Ang 4

Guru Nanak · Jap · Japji Sahib

ਅਸੰਖ ਭਗਤ ਗੁਣ ਗਿਆਨ ਵੀਚਾਰ ॥

asa(n)kh bhagat gun giaan veechaar ||

Countless devotees contemplate the Wisdom and Virtues of the Lord.

ਅਸੰਖ ਸਤੀ ਅਸੰਖ ਦਾਤਾਰ ॥

asa(n)kh satee asa(n)kh daataar ||

Countless the holy, countless the givers.

ਅਸੰਖ ਸੂਰ ਮੁਹ ਭਖ ਸਾਰ ॥

asa(n)kh soor muh bhakh saar ||

Countless heroic spiritual warriors, who bear the brunt of the attack in battle (who with their mouths eat steel).

ਅਸੰਖ ਮੋਨਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ਤਾਰ ॥

asa(n)kh mon liv laai taar ||

Countless silent sages, vibrating the String of His Love.

ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕਵਣ ਕਹਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

kudarat kavan kahaa veechaar ||

How can Your Creative Potency be described?

ਵਾਰਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਵਾ ਏਕ ਵਾਰ ॥

vaariaa na jaavaa ek vaar ||

I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.

ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥

jo tudh bhaavai saaee bhalee kaar ||

Whatever pleases You is the only good done,

ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਲਾਮਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥੧੭॥

too sadaa salaamat nira(n)kaar ||17||

You, Eternal and Formless One. ||17||

ਅਸੰਖ ਮੂਰਖ ਅੰਧ ਘੋਰ ॥

asa(n)kh moorakh a(n)dh ghor ||

Countless fools, blinded by ignorance.

ਅਸੰਖ ਚੋਰ ਹਰਾਮਖੋਰ ॥

asa(n)kh chor haraamakhor ||

Countless thieves and embezzlers.

ਅਸੰਖ ਅਮਰ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ ਜੋਰ ॥

asa(n)kh amar kar jaahi jor ||

Countless impose their will by force.

ਅਸੰਖ ਗਲਵਢ ਹਤਿਆ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥

asa(n)kh galavadh hatiaa kamaahi ||

Countless cut-throats and ruthless killers.

ਅਸੰਖ ਪਾਪੀ ਪਾਪੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥

asa(n)kh paapee paap kar jaahi ||

Countless sinners who keep on sinning.

ਅਸੰਖ ਕੂੜਿਆਰ ਕੂੜੇ ਫਿਰਾਹਿ ॥

asa(n)kh kooRiaar kooRe phiraahi ||

Countless liars, wandering lost in their lies.

ਅਸੰਖ ਮਲੇਛ ਮਲੁ ਭਖਿ ਖਾਹਿ ॥

asa(n)kh malechh mal bhakh khaahi ||

Countless wretches, eating filth as their ration.

ਅਸੰਖ ਨਿੰਦਕ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਭਾਰੁ ॥

asa(n)kh ni(n)dak sir karahi bhaar ||

Countless slanderers, carrying the weight of their stupid mistakes on their heads.

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਕਹੈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

naanak neech kahai veechaar ||

Nanak describes the state of the lowly.

ਵਾਰਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਵਾ ਏਕ ਵਾਰ ॥

vaariaa na jaavaa ek vaar ||

I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.

ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥

jo tudh bhaavai saaee bhalee kaar ||

Whatever pleases You is the only good done,

ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਲਾਮਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥੧੮॥

too sadaa salaamat nira(n)kaar ||18||

You, Eternal and Formless One. ||18||

ਅਸੰਖ ਨਾਵ ਅਸੰਖ ਥਾਵ ॥

asa(n)kh naav asa(n)kh thaav ||

Countless names, countless places.

ਅਗੰਮ ਅਗੰਮ ਅਸੰਖ ਲੋਅ ॥

aga(n)m aga(n)m asa(n)kh lo ||

Inaccessible, unapproachable, countless celestial realms.

ਅਸੰਖ ਕਹਹਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਭਾਰੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

asa(n)kh kahahi sir bhaar hoi ||

Even to call them countless is to carry the weight on your head.

ਅਖਰੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਖਰੀ ਸਾਲਾਹ ॥

akharee naam akharee saalaah ||

From the Word, comes the Naam; from the Word, comes Your Praise.

ਅਖਰੀ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਗੀਤ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਹ ॥

akharee giaan geet gun gaah ||

From the Word, comes spiritual wisdom, singing the Songs of Your Glory.

ਅਖਰੀ ਲਿਖਣੁ ਬੋਲਣੁ ਬਾਣਿ ॥

akharee likhan bolan baan ||

From the Word, come the written and spoken words and hymns.

ਅਖਰਾ ਸਿਰਿ ਸੰਜੋਗੁ ਵਖਾਣਿ ॥

akharaa sir sa(n)jog vakhaan ||

From the Word, comes destiny, written on one's forehead.

ਜਿਨਿ ਏਹਿ ਲਿਖੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਿਰਿ ਨਾਹਿ ॥

jin ehi likhe tis sir naahi ||

But the One who wrote these Words of Destiny-no words are written on His Forehead.

ਜਿਵ ਫੁਰਮਾਏ ਤਿਵ ਤਿਵ ਪਾਹਿ ॥

jiv phuramaae tiv tiv paahi ||

As He ordains, so do we receive.

ਜੇਤਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇਤਾ ਨਾਉ ॥

jetaa keetaa tetaa naau ||

The created universe is the manifestation of Your Name.

ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਥਾਉ ॥

vin naavai naahee ko thaau ||

Without Your Name, there is no place at all.

ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕਵਣ ਕਹਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

kudarat kavan kahaa veechaar ||

How can I describe Your Creative Power?

ਵਾਰਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਵਾ ਏਕ ਵਾਰ ॥

vaariaa na jaavaa ek vaar ||

I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.

ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥

jo tudh bhaavai saaee bhalee kaar ||

Whatever pleases You is the only good done,

ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਲਾਮਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥੧੯॥

too sadaa salaamat nira(n)kaar ||19||

You, Eternal and Formless One. ||19||

ਭਰੀਐ ਹਥੁ ਪੈਰੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਹ ॥

bhareeai hath pair tan deh ||

When the hands and the feet and the body are dirty,

ਪਾਣੀ ਧੋਤੈ ਉਤਰਸੁ ਖੇਹ ॥

paanee dhotai utaras kheh ||

water can wash away the dirt.

ਮੂਤ ਪਲੀਤੀ ਕਪੜੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

moot paleetee kapaR hoi ||

When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine,

ਦੇ ਸਾਬੂਣੁ ਲਈਐ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਇ ॥

de saaboon laeeai ohu dhoi ||

soap can wash them clean.

ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ॥

bhareeai mat paapaa kai sa(n)g ||

But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin,

ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ॥

ohu dhopai naavai kai ra(n)g ||

it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.

ਪੁੰਨੀ ਪਾਪੀ ਆਖਣੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥

pu(n)nee paapee aakhan naahi ||

Virtue and vice do not come by mere words;

ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ॥

kar kar karanaa likh lai jaahu ||

actions repeated, over and over again, are engraved on the soul.

ਆਪੇ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ॥

aape beej aape hee khaahu ||

You shall harvest what you plant.

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ ॥੨੦॥

naanak hukamee aavahu jaahu ||20||

O Nanak, by the Hukam of God's Command, we come and go in reincarnation. ||20||

ਤੀਰਥੁ ਤਪੁ ਦਇਆ ਦਤੁ ਦਾਨੁ ॥

teerath tap daiaa dat daan ||

Pilgrimages, austere discipline, compassion and charity

ਜੇ ਕੋ ਪਾਵੈ ਤਿਲ ਕਾ ਮਾਨੁ ॥

je ko paavai til kaa maan ||

these, by themselves, bring only an iota of merit.

ਸੁਣਿਆ ਮੰਨਿਆ ਮਨਿ ਕੀਤਾ ਭਾਉ ॥

suniaa ma(n)niaa man keetaa bhaau ||

Listening and believing with love and humility in your mind,

ਅੰਤਰਗਤਿ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਮਲਿ ਨਾਉ ॥

a(n)taragat teerath mal naau ||

cleanse yourself with the Name, at the sacred shrine deep within.

ਸਭਿ ਗੁਣ ਤੇਰੇ ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥

sabh gun tere mai naahee koi ||

All virtues are Yours, Lord, I have none at all.

ਵਿਣੁ ਗੁਣ ਕੀਤੇ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥

vin gun keete bhagat na hoi ||

Without virtue, there is no devotional worship.

ਸੁਅਸਤਿ ਆਥਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਬਰਮਾਉ ॥

suasat aath baanee baramaau ||

I bow to the Lord of the World, to His Word, to Brahma the Creator.

ਸਤਿ ਸੁਹਾਣੁ ਸਦਾ ਮਨਿ ਚਾਉ ॥

sat suhaan sadaa man chaau ||

He is Beautiful, True and Eternally Joyful.

ਕਵਣੁ ਸੁ ਵੇਲਾ ਵਖਤੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਕਵਣ ਥਿਤਿ ਕਵਣੁ ਵਾਰੁ ॥

kavan s velaa vakhat kavan kavan thit kavan vaar ||

What was that time, and what was that moment? What was that day, and what was that date?

ਕਵਣਿ ਸਿ ਰੁਤੀ ਮਾਹੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਹੋਆ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥

kavan s rutee maahu kavan jit hoaa aakaar ||

What was that season, and what was that month, when the Universe was created?

ਵੇਲ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ਪੰਡਤੀ ਜਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਲੇਖੁ ਪੁਰਾਣੁ ॥

vel na paaeeaa pa(n)datee j hovai lekh puraan ||

The Pandits, the religious scholars, cannot find that time, even if it is written in the Puraanas.

ਵਖਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਕਾਦੀਆ ਜਿ ਲਿਖਨਿ ਲੇਖੁ ਕੁਰਾਣੁ ॥

vakhat na paaio kaadeeaa j likhan lekh kuraan ||

That time is not known to the Qazis, who study the Koran.

ਥਿਤਿ ਵਾਰੁ ਨਾ ਜੋਗੀ ਜਾਣੈ ਰੁਤਿ ਮਾਹੁ ਨਾ ਕੋਈ ॥

thit vaar naa jogee jaanai rut maahu naa koee ||

The day and the date are not known to the Yogis, nor is the month or the season.

ਜਾ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਿਰਠੀ ਕਉ ਸਾਜੇ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਸੋਈ ॥

jaa karataa sirathee kau saaje aape jaanai soee ||

The Creator who created this creation-only He Himself knows.

ਕਿਵ ਕਰਿ ਆਖਾ ਕਿਵ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਕਿਉ ਵਰਨੀ ਕਿਵ ਜਾਣਾ ॥

kiv kar aakhaa kiv saalaahee kiu varanee kiv jaanaa ||

How can we speak of Him? How can we praise Him? How can we describe Him? How can we know Him?

Link copied