Sikhism·Raag Basant·Shabad 74
Verse 6 of 9

You Reap What You Plant

ਈਠ ਮੀਤ ਕੋਊ ਸਖਾ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
eeth meet ko-oo sakhaa naahi.
He has no beloved friends or companions.
ਆਪਿ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਂਹਿ ॥
aap beej aapay hee khaaNhi.
He himself eats what he himself plants.
ਜਾ ਕੈ ਕੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਹੋਤ ਬਿਕਾਰ ॥
jaa kai keenHai hot bikaar.
He gathers up that which brings corruption;
ਸੇ ਛੋਡਿ ਚਲਿਆ ਖਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਗਵਾਰ ॥੫॥
say chhod chali-aa khin meh gavaar. ||5||
leaving them, the fool must depart in an instant. ||5||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

No dear one, friend or companion stays with them.

They themselves eat what they themselves planted.

They gather up the things that lead to wrong, and then the foolish one leaves them all behind in an instant and departs.

You harvest what you plant — so plant kindness and remembrance now.
The deeper layer

You eat what you plant, and the things you pile up stay behind when you leave.

Eeth meet ko-oo sakhaa naahi: no dear one, friend or companion goes along. Aap beej aapay hee khaanhi: you eat what you yourself sow, a plain picture of karma. Khin meh: in an instant, all that was gathered for wrong is left behind. Since we eat what we plant, plant kindness and remembrance now.

A Question to Sit With

What is a good seed you could plant today that you would be glad to harvest later?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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