Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When the mind is confused, even things that will hurt us can look sweet and tempting.
Turning away from what's good, we chase other things — and go round in circles.
This one is about how a confused mind can make harmful things look sweet.
Bikh fal meeth lagay man ba-uray — the poison fruit tastes sweet to a mixed-up mind. Chaar bichaar na jaani-aa — it cannot tell good from bad. When your inner seeing is cloudy, the things that will hurt you can look the most tempting. The poison looks like candy.
Then comes the result. Turning away from what is good, love for other things grows. Janam maran fir taani-aa — and we weave the web of birth and death again. Chasing the wrong things just spins us in circles.
It links to Kabir's picture of the moth and the flame. The moth loves the bright light, and flies straight into it. It cannot tell what is good for it.
So the first job is to clear your seeing. Picture a smudged pair of glasses. Until you wipe them clean, you keep reaching for the wrong thing. Once you can tell candy from poison, you can choose well.
Why is it so important to be able to tell what's truly good for you from what just looks tempting?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI