Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Crowns and power, being young, being important, being admired — none of it is as solid as it looks.
Fancy clothes, sweet perfumes, clever moves, delicious food and drink are all lovely for a moment.
But they wash off like cheap color and do not hold.
Power, youth, fancy clothes and tasty food are all lovely, but none of them lasts.
Mithi-aa means false, in the sense of "not lasting." It is like jhooth: something that looks real but washes off. Think of a sandcastle at the beach. It is beautiful, and it is fun to build. But the tide comes in.
The list is not saying clothes or food are bad. It is a gentle warning. Don't make passing things the ground your worth stands on. Right next to them, the verse sets the One, who is sach: true and lasting.
What is something fun but fleeting that you would not want to mistake for the most important thing?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI