Verse 212 of 450
Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 154 — a diamond sold for a shell
ਕਬੀਰਾ ਏਕੁ ਅਚੰਭਉ ਦੇਖਿਓ ਹੀਰਾ ਹਾਟ ਬਿਕਾਇ ॥
kabeeraa ayk achambha-o daykhi-o heeraa haat bikaa-ay.
Kabir, I saw a strange and wonderful thing. A jewel was being sold in a store.
ਬਨਜਨਹਾਰੇ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਕਉਡੀ ਬਦਲੈ ਜਾਇ ॥੧੫੪॥
banjanhaaray baahraa ka-udee badlai jaa-ay. ||154||
Because there was no buyer, it was going in exchange for a shell. ||154||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: I saw a strange and wonderful thing. A diamond was for sale in a shop.
Because there was no buyer, it went in exchange for a shell.
Know the worth of the diamond you hold.
Something priceless can be traded away for almost nothing when no one knows its worth.
Ayk achambha-o: a wonder. Heeraa haat bikaa-ay: a diamond sold in the market. Banjanhaaray baahraa: with no trader to buy it. Ka-udee badlai jaa-ay: it goes for a shell.
In the old reading, the diamond is this human life, or the Naam, given away for small things.
A Question to Sit With
What precious thing do people often walk past?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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