ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਗਾਵੈ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਵੈ ਦਰਿ ਸਾਚੈ ਸੋਭਾ ਪਾਈ ॥੧੮॥
gurmukh gaavai aap gavaavai dar saachai sobhaa paa-ee. ||18||
The Gurmukhs sing the Lord's Praises, and erase self-conceit; they obtain true honor in the Court of the Lord. ||18||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Those who turn toward the Guru sing the praises of the One, and the puffed-up look-at-me melts away.
They are honored in the True Court.
Honor comes to the ones who stop trying to look impressive.
Gaavai aap gavaavai — a beautiful wordplay: to sing (gaavai) is to lose the self (aap gavaavai). And the reward for losing self-conceit is sobhaa (honor) in the dar saachai (true court). Honor arrives just when you stop chasing it.
A Question to Sit With
Why do you think the people who show off least are often the most respected?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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