Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Without the One at the center, every pleasure and thrill turns out to be empty. The kindness of the wise let me see this clearly.
Nanak found the real jewel, the Name. Without it, everyone leaves this life cheated and robbed.
This one compares two ways to leave this life: holding a real jewel, or robbed.
Naam ratan paa-i-o jan naanak — Nanak has found the ratan, the jewel, of the Name. Naam bihoon chalay sabh moothay — without the Name, all leave moothay, robbed. The word pictures a sad trade: spending real time on fake treasure. It's like a trickster who takes your gold and hands you shiny fakes.
This isn't a threat. It's a warning given with love, the way you'd warn a friend about a scam message on their phone. Sant da-i-aal jaanay sabh jhoothay — by the kindness of the wise, I know those empty pleasures are false.
And the other choice is right there, and it's free. The jewel of the Name is open to anyone who turns toward it. Todee keeps the problem honest and the door open.
What would it feel like to realize you'd traded something precious for something worthless? How do you avoid that?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI