Tirukkural Chapter 94 - Couplets 1,2,3 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 94 - சூது.
CHAPTER 94 - GAMBLING.
***
94/01. வேண்டற்க வென்றிடினும் சூதினை; வென்றதூஉம்
தூண்டிற்பொன் மீன்விழுங்கி யற்று.

94/01. Vendarka vendrridinum soodhinai; vendrradhoom
Thoondirrpon meenvizhunghi yatrru.

94/01. Even if one wins in gambling he should not gamble.
It is like a fishing rod hook swallowed by a fish.
***
Dinesh: One wins in gambling will give temptation
To gamble again and again.

Nakul: Just like a fish swallows
The hook of a fishing rod,
The gambling traps one
To fall into a gambling den.

First time he may win.
Next time he may lose,
To regain that loss,
He'll gamble again.

This kind of vicious
Circle works like traps
To all the habitual gamblers
Who play heavy stakes.
***
94/02. ஒன்றெய்தி நூறிழக்கும் சூதர்க்கும் உண்டாங்கொல்
நன்றெய்தி வாழ்வதோர் ஆறு.

94/02. Ondrraidhi noorrizhakkum sootharikkum unndaangkol
Nandraidhi vaazhvadhor aarru.

94/02. A gambler has won for the first time, but had lost hundred times. Is there any way for such gamblers to get benefits and live happily?
***
Dinesh: How can they get benefits
When they are in losing trend?

Nakul: In Mahabharata story,
Yuthisthira gambles his kingdom,
His brothers and even wife at last
And finally they all go to forest.

It was a plot by Sakuni
And Prince Duryodhana
To invite them for gamble
As losers drive them out to jungle.

So, this gambling is a disease
That doesn't leave a prince
Or a pauper to gamble
On anything on hand available.
***
94/03. உருள்ஆயம் ஒவாது கூறின் பொருள்ஆயம்
போஒய்ப் புறமே படும்.

94/03. Urullaayam ovaadhu koorin porullaayam
Poyip prrame padum.

94/03. Gambling will never stop. To tell the fact,
With no source of money income, it will stop only
after all the wealth is lost.
***
Dinesh: Gambling is a devil that will cause evil
And will not leave one until he has lost everything.

Nakul: Yes, as you say, it is a devil,
Causing one everlasting evil,
And will not ordinarily leave him,
Until it takes all the wealth from him.

He'll walk in the streets,
Like a beggar in wants,
Having lost everything,
In the game of gambling.

People will laugh at him.
His family will curse him,
For letting them in streets,
With no financial supports.
***