St Kabeer Couplets 2: I Was No Less Mean

Looking out for the wicked, I found no one so crooked, When probed my deep within, Me, that meanest of mean! ____________________________ Bura jo dekhan main chala, bura na milya koye, Jo munh khoja apna, to mujhse bura na koye. We always look far and wide for evil leaving out ourselves as innocent. But if we were to put a mirror in front of us we would soon find the truth that we are no less evil. Alas we won’t see what we wish not to see. Poet’s Note: Kabeer was a revolutionary poet saint. He wrote some 800 couplets called dohe in his mother tongue prevailing then. They dealt with many aspects of life that he observed during his lifetime, and whereby he challenged the prevailing practices of religions, sects, castes, and human behaviour. His couplets reflect true vision of spirituality (rather than religion). Even after centuries, his couplets are read by the seekers from across the globe. Here is a poetic translation of some selected couplets. The couplet number seen here is the serial number from a compilation of some 550 of them translated by me.