Polity (பொருட்பால்) — Friendship (நட்பியல்) — Not Drinking Palm-Wine (கள்ளுண்ணாமை)

Kural 921:
உட்கப் படாஅர் ஒளியிழப்பர் எஞ்ஞான்றும்
கட்காதல் கொண்டொழுகு வார்.
utkap pataaar oLiyizhappar eGnGnaandrum
katkaadhal koNtozhuku vaar
English couplet:
Who love the palm's intoxicating juice, each day,
No rev'rence they command, their glory fades away.
Explanation: Those who always thirst after drink will neither inspire fear (in others) nor retain the light (of their fame).

Kural 922:
உண்ணற்க கள்ளை உணில்உண்க சான்றோரான்
எண்ணப் படவேண்டா தார்.
uNNaRka kaLLai uNil-uNka saandroaraan
eNNap patavaeNtaa thaar
English couplet:
Drink not inebriating draught. Let him count well the cost.
Who drinks, by drinking, all good men's esteem is lost.
Explanation: Let no liquor be drunk; if it is desired, let it be drunk by those who care not for esteem of the great.

Kural 923:
ஈன்றாள் முகத்தேயும் இன்னாதால் என்மற்றுச்
சான்றோர் முகத்துக் களி.
eendraal mukaththaeyum innaadhaal enmatruch
chaandroar mukaththuk kaLi
English couplet:
The drunkard's joy is sorrow to his mother's eyes;
What must it be in presence of the truly wise?.
Explanation: Intoxication is painful even in the presence of (one's) mother; what will it not then be in that of the wise ?.

Kural 924:
நாண்என்னும் நல்லாள் புறங்கொடுக்கும் கள்ளென்னும்
பேணாப் பெருங்குற்றத் தார்க்கு.
naaN-ennum nallaaL puRangotukkum kaLLennum
paeNaap perungutrath thaarkku
English couplet:
Shame, goodly maid, will turn her back for aye on them
Who sin the drunkard's grievous sin, that all condemn.
Explanation: The fair maid of modesty will turn her back on those who are guilty of the great and abominable crime of drunkenness.

Kural 925:
கையறி யாமை உடைத்தே பொருள்கொடுத்து
மெய்யறி யாமை கொளல்.
kaiyaRi yaamai udaiththae poruLkotuththu
meyyaRi yaamai koLal
English couplet:
With gift of goods who self-oblivion buys,
Is ignorant of all that man should prize.
Explanation: To give money and purchase unconsciousness is the result of one's ignorance of (one's own actions).

Kural 926:
துஞ்சினார் செத்தாரின் வேறல்லர் எஞ்ஞான்றும்
நஞ்சுண்பார் கள்ளுண் பவர்.
Thunjinaar Seththaarin Verallar Egngnaandrum
Nanjunpaar Kallun Pavar
English couplet:
Sleepers are as the dead, no otherwise they seem;
Who drink intoxicating draughts, they poison quaff, we deem.
Explanation: They that sleep resemble the deed; (likewise) they that drink are no other than poison-eaters.

Kural 927:
உள்ளொற்றி உள்ளூர் நகப்படுவர் எஞ்ஞான்றும்
கள்ளொற்றிக் கண்சாய் பவர்.
uLLotri uLLoor nakappatuvar eGnGnaandrum
kaLLotrik kaNsaai pavar
English couplet:
Who turn aside to drink, and droop their heavy eye,
Shall be their townsmen's jest, when they the fault espy.
Explanation: Those who always intoxicate themselves by a private (indulgence in) drink; will have their secrets detected and laughed at by their fellow-townsmen.

Kural 928:
களித்தறியேன் என்பது கைவிடுக நெஞ்சத்து
ஒளித்ததூஉம் ஆங்கே மிகும்.
kaLiththaRiyaen enpadhu kaivituka nenjaththu
oLiththadhooum aangae mikum
English couplet:
No more in secret drink, and then deny thy hidden fraud;
What in thy mind lies hid shall soon be known abroad.
Explanation: Let (the drunkard) give up saying "I have never drunk"; (for) the moment (he drinks) he will simply betray his former attempt to conceal.

Kural 929:
களித்தானைக் காரணம் காட்டுதல் கீழ்நீர்க்
குளித்தானைத் தீத்துரீஇ அற்று.
kaLiththaanaik kaaraNam kaattudhal keezhnheerk
kuLiththaanaith theeththureei atru
English couplet:
Like him who, lamp in hand, would seek one sunk beneath the wave.
Is he who strives to sober drunken man with reasonings grave.
Explanation: Reasoning with a drunkard is like going under water with a torch in search of a drowned man.

Kural 930:
கள்ளுண்ணாப் போழ்திற் களித்தானைக் காணுங்கால்
உள்ளான்கொல் உண்டதன் சோர்வு.
kaLLuNNaap poazhdhiR kaLiththaanaik kaaNungaal
uLLaan-kol uNtadhan soarvu
English couplet:
When one, in sober interval, a drunken man espies,
Does he not think, 'Such is my folly in my revelries'?.
Explanation: When (a drunkard) who is sober sees one who is not, it looks as if he remembered not the evil effects of his (own) drink.