Twenty Dohas of saint Khabir in english
Translated by P. R. Ramachander
Chintha aisa dakini, khat khaleja khaye, Vaid Bichara Kya kare, Kahan thak dawa lagaye.
Worry is like a thief and it eats one’s heart,
What can poor doctor do, for how far will the medicine reach
Kabira, garv na keejiye, uncha deek aavaass, Kal paron punya Letna, ouper jamsi grass.
Do not be proud Kabir, looking at tall residences,
Tomorrow you would under feet and grass will grow on your top.
Jo naino may Putli, thyon malik ghat mein, Mookrkha log na janhi bahar dudan jahi
Just like eye balls are inside the eye, your God is within you,
Not knowing this foolish people search for him outside
Jab tun aaya jagat mein, log hanse, Tu Roye, Aise Karni na kari, Pancha Hase sab koye
When you came in this world, People laughed and you cried,
Do not do such actions that when you go then also they laugh.
Chalthi chakki dekh kar, Dhiya Kabire Roye, S Do paataan ke beech main, sabit bacha na koye.
The lamp of Kabir cried on seeing a grinding stone,
For when you are in between the stones, no one survives.
Bura jo dekhan mein chala.Buraa naa milya j koyi, Jo man koja apnaa, to mujase bura na koi
I went in search of a bad fellow but I could not get anyone who is bad,
Then I searched within my mind and found nobody was nastier than me.
Kal kare so Aaj kar, Aaj kare tho ab, Pal may pralaya hoyegi,poori karoge kab.
If you want it to do anything tomorrow, do it today,
If you want to do anything today, do it now,
Within a second deluge can come, how can you do it then?
Mala tho kar maein phire, jeeb phire muh mein, Manua tho chahun dish phire, Yeh tho simran nahi
The rosary is rotating in the hand, the toungue is rotating in the mouth,
The Mind rotates as it likes, then it is not meditation.
Manus janam durlabh hai, mile na barambar, Pakka phal jo gir para, bauri na lage dar.
To get human birth is difficult as you will not get it again and again,
For when a ripe fruit falls from tree, it can be never be attached again.
Sain ithna deejiye, jame kutum samai, Mein bhi bukha na rahu, sadhu na bukha jai
God give me only what is needed to manage my family,
So that I would not starve, nor would the sadhu starve.
Rukha sukha khaike, thanda pani pee, Dekh parai chupadi math lalchjo ji.
Eat dry food and drink cool water,
And do not look a buttered Roti and long for it.
Kabir saab jag nirdhana, dhanvantha nai kohi, Dhanvantha so janiye, ram nam dhan hoi
Kabir says, Lord, the whole world is poor as there is no one who is rich,
Understand that only one with wealth of “name of Rama” is rich,
Kathani mithi khand si, karni vish ki loi, Kathani chaandhi karni kare, vish ka amrith hoi.
Words are like sugar candy but actions are like poison,
But instead of words action is good, even poison would become nectar.
Madhur vachan hai aushadhi, ktuk vachan hai tir, SRavan dwar hwai sanchare, sale sakal sarir
Sweet words are medicines, harsh words are arrows,
And they enter through ears and hurt the entire body.
Meetha sabse boliye, sukh upaje chahu aur, Baseekaran yaha manthra hai, tajiye bachan kator
Talk sweetly with all and create joy for all,
This is the manthra of attraction and so give up words which are harsh.
Kaga kako dhan hare, koyal kajo dhiya, Meethe bachan sunai ke, jag apni kari leya
Crow does not rob one;s wealth nor does koel give it,
But it speaks sweet words and enchants the world.
Awath gari yek hai, ultai hoth anek, Kahe kabir na ultayiye, rahi ek hi ek.
Harsh abuse is one but harsh reply makes it many,
Says Kabir, Do not reply, so that it remains as one.
JO took kata bowai, tako bo thum phool, Toko phool ke phool hai, wako hai trishul.
When some one puts thorns on the way, put flowers in his,
Then at heaven you will get flowers and he thorns.
Aj kahe hari kal bhajunga, kal kahe phir kal, Aj kal karath hi avasar jasi chal.
Today you would say, I will pray Hari tomorrow,
And when tomorrow comes, say tomorrow and so on,
And by making today as tomorrow, you lose your chance.
AAya hai so Jayega, raja, rank, fakir, Koi singhasan charih chale koi bandhe jat janjeer.
The one who comes will go whether he is king, poor person or a saint,
But one of them will occupy the throne and another may be handcuffed.