ਚਾਰਿ ਦਿਨ ਅਪਨੀ ਨਉਬਤਿ ਚਲੇ ਬਜਾਇ ॥
chār din apanī naubat chalē bajāi .
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 ॥
itanak khatīā gathīā matīā sang n kash lai jāi .1. rahāu .
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 ॥
diharī baithī miharī rōvai duārai lau sang māi .
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॥
marahat lag sabh lōg kutanb mil hans ikēlā jāi .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 pātan bahur n dēkhai āi .
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॥
kahat kabīr rām kī n simarah janam akārath jāi .2.6.
Says Kabeer, why do you not meditate on the Lord? Your life is uselessly slipping away! ||2||6||