Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O my soul, I know that one day I'll have to move on from here.
So let me not stay half-asleep to what matters — let me come to know the One who never fades, even while the passing world keeps tugging at my sleeve.
Kabir reminds himself that his time here is short, and that this is a reason to wake up to what lasts.
This is the rahao, the "pause" line. It is the center of the whole shabad. Jee-aray jaahigaa mai jaanaa — O my soul, I know I will have to leave one day.
Then Kabir speaks to himself with a sharp word, i-aanaa, meaning "you who do not understand." It is a gentle poke at his own sleepy mind, not an insult to anyone else. Abigat samajh — understand the Abigat, the One who never fades or perishes.
Jat jat daykh-a-u bahur na paykha-o — whatever you see now, you will not see again. And still we cling to maya, the passing show of the world.
The tone is a loving wake-up call, not a scolding. Think of the last day of summer vacation. Knowing it is ending makes every hour feel precious. Knowing our time here is limited does the same: it makes waking up feel precious, not frightening.
If you remembered that today was precious, what would you pay more attention to?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI