Japji Sahib · Pauri 2

ਸੋਚੈ ਸੋਚਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਸੋਚੀ ਲਖ ਵਾਰ ॥ਚੁਪੈ ਚੁਪ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਲਾਇ ਰਹਾ ਲਿਵ ਤਾਰ ॥ਭੁਖਿਆ ਭੁਖ ਨ ਉਤਰੀ ਜੇ ਬੰਨਾ ਪੁਰੀਆ ਭਾਰ ॥ਸਹਸ ਸਿਆਣਪਾ ਲਖ ਹੋਹਿ ਤ ਇਕ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਨਾਲਿ ॥ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

Sochai soch na hova-ee, je sochee lakh vaar. Chupai chup na hova-ee, je laa-ay rahaa liv taar. Bhukhi-aa bhukh na utree, je bannaa puree-aa bhaar. Sahas si-aanpaa lakh hohi, ta ik na chalai naal. Kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai, kiv koorhai tutai paal. Hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa, Nanak likhi-aa naal.

By thinking, one cannot reach Truth — not even by thinking a hundred thousand times. By silence, the mind does not become still — not even held in unbroken attention. The hunger of the hungry does not leave, even if one piles up loads of all the worlds. A thousand clevernesses, even a hundred thousand — not one goes with you in the end. How then does one become true? How is the wall of falsehood broken? Walk in the Hukam — the Divine Order written into all things — says Nanak.

— Japji Sahib 2

Source: Original Gurmukhi by Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469–1539). Public-domain English renderings drawn from Manmohan Singh and Pritam Singh Chahil translations.