for me'—that is, pray that I may have a successful journey to the next world.
The Guru replied:—
He who filleth the sack shall load it on himself;[1] the will of God is over all;
Nanak, they who have acted honestly shall depart with bright faces.
The Guru, seeing the Pir prepared for death, said he would soon follow him himself. The Guru upon this composed the following hymn:—
Wealth, youth, and flowers are guests[2] only for four days;[3]
They wither and fade like the leaves of the water lily.
Enjoy God's love, O dear one, in the freshness of youth.
Few are thy days; thou art wearied and the vesture of thy body hath grown old.
My merry friends have gone to sleep in the grave.
I too shall depart in sorrow, and weep with a feeble voice.
O fair one,[4] why not attentively listen to this message?
Thou must go to thy father-in-law's; thou mayest not dwell for ever in thy father's house.
Nanak, know that she who sleepeth[5] in her father's house, is robbed at an untimely season.
She hath lost her bundle of merits and departed with a load of demerits.[6]
Chapter XVII
The Guru, knowing that his end was approaching, appointed Angad his successor. The Guru's sons had not obeyed him. Their minds were insincere, and they had rebelled and deserted him. Wherefore he subsequently placed the umbrella
