Impartiality
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vāṇikam seyvārkku vāṇikam pēṇip / piṟavum tamapōl seyiṉ
Even a trader thrives who guards another's interest as his own, taking no excess and giving no less.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“As thriving trader is the trader known, / Who guards another's interests as his own.”
“Behold the business man that looketh after the interests of others as his own: his business will expand.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
பிறவும் தம போல் பேணிச் செயின் = பிறர் பொருளையும் தம் பொருள் போலப் பேணிச் செய்யின்; வாணிகம் செய்வார்க்கு வாணிகம் = வாணிகம் செய்வார்க்கு நன்று ஆய வாணிகம் ஆம். (பிறவும் தம போல் செய்தலாவது, கொள்வது மிகையும் கொடுப்பது குறையும் ஆகாமல் ஒப்ப நாடிச் செய்தல்.)
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Even trade prospers by impartiality: the merchant who guards another's goods and interest as carefully as his own — taking no excess and giving no less — does the trade that is truly good.