Kabir's Poems -2-

Kanak Kanak te so guni maadakta adhikaye, 
ik khay bauraat hai, ik paaye bauraay.

Manifold is one narcotic, potent more than others, 
marijuana stupefies consumers, capital crazes carriers.

(Kanak-Gold is hundred times more intoxication than the other Kanak-Opium. One makes crazy on consumption, other makes crazy on possession.) 

Wealth or effect of having money is no less than and is in fact many times worse and powerful than drugs. While one has to consume, take or shoot drugs in order to go crazy, mere possession of wealth crazes and stupefies the mind. A man with enormous wealth is a powerful tyrant who has utter disregard and contempt for others. As has been said, 'Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'

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Barra hua to kya hua, jaisa ped khajoor, 
Panchchi ko ful nahin, nahin chchanv raahgeer.

In vain is the excellence, of a towering date tree, 
No shade for travelers, too remote to feed hungry.

(So what if one is big/great, like a date tree, neither fruit to the birds, nor shade to travelers.)

So what if one is great, like a date tree, if it gives no fruits to resting birds and provides no shade to weary travelers. Greatness of such a being is useless to those around it. The real measure of greatness lies in the benefits one provides to those that come to or come in contact with it. The value of a being is determined by not what it has but what it can give to others.

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Tarvaar taas bilambiye, barah maas phalant, 
Seetal chaya gahar phal, panshi keli karant.

Establish like a vast tree, nourishing all year long, 
Fruits in respiting cool shade, birds chirp their songs.

(Tree like slow down, be of consequence all twelve months. cool shade and abundant fruits, birds do frolics.)

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