Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
By Grace you have nice clothes to wear - why trade the Giver for the gifts?
By Grace you sleep in a warm cozy bed - so sing your thanks through the day.
By Grace people treat you with respect - so let your mouth return the praise to where it belongs.
By Grace you get to live a good and decent life. Remembering the One, you are honored in the court of Truth. Nanak says: you go home with honor.
Even your goodness is a gift, so wear it with thanks.
The gifts come closer and closer to you. First, silk clothes against your skin. Then sukh sayj, a cozy bed. Then the respect of other people. And then your own goodness: jih parsaad tayro rahtaa Dharam — by grace you stay on the path of right living.
That last line goes deep. Not just your comforts, but even your goodness comes by grace. Your ability to live a decent life is on loan. So being proud of your own goodness is like showing off about a coat you borrowed from a friend.
The question comes back: tiseh tiaag kat avar lubhaaveh — why leave the Giver and get attached to something else? That is a strange trade: the gifts for the Giver.
The last lines finish the story of a thankful life. Dargeh maan paavahi — you are honored in the One's court. Pat saytee ghar jaaveh — you go to your true home with honor. The bed and the respect were comforts along the road. Coming home is the point.
When you do something good, does it make you thankful or proud? What is the difference in how it feels?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI