Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
People speak harshly to the one who begs; by begging, no one is given honor.
O Beloved, it is You who have me speak Your words and tell the story of Your Court.
Being close to the One matters more than what other people think of you.
The verse is honest about how the world works. Lok Dhikaar kahai — people look down on the one who asks, and give them no respect. The world often ranks people by what they have.
Guru Nanak turns this around. The One lets him speak the Beloved's own words and tell the story of the One's home. That is a greater honor than any praise from the crowd.
Think of a kid who gets laughed at for asking a question in class. The question still opens the door to learning. Your worth comes from being near the One, not from other people's opinions.
If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
Whose opinion of you matters most, and why?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI