The Sikh Religion, Volume 1
Hymns Of Guru Nanak

Man calleth the counterfeit genuine; but he knoweth not what the genuine is.

A blind man he calleth an assayer; wonderful is this age.

Man saith, the sleeper is awake, and he who is awake sleepeth;

He saith, they who are alive are dead, and he weepeth not for those who are really dead;

He saith, that he who is coming bath gone, and that he who bath gone is coming;

He calleth another's property his own, and with his own he is not satisfied;

He calleth what is sweet bitter, and what is bitter sweet

He slandereth those who love God--such is what I have seen in this age.

Man serveth a handmaiden,[1] but the Master he seeth not.

He churneth tank water, and no butter is produced.

He who can explain this is the Guru for me.

Nanak, he who knoweth himself is unequalled and unrivalled.

GAURI CHHANT

The longing of the pious for God is compared to the longing of the young bride for her spouse:--

Painful is the night for the young bride; without her Beloved she sleepeth not.

She pineth away through grief at His absence:

The woman pineth away through grief at His absence, saying 'How shall I look upon Him?'

[1. Mammon.]

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Ornaments, dainty food, sensuous enjoyments are all vain and of no account for her.

Intoxicated with the wine of youth and melting with pride milk cometh not to her breast.

Nanak, she meeteth her Spouse when He causeth her to meet Him; without Him no sleep cometh to her.

The bride is unhonoured without her beloved Lord.

How shall she be happy without embracing Him?

Without a spouse there is no domestic happiness; ask thy friends and companions.

Without the Name there is no love or affection; but, with the True One, woman abideth in happiness.

They in whose hearts there is truth and contentment, meet the Friend; under the Guru's instruction the Bridegroom is recognized.

Nanak, the woman who abandoneth not the Name shall be easily absorbed in God through it.

Come, friends and companions, let us enjoy our Beloved.

I will ask my Guru and write His words of. love.

The Guru hath communicated to me the true Word; the perverse shall regret they have not received it.

When I recognized the True One, my roaming mind became fixed.

The wisdom of the True One is ever new, so is the love of His Word.

Nanak, true peace of mind is obtained from His look of favour; meet Him, my friends and companions.

My desires have been fulfilled; the Friend hath come home to me.

A song of rejoicing was sung at the union of Husband and wife.

His praises and a song of joy were sung; the bride is happy in His love and her heart is in raptures.

Her friends are also happy, her enemies unhappy; true profit is obtained by repeating the name of the True One.