The Sikh Gurus never believed in the exclusivity of their teachings. The Gurus undertook travels to spread their message to peoples of different cultures in their own native languages. The Gurus did not believe in the ideas of any language being ‘sacred’ or ‘special’. It is in this spirit that various Sikh scholars have undertaken efforts to translate Sri Guru Granth Sahib into a number of languages in order to spread the teachings of the Gurus and to bring the Sikh religion to the people of the world as Guru Nanak wished.

True Guru. The Guru is the Honor of the dishonored. The Guru, the True Guru, brings approval and applause. I am never tired of praising the Guru, who unites me with the Lord God. || 2 || Everyone, all over the world, longs for the True Guru. Without the good fortune of destiny, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is not obtained. The unfortunate ones just sit and cry. All things happen according to the Will of the Lord God. No one can erase the pre-ordained Writ of Destiny. || 3 || He Himself is the True Guru; He Himself is the Lord. He Himself unites in His Union. In His Kindness, He unites us with Himself, as we follow the Guru, the True Guru. Over all the world, He is the Life of the World, O Nanak, like water mingled with water.

|| 4 || 4 || 68 || SIREE RAAG, FOURTH MEHL: The Essence of the Ambrosial Naam is the most sublime essence; how can I get to taste this essence? I go and ask the happy soul-brides, “How did you come to meet God?” They are care-free and do not speak; I massage and wash their feet. || 1 || O Siblings of Destiny, meet with your spiritual friend, and dwell upon the Glorious Praises of the Lord. The True Guru, the Primal Being, is your Friend, who shall drive out pain and subdue your ego. || 1 || Pause || The Gurmukhs are the happy soul-brides; their minds are filled with kindness. The Word of the True Guru is the Jewel.

One who believes in it tastes the Sublime Essence of the Lord. Those who partake of the Lord’s Sublime Essence, through the Guru’s Love, are known as great and very fortunate. || 2 || This Sublime Essence of the Lord is in the forests, in the fields and everywhere, but the unfortunate ones do not taste it. Without the True Guru, it is not obtained. The self-willed manmukhs continue to cry in misery. They do not bow before the True Guru; the demon of anger is within them. || 3 || The Lord Himself, Har, Har, Har, is the Sublime Essence. The Lord Himself is the Essence. In His Kindness, He blesses the Gurmukh with it; the Ambrosial Nectar of this Amrit trickles down. Then, the body and mind totally blossom forth and flourish; O Nanak, the Lord comes to dwell within the mind.

|| 4 || 5 || 69 || SIREE RAAG, FOURTH MEHL: The day dawns, and then it ends, and the night passes away. Man’s life is diminishing, but he does not understand. Each day, the mouse of death is gnawing away at the rope of life. Maya spreads out like sweet molasses; the selfwilled manmukh is stuck like a fly, rotting away. || 1 || O Siblings of Destiny, God is my Friend and Companion. Emotional attachment to children and spouse is poison; in the end, no one will go along with you as your helper. || 1 || Pause || Through the Guru’s Teachings, some embrace love for the Lord, and are saved. They remain detached and unaffected, and they find the Sanctuary of the Lord. They keep death constantly before their eyes; they gather the Provisions of the Lord’s Name, and receive honor. The Gurmukhs are honored in the Court of the Lord. The Lord Himself takes them in His Loving Embrace.

|| 2 || For the Gurmukhs, the Way is obvious. At the Lord’s Door, they face no obstructions. They praise the Lord’s Name, they keep the Naam in their minds, and they remain attached to the Love of the Naam. The Unstruck Celestial Music vibrates for them at the Lord’s Door, and they are honored at the True Door. || 3 || Those Gurmukhs who praise the Naam are applauded by everyone. Grant me their company, God – I am a beggar; this is my prayer. O Nanak, great is the good fortune of those Gurmukhs, who are filled with the Light of the Naam within. || 4 || 33 || 31 || 6 || 70 || SIREE RAAG, FIFTH MEHL, FIRST HOUSE: Why are you so thrilled by the sight of your son and your beautifully decorated wife? You enjoy tasty delicacies, you have lots of fun, and you indulge in endless pleasures. You give all sorts of commands, and you act so superior. The Creator does not come into the mind of the blind, idiotic, self-willed manmukh.

|| 1 || O my mind, the Lord is the Giver of peace. By Guru’s Grace, He is found. By His Mercy, He is obtained. || 1 || Pause || People are entangled in the enjoyment of fine clothes, but gold and silver are only dust. They acquire beautiful horses and elephants, and ornate carriages of many kinds. They think of nothing else, and they forget all their relatives. They ignore their Creator; without the Name, they are impure. || 2 || Gathering the wealth of Maya, you earn an evil reputation. Those whom you work to please shall pass away along with you. The egotistical are engrossed in egotism, ensnared by the intellect of the mind. One who is deceived by God Himself, has no position and no honor.

|| 3 || The True Guru, the Primal Being, has led me to meet the One, my only Friend. The One is the Saving Grace of His humble servant. Why should the proud cry out in ego? As the servant of the Lord wills, so does the Lord act. At the Lord’s Door, none of his requests are denied. Nanak is attuned to the Love of the Lord, whose Light pervades the entire Universe. || 4 || 1 || 71 || SIREE RAAG, FIFTH MEHL: With the mind caught up in playful pleasures, involved in all sorts of amusements and sights that stagger the eyes, people are led astray. The emperors sitting on their thrones are consumed by anxiety.

|| 1 || O Siblings of Destiny, peace is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. If the Supreme Lord, the Architect of Destiny, writes such an order, then anguish and anxiety are erased. || 1 || Pause || There are so many places – I have wandered through them all. The masters of wealth and the great land-lords have fallen, crying out, “This is mine! This is mine!” || 2 || They issue their commands fearlessly, and act in pride. They subdue all under their command, but without the Name, they are reduced to dust.

|| 3 || Even those who are served by the 33 million angelic beings, at whose door the Siddhas and the Saadhus stand, who live in wondrous affluence and rule over mountains, oceans and vast dominions – O Nanak, in the end, all this vanishes like a dream! || 4 || 2 || 72 || SIREE RAAG, FIFTH MEHL: Arising each day, you cherish your body, but you are idiotic, ignorant and without understanding. You are not conscious of God, and your body shall be cast into the wilderness. Focus your consciousness on the True Guru; you shall enjoy bliss forever and ever. || 1 || O mortal, you came here to earn a profit. What useless activities are you attached to? Your life-night is coming to its end.

|| 1 || Pause || The animals and the birds frolic and play – they do not see death. Mankind is also with them, trapped in the net of Maya. Those who always remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are considered to be liberated. || 2 || That dwelling which you will have to abandon and vacate – you are attached to it in your mind. And that place where you must go to dwell – you have no regard for it at all. Those who fall at the Feet of the Guru are released from this bondage.

|| 3 || No one else can save you – don’t look for anyone else. I have searched in all four directions; I have come to find His Sanctuary. O Nanak, the True King has pulled me out and saved me from drowning! || 4 || 3 || 73 || SIREE RAAG, FIFTH MEHL: For a brief moment, man is a guest of the Lord; he tries to resolve his affairs. Engrossed in Maya and sexual desire, the fool does not understand. He arises and departs with regret, and falls into the clutches of the Messenger of Death. || 1 || You are sitting on the collapsing riverbank – are you blind? If you are so pre-destined, then act according to the Guru’s Teachings.

|| 1 || Pause || The Reaper does not look upon any as unripe, half-ripe or fully ripe. Picking up and wielding their sickles, the harvesters arrive. When the landlord gives the order, they cut and measure the crop. || 2 || The first watch of the night passes away in worthless affairs, and the second passes in deep sleep. In the third, they babble nonsense, and when the fourth watch comes, the day of death has arrived. The thought of the One who bestows body and soul never enters the mind.

|| 3 || I am devoted to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I sacrifice my soul to them. Through them, understanding has entered my mind, and I have met the All-knowing Lord God. Nanak sees the Lord always with him – the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. || 4 || 4 || 74 || SIREE RAAG, FIFTH MEHL: Let me forget everything, but let me not forget the One Lord. All my evil pursuits have been burnt away; the Guru has blessed me with the Naam, the true object of life. Give up all other hopes, and rely on the One Hope. Those who serve the True Guru receive a place in the world hereafter.

|| 1 || O my mind, praise the Creator. Give up all your clever tricks, and fall at the Feet of the Guru. || 1 || Pause || Pain and hunger shall not oppress you, if the Giver of Peace comes into your mind. No undertaking shall fail, when the True Lord is always in your heart.