Sikhism·Raag Soohee·Shabad 82
Verse 7 of 9

Choosing the Friend Who Stays

ਅਨ ਕੋ ਕੀਜੈ ਮਿਤੜਾ ਖਾਕੁ ਰਲੈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
an ko keejai mit-rhaa khaak ralai mar jaa-ay jee-o.
If you make any friend other than God, you shall die and mingle with the dust.
ਬਹੁ ਰੰਗ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੁਲਾਇਆ ਭੁਲਿ ਭੁਲਿ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
baho rang daykh bhulaa-i-aa bhul bhul aavai jaa-ay jee-o.
Gazing upon the many games of love, you are beguiled and bewildered; you come and go in reincarnation.
ਨਦਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਤੇ ਛੁਟੀਐ ਨਦਰੀ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੬॥
nadar parabhoo tay chhutee-ai nadree mayl milaa-ay jee-o. ||6||
Only by God's Grace can you be saved. By His Grace, He unites in His Union. ||6||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

If I hang all my heart on things that themselves fade away, I am building a friendship with something that cannot stay with me.

The dazzle of a thousand passing attractions can spin me around until I am dizzy. What steadies me instead is grace — always here, gently drawing me back into belonging.

Give your heart to the Friend who stays, not the ones who fade.
The deeper layer

Choose the Friend who stays forever.

An ko keejai mitrhaa: if you make friends only with passing things, they fade away like dust. Baho rang daykh bhulaa-i-aa: dazzled by so many colors and games, we get lost and keep coming and going.

It is like chasing every new toy trend. Each one feels like everything, and then it is gone.

Nadar prabhoo tay chhutee-ai: we are set free by nadar, the One's kind glance, which is grace. Nadree mayl milaa-ay: and by that grace, the One brings us close. The lasting Friend is always there, waiting.

A Question to Sit With

Who or what in your life will still be there when the shiny things are gone?

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

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