The Conduct of Affairs
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poruḷkaruvi kālam viṉaiyiṭa ṉoṭaintu / miruṭīra veṇṇic ceyal.
Consider resources, instruments, time, the action itself, and place—all five—until uncertainty is cleared, and then act.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Treasure and instrument and time and deed and place of act: / These five, till every doubt remove, think o'ver with care exact.”
“Five things should be carefully considered in the doing of all action, namely, the resources in band, the instrument, the nature of the action itself, the proper time and the proper place for its execution.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பொருள் கருவி காலம் வினை இடனொடு ஐந்தும்= வினைசெய்யுமிடத்துப் பொருளும் கருவியும் காலமும் வினையும் இடனுமாகிய இவ்ஐந்தனையும்; இருள் தீர எண்ணிச் செயல்= மயக்கம் அற எண்ணிச் செய்க.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar says to examine five things until confusion is removed: the resources needed, the instrument, the fitting time, the nature of the action, and its place. A responsible modern process may add affected voices, rights, accessibility, and environmental consequence as further safeguards, but must not claim that these are the verse's five named terms.