Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I weave and weave, and I wear what I weave.
Where my proud “I” is gone, there I sing the One's praises.
Ordinary work, done without pride, becomes a song to the One.
Bun bun aap aap pahiraava-o — I weave and weave, and I wear what I weave. Kabir's daily work keeps him clothed and cared for.
Then the deeper part. Jah nahee aap tahaa ho-ay gaava-o — where there is no "me," there I sing. Here aap means ego, the proud little "I" that wants to be noticed.
Think of helping cook dinner. If you're busy wanting praise, it feels like a chore. But if you forget yourself and just enjoy it, you might start humming. That is Kabir's point. Your work and your worship can be the same thing. You don't need a special building. You need a quiet self.
Have you ever gotten so happily lost in doing something simple that you forgot to worry about yourself?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI