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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 50
Verse 4 of 4

Wisdom Is a Jewel That Lights Up Your Heart

ਸਚੜੈ ਆਪਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਘੋਰ ਅੰਧਾਰੋ ॥
sachrhai aap jagat upaa-i-aa gur bin ghor anDhaaro.
The True Lord Himself created the world; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
ਆਪਿ ਮਿਲਾਏ ਆਪਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਆਪੇ ਦੇਇ ਪਿਆਰੋ ॥
aap milaa-ay aap milai aapay day-ay pi-aaro.
He Himself unites, and causes us to unite with Him; He Himself blesses us with His Love.
ਆਪੇ ਦੇਇ ਪਿਆਰੋ ਸਹਜਿ ਵਾਪਾਰੋ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਵਾਰੇ ॥
aapay day-ay pi-aaro sahj vaapaaro gurmukh janam savaaray.
He Himself blesses us with His Love, and deals in celestial peace; the life of the Gurmukh is reformed.
ਧਨੁ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਆਇਆ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ਦਰਿ ਸਾਚੈ ਸਚਿਆਰੋ ॥
Dhan jag meh aa-i-aa aap gavaa-i-aa dar saachai sachi-aaro.
Blessed is his coming into the world; he banishes his self-conceit, and is acclaimed as true in the Court of the True Lord.
ਗਿਆਨਿ ਰਤਨਿ ਘਟਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮ ਪਿਆਰੋ ॥
gi-aan ratan ghat chaanan ho-aa naanak naam pi-aaro.
The light of the jewel of spiritual wisdom shines within his heart, O Nanak, and he loves the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਸਚੜੈ ਆਪਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਘੋਰ ਅੰਧਾਰੋ ॥੪॥੩॥
sachrhai aap jagat upaa-i-aa gur bin ghor anDhaaro. ||4||3||
The True Lord Himself created the world; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. ||4||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The One made the whole world; without a little wisdom to see by, everything looks dark.

The One gently brings us close and blesses us with its love.

A blessed life sets down its self-importance, and a jewel of wisdom lights up the heart.

Wisdom is like a jewel that lights up your heart so you can see clearly.
The deeper layer

The shabad closes: "the True Lord created the world; without the Guru there is only darkness" — wisdom is the light to see by. "He Himself unites... blesses us with His Love." And the lovely closing image: giaan ratan... hirdai—"the jewel of spiritual wisdom shines within his heart." A blessed life is one that drops ego and carries a lit jewel of wisdom inside. The colophon (||4||3||) closes. For a child: wisdom is like a jewel that lights up your heart so you can see clearly.

A Question to Sit With

What piece of wisdom lights up your heart and helps you see clearly?

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

About this shabad →
← Verse 3 of 4 Give Your Heart to the Good and the Thirst Is Lifted
Shabad 51 · Verse 1 →Bodies Grow Fragile; the Good We Hold Lasts
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