Verse 96 of 450
Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 38 — the grass grows above
ਕਬੀਰ ਗਰਬੁ ਨ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਊਚਾ ਦੇਖਿ ਅਵਾਸੁ ॥
kabeer garab na keejee-ai oochaa daykh avaas.
Kabir, do not be so proud of your tall mansions.
ਆਜੁ ਕਾਲ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਭੁਇ ਲੇਟਣਾ ਊਪਰਿ ਜਾਮੈ ਘਾਸੁ ॥੩੮॥
aaj kaaliH bhu-ay laytnaa oopar jaamai ghaas. ||38||
Today or tomorrow, you shall lie beneath the ground, and the grass shall grow above you. ||38||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: do not be proud when you look at your tall mansion.
Today or tomorrow you will lie beneath the ground, and the grass will grow above you.
A tall house gives no reason for pride; the grass grows over all.
A tall house cannot keep anyone above the ground for long.
Here the pride is in an oochaa avaas, a tall mansion. Kabir answers it with aaj kaalih, today or tomorrow: soon its owner will bhu-ay laytnaa, lie in the earth, and oopar jaamai ghaas, grass will grow on top.
The picture is quiet and plain. Grass grows over everyone the same way, rich or poor.
Think of a tall tower of blocks. However high it goes, everything ends up back on the floor.
A Question to Sit With
What are some ways people act important that do not last?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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