ਰੇ ਮਨ ਲੇਖੈ ਚਾਲਹਿ ਲੇਖੈ ਬੈਸਹਿ ਲੇਖੈ ਲੈਦਾ ਸਾਹਾ ॥
ray man laykhai chaaleh laykhai baiseh laykhai laidaa saahaa.
O mind, your steps are numbered, your moments spent sitting are numbered, and the breaths you are to take are numbered.
ਸਦਾ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਕਰਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਉਬਰੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਚਰਣ ਓਟਾਹਾ ॥੪॥੧॥੧੨੩॥
sadaa keerat kar naanak har kee ubray satgur charan otaahaa. ||4||1||123||
Sing forever the Praises of the Lord, O Nanak, and you shall be saved, under the Shelter of the Feet of the True Guru. ||4||1||123||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O mind, your steps are numbered, your sitting moments are numbered, your breaths are numbered.
Sing forever the praises of the One, O Nanak, and you shall be saved under the Shelter of the Guru's Feet.
Your steps and breaths are already counted — so fill them with what truly saves.
The close is a tender, urgent reckoning: "your steps... your moments... your breaths are numbered." Everything is counted out in advance, and running short. So "sing forever the Praises of the Lord" — fill the counted breaths with the one thing that saves (cf. Shabad 43, breaths counted).
A Question to Sit With
If your breaths are numbered, what do you most want to fill them with?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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