Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Some people are always pulled along by greed, by ego and by harmful things. They are pulled away by clinging too tightly to their children and their spouse.
They never serve at the feet of the saints. Led only by their own wants, they end up with nothing but ashes.
When greed, ego and clinging take over, you end up holding only ashes.
ha-umai bikhi-aa nit lobh lubhaanay — people get pulled along by ha-umai (ego), by harmful things, and by lobh (greed). put kalat mohi lubhibhaa — they are pulled by clinging attachment, even to their children and spouse. Loving your family is good. The caution is about holding on so tightly that nothing else fits.
tin pag sant na sayvay kabhoo — they never serve at the feet of the saints. tay manmukh bhoombhar bharbhaa — those manmukhs, people led only by their own wants, end up with hands full of ashes.
This is true of all of us sometimes. Think of chasing a soap bubble. You grab it, it pops, and your hand is empty. The company of the wise is always there to turn toward, whenever we are ready.
What is something you chased hard that turned out to be less satisfying than you hoped?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI