Just Rule
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kuṭipuṟaṅ kāttōmpik kuṟṟaṅ kaṭital / vaṭuvaṉṟu vēntaṉ ṟoḻil.
“Abroad to guard, at home to punish, brings / No just reproach; 'tis work assigned to kings.”
“Behold the prince that guardeth his subjects from enemies both within and without: if he punish them when they go wrong it is not a blemish: it is his duty.”
Protecting and preserving the people from harm, and punishing an established offence, is not a blemish upon a ruler; it is his duty.
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Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
குடி புறம் காத்து ஓம்பிக் குற்றம் கடிதல்= குடிகளைப் பிறர் நலியாமற் காத்துத் தானும் நலியாது பேணி, அவர்மாட்டுக் குற்றநிகழின் அதனை ஒறுப்பான் ஒழித்தல்; வேந்தன் வடு அன்று தொழில்= வேந்தனுக்குப் பழியன்று, தொழிலாகலான்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Protecting citizens from external aggression, cherishing their daily welfare, and strictly suppressing crime is no moral blemish on a ruler—it is an essential duty of governance.