Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
There may come a time when the mind grows forgetful and the hair turns white, a season that asks for gentleness and love from everyone around.
Even then, the Name kept in the heart through the years remains a quiet companion. That is why it is worth gathering now, while the day is bright.
The Naam you gather now stays with you when much else fades.
Surat ga-ee — memory fades. Kaalee hoo Dha-ulay — black hair turns white. Sometimes an older person feels that no one wants them at home. That season asks everyone nearby for patience and love.
Bisrat naam — forgetting the Naam brings its own troubles. The verse closes with a hard old picture of what follows a life without the Naam. Its gentle lesson is to remember the Naam today, while the day is bright.
Think of a grandparent who forgets names but can still sing every word of a prayer learned as a child. What was gathered early stays.
How would you want to be cared for if your memory grew fuzzy someday?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI