If You Won't Give Yourself, I'll Keep Asking

ਮਾਧੋ ਕੈਸੀ ਬਨੈ ਤੁਮ ਸੰਗੇ ॥

maaDho kaisee banai tum sangay.

O Lord, how can I be with You?

ਆਪਿ ਨ ਦੇਹੁ ਤ ਲੇਵਉ ਮੰਗੇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

aap na dayh ta layva-o mangay. rahaa-o.

If You do not give me Yourself, then I shall beg until I get You. ||Pause||

ਦੁਇ ਸੇਰ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਚੂਨਾ ॥

du-ay sayr maa^Nga-o choonaa.

I ask for two kilos of flour,

ਪਾਉ ਘੀਉ ਸੰਗਿ ਲੂਨਾ ॥

paa-o ghee-o sang loonaa.

and half a pound of ghee, and salt.

ਅਧ ਸੇਰੁ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਦਾਲੇ ॥

aDh sayr maa^Nga-o daalay.

I ask for a pound of beans,

ਮੋ ਕਉ ਦੋਨਉ ਵਖਤ ਜਿਵਾਲੇ ॥੨॥

mo ka-o don-o vakhat jivaalay. ||2||

which I shall eat twice a day. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

O Beloved, how am I ever going to be truly close to you? Here is my deal: if you will not just hand me your own self, then I am going to keep asking and asking until I get it.

And meanwhile, for my body, I ask simply: a little flour, a bit of ghee and salt, and some beans, just enough to eat twice a day. Plain, honest, everyday needs.

Ask honestly for your everyday needs, and ask, above all, for the One's own self.

The deeper layer

The rahaao sits here: aap na dayh ta layva-o mangay (if You won't give Yourself, I'll beg until I get You), a bold, loving demand for the One, not just gifts. Then the humble grocery list, choonaa (flour), ghee-o (ghee), loonaa (salt), daalay (lentils), twice a day. Kabir models a faith that is honest about the body while its heart is set on the One.

A Question to Sit With

What is the difference between wanting the gifts someone gives and wanting the person themselves?

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

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