mÚ 1 sloku ]

aucwrx mh`lw pihlw sloku

ma 1 salok ||

First Mehl, Shalok:

mCI qwrU ikAw kry pMKI ikAw Awkwsu ]

mashhee thaaroo kiaa karae pankhee kiaa aakaas ||

What can deep water do to a fish? What can the vast sky do to a bird?

pQr pwlw ikAw kry Kusry ikAw Gr vwsu ]

aucwrx pwlw: polw bolo

pathhar paalaa kiaa karae khusarae kiaa ghar vaas ||

What can cold do to a stone? What is married life to a eunuch?

kuqy cMdnu lweIAY BI so kuqI Dwqu ]

kuthae chandhan laaeeai bhee so kuthee dhhaath ||

You may apply sandalwood oil to a dog, but he will still be a dog.

bolw jy smJweIAY pVIAih isMimRiq pwT ]

aucwrx bolw: polw bolo

bolaa jae samajhaaeeai parreeahi sinmrith paath ||

You may try to teach a deaf person by reading the Simritees to him, but how will he learn?

AMDw cwnix rKIAY dIvy blih pcws ]

andhhaa chaanan rakheeai dheevae balehi pachaas ||

You may place a light before a blind man and burn fifty lamps, but how will he see?

cauxy suienw pweIAY cuix cuix KwvY Gwsu ]

chounae sueinaa paaeeai chun chun khaavai ghaas ||

You may place gold before a herd of cattle, but they will pick out the grass to eat.

lohw mwrix pweIAY FhY n hoie kpws ]

lohaa maaran paaeeai dtehai n hoe kapaas ||

You may add flux to iron and melt it, but it will not become soft like cotton.

nwnk mUrK eyih gux boly sdw ivxwsu ]1]

naanak moorakh eaehi gun bolae sadhaa vinaas ||1||

O Nanak, this is the nature of a fool-everything he speaks is useless and wasted. ||1||