ਕਥਨੀ ਕਹਹਿ ਕਹਹਿ ਸੇ ਮੂਏ ॥
kathnee kaheh kaheh say moo-ay.
Those who speak and babble on and on, are truly dead.
ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਦੂਰਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਤੂੰ ਹੈ ॥
so parabh door naahee parabh tooN hai.
God is not far away - O God, You are right here.
ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਛਾਇਆ ॥
sabh jag daykhi-aa maa-i-aa chhaa-i-aa.
I have seen that the whole world is engrossed in Maya.
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥੪॥੧੭॥
naanak gurmat naam Dhi-aa-i-aa. ||4||17||
O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||17||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Those who just talk and talk and talk are already dead.
The One is not far away — You are right here.
I have watched the whole world lost in grasping; says Nanak, through the Guru's teaching I hold the Name in mind.
The One is not far away — it is right here; the endless talkers just keep missing it.
The shabad's heart is the line "God is not far away — O God, You are right here." This is the nerai hi te nera of Raag Maajh — nearer than near. The endless talkers are "truly dead" precisely because they look far away for what is right here. The cure is to stop talking-about and start holding-in-mind.
A Question to Sit With
What are you looking for far away that might be right in front of you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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