Original · Devanagari
लगन के जोर सों मन छूटे सकल मरोर। चोर कठोर घोर निशि जबलों कोमल भय भये भोर॥ १ ॥ नेम नवारो नदी आपुमें तबलों चलत सुखार। लगन लहरीकी गहर परे जब बूड़ि मरे मँझधार॥ २ ॥ ज्ञान सयाने सोवत जबलगि मान महत मनमाहीं। लगन कलाली करको प्याला तबतक चाखत नाहीं॥ ३ ॥ लाज कनांड़ी यांड़ी तबलों टूटी मिलतन बाँव। उघर परे उर बात लगनकी डोंडी बजी सबगाँव॥ ४ ॥ फकत फकीरी कर कफेलसों फाके में हुसियार। लगन लालकी लगन लालची भूखै भूख पुकार॥ ५ ॥ सदा धीर बेपीर परखबिन तबलों हँसत हँसाय। लगन कर्द लगि दरद भरे जब करे हाय फिर हाय॥ ६ ॥ रूप सुगुण धन योबन जबलों गर्व रह्यो भरिपूर। कृपानिवास सबै मद मनको लगन जबै लगी चूर॥ ७ ॥ २ ॥
Fresh English translation
By attachment’s force the mind is freed from all its contortions. It remains a hard thief through the terrible night, but at dawn it grows tender and afraid. So long as the river of observance is under one’s control, the crossing seems pleasant; once one falls into the depth of attachment’s wave, one drowns and dies in midstream. The learned and clever sleep while the mind still prizes status, for they have not yet tasted the cup from attachment’s wine-seller. Modesty holds its fragile vessel only until it breaks in the act of meeting; then the heart’s secret attachment lies exposed, and its drum resounds through the whole village. A mere show of fakirhood stays clever even in hunger, but the lover greedy for attachment to the Beloved cries out from hunger itself. One laughs and makes others laugh, calling oneself steadfast and beyond pain, only until attachment fills one with anguish and every cry becomes ‘alas’ upon ‘alas.’ Beauty, virtue, wealth, and youth keep pride brimming full only until attachment arrives. Then, says Kripanivasa, it grinds every intoxication of the mind to dust.