Testing and Trusting People
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aṟamporuḷ iṉpam uyiraccam nāṉkiṉ / tiṟanterintu tēṟap paṭum.
A person should be trusted only after their disposition has been examined through four tests: virtue, material gain, pleasure, and fear for life.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“How treats he virtue, wealth and pleasure? How, when life's at stake, / Comports himself? This four-fold test of man will full assurance make.”
“Love of the right, gold, pleasure, and fear of life, these four are the tests of a man: give thy confidence therefore to men that satisfy all these tests.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அறம் பொருள் இன்பம் உயிர் அச்சம்= அரசனால் தெளியப்படுவான்ஒருவன், அறமும் பொருளும் இன்பமும் உயிர்ப்பொருட்டான் வரும் அச்சமும் என்னும்; நான்கின் திறம் தெரிந்து தேறப்படும்- உபதை நான்கின் திறத்தான் மனவியல்பு ஆராய்ந்தால் பின்பு தெளியப்படும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that, before a king places confidence in someone, the person's disposition should be examined through four tests: virtue, material interest, pleasure, and fear arising when life is at stake. Confidence should follow that examination.