Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Doing good deeds just to show off, with a proud heart, is like building a sand castle on the beach.
It looks fine for a while. Then one wave rolls in, and in a second it all washes away.
Deeds done to show off are like sand castles.
Manhath karam karai abhimaanee means a stubborn, proud person does religious deeds by sheer force of will, to be seen. Abhimaanee means proud. Ji-o baalak baaloo ghar usra-ee-aa means it is like a child building houses out of sand. Everyone has built one at the beach. It looks great for a while.
Aavai lahar samund saagar kee means then a wave rolls in from the ocean. Khin meh bhinn bhinn dheh pa-ee-aa means in a moment it crumbles and falls apart. The problem is not the good deeds. It is the pride behind them. Compare the stream in the verse just before this one. Real sweetness inside lasts, and a proud show does not.
What is something you have made from the heart that has lasted?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI