Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 133
Verse 5 of 5

A Life Built on Deceit Has No Foundation

ਕੂੜਿ ਕਪਟਿ ਬੰਚਿ ਨਿੰਮੁਨੀਆਦਾ ਬਿਨਸਿ ਗਇਆ ਤਤਕਾਲੇ ॥
koorh kapat banch nimmunee-aadaa binas ga-i-aa tatkaalay.
Through falsehood, fraud and deceit, the mortal collapses in an instant - he has no foundation at all.
ਸਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਨਕਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਅਪਨੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਦੇਖੁ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥੪॥੩॥੪੨॥
sat sat sat naanak kahi-aa apnai hirdai daykh samaalay. ||4||3||42||
Truly, truly, truly, Nanak speaks; look within your own heart, and realize this. ||4||3||42||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Built on falseness, fraud, and deceit, a person collapses in an instant, with no foundation under him.

Truly, truly, truly Nanak speaks: look inside your own heart, and see this for yourself.

A life built on deceit has no foundation — and you can check this for yourself, by looking within.
The deeper layer

This one says a life built on lies has nothing underneath it.

Falsehood, fraud, and tricks are like a house with no foundation. It can fall down in a moment. Think of a tower of blocks built on a wobbly cushion. One bump, and it is gone.

Then Guru Arjan, signing as Nanak, says it three times: sat sat sat — true, true, true. And he gives one instruction: look inside your own heart, and see it there. You do not have to take this on Nanak's word alone. You can check it inside yourself.

A Question to Sit With

What is something you'd only really believe once you saw it for yourself, inside?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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