Books
The Fish & The Ruby:
Great Punjabi Poetry in English
GURU NANAK [Translated by NIKKY-GUNINDER KAUR SINGH]
You are the enjoyer, you are the joy,
You are the ravisher too;
You are the bride in her dress,
You are the spouse on the nuptial bed.
My beloved is dyed in love –
Fully permeating everyone!
You are the fisherman, you are the fish,
You are the waters, you are the trap;
You are the weight that holds the net,
You are the lost ruby swallowed by the fish.
My love is imbued
In a myriad colors, my friends.
The virtuous bride perpetually enjoys her spouse,
But here am I sitting all alone!
Says Nanak, this is my plea: join me with you!
You are the pool, you are the swan,
You are the lotus in the day,
You are the lily of the night,
You watch them, you rejoice!
Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh is the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies and Crawford Family Professor at Colby College in Maine, USA. She has published extensively in the field of Sikhism. Her books include: Of Sacred and Secular Desire (IB Tauris 2012), Sikhism: An Introduction (IB Tauris 2011), Cosmic Symphony (Sahitya Akademy, 2008), The Birth of the Khalsa (SUNY 2005), The Feminine Principle in the Sikh Vision of the Transcendent (1993), The Name of My Beloved: Verses of the Sikh Gurus (1995; 2001), Metaphysics and Physics of the Guru Granth Sahib (1981).
Her latest book, "Of Sacred and Secular Desire: An Anthology of Lyrical Writings From The Punjab", can be purchased by CLICKING here.
May 15, 2013
Conversation about this article
1: Mohan Singh (Pennsylvania, USA), May 15, 2013, 8:52 AM.
Exquisite. Your translations, Nikky ji, are by absolute favourite ... I swear by your renditions in "The Name of My Beloved". I am thrilled that your work will be showcased here more often.
2: Simarpal Singh (Oregon, USA), May 15, 2013, 9:41 AM.
Your translations, Nikky ji, are my door into the world of gurbani. Until I discovered your trabslations, I was shut out. I also want to take this opportunity to say how much joy I get from coming to sikhchic.com every morning. I love everything about it ... it is like a shot of adrenalin on every visit. Thank you.
3: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpuur, Malaysia), May 15, 2013, 4:40 PM.
Guru Nanak in His 'Khasmana' (Grace) has sent another Puran Singh. This time in the garb of Nikky ji. Keep pouring out.
4: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), May 16, 2013, 6:36 PM.
The cover illustration is so gorgeous! I think I recognize it being from the Darbar Sahib.