Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Power, riches and being young are all just shadows,
and so are the fine carriages you see rolling past.
Your body, your fame, your place in society — none of them go along with you.
Over there it is day; here, it is all night.
Power, wealth and youth pass like shadows, and body, fame and rank all stay behind.
Raaj maal joban: power, wealth, youth. All of it is chhaanv, shade, like carriages glimpsed for a moment and gone. Body, name and jaat, social rank, do not travel on. Othai dihu aithai sabh raat: over there it is day, here it is all night. The shadows belong to the night; the day beyond is bright.
What is something that will still matter to you long after today's excitement fades?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI