Choosing People for Responsibilities
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aṟintāṟṟic ceykiṟpāṟ kallāl viṉaitāṉ / ciṟantāṉeṉ ṟēvaṟpāṟ ṟaṉṟu.
A task should be assigned only to one who knows how to do it, can endure the difficulties caused by the work and its obstacles, and can bring it to completion—not to someone merely because they are personally dear.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“No specious fav'rite should the king's commission bear, / But he that knows, and work performs with patient care.”
“Work should be entrusted to men in consideration of their expert knowledge and capacity for patient exertion, and not of their love towards thy person.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அறிந்து ஆற்றிச் செய்கிற்பாற்கு அல்லால்= செய்யும் உபாயங்களை அறிந்து செயலானும் இடையூறுகளானும் வரும் துன்பங்களைப் பொறுத்து முடிவுசெய்ய வல்லானை அல்லது; வினைதான் சிறந்தான் என்று ஏவற்பாற்று அன்று= வினைதான் இவன்நம்மாட்டு அன்புடையன் என்று பிறன்ஒருவனை ஏவும் இயல்புடைத்துஅன்று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that work should be assigned only to one who knows the means of doing it, can bear the difficulties caused both by the action and by its obstacles, and is able to bring it to completion. The work itself does not permit another person to be appointed merely because that person is affectionate toward the ruler.