Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
That person works hard for the sake of Maya, the shiny things of the world.
But they never set their feet on the straight path. They never remember the One who made them. Lie after lie comes out of their mouth.
Spend all your effort chasing what does not last, and you miss the straight path and forget the One who made you.
Maa-i-aa kaaran karai upaa-o — a person works hard for maya. Maya means the shiny, passing stuff of the world. Kabeh na ghaalai seedhaa paa-o — but they never set foot on the straight path. Think of someone who spends all evening collecting points in a game. At bedtime, the homework is still not done.
Jin kee-aa tis cheet na aanai — they forget the One who made them. Koorhee koorhee mukhahu vakhaanai — their words drift away from the truth.
The verse works best as a mirror. Each of us can quietly ask, "Am I doing this too?"
What is something shiny that grabs your attention but doesn't last?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI