I Come With Empty Hands

ਮੋਹਿ ਅਨਾਥ ਪ੍ਰਿਅ ਨਾਥ ਜਿਉ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਤਿਉ ਰਖਹੁ ॥

mohi anaath pari-a naath ji-o jaanhu ti-o rakhahu.

I am helpless and masterless; You, O my Beloved, are my Lord and Master. As it pleases You, so do You protect me.

ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਮੋਹਿ ਨਾਹਿ ਰੀਝਾਵਉ ਕਹਿ ਮੁਖਹੁ ॥

chaturaa-ee mohi naahi reejhaava-o kahi mukhahu.

I have no wisdom or cleverness; what face should I put on to please You?

ਨਹ ਚਤੁਰਿ ਸੁਘਰਿ ਸੁਜਾਨ ਬੇਤੀ ਮੋਹਿ ਨਿਰਗੁਨਿ ਗੁਨੁ ਨਹੀ ॥

nah chatur sughar sujaan baytee mohi nirgun gun nahee.

I am not clever, skillful or wise; I am worthless, without any virtue at all.

ਨਹ ਰੂਪ ਧੂਪ ਨ ਨੈਣ ਬੰਕੇ ਜਹ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਹ ਰਖੁ ਤੁਹੀ ॥

nah roop Dhoop na nain bankay jah bhaavai tah rakh tuhee.

I have no beauty or pleasing smell, no beautiful eyes. As it pleases You, please preserve me, O Lord.

ਜੈ ਜੈ ਜਇਅੰਪਹਿ ਸਗਲ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਕਰੁਣਾਪਤਿ ਗਤਿ ਕਿਨਿ ਲਖਹੁ ॥

jai jai ja-i-ampeh sagal jaa ka-o karunaapat gat kin lakhahu.

His victory is celebrated by all; how can I know the state of the Lord of Mercy?

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਪਇਅੰਪੈ ਸੇਵ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਜਿਉ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਤਿਉ ਮੋਹਿ ਰਖਹੁ ॥੩॥

naanak pa-i-ampai sayv sayvak ji-o jaanhu ti-o mohi rakhahu. ||3||

Prays Nanak, I am the servant of Your servants; as it pleases You, please preserve me. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I have no one else to hold me — You are the One who holds me. Keep me however you see best.

I am not clever; I do not have a smooth speech to win you over. I am not the smartest or the most impressive, and I do not come with anything shiny to offer.

Everyone sings your praises — how could I ever measure how good you are? Nanak prays: I am here to serve, and I trust you to keep me, however you choose.

I do not have to be clever or impressive to be kept — I come with empty hands, and I am kept anyway.

The deeper layer

Mohi anaath priya naath — I have no one else, You are the One who holds me. The string of self-lowering (no cleverness, no virtue, no beauty) is about empty hands: coming with nothing to offer, and being kept anyway. Karunaapat: the Lord of mercy. Sayv sayvak: the servant among servants, trusting to be kept.

A Question to Sit With

Have you ever felt loved not for what you can do, but just for who you are?

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

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