ਊਚਾ ਚੜੈ ਸੁ ਪਵੈ ਪਇਆਲਾ ॥
oochaa charhai so pavai pa-i-aalaa.
One who climbs high, shall fall into the nether regions of the underworld.
ਧਰਨਿ ਪੜੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਲਗੈ ਨ ਕਾਲਾ ॥੩॥
Dharan parhai tis lagai na kaalaa. ||3||
One who lies upon the ground, shall not be touched by death. ||3||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Whoever climbs high will tumble into the depths.
Whoever lies low on the ground cannot be touched by death.
Climb high in pride and you set up your own fall; lie low in humility and you are safe.
The humility paradox: the one who "climbs high" (in pride) "shall fall," while the one who "lies upon the ground" (in humility) "shall not be touched by death." Pride sets up its own fall; lowliness is the safest place there is. This inverts the world's whole logic of ascent (cf. Shabad 70, the exalted slave).
A Question to Sit With
Why might staying low and humble actually be the safer place to be?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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