Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Don't just lean on the holy books — actually remember the One, and never use your religion to look down on or hurt others.
Kabir holds tight to the One alone; that's what he trusts, not outer forms or the pride of belonging to a group.
Kabir's conclusion pulls it all together: stop merely leaning on the books, remember the One directly, and stop oppressing others. That last part is crucial — the sharpest thing he condemns is using religion to oppress, to look down on or harm people. Whatever a person's label, faith is never a license to hurt. And he names where his own trust rests: Kabir has grasped the Lord's Support — not outer marks, not the pride of belonging to the 'right' group, but the One directly. (His line that 'the Muslims have failed' is aimed at those who trusted outer forms and pride over a true heart — the very failing he'd name in any group, his own included.) For a child: love the One, respect everyone, and never let religion become a reason to be cruel.
Have you seen people use being 'right' as an excuse to be unkind? What would Kabir say to them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI