THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION-70

VERSES 691 TO 700
    
ëäªäéõ   îòõÐåÐÊ  øÇæùª     Serving   the   King
 
íæùèÊ   íÑæèÊ   ê©æÐæèáªôèõР  îçèùªæ    691
¬æùªîôåÐêõÐòР  îòõÐåÐâêèÇÆ   ôèõÐ
 
íæùèÊ       not staying far
íÑæèÊ       not too close
ê©æÐæèáªôèõР      those who warm in front of a fire
îçèùªæ       like
¬æùªîôåÐêõР      mighty king
îòõÐåÐÊ       with

In   serving   the   king   he   who   does   not   desire   what   the   king
desires   will   win   the   king's   unfailing   patronage   (691).
 
ëäªäõР  ô¨éÈç   ô¨éÈáèéë   ëäªäõèùª    692
ëäªä¨á   ÍæÐæ몠  êÕëª
 
ëäªäõР      the king
ô¨éÈç       desired by
ô¨éÈáèéë       not desired
ëäªäõèùª         by the king
ëäªä¨á       longstanding
ÍæÐæ몠      patronage
êÕ몠      will bring
 
In   serving   the   king   he   who   does   not   desire   what   the   king
desires   will   win   the   king's   unfailing   patronage   (692).
 
îçè÷ª÷¨äª   íõ¨áéô   îçè÷ª÷ùª   æÌêÐêç¨äª       693
îê÷ª×êùª   áèõÐæÐÆ몠  íõ¨Ê
 
îçè÷ª÷¨äª       if desirous of protecting oneself
íõ¨áéô       from serious misconduct
îçè÷ª÷ùª       should guard against
æÌêÐêç¨äª       after the king entertains suspicion
îê÷ª×êùª       to satisfy him
áèõÐæÐÆ몠      for anyone
íõ¨Ê       is difficult

One   should   avoid   failings   while   in   the   king's   service;   for   if
the   king's   suspicion   is   raised,   it   will   be   difficult   to   dispel   (693).
 
âòô¨òÐâòèùªÙ몠 îòõÐåÐê  åéæ±ëª  íô¨êÐâêèÇæùª  694 
Íäª÷   âçõ¨áè   õæêÐÊ
 
âòô¨òÐâòèùªÙ몠      whispering into the ears
îòõÐåÐê    åéæ±ëª       smiling together
íô¨êÐÊ       (ministers should) avoid
øÇæùª       behaviour
Íäª÷       the strong (and)
âçõ¨áèõР   íæêÐÊ       in the company of the great (king)

One   (minister)   should   not,   when   in   the   presence   of   the   great   (king),
whisper   to   or   exchange   private   smiles   with     another   (694).
 
öçªâçèÕÓ몠 ØõèõР âêèìõèõÐë÷ª×  íçªâçèÕéó  695
ô¨ìªìæÐæèùª   îæìªæ   ëé÷
 
öçªâçèÕÓ몠      whatever be the subject of discussion
ØõèõР      without overhearing
âêèìõèõР      without questioning (the person)
ë÷ª×       on the other hand
íçªâçèÕéó       about that subject
ô¨ìªìæÐæèùª       if (that person) would volunteer to speak
îæìªæ       should listen
ëé÷       the subject (secret)

One   should   never   overhear   or   show   inquisitiveness   in   the   secret
discussed   by   the   king   with   others,   but   await   being   told
about   it   by   the   king   himself     (695).

Æ÷¨çªç÷¨åÐÊ   æèù몠  æÕꨠ  âô×窵   ¬ù     696
îôúªÌç   îôìªçòР  âòèùùª
 
Æ÷¨çªµ    í÷¨åÐÊ       reading the mind (of the king)
æèù몠      appropriate time
æÕꨠ      considering
âô×窵    ¬ù       which is not to the distaste (of the king)
îôúªÌç       what is desirable
îôìªç       in a persuasive manner
âòèùùª       uttering

One   should   understand   what   is   sought   and   choose   pleasing   words
in   reply,   when   the   time   and   mood   is   appropriate   (696).
 
îôìªçä   âòèùªù¨   ô¨éäá¨ù   ö¢ª¢èäª×몠    697
îæìªç¨Ä몠  âòèùªùè   ô¨ìùª
 
îôìªçä       desirable
âòèùªù¨       having uttered
ô¨éäá¨ù       that which is of no use
ö¢ª¢èäª×몠      at any time
îæìªç¨Ä몠      even if asked (by the king)
âòèùªùè    ô¨ìùª       not uttering
 
One   should   tell   the   king   what   he   desires   and   also   whatever
is   of   importance   to   him.   One   should   refrain   from   telling   him
anything   that   is   of   no   use   even   if   he   should   ask   (697).  
¬éóáõР  ¬äËé÷áõР  öäª÷¨æÈèõР  å¨äª÷     698
øó¨âáèÌ   øÇæ窠  çÌëª
 
¬éóáõР      younger (than him)
¬äËé÷áõР      in this way related
öäª×    ¬æÈèõР      thus not lightly speaking
å¨äª÷       with this conduct
øó¨âáèÌ       with proper dignity
øÇæ窠   çÌ몠      (ministers) should conduct (themselves)
 
One   should   not   be   disrespectful   to   the   king   by   reason   of   his
younger   age   or   kinship   but   should   always   respect   him
for   his   high   position   (698).
 
âæèóçªçìªîìëª öäªâ÷úªú¨æÐ âæèóªóèê âòáªáèõР  699
ÊóæÐæ÷ª÷   æèìªò¨   áôõÐ
 
âæèóçªçìªîì몠      having gained the king's confidence
öäª×    öúªú¨       thinking so
âæèóªóèê       undesirable (activities)
âòáªáèõР        will not do
ÊóæÐÆ    í÷ª÷       those of unwavering mind
æèìªò¨    áôõР      the wise

No   one   should   take   the   king's   confidence   for   granted
and   engage   in   wrong   doing   (699).
 
çéÈá몠  öäæÐæÕê¨çª   çúªçùªù   âò᪱몠   700
âæÇêéæéë   îæÌ   êÕëª
 
çéÈá몠      long association
öäæÐæÕê¨çª       thinking so
çúªµ    íùªù       undesirable
âò᪱몠      activities if done
âæÇêéæéë       this presumption
îæÌ       harm
êÕ몠      will bring

Those   who   presume   an   old   association   with   the   king   will   be
led   by   that   presumption   to   their   ruin   (700).
 


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