It's Never Too Late to Turn Toward the Sweet and True

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

A heart that never tastes goodness ends up speaking flat words. That leaves it tired and worn down.

This is a shalok, a short verse, by Guru Amar Das. Sabdai saad na aa-i-o: some people never taste the sweetness of the Shabad, the Guru's Word. Naam na lago pi-aar: they never come to love the Name, the living presence of the One.

Rasnaa fikaa bolnaa: then the tongue speaks flat, unkind words. Think of food with no salt or spice. It fills you, but there is no joy in it. Words without love are like that. Nit nit ho-ay khu-aar: day after day, that person feels more worn down.

Kirat pa-i-ai kamaavanaa: we keep acting along the path our past actions have laid. Habits become grooves that are hard to leave. The hopeful reading is that any heart can still be seasoned with goodness. It is never too late to turn toward what is sweet and true.