Ang-701 — Chapter 22

My Husband Lord is not pleased by these clothes, O Beloved; how can the soul-bride go to His bed? ||1||

I am a sacrifice, O Dear Merciful Lord; I am a sacrifice to You.

I am a sacrifice to those who take to Your Name.

Unto those who take to Your Name, I am forever a sacrifice. ||1||Pause||

If the body becomes the dyer's vat, O Beloved, and the Name is placed within it as the dye,

and if the Dyer who dyes this cloth is the Lord Master - O, such a color has never been seen before! ||2||

Those whose shawls are so dyed, O Beloved, their Husband Lord is always with them.

Bless me with the dust of those humble beings, O Dear Lord. Says Nanak, this is my prayer. ||3||

He Himself creates, and He Himself imbues us. He Himself bestows His Glance of Grace.

O Nanak, if the soul-bride becomes pleasing to her Husband Lord, He Himself enjoys her. ||4||1||3||

Tilang, First Mehl:

O foolish and ignorant soul-bride, why are you so proud?

Within the home of your own self, why do you not enjoy the Love of your Lord?

Your Husband Lord is so very near, O foolish bride; why do you search for Him outside?

Apply the Fear of God as the maascara to adorn your eyes, and make the Love of the Lord your ornament.

Then, you shall be known as a devoted and committed soul-bride, when you enshrine love for your Husband Lord. ||1||

What can the silly young bride do, if she is not pleasing to her Husband Lord?

She may plead and implore so many times, but still, such a bride shall not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.

Without the karma of good deeds, nothing is obtained, although she may run around frantically.

She is intoxicated with greed, pride and egotism, and engrossed in Maya.

She cannot obtain her Husband Lord in these ways; the young bride is so foolish! ||2||

Go and ask the happy, pure soul-brides, how did they obtain their Husband Lord?

Whatever the Lord does, accept that as good; do away with your own cleverness and self-will.

By His Love, true wealth is obtained; link your consciousness to His lotus feet.

As your Husband Lord directs, so you must act; surrender your body and mind to Him, and apply this perfume to yourself.

So speaks the happy soul-bride, O sister; in this way, the Husband Lord is obtained. ||3||

Give up your selfhood, and so obtain your Husband Lord; what other clever tricks are of any use?

When the Husband Lord looks upon the soul-bride with His Gracious Glance, that day is historic - the bride obtains the nine treasures.

She who is loved by her Husband Lord, is the true soul-bride; O Nanak, she is the queen of all.

Thus she is imbued with His Love, intoxicated with delight; day and night, she is absorbed in His Love.

She is beautiful, glorious and brilliant; she is known as truly wise. ||4||2||4||

Tilang, First Mehl:

As the Word of the Forgiving Lord comes to me, so do I express it, O Lalo.

Bringing the marriage party of sin, Babar has invaded from Kaabul, demanding our land as his wedding gift, O Lalo.

Modesty and righteousness both have vanished, and falsehood struts around like a leader, O Lalo.

The Qazis and the Brahmins have lost their roles, and Satan now conducts the marriage rites, O Lalo.

The Muslim women read the Koran, and in their misery, they call upon God, O Lalo.

The Hindu women of high social status, and others of lowly status as well, are put into the same category, O Lalo.