चारिउ वेद पढ़ाइ करि ,हरि सूँ न लाया हेत ,
बालि कबीरा ले गया ,पंडित ढूंढे खेत।
(The pundit ) read the four Vedas ,
But for God didn't grow any love ;
Kabir took away ears of grain ,
Pundit in crop- field make a search .
ब्राह्मण गुरु जगत का ,साधू का गुरु नाँहि ,
उरझि पुरझि करि मरि रह्या ,चारों वेदाँ माहिं।
The brahmin is the world's guru ,
Guru of the righteous he is not ,
Entangled in the tangle of
The four Vedas he is dead -lost .
चतुराई सूवै पढ़ी ,सोई पंजर माँहि ,
फिरि प्रमोधै आन कौं ,आपण समझे नाँहि।
Cunningness did the parrot learn ,
Even then it's inside the cage ;
To all and sundry it exhorts ,
To comprehend itself doth fade .
तारा मंडल बैसि करि , चंद बड़ाई खाइ ,
उदइ भया जब सूर का ,स्यूँ तारा छिप जाइ।
Seated in the mist of stars
The moon enjoys a lot of praise ,
No sooner doth the sun rise ,then ,
Together with stars ,it doth fade .
पंडित केरी पोथियाँ ,ज्यों तीतर का ज्ञान ,
औरन शकुन बतावहीं ,अपना फंद न जान।
The pundit 's manuscripts are alike
The knowledge of a partridge ,
To others doth tell good omen ,
Of its own noose lacks the knowledge .
चतुराई क्या कीजिये ,जो नहिं शब्द समाय ,
कोटिक गुन सुगना पढ़ैइ ,अंत बिलाई खाय।
Oh! what use is cunningness ?
Which doesn't the World assimilate ,
Crores of hymns the parrot repeats
But at last is eaten by cat .
पंडित और मसालची ,दोनों सूझै नाहिं ,
औरन को करें चाँदना ,आप अन्धेरा माँहिं।
The pundit and the torch -bearer -
Either of two in darkness gropes ,
To others he doth give the light
But he himself in darkness goes .
पढ़ि पढ़ि तो पत्थर भया ,लिखी लिखी भया जो ईट ,
कबिरा अंतर प्रेम की ,लगी न एको छींट।
To much reading has made thee stone
Too much writing has made thee brick ,
In the heart of heart no wetness
Of love was found ,Kabir doth think .
पढ़ि पढ़ि तो पत्थर भया ,लिखी लिखी भया जो चौर ,
जिस पढ़ते साहब मिलेइ ,तो पढ़ना कछु और।
Too much reading has made thee stone ,
Too much writing has made thee thief ;
That reading is altogether
Different which to the Saheb leads.
ब्राह्मण गदहा जगत का, तीरथ लादा जाय ,
यजमान कहै मैं पुनि किया ,वह मिहनत का खाय।
The brahmin is the world's ass
Who is burdened with pilgrimage ;
The client says ,'I did acts of goodness ' ,
The brahmin has his labour wage .
ब्राह्मण ते गदहा भला ,आन देव ते कुत्ता ,
मुलनाते मुरगा भला ,शहर जगावे सुत्ता।
An ass is better than a brahmin ,
A dog is better than a alien god ;
Awakening a sleeping town
Much better proves a crowing cock.
कलि का ब्राह्मण मसख़रा ,ताहि न दीजै दान ,
कटुम्ब सहित नरकै चला ,साथ लिया यजमान।
The kaliyug brahmin is a clown
So to him ought not to donate ,
With his family he's hellward bound ,
Alongwith him his client doth take .
