Faults Give Way to Virtues

ਮਃ ੧ ॥

mehlaa 1.

First Mehl:

ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਉਜਲਾ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਚਿਤਿ ਕਰੇਇ ॥

saahib mayraa ujlaa jay ko chit karay-i.

My Lord and Master is immaculate, as are those who think of Him.

ਨਾਨਕ ਸੋਈ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਜੋ ਦੇਇ ॥

naanak so-ee sayvee-ai sadaa sadaa jo day-ay.

O Nanak, serve Him, who gives to you forever and ever.

ਨਾਨਕ ਸੋਈ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਦੁਖੁ ਜਾਇ ॥

naanak so-ee sayvee-ai jit sayvi-ai dukh jaa-ay.

O Nanak, serve Him; by serving Him, sorrow is dispelled.

ਅਵਗੁਣ ਵੰਞਨਿ ਗੁਣ ਰਵਹਿ ਮਨਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਵਸੈ ਆਇ ॥੨॥

avgun vanjan gun raveh man sukh vasai aa-ay. ||2||

Faults and demerits vanish, and virtues take their place; peace comes to dwell in the mind. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

My Master is spotless, and so are those who keep the One in mind.

Nanak says: serve the One who gives to you forever and ever.

Nanak says: serve the One; by serving the One, sorrow goes away.

Faults vanish and good qualities take their place, and peace comes to live in the mind.

Keep the good in mind long enough and your faults quietly give way to virtues.

The deeper layer

Those who keep the spotless One in mind grow spotless too: you become like what you hold in mind. Serving the One who keeps on giving sends sorrow away, and then faults vanish, virtues take their place, and peace comes to live in the mind.

This First Mehl shalok comes near the end of the Vaar, and its turn from faults to virtues gathers up much of what came before.

A Question to Sit With

What good quality have you watched grow in yourself over time?

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

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