Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
No one stays in this world forever, Fareed.
The very seat you're sitting on now — many others sat here before you, and they've all moved on.
You hold your place in the world for a short while, just as many did before you.
Saykh haiyaatee jag na ko-ee thir rahi-aa — O Shaykh, no one's life in this world lasts forever. Jis aasan ham baithay kaytay bais ga-i-aa — the very seat we sit on now, many others sat on and have since left.
Think of your desk at school. Many kids sat there before you, and many will sit there after you. You are part of a long line, each person holding the place for a little while and then passing it on.
Fareed says this without fear. It is a humbling, steadying thought. So hold your place lightly, fill your short turn with what is good, and pass it on well.
Does it change how you feel to think of yourself as part of a long line of people, each here for a while?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI