Thirukkural 605 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
நெடுநீர் மறவி மடிதுயில் நான்கும்
கெடுநீரார் காமக் கலன்.
Transliteration
Netuneer Maravi Matidhuyil Naankum
Ketuneeraar Kaamak Kalan
Modern English
“Procrastination, forgetfulness, laziness, and too much sleep together carry a person toward ruin.”
Modern Interpretation
Procrastination, forgetfulness, laziness, and too much sleep together carry a person toward ruin. For example, a student who keeps putting off assignments, forgetting deadlines, and sleeping through study time may soon be overwhelmed.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
Procrastination, forgetfulness, laziness, and too much sleep together carry a person toward ruin.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
To lag, forget, idle and doze These four are pleasure boats of loss
G.U. Pope Translation
Delay, oblivion, sloth, and sleep: these fourAre pleasure-boat to bear the doomed to ruin's shore
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
Procrastination, forgetfulness, idleness, and sleep, these four things, form the vessel which is desired by those destined to destruction
Tamil commentary
காலம் தாழ்த்தி செய்வது, மறதி, சோம்பல், ஓயாத் தூக்கம் இவை நான்கும் அழிவை நாடுவார் விரும்பி ஏறும் சிறு படகாகும்.
Chapter 61
More from Unsluggishness
மடி இன்மை
Quenchless lamp of ancestry goes When foul idleness encloses
Kural 602To make your home an ideal home Loath sloth as sloth; refuse it room
Kural 603The fool who fosters sluggishness Before he dies ruins his house
Kural 604Who strive not high, sunk deep in sloth Ruin their house by evil growth
Kural 605To lag, forget, idle and doze These four are pleasure boats of loss
Kural 606With all the wealth of lords of earth The slothful gain nothing of worth
Kural 607The slothful lacking noble deeds Subject themselves to scornful words
Kural 608If sloth invades a noble house It will become a slave of foes
Kural 609The blots on race and rule shall cease When one from sloth gets his release
Kural 610The slothless king shall gain en masse *All regions trod by Lord apace * Hindu mythology holds that Lord Vishnu measured with his feet the three worlds