Saahib Mera Ek Hai | Abida sings Kabir's Poetry

Saahib mera ek hai, duja kaha na jaaye,
Duja Saahib jo kahun, saahib khada rachaaye.

My Master is one, without a second,
If I see multiplicity, it is also my Master's play.

Maali aavat dekh ke, kaliyaan kare pukar,

Phool phool chun liye, kaal hamari baar.

Seeing the Master Gardener, the buds whisper to each other:

Fully blossomed ones are plucked away, our appointed day is near.

Chhah gayi chinta miti, manva beparvah
Jinko kachu na chaiye, woh hi Shahenshah.

If cravings are dissolved, worries go, mind becomes free,
He who wants nothing is surely the king of all kings.

Het preet sun jo mile, ta ko miliye dhaaye

Antar raakhe jo mile, taase mile balaaye.

You hasten to meet the ones who meet You with love,

Those who meet You with a pure heart, have indeed found a Friend unmatched.

Kabira te nar andh hai, guru ko kehte aur,
Har roothe Guru chhod hain, Guru roothe nahi chhod.

Kabir says, blinds are they who realize not the value of a true Master.
One may seek the shelter of God after displeasing God,
But there is no refuge after one is refused at the door of a Master.

Karta tha to kyun raha, ab kahe pachhtaye,

Bove pe babool ka, aam kahan se hoye.

Heedless I committed innumerable wrongs, now I suffer,

Nurturing the thistles of a barren tree, can one expect mango?

Sab Dharti kaagad karun , lekhan sab ban raaye,
Saat samand ki muss karun, Guru gun likha na jaye.

If the entire earth is a writing tablet, all the forest be its pen,
all waters of seven seas be its ink – even then the Lord’s praises remain unfinished.

Ab guru dil mein dekheya, gaavan ko kachhu naahin,

Kabira jab tum gaavate, tab jana Guru nahi.

Once the Lord is recognized within the heart, there is nothing left to be told,

Kabir, whenever you tried to utter the mysteries, the knowledge of your Master vanishes.

Main laaga uss ek se, ek bhaya sab maahin,
Sab mera main saban ka, tihan doosara naahin.

I am attached with that One, the One who is with all,
When everyone is mine, and I am everyone’s, there ends all duality.

Ja marne se jag dare, mere man anand,

Kab mar hun kab paahun, puran parmanand.

The world trembles at the thought of death, but its a matter of joy for me,

When shall I die, when shall I find the perfect joy (of the vision of the Beloved)?

Sab ban to chandan nahi, shoore ke dal nahi,
sab samundra moti nahi yun Sadhu jag mahi.

Neither all forests are of sandalwoods, nor all teams are full of valiant warriors,
nor all seas are filled with pearls; likewise the real gnostics of God are truly rare.

Jab hum jag mein pag dharyo, sab hanse hum roye,

Kabira ab aisi kar chalo , paache hansi na hoye.

When you came to this mortal world, everyone around you were happy to see you

and you were the only one weeping.

Kabir, now be in this world such that none laugh at your behind

but you yourself depart the world laughing, leaving all weeping, mourning.

Agun kiye to bahu kiye, karat na mani haar,
Bhaven banda bhakshe, bhaaven gardan maar.

Tirelessly so many misdeeds have been committed,
Now that I’ve realized O Lord, do as You please.

Sadhu bhukha bhaav ka, dhan ka bhookha naahin,

Dhan ka bhookha jo phire, so to Saadhu nahi.

Having no appetite for material wealth, true saints are hungry only for love,

Those who thirst after material wealth are not saintly at all.

Saahib sun sab hott hai, bande te kachhu naahin,
Rai te parbat kare, parbat rai mahi.

Listen friend! This world has nothing for you, vanity of vanities.
Seriously narrow is the passage to salvation, smaller even than the mustard seed.

Jyun til mahi tel hai , jyun chakmak mein aag,

Tera Sain tujh mein base, jaag sake to jaag.

Oil is found Inside the sesame seed, inside flinstone is fire, like that

Your Lord is within, now awaken to That truth if you dare!

- from the Sufi Kalaam of Kabir, the Mystic Saint of Medieval India

as sung by the Queen of Sufi Qawwali, Abida Parveen - from the Album: Gulzar Presents: Kabir by Abida
(and with additional lines from original)

Translation and transcription credit to Alka P., may Allah be pleased with you and bless you always. A non-literal translation approach is adopted to follow the reality of the message and also because the original lyrics of Kabir is too refined and lofty to be translated literally.