ਚਾਰਿ ਦਿਨ ਅਪਨੀ ਨਉਬਤਿ ਚਲੇ ਬਜਾਇ ॥

chaar din apanee naubat chale bajaae |

The mortal beats the drum for a few days, and then he must depart.

ਇਤਨਕੁ ਖਟੀਆ ਗਠੀਆ ਮਟੀਆ ਸੰਗਿ ਨ ਕਛੁ ਲੈ ਜਾਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

eitanak khatteea gattheea matteea sang na kachh lai jaae |1| rahaau |

With so much wealth and cash and buried treasure, still, he cannot take anything with him. ||1||Pause||

ਦਿਹਰੀ ਬੈਠੀ ਮਿਹਰੀ ਰੋਵੈ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਲਉ ਸੰਗਿ ਮਾਇ ॥

diharee baitthee miharee rovai duaarai lau sang maae |

Sitting on the threshhold, his wife weeps and wails; his mother accompanies him to the outer gate.

ਮਰਹਟ ਲਗਿ ਸਭੁ ਲੋਗੁ ਕੁਟੰਬੁ ਮਿਲਿ ਹੰਸੁ ਇਕੇਲਾ ਜਾਇ ॥੧॥

marahatt lag sabh log kuttanb mil hans ikelaa jaae |1|

All the people and relatives together go to the crematorium, but the swan-soul must go home all alone. ||1||

ਵੈ ਸੁਤ ਵੈ ਬਿਤ ਵੈ ਪੁਰ ਪਾਟਨ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਦੇਖੈ ਆਇ ॥

vai sut vai bit vai pur paattan bahur na dekhai aae |

Those children, that wealth, that city and town - he shall not come to see them again.

ਕਹਤੁ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਾਮੁ ਕੀ ਨ ਸਿਮਰਹੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਅਕਾਰਥੁ ਜਾਇ ॥੨॥੬॥

kehat kabeer raam kee na simarahu janam akaarath jaae |2|6|

Says Kabeer, why do you not meditate on the Lord? Your life is uselessly slipping away! ||2||6||