Dohas of Kabir with meaning

बुरा जो देखन मैं चला, बुरा न मिलिया कोय। जो दिल खोजा आपना, मुझसे बुरा न कोय॥

Meaning: I went looking for the bad in others and found no one bad; when I looked into my own heart, I found that I am the one who most needs to improve.

ऐसी वाणी बोलिए, मन का आपा खोय। औरन को शीतल करै, आपहुँ शीतल होय॥

Meaning: Leave ego behind and speak sweet words that bring peace both to the listener and to the speaker.

धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय। माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ऋतु आए फल होय॥

Meaning: Everything happens in its own time. However much water the gardener pours, the fruit comes only in its season; so be patient.

पोथी पढ़ि पढ़ि जग मुआ, पंडित भया न कोय। ढाई आखर प्रेम का, पढ़े सो पंडित होय॥

Meaning: Reading books alone makes no one truly wise; the one who understands love is the truly wise.

काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब। पल में परलय होएगी, बहुरि करेगा कब॥

Meaning: Do tomorrow's work today and today's work now; time cannot be trusted.

साईं इतना दीजिए, जा मे कुटुम समाय। मैं भी भूखा न रहूँ, साधु न भूखा जाय॥

Meaning: O Lord, give just enough that my family is provided for, that I don't go hungry, and that no one who comes to my door goes back hungry.

निंदक नियरे राखिए, आँगन कुटी छवाय। बिन पानी, साबुन बिना, निर्मल करे सुभाय॥

Meaning: Keep near you the one who points out your faults; without soap or water, he cleanses your nature.

जाति न पूछो साधु की, पूछ लीजिए ज्ञान। मोल करो तरवार का, पड़ा रहन दो म्यान॥

Meaning: Look at a good person's knowledge, not his caste; just as the sword has value, not the sheath.

दुख में सुमिरन सब करे, सुख में करे न कोय। जो सुख में सुमिरन करे, तो दुख काहे को होय॥

Meaning: In sorrow everyone remembers God, in happiness no one does; how can sorrow surround the one who remembers in happiness too?

माटी कहे कुम्हार से, तू क्या रौंदे मोय। एक दिन ऐसा आएगा, मैं रौंदूँगी तोय॥

Meaning: The clay says to the potter: today you trample me, one day you too will merge into me; so don't be proud.

गुरु गोविंद दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूँ पाँय। बलिहारी गुरु आपने, गोविंद दियो बताय॥

Meaning: If the guru and God both stand before you, bow first to the guru, because he showed you the way to God.

बड़ा हुआ तो क्या हुआ, जैसे पेड़ खजूर। पंथी को छाया नहीं, फल लागे अति दूर॥

Meaning: Just being big is not enough; the date palm is tall, but gives no shade to the traveller and its fruit is hard to reach. Greatness lies in being useful to others.

कस्तूरी कुंडल बसै, मृग ढूँढ़ै बन माहि। ऐसे घट-घट राम हैं, दुनिया देखे नाहि॥

Meaning: The musk is in the deer's own navel, but it searches for it in the forest; likewise God is in every heart, but people search outside.

जैसे तिल में तेल है, ज्यों चकमक में आग। तेरा साईं तुझ में है, तू जाग सके तो जाग॥

Meaning: Just as oil is hidden in the sesame seed and fire in the flint, God is within you; you only need to awaken.

माला फेरत जुग भया, फिरा न मन का फेर। कर का मनका डार दे, मन का मनका फेर॥

Meaning: Years went by turning the mala, but the mind did not change; changing the mind matters more than the beads in the hand.

तिनका कबहुँ न निंदिये, जो पाँवन तर होय। कबहुँ उड़ि आँखिन पड़े, तो पीर घनेरी होय॥

Meaning: Don't despise even the blade of grass under your feet; if it flies into your eye it hurts a lot. Don't think of anyone as worthless.

अति का भला न बोलना, अति की भली न चूप। अति का भला न बरसना, अति की भली न धूप॥

Meaning: Neither too much speaking is good, nor too much silence; just as neither too much rain nor too much sun is good. Keep balance in everything.

साँच बराबर तप नहीं, झूठ बराबर पाप। जाके हिरदै साँच है, ताके हिरदै आप॥

Meaning: There is no austerity equal to truth and no sin equal to a lie; God lives in the heart that holds the truth.

See also