Verse 196 of 450
Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 138 — do the good thing today
ਕਬੀਰ ਕਾਲਿ ਕਰੰਤਾ ਅਬਹਿ ਕਰੁ ਅਬ ਕਰਤਾ ਸੁਇ ਤਾਲ ॥
kabeer kaal karantaa abeh kar ab kartaa su-ay taal.
Kabir, that which you have to do tomorrow - do it today instead; and that which you have to do now - do it immediately!
ਪਾਛੈ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਜਉ ਸਿਰ ਪਰਿ ਆਵੈ ਕਾਲੁ ॥੧੩੮॥
paachhai kachhoo na ho-igaa ja-o sir par aavai kaal. ||138||
Later on, you will not be able to do anything, when death hangs over your head. ||138||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: what you would do tomorrow, do today. What you would do now, do right away.
Later, nothing can be done, once death is standing over your head.
Do today what you mean to do tomorrow.
Do the good thing now, because time does not wait.
Kaal karantaa abeh kar: what you mean to do tomorrow, do now. Ab kartaa su-ay taal: what you mean to do now, do at once.
Paachhai kachhoo na ho-igaa: afterward nothing can be done, ja-o sir par aavai kaal, when death comes over your head. Kabir uses kaal for both "tomorrow" and "death," a play on words that makes the point sharp.
A Question to Sit With
What kindness could you do right now instead of later?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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