THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 39

VERSES 381 TO 390
 
¬é÷ëèìªò¨      On  Kingship
 
çéìÆï   ÔȪíéëòÐà   åìªçõúª   Í×몠        381
ãéìáè䪠  íõòÕóª   Ö×
 
çéì       armed forces
Æï       good citizens
ÔȪ       food (resources)
íéëòÐà       ministers
å쪵       well-wishers
íõúª       security (protection)
Í×몠      (these) six
ãéìáè䪠      whoever has
íõòÕóª       among kings
Ö×       lion
 
Army,   people,   resources,   ministers,allies   and   fortresses,
are   the   six   that   make   a   ruler   a   lion   among   kings   (381).

 
í¢ªòèéë  ¼éæ í÷¨´æÐæëª ¬åÐåèäªÆ몠    382
ö¢ªòèéë   îôåÐêõÐæР  æ¨áùªµ
 
í¢ªòèéë       courage
¼éæ       munificence
í÷¨²       wisdom
ÃæÐæ몠      enthusiasm
¬åÐåèäªÆ몠      these four
ö¢ªòèéë       if they will not dissipate
îôåÐêõÐæÐÆ       for kings
¬áùªµ       are natural attributes
 
Courage,   generosity,   wisdom   and   enthusiasm,   which   will   not
dissipate,   are   the   four   natural   qualities   of   a   king   (382).
   
Ê­§ªæèéë   æùªô¨   Êú¨²éìéë   ¬ëªßäª×몠    383
婧ªæè   å¨ùäèóª   çôõÐæÐÆ
 
Ê­§ªæèéë       alertness (no procrastination in disposal
æùªô¨       knowledge
Êú¨²éìéë       bravery
¬ëªßäª×몠      these three
婧ªæè       everlasting
å¨ù䪠      country
ÍóªçôõÐæÐÆ       those who rule

Vigilance,   knowledge,   and   bravery   at   all   times   are
the   three   (distinctive)   marks   of   a   king   (383).
   
í÷ä¨ÇæÐæè   êùªùéô   å©æÐ樠  ë÷ä¨ÇæÐæè       384
ëèä몠  ãéìá   êõà
 
í÷䪠      virtue
¬ÇæÐæèÊ       never faltering
íùªùéô       evil doings
å©æÐ樠      abjuring
ë÷䪠      courage
¬ÇæÐæè       not faltering
ëèä몠      high state
ãéìáÊ       having
íõà       government (king)

Devotion   to   virtue,   not   allowing   deviations   from   it,   and   valour
are   the   qualities   that   make   a   king   (384).
   
¬á÷ª÷Ù몠  ¼ìªìÙ몠  æèêÐêÙ몠  æèêÐê        385
ôÆêÐêÙ몠  ôùªù   êõà
 
¬á÷ª÷Ù몠      planning for raising resources
¼ìªìÙ몠      proper husbanding of resources
æèêÐêÙ몠      conserving it
æèêÐê    ôÆêÐêÙ몠      proper financial management
ôùªùÊ       having the capacity
íõà       is a king

Raising   of   resources,   making   them   productive,   preserving   them,
and   spending   them   effectively   mark   a   good   king   (385).
 
 
æèìªò¨æР âæó¨á䪠 æÌ¢ªâòèùªù䪠 íùªùîäùª     386
ë©æÐÔ×몠  ëäªä䪠  å¨ùëª
 
æèìªò¨æÐÆ       for access
öó¨á䪠      easy
æÌ¢ªâòèùªù䪠      using abrasive language
íùªùîäùª       if not
ë©æÐÆ×몠      will be praised by the world
ëäªä䪠      that king's
å¨ù몠      country
 
That   kingdom   will   earn   high   praise   where   the   king   is
easy   of   access,   and   not   harsh   in   speech   (386).
   
¬äªâòèùèùª  ¼êÐêó¨æÐæ  ôùªùèõÐæÐÆêР êäªâòèùèùª    387
êèäªæúª   ìéäêÐê¨ôª   ²ùÆ
 
¬äªâòèùèùª       through sweet words
¼êÐÊ       giving (speaking)
íó¨æÐæ    ôùªùèõÐæÐÆ       for the king capable of protecting
êäªâòèùèùª       speaking out about himself
êè䪠      he
æúªì    íéäêÐÊ       will happen according to his wishes
¬ôª²ùÆ       is this world

The   king   who   is   charitable   and   sweet   of   speech   will
have   the   world   go   his   way   (387).
 
 
Ëé÷âòáªÊ   æèçªçè÷ª×몠  ëäªäô䪠 ëæÐæìªÆ      388
¬é÷âáäª×   éôæÐæ窠  çÌëª
 
Ëé÷    âòáªÊ       according to judicial ways
æèçªçè÷ª×몠      protecting the country
ëäªäô䪠        king
ëæÐæìªÆ       in the eyes of his subjects
¬é÷   öäª×         as if he were god
éôæÐæçªçÌ몠      will be considered
 
The   king   who   upholds   the   law   and   protects   his   people
will   be   regarded   by   them   as   their   God   (388).
   
âòô¨éæçªçòР âòè÷ªâçè×æÐÆ몠 çúªµéì îôåÐê䪠   389
æô¨éææÐæ©ÈªêР  ꧪÆ몠  ãùÆ
 
âòô¨    éæçªç       bitter to the ears
âòè÷ªâçè×æÐÆ몠      putting up with words
çúªµéì       having this quality
îôåÐê䪠      of the king
æô¨éææÐæ©Èª       under his (royal) umbrella
ꧪÆ몠      will stay permanently
ãùÆ       the world
 
The   king   who   gives   a   patient   ear   to   advice,   even   if   unpalatable,
will   win   the   loyalty   of   his   people   (389).

 
âæèéìáó¨   âò§ªîæèùª  Æïîáèëªçùª  åèäªÆ몠   390
ãéìáèäè몠  îôåÐêõÐæР  âæèó¨
 
âæèéì         munificence
íó¨         compassion
âò§ªîæèùª         just administration
Æï   Øëªçùª       concern for his subjects
åèäªÆ몠      all these four
ãéìáè䪠   Í몠      the one having these
îôåÐêõÐæÐÆ       to the king's
øó¨       light(house)

 
The   king   who   has   the   four   qualities   of   being   generous,kind
of   speech,   just   and   protective   will   be   the   leading   light
for   the   kings   (390).

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