Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
No amount of cleverness gets me there on its own. So let grace do the lifting, and let me simply sing the wonders of the One with a glad heart.
Cleverness alone cannot get you there. Grace lifts you, and a thankful heart sings.
This is the closing line, where Guru Arjan signs with the name Nanak. Ukat si-aanap is tay kachh naahi — by clever tricks, nothing is gained here. Ukat is a clever trick, and si-aanap is smartness. Raag Gauree sounds this note again and again. Being smart weighs nothing next to what matters most. The raag's opening shabad says so too.
Think of trying to earn a hug with a clever speech. The hug is given because you are loved. Grace works like that.
So the prayer is kar kirpaa naanak gun gaahi — give Your grace, so Nanak may sing Your praises. Grace opens the door, not smartness. And the answer to grace is glad, grateful praise.
When has "trying to be clever" gotten in the way of something that just needed an open heart?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI