Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Through quiet reflection, says Kabir, I came to one clear understanding: some things are simply beyond our control — and even then, we are held. What we can do is keep our trust in the One who holds it all.
Some things are beyond our control, and even then, trust in the One holds us.
Kaho kabeer ik budh beechaaree — Kabir says that by thinking deeply, he came to one clear understanding.
The next line uses a very hard picture: ki-aa bas ja-o bikh day mehtaaree — if a mother harms her own child, what can anyone do? Kabir uses it to say that some things lie beyond our power. It is a very hard image. The meaning to hold is simply that some things are outside our control.
The shabad's own comfort follows from the lines before: even then, we are held by the One who carries everything. Think of a tree whose roots go deep. Storms come that the tree cannot stop, but the roots keep it standing.
If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
What helps you stay steady when something is truly out of your hands?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI