चतुराई सूवै पढ़ी ,सोई पंजर माँहि ,

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 .