Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Right now I feel like a fish lifted out of the water — restless and out of place.
I wish I had spent more of my time turning toward what is real.
Kabir feels like a fish out of water, because his soul misses its home.
This is a well-loved picture of longing. Ji-o jal chhod baahar bha-i-o meenaa — like a meenaa, a fish, that has left the water. A fish on dry land is not bad. It is just in the wrong place, and every part of it wants to get back.
The next line speaks of a past life without tap, deep spiritual practice. We hold that lightly, as honest ache rather than harsh self-blame. The soul knows it belongs near its Source, and it feels the distance. Think of feeling homesick at a sleepover, when you just want your own bed. That feeling is not a failure. It shows you where home is. The living point is the wish to be back in the water.
What is the "water" your own heart feels restless away from?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI