Thirukkural 926 in English
Tamil original, transliteration, English translation, meaning, commentary, pronunciation, and chapter context.
Tamil original
துஞ்சினார் செத்தாரின் வேறல்லர் எஞ்ஞான்றும்
நஞ்சுண்பார் கள்ளுண் பவர்.
Transliteration
Thunjinaar Seththaarin Verallar Egngnaandrum
Nanjunpaar Kallun Pavar
Modern English
“A person who repeatedly drinks is like someone taking poison: both surrender their clear awareness.”
Modern Interpretation
A person who repeatedly drinks is like someone taking poison: both surrender their clear awareness. For example, regular heavy drinking can damage health and make ordinary life feel as if the person is barely present.
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Tamil pronunciation
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Modern Plain English
A person who repeatedly drinks is like someone taking poison: both surrender their clear awareness.
Poetic Couplet (Bharati)
They take poison who take toddy And doze ev'n like a dead body
G.U. Pope Translation
Sleepers are as the dead, no otherwise they seem;Who drink intoxicating draughts, they poison quaff, we deem
Classical Meaning (Drew & Lazarus)
They that sleep resemble the deed; (likewise) they that drink are no other than poison-eaters
Tamil commentary
உறங்குபவர், இறந்துபோனவரிலும் வேறுபட்டவர் அல்லர்; அதுபோலவே, எப்போதும் போதைப் பொருளைப் பயன்படுத்துபவர் நஞ்சு உண்பவரிலும் வேறுபட்டவர் அல்லர்.
Chapter 93
More from Not Drinking Palm-Wine
கள்ளுண்ணாமை
Foes fear not who for toddy craze The addicts daily their glory lose
Kural 922Drink not liquor; but let them drink Whom with esteem the wise won't think
Kural 923The drunkard's joy pains ev'n mother's face How vile must it look for the wise?
Kural 924Good shame turns back from him ashamed Who is guilty of wine condemned
Kural 925To pay and drink and lose the sense Is nothing but rank ignorance
Kural 926They take poison who take toddy And doze ev'n like a dead body
Kural 927The secret drunkards' senses off Make the prying public laugh
Kural 928Don't say I'm not a drunkard hard The hidden fraud is known abroad
Kural 929Can torch search one in water sunk? Can reason reach the raving drunk?
Kural 930The sober seeing the drunkard's plight On selves can't they feel same effect?