Maati Kahe Kumhar Se Lyrics English Translation
Maati Kahe Kumhar Se translates to English as Clay says to the Potter... It is a song in the genera of devotional bhajans in the religion of Hinduism and sung best by Anup Jalota. The lyrics consisting of couplet verses are the sayings of Sadguru Kabir who was born over 600 years ago in Varanasi near Lahartara pond. He brought light by dispelling falsehoods, and false traditions to enlighten humankind.
Roundhe is an interesting word as it implies moulding, however in India, this process usually starts with the potter using his feet to stamp on the clay for mixing, and then he beats it into a shape. In some places of India, it can also mean to suffocate or choke.
When I first heard this song, I was a very young lad in college, and the first line conveyed the idea that matter is never created nor destroyed, because one day we will become ashes, and nature will uses that same matter to make another life. Whilst the potter moulds the clay today, such a day will come in the future, when the tables turn, and then he will be the clay. These ideas are the basis of a universal truth that most of us can deduce. In this song, he takes opposing ideas, places them side-by side, and compares them, thereby producing great insight for the listener.
In some places, it is extremely descriptive, such as where he mentions bones burning like sticks and hair like grass. If you have ever been to an open funeral, you can hear bones burning like sticks as they make a spitting sound as sticks do. The line ek singhasan, chadhi chale, ek bandhe zanjeer, is very poignant as it describes how the good soul is carried to heaven on a throne (singhasan), but the bad soul is handcuffed (bandhe) in chains (zanjeer). Surprisingly, the Kabir's teachings are valid in today’s India just as they were then. For example, nobody will drink water from a gutter (kot), yet majority of them flow into the ganga (gang), and once found there, it becomes holy-water (gangotak). He mentions that there are many who give charity (daan) and the small giver (deni) always thinks that he is the one doing all the work. However, the real charity-giver (denhar) is God, who gives endlessly day and night, but we never think of HIM.
Durbal ko na sataaiye, jaakee, motee haaye is good advice. Whilst a person might appear weak (durbal) from outside, their soul will be strong, and their curse (haaye) can destroy you. In this verse, he juxtaposes the breathing (sanns) of the bellows (kee), with the sighs (haaye) that a crying person makes, that they are both powerful and can destroy.
Such baarabar taap nahi, jhooth baarabar paap, was the most difficult line to decode. There is no greater penance in life than the truth. Saying the truth, or doing the right thing, even though it may not serve your self-interests, even though it may cause you great hardship. Therefore, remaining true is a hard thing to do, and a difficult road to walk upon. However, there is no greater sin than a lie. All the little lies that people make to themselves and others to serve their self-interests are proper sins.
The CD version of this song (in Volume 2) has a different order of lyrics to the live video version. Since the order of the lyrics changes, depending upon which YouTube video you see, I have placed a GOTO Section A line if the lyrics are not the same for you. However, I have tried to include all the lines from the videos I saw. Pay special attention to the commas, which are also the pauses in the singing. I have also mirrored them in the English translation to make is simple to understand. I have tried to keep the translation accurate and as simple as possible, however at the end of the day, how much you understand depends upon your intelligence.
Meaning and Context
Sabuth approximates to intact, or whole, or in one piece.
Laghu approximates to small.
Dar approximates to despise or hate.
Chitkaye is to pull.
Kar approximates to palm of the hand.
Deni approximates to charity.
Bharam approximates to doubt.
Loha means metal.
Prabhu, Narayan, Ram, simplify to God in this translation.
Kee is a bellow which blows air into the fire to make the fire burn stronger. It sucks air in and then blows air out, just like breathing.
Chakki is a millstone.
Sanns is breathing.
Haaye in Hindi, or Nissassa (in Gujarati), are the sighs that usually occurs during or after a person cries due to unhappiness.
English Translation
Mati kahe kumhar se, tuu kya roundhe mohee...
Clay says to the potter, “Today, you are moulding me...
ek din aisa aayenga, main roundhoo toye.
...such a day will come when, I shall be moulding you�?
Aaye hain te jaayenge, raajaa, runk, phakeer...
(All) those who come they (have to) go, (whether) King, Pauper, or Saint...
ek singhasan, chadhi chale, ek bandhe zanjeer.
one (goes) sitting on a throne; one (goes) handcuffed in chains.
Durbal ko na sataaiye, jaakee, motee haaye...
Do not torment the (soul of the) weak, (because) their sighs will be powerful...
binaa jeeve kee saans se, loha bhasam hvai jaaye.
for (even) the breathing of life-less bellows, can destroy solid-metal.
Chalti chakki dekh ke, jiya kabira rooye...
Seeing (the) spinning millstones, Kabir’s soul wept...
do paatan ke beech mein, sabut bacha na koye.
(because) between the two parts, no one is (ever) spared to come out in one piece.
Haad jale ju lakadi, kesh jale ju ghaas...
Bones burn like sticks, hair burns like grass...
sab jag jalta dekh ke, bhai-kabir udaas.
seeing everyone in the world burning, saddened brother-Kabir.
Kabira kahai, kot ki paani, peeve na koi...
Kabir says, water from gutter, nobody drinks...
(Nobody drinks water from the gutter.)
jaayi mile jab gang se, to gangotak hoi.
(but) when it is found in the ganga, then it is considered holy-water!
Tulsi, tulsi, sab kahe, tulsi ban ki ghaas...
Tulsi, tulsi, everyone says, (but) tulsi is made of (common) grass...
ho gaya kripa ram ki, to ban gaya tulsi-das.
when (God) Ram came near it, then it became tulsi-das.
[If the next Lyrics are different, then GOTO Section A]
Rahiman, baardan ko dekh ker, laghu na di je dar...
Rahman says, when seeing big (people), do not ignore/hate the small...
jahan, kaam, aaye sui, kya kare talwaar?
(for) where there is a job for a needle, what can a sword do?
Rahiman, dhaga prem ka, na todo chitkaye...
Rahiman says, the string/bond of love, don’t break it by pulling...
toote se, phir ye na jude, jude to gaanthi paad jaaye.
(if) it breaks, it cannot be joined again, for if it joins then a knot remains.
(Once you break the bond of trust and love, distrust will always remain)
Aisi deni den juu, kith sikhe ho saan?
Giving charity like this, whom did you learn from?
(From whom did you learn to give charity in this way?)
jyu jyu kar uncho karyo, tyun tyun niche nain.
As (their) palms rise higher, then (his) eyes/gaze gets lower.
Denhar koie aur hai, bhejaat jo din rane...
(and the) charity-giver is someone else (God), sending day and night...
Log bharam hum per Karen, taso niche nain.
(when) People doubt on me, (then my) eyes stay down.
Tulsi, is sansaar mein, sabse miliyea bhai...
Tulsi-das says, in this world, meet everyone as you would your brother...
Na jaane, kis roop mein, Narayan mil jaya.
(one) never knows, in which form, we find Narayan (God).
[Section A] - Alternative Flow of Lyrics
Such baarabar taap nahi, jhooth baarabar paap...
There is no proper austerity like truth, and no proper sin like a lie...
Jaake ke raday saanch hai, taake raday prabhu aap.
Where the heart is true, (in) that heart God resides.
Dukh mein, sumiran sab Karen, sukh mein kare na koyi...
In (times of) sorrow, everyone remembers (God), (but) never in (in times of) joy...
Jo sukh mein sumiran kare, to dukh ka ha ko hoi?
if (you) remember (God) in (times of) joy, then how can sorrow come?
[Return - Back to original place]