Just Rule
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eṇpatattā ṉōrā muṟaiceyyā maṉṉavaṉ / ṟaṇpatattāṟ ṟāṉē keṭum.
Though easy to approach, a ruler who fails to investigate and decide according to established truth will bring about his own fall from his low position.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Hard of access, nought searching out, with partial hand / The king who rules, shall sink and perish from the land.”
“Behold the prince who is not easy of access and who judgeth not causes with care: he will fall from his place and perish, even when he hath no enemy.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
எண்பதத்தான் ஓரா முறைசெய்யா மன்னவன்= முறைவேண்டினார்க்கு எளிய செவ்வியை உடையனாய் அவர் சொல்லியவற்றை நூலோர் பலரோடும் ஆராய்ந்து, நின்ற உண்மைக்கொப்ப முறைசெய்யாத அரசன்; தண் பதத்தான் தானே கெடும்= தாழ்ந்த பதத்திலே நின்று தானே கெடும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar describes a ruler who is easy for petitioners to approach, yet fails to examine their claims with several learned advisers and decide according to the truth thereby established. Such a ruler brings about his own fall from an already diminished position.