Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Dear friend, says Fareed, give your heart to the One while you can.
This body won't last forever — so make the most of the time you have.
Life is short, so give your heart to what matters while you can.
Fareed begins this shabad with the loving urgency of an old teacher. Bolai saykh fareed pi-aaray alah lagay — says Shaykh Fareed, dear friend, hold fast to the One. Shaykh is a title of respect for a Sufi teacher, and Alah is a name for the One.
Then he speaks plainly about the body. It will turn to dust, and its home will be a quiet, forgotten graveyard. He says this to wake us up, not to scare us. He wants us to catch what matters while there is still time.
Fareed is caring, not gloomy. He is like a grandparent who has seen how fast life goes and gently urges you to spend it on what is real. The whole shabad is about how short and precious our time is. Give your heart to love while you can.
If your time is precious, what would you most want to give your heart to, starting now?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI