Polity (பொருட்பால்) — Royalty (அரசியல்) — Selection and Employment (தெரிந்துவினையாடல்)

Kural 511:
நன்மையும் தீமையும் நாடி நலம்புரிந்த
தன்மையான் ஆளப் படும்.
nanmaiyum theemaiyum naati nalampurindha
thanmaiyaan aaLap padum
English couplet:
Who good and evil scanning, ever makes the good his joy;
Such man of virtuous mood should king employ.
Explanation: He should be employed (by a king), whose nature leads him to choose the good, after having weighed both the evil and the good in any undertaking.

Kural 512:
வாரி பெருக்கி வளம்படுத்து உற்றவை
ஆராய்வான் செய்க வினை.
vaari perukki vaLampatuththu utravai
aaraaivaan seyka vinai
English couplet:
Who swells the revenues, spreads plenty o'er the land,
Seeks out what hinders progress, his the workman's hand.
Explanation: Let him do (the king's) work who can enlarge the sources (of revenue), increase wealth and considerately prevent the accidents (which would destroy it).

Kural 513:
அன்பறிவு தேற்றம் அவாவின்மை இந்நான்கும்
நன்குடையான் கட்டே தெளிவு.
anpaRivu thaetram avaavinmai inhnhaankum
nankutaiyaan kattae theLivu
English couplet:
A loyal love with wisdom, clearness, mind from avarice free;
Who hath these four good gifts should ever trusted be.
Explanation: Let the choice (of a king) fall upon him who largely possesses these four things, love, knowledge, a clear mind and freedom from covetousness.

Kural 514:
எனைவகையான் தேறியக் கண்ணும் வினைவகையான்
வேறாகும் மாந்தர் பலர்.
enaivakaiyaan thaeRiyak kaNNum vinaivakaiyaan
vaeRaakum maandhar palar
English couplet:
Even when tests of every kind are multiplied,
Full many a man proves otherwise, by action tried!.
Explanation: Even when (a king) has tried them in every possible way, there are many men who change, from the nature of the works (in which they may be employed).

Kural 515:
அறிந்தாற்றிச் செய்கிற்பாற்கு அல்லால் வினைதான்
சிறந்தானென்று ஏவற்பாற் றன்று.
aRindhaatrich seykiRpaaRku allaal vinaidhaan
siRandhaanendru EvaRpaaR Randru
English couplet:
No specious fav'rite should the king's commission bear,
But he that knows, and work performs with patient care.
Explanation: (A king's) work can only be accomplished by a man of wisdom and patient endurance; it is not of a nature to be given to one from mere personal attachment.

Kural 516:
செய்வானை நாடி வினைநாடிக் காலத்தோடு
எய்த உணர்ந்து செயல்.
seyvaanai naati vinainhaatik kaalaththoatu
eydha uNarndhu seyal
English couplet:
Let king first ask, 'Who shall the deed perform?' and 'What the deed?'
Of hour befitting both assured, let every work proceed.
Explanation: Let (a king) act, after having considered the agent (whom he is to employ), the deed (he desires to do), and the time which is suitable to it.

Kural 517:
இதனை இதனால் இவன்முடிக்கும் என்றாய்ந்து
அதனை அவன்கண் விடல்.
ithanai ithanaal ivanmutikkum endraaindhu
adhanai avan-kaN vidal
English couplet:
'This man, this work shall thus work out,' let thoughtful king command;
Then leave the matter wholly in his servant's hand.
Explanation: After having considered, "this man can accomplish this, by these means", let (the king) leave with him the discharge of that duty.

Kural 518:
வினைக்குரிமை நாடிய பின்றை அவனை
அதற்குரிய னாகச் செயல்.
vinaikkurimai naatiya pindrai avanai
adhaRkuriya naakach cheyal
English couplet:
As each man's special aptitude is known,
Bid each man make that special work his own.
Explanation: Having considered what work a man is fit for, let (the king) employ him in that work.

Kural 519:
வினைக்கண் வினையுடையான் கேண்மைவே றாக
நினைப்பானை நீங்கும் திரு.
vinaikkaN vinaiyudaiyaan kaeNmaivae Raaka
ninaippaanai neengum thiru
English couplet:
Fortune deserts the king who ill can bear,
Informal friendly ways of men his tolls who share.
Explanation: Prosperity will leave (the king) who doubts the friendship of the man who steadily labours in the discharge of his duties.

Kural 520:
நாடோறும் நாடுக மன்னன் வினைசெய்வான்
கோடாமை கோடா துலகு
naatoaRum naatuka mannan vinaiseyvaan
koataamai koataa thulagu
English couplet:
Let king search out his servants' deeds each day;
When these do right, the world goes rightly on its way.
Explanation: Let a king daily examine the conduct of his servants; if they do not act crookedly, the world will not act crookedly.