Betrayal Of The King [from 'proverbs 400' In Tamil] Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

276. In the shade of the umbrella on the chariot
stands the king. He shouldn't try to get a craved thing
without the nod of the claimants. Or else
it is to call out the wild animals.

277. They take not a snake as a mediocre
creature when it is alone without its kin.
When the great kings lose their greatness, no one should
make a mockery of their status.

278. If someone gets in between two haughty kings
and speaks useless words, can't hope to correct them.
It may hurt them. An ox pushing itself
between two oxen can't eat the straw.

279. Those doing menial jobs to a king eat all
the stuff and give back to the king if he is
nice. It likens to tie a wreath of lilies
in water with fibres peeled from their own stem.

280. The king honours them who're in the path of truth.
The esteemed at times obey not his orders,
rage at him and kill him by wicked means.
They're men cutting a palm at its bottom.

281. No one wakes up the sleeping tiger
Even though it troubles one and is captured.
The wild king may treat his people in cruel ways
his subjects shouldn't hurt his mind.

282. O, chief of the hills with racing wild cows!
Listen. Those who climb up the Gongu tree
Guard not their lives. Why resent a king who owns
a chariot yoked to a flying horse?

283. The king fumes at their unbecoming acts
but bears within. If they continue such acts
to test his patience, it likens
a painful tubercle on a humped back.

284. The intelligents enlighten the king
about the calumny of the stupids.
They also scare the backchat of the liers.
And they don't rise and dance with false bamboo legs.