The Councillor of State
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aṟikoṉṟaṟiyā ṉeṉiṉu muṟuti / yuḻaiyiruntāṉ kūṟal kaṭaṉ.
Even when the ruler destroys offered counsel and remains ignorant, the counsellor nearby still owes him beneficial truth.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“'Tis duty of the man in place aloud to say / The very truth, though unwise king may cast his words away.”
“The prince may be a fool and may thwart him at every step: but the duty of the Councillor is always to point to him what is just and proper.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அறி கொன்று அறியான் எனினும்= அறிந்து சொல்லியாரது அறிவையும் அழித்து, அரசன் தானும் அறியானே ஆயினும்; உறுதி கூறல் உழையிருந்தான் கடன்= அக்குற்றம் நோக்கி யொழியாது அவனுக்கு உறுதியாயின கூறுதல் அமைச்சனுக்கு முறைமை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says that even if the ruler rejects the knowledge offered by informed advisers and remains ignorant, the minister nearby must not abandon the duty on account of that fault. The minister must still state what is beneficial to the ruler.