Verse 296 of 450
Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 238 — become an ant and eat the sugar
ਹਰਿ ਹੈ ਖਾਂਡੁ ਰੇਤੁ ਮਹਿ ਬਿਖਰੀ ਹਾਥੀ ਚੁਨੀ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
har hai khaaNd rayt meh bikhree haathee chunee na jaa-ay.
The Lord is like sugar, scattered in the sand; the elephant cannot pick it up.
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਗੁਰਿ ਭਲੀ ਬੁਝਾਈ ਕੀਟੀ ਹੋਇ ਕੈ ਖਾਇ ॥੨੩੮॥
kahi kabeer gur bhalee bujhaa-ee keetee ho-ay kai khaa-ay. ||238||
Says Kabir, the Guru has given me this sublime understanding: become an ant, and feed on it. ||238||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The Lord is like sugar scattered in the sand; an elephant cannot pick it up.
Kabir says: the Guru has given me this fine understanding — become an ant, and eat it.
Become small like the ant, and the sweetness is yours.
The humble can gather the sweetness that pride cannot reach.
Rayt meh bikhree: scattered in the sand. Haathee chunee na jaa-ay: the elephant cannot pick it up. Keetee ho-ay kai khaa-ay: become an ant and eat. The elephant is pride, big and clumsy; the ant is humility, small enough to find every grain.
A Question to Sit With
When did being humble help you learn something?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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