Gambling
.
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
poruḷkeṭuttup poymēṟ koḷīi yaruḷkeṭut / talla luḻappikkuñ cūtu.
Gambling destroys the wealth of the one who takes it up, then makes him take falsehood upon himself, then destroys the compassion that rises in his mind, and by that route brings him suffering in both worlds.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Gambling wastes wealth, to falsehood bends the soul: it drives away / All grace, and leaves the man to utter misery a prey.”
“Gambling will consume thy substance and corrupt thy honesty: it will harden thy heart and bring on thee misery.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
சூது= சூது; பொருள் கெடுத்து= தன்னைப் பயின்றவன் பொருளைக் கெடுத்து; பொய்மேற்கொளீஇ= பொய்யை மேற்கொள்ளப்பண்ணி; அருள்கெடுத்து= மனத்து எழும் அருளைக் கெடுத்து; அல்லல் உழப்பிக்கும்= இவ்வாற்றான் அவனை இருமையினும் துன்பம் உறுவிக்கும்.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Gambling destroys the wealth of the one who takes it up; it makes him take falsehood upon himself; it destroys the compassion that rises in his mind; and by this route it makes him toil in suffering. (That the last follows from the first three is Parimelazhagar's reading.)