The Ambassador
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tūymai tuṇaimai tuṇivuṭaimai yimmūṉṟiṉ / vāymai vaḻiyuraippāṉ paṇpu.
Purity from corrupting desire, support, resolve, and truthfulness belong to the envoy who speaks faithfully along the entrusted line.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Integrity, resources, soul determined, truthfulness. / Who rightly speaks his message must these marks possess.”
“The man that is sent on embassies shall be firm of mind, pure of heart, and engaging in his ways.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
வழி உரைப்பான் பண்பு=தன் அரசன் வார்த்தையை அவன் சொல்லியவாறே வேற்றரசர்க்குச் சென்று சொல்லுவானது இலக்கணமாவன; தூய்மை= பொருள் காமங்களான் தூயனாதலும்; துணைமை= தனக்கு அவர்அமைச்சர் துணையாந் தன்மையும்; துணிவுடைமை= துணிதல்உடைமையும்; இம்மூன்றின் வாய்மை= இம்மூன்றோடு கூடிய மெய்ம்மையும் என இவை.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar gives four marks of the envoy who repeats the king's words faithfully: freedom from corrupting material or sensual desire, support among the other court's ministers, resolve, and truthfulness joined to those three. Modern fidelity does not require carrying unlawful or harmful instructions; truthfulness may require refusing and returning such a mandate.