A Minister To The Ruler Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

631. A wise minister ponders on the tool, time, means
and the rare action before executing it.
632. A good minister bears the five aspects as diligence, great clan,
guarding people, knowledge of the holy books and perseverance.
633. A powerful minister not only does divide the foes
but binds the friends already severed.
634. An able minister selects matters, tackles them prudently
and dares to deliver the verdict positive.
635. The virtuous and learned speaker ever completes his chosen act
and he will be the wise counsellor.
636. The owner of intelligence and knowledge of books
can’t be even defied by things subtle.
637. Bookish knowledge helps perform things.
Yet do things knowing the current affairs of the world.
638. The minister aside has the duty to counsel the ruler,
who is senseless and ignores the advice.
639. Better to have seventy crores of foes to the ruler
than to have a conspiring minister by the side.
640. A tactless minister leaves the acts incomplete
though thinks of the ways of doing them.