i slip away at the earliest hour
dirty and unkempt, i am Your beggar
and creep to sit beneath Your feet
and steal away the precious moments that are so sweet
before others come
i want to be alone
i am only filthy, unworthy to meet
unclean to sit beside Your stainless seat
fearing that sound would wake
others and would take
away my chance
to sit alone with you entranced
and deprive me of this precious hour
i dared not even risk a shower
and so i sit unwashed in haste
and feel the depths of my unworthiness
in my True State of being
undeceived by ablutions simulating purifying
a beggar dressed in rags i plead
forgiveness for stealing this hour i so badly need
that i would come before you in such disarray
forgive me please, i couldn't stay away
and in desperation took the means
of a sneak thief, i prostrate myself before you filthy and unclean
begging grant me the grace of emptiness
fill me with the kindness of your glance
chain me ever ever to Your feet
please accept me i entreat
bless me with the Sev*
to be slave of the slave of Your slave
i am Your beggar.........

*service

 

rwmklI mhlw 1 ]
Raamkalee, First Mehl:

       quDno invxu mMnxu qyrw nwau ]
To place one's faith in Your Name, Lord, is true worship.
   swcu Byt bYsx kau Qwau ]
With an offering of Truth, one obtains a place to sit.
   squ sMqoKu hovY Ardwis ]
If a prayer is offered with truth and contentment,
qw suix sid bhwly pwis ]1]
the Lord will hear it, and call him in to sit by Him. ||1||

nwnk ibrQw koie n hoie ]
O Nanak, no one returns empty-handed;
AYsI drgh swcw soie ]1] rhwau ]
such is the Court of the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
pRwpiq poqw krmu pswau ]
The treasure I seek is the gift of Your Grace.
qU dyvih mMgq jn cwau ]
Please bless this humble beggar - this is what I seek.
BwfY Bwau pvY iqqu Awie ]
Please, pour Your Love into the cup of my heart.
Duir qY CofI kImiq pwie ]2]
This is Your pre-determined value. ||2||

ijin ikCu kIAw so ikCu krY ]
The One who created everything, does everything.
ApnI kImiq Awpy DrY ]
He Himself appraises His own value.
gurmuiK prgtu hoAw hir rwie ]
The Sovereign Lord King becomes manifest to the Gurmukh.
nw ko AwvY nw ko jwie ]3]
He does not come, and He does not go. ||3||

loku iDkwru khY mMgq jn mwgq mwnu n pwieAw ]
People curse at the beggar; by begging, he does not receive honor.
sh kIAw glw dr kIAw bwqw qY qw khxu khwieAw ]4]8]
O Lord, You inspire me to speak Your Words, and tell the Story of Your Court. ||4||8||

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