ਹਮ ਚੇਰੀ ਤੂ ਅਗਮ ਗੁਸਾਈ ਕਿਆ ਹਮ ਕਰਹ ਤੇਰੈ ਵਸਿ ਪਈਆ ॥
ham chayree too agam gusaa-ee ki-aa ham karah tayrai vas pa-ee-aa.
I am Your hand-maiden, O Inaccessible Lord of the Universe; what can I do by myself? I am under Your power.
ਦਇਆ ਦੀਨ ਕਰਹੁ ਰਖਿ ਲੇਵਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣਿ ਸਮਈਆ ॥੮॥੫॥੮॥
da-i-aa deen karahu rakh layvhu naanak har gur saran sama-ee-aa. ||8||5||8||
Be merciful, Lord, to the meek, and save them; Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lord, and the Guru. ||8||5||8||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I am Yours, and You are beyond my reach -- what could I ever do all on my own? I am in Your care.
Be kind to the small ones, and keep them safe. Nanak says: I have come to the shelter of the One and the Guru.
*Some things you cannot do alone -- and trusting that is a kind of peace.*
The closing verse. ham chayree too agam gusaa-ee -- 'I am Yours; what can I do alone?' rendered as trust, not helplessness. da-i-aa deen karahu -- be merciful to the humble. The hymn lands in the empty-handed surrender that is its own kind of peace.
A Question to Sit With
When is asking for help the strongest thing you can do?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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