Poor in Everything but Rich in the Name

ਅੰਧੌ ਬੋਲੌ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਗਵਾਰੁ ॥

anDhou bolou mugaDh gavaar.

I am blind, deaf, foolish and ignorant,

ਹੀਣੌ ਨੀਚੁ ਬੁਰੌ ਬੁਰਿਆਰੁ ॥

heenou neech burou buri-aar.

the lowest of the low, the worst of the worst.

ਨੀਧਨ ਕੌ ਧਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥

neeDhan kou Dhan naam pi-aar.

I am poor, but I have the Wealth of Your Name, O my Beloved.

ਇਹੁ ਧਨੁ ਸਾਰੁ ਹੋਰੁ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਛਾਰੁ ॥੪॥

ih Dhan saar hor bikhi-aa chhaar. ||4||

This is the most excellent wealth; all else is poison and ashes. ||4||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I am like someone blind and deaf, foolish and clueless.

I am the lowest of the low, the least of all.

I have nothing, yet love of Your Naam is my wealth, my Beloved.

This wealth is the best of all; everything else is poison and ashes.

You can feel like you have very little and still hold the one treasure that outshines everything.

The deeper layer

Even when you feel you have nothing, love of the Naam is a wealth that outshines everything.

The Gurmukhi heaps up humble words, andhou bolou mugadh gavaar, heenou neech burou buri-aar, blind, deaf, foolish, lowest, worst. Their spirit is honest humility with no pretending. The heart of the verse is the pivot: needhan kou dhan naam pi-aar, the poor one's wealth is love of the Name; ih dhan saar hor bikhi-aa chhaar, this is the best wealth, and all else is poison and ashes. Empty-handedness becomes the doorway to the one true treasure.

A Question to Sit With

What is one thing you have that is worth more than money?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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