ਸੰਤਨ ਸਿਉ ਬੋਲੇ ਉਪਕਾਰੀ ॥
santan si-o bolay upkaaree.
Speaking with the Saints, one becomes generous.
ਮੂਰਖ ਸਿਉ ਬੋਲੇ ਝਖ ਮਾਰੀ ॥੨॥
moorakh si-o bolay jhakh maaree. ||2||
To speak with a fool is to babble uselessly. ||2||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When I talk with people who are kind and awake, something good grows in me — I get more generous, more open.
When I trade words just to win, the talk goes nowhere and I come away emptier than I started.
Talking with awake, kind people makes your own heart more generous.
Upkaaree means generous, good-doing. Kabir notices something practical: conversation shapes you. Time with awake people widens the heart; endless argument for its own sake is jhakh maaree, empty flailing. Not a put-down of anyone — a plain observation about where good talk leads.
A Question to Sit With
Who is someone whose company makes you a little more generous?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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