My Lord awaketh; 1 sleep the livelong night.

Even though I approach His couch smitten with desire,

I know -not if I shall then please Him or please Him not.

How know I what shall occur, O mother?

Without beholding God I cannot abide.

I have not tasted love; my thirst is not quenched

My youth hath fled, and I mourn for what is lost.

Even now I awake smitten with desire:

I have become sad, and remain without hope.

If woman adorn herself with the rejection of pride,

Her Spouse will enjoy her on the couch.

Then, Nanak, shall she please her Spouse's heart

She will abandon pride and be absorbed in Him.

[1. The ecstasy he feels from the practice of Jog is sufficient for him.

2. Who wanders naked.]

{p. 311}

It is necessary to fear as well as love God so as to keep His commandments:--

In this world woman is very silly.

I know not the worth of my Spouse;

He is one, there is none other.

If He cast a glance of favour on me, I shall meet Him.

In the next world woman shall know the truth,

And easily recognize her Beloved.

If she obtain such wisdom by the Guru's favour,

She shall please her Spouse's heart.

Saith Nanak, if she adorn herself with fear and love,

Her Spouse will ever enjoy her on the couch.

When man has parted with all worldly love, he has prepared himself for deliverance:--

No one hath a son, no one hath a mother.[1]

Through deceitful worldly love man wandereth in doubt.

O my Lord, I am Thy creation;

I utter Thy name when Thou givest it me.

Man may wail aloud for his many transgressions,

But he shall only be pardoned if it be God's will.

By the Guru's favour evil inclinations depart

Wherever I gaze there is only one God

Saith Nanak, if man attain such wisdom,

The True One will absorb that true one in Himself.

The following was addressed to a worldly-minded Raja:--

Thou mayest have lakhs of armies, lakhs of musical instruments and lances; lakhs of men may rise to do thee homage;

Thy dominion may extend over lakhs of miles; lakhs of men may rise to do thee honour

All that would be fruitless, wert thou not credited in God's account.

Without God's name the world is only trouble.

If the fool be never so much admonished, he remaineth the blindest of the blind.

[1. Everything is illusion.]

{p. 312}

Thou mayest earn lakhs of rupees; thou mayest amass and spend lakhs; lakhs may come and lakhs may go;

But, if thy soul obtain not credit in God's account, where else shall it obtain it?

Lakhs of Shastars may be explained to thee; lakhs of pandits may read the Purans for thee--

All would be unacceptable didst thou not obtain credit in God's account.