51.1 Testing and Trusting

 51.1 Testing and Trusting

Question:

          What are the criteria for selecting a person for employment?

Answer:

A person must be trusted after being tested on his

strength with regard to virtue, wealth, love, and

his fear of death.                                               (Couplet – 501)

A man of good family background, who shun

faults and is sensitive to public censure,

is the right man to be chosen.                           (Couplet – 202)

Even great scholars who are free from faults

are not totally free from ignorance.                    (Couplet – 503)

 

அறம்பொருள் இன்பம் உயிரச்சம் நான்கின்

திறந்தெரிந்து தேறப் படும்.                                (குறள் – 501)

குடிப்பிறந்து குற்றத்தின் நீங்கி வடுப்பரியும்

நாணுடையான் சுட்டே தெளிவு.                         (குறள் – 502)

அரியகற்று ஆசற்றார் கண்ணும் தெரியுங்கால்

இன்மை அரிதே வெளிறு.                                  (குறள் – 503)

 

Explanation:

Before hiring someone, first and foremost, it is crucial to test whether he is honest, reliable, and has moral character. It is also essential to ascertain his attitude towards wealth. It is true that most of us are interested in accruing wealth. Accruing wealth by righteous means is perfectly acceptable behavior. But some people are so greedy that they seek to gain wealth by unscrupulous means. Valluvar warns against hiring evil people like that.   In addition to testing one’s moral character and attitude towards wealth, it is also essential to ascertain his attitude concerning his love for women. The enemy can easily seduce people who have a weakness for sexual relationships. Finally, one who is not afraid of death should not be trusted because they might go to any extent to accomplish their objective.