest the greater the responsibility of the host to make him feel welcome – to be treated more delicately than the most sensitive flower. Lord Krishna's treatment of Kuchela is relevant here.

Acharakovai lays down the essentials of guest service as follows with 'Muruval' or the smiling look of welcome, leading:

Muruval inithuraikaaneer manaipaai kidakai

Purananuru envisages that such welcome should go even deeper than the face, when it says:

Akan naha vaaraamukan aliparisil

The second of these essentials is pleasing speech or 'Inithurai' which is dealt with in the next chapter.

The imagery and comparison described in this Kural in felicitous words are among the best that I have come across in any literature.