Arthashastra

siva.sh/arthashastra/adhyaksa-pracara/9/32

यथा ह्य् अनास्वादयितुं न शक्यं जिह्वा तलस्थं मधु७ वा विषं वा । अर्थस् तथा ह्य् अर्थ चरेण राज्ञः स्वल्पो अप्य् अनास्वादयितुं न शक्यः ॥

sanskrit

Just as it is impossible not to taste the honey or the poison that finds itself at the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government servant not to eat up, at least, a bit of the king's revenue.

english translation

yathA hy anAsvAdayituM na zakyaM jihvA talasthaM madhu7 vA viSaM vA । arthas tathA hy artha careNa rAjJaH svalpo apy anAsvAdayituM na zakyaH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

siva.sh/arthashastra/adhyaksa-pracara/9/32

यथा ह्य् अनास्वादयितुं न शक्यं जिह्वा तलस्थं मधु७ वा विषं वा । अर्थस् तथा ह्य् अर्थ चरेण राज्ञः स्वल्पो अप्य् अनास्वादयितुं न शक्यः ॥

sanskrit

Just as it is impossible not to taste the honey or the poison that finds itself at the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government servant not to eat up, at least, a bit of the king's revenue.

english translation

yathA hy anAsvAdayituM na zakyaM jihvA talasthaM madhu7 vA viSaM vA । arthas tathA hy artha careNa rAjJaH svalpo apy anAsvAdayituM na zakyaH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript