“Meri Bukkal De Vich Chor Ni” (Within my cloak lies a thief) is a legendary Kaafi by Bulleh Shah. Through the metaphor of a “thief” hiding within one’s own clothing, Bulleh Shah points toward the Divine Essence that resides within every human being, often unnoticed while people search for God in external rituals and religious disputes.
میری بکل دے وچ چور
نی میری بکل دے وچ چور
Meri bukkal de vich chor ni
Ni meri bukkal de vich chor
Within the folds of my cloak lies a thief,
O friends, within my very cloak lies the thief!
سادھو کس نوں کُوک سناویں، میری بکل دے وچ چور
چوری چوری نکل گیا، تے جگ وچ پے گیا شور
Saadho kis noon kook sunaveen, meri bukkal de vich chor
Chori chori nikal gaya, te jag vich pe gaya shor
O seeker, to whom are you shouting? The thief is in my cloak.
He escaped stealthily, and now the whole world is in an uproar.
مسلمان سڑنے توں ڈردے، ہندو ڈردے گور
دونویں ایسے دے وچ مردے، ایہو دوہاں دی کھور
Musalman sarne ton darde, Hindu darde gor
Donon aise de vich marde, eho dohaan di khor
The Muslim fears the fire (cremation), the Hindu fears the grave.
Both perish in this very dilemma; such is the underlying grudge of both.
کِتے رام داس کِتے فتح محمد، ایہو قدیمی شور
مٹ گیا دونہاں دا جھگڑا، نکل پیا کوئی ہور
Kite Ram Das kite Fateh Muhammad, eho qadimi shor
Mit gaya donon da jhagra, nikal pya koi hor
In one place He is Ram Das, in another Fateh Muhammad—this is an ancient cry.
Their conflict was resolved when someone entirely different emerged.
عرش منور بانگاں مِلیاں، سنیاں تخت لہور
شاہ عنایت کُنڈیاں پائیاں، لک چھپ کھچدا ڈور
Arsh munawar baangan miliyan, suniyan Takht Lahor
Shah Inayat kundiyan paiyan, luk chhip khichda dor
The call to prayer reached the luminous Heavens and was heard in the Throne of Lahore.
Shah Inayat has cast the hook, and hiding Himself, He pulls the string.
جس ڈھونڈیا تس نے پایا، نہ جھر جھر ہویا مور
جہیڑا لیکھ متھے دا لکھیا، کون کرے بھن توڑ
Jis dhondya tis ne paya, na jhar jhar hoya mor
Jayra lekh mathe da likhya, kon kare bhan tor
He who searched is the one who found; the peacock did not waste away in vain.
Whatever destiny is written on the forehead, who can break or alter it?
پیر پیراں بغداد اساڈا، مرشد تحت لہور
اوہ اسیں سبھ اِکو کوئی، اوہو گڈی تے ڈور
Pir Piran Baghdad assada, Murshid Takht Lahor
Oh assi sabh ikko koi, oho gaddi te dor
The Saint of Saints belongs to Baghdad, but my Guide is on the Throne of Lahore.
He and we are all one and the same—He is both the kite and the string.
ایہو تسی وی آکھو سارے، اوہو گڈی تے ڈور
میں دسناں تسی پکڑ لیاو، بلھے شاہ دا چور
Eho tusi vi aakho saare, oho gaddi te dor
Main dassna tusi pakar lya-o, Bulleh Shah da chor
Let all of you say this as well: He is both the kite and the string.
I am pointing Him out; now you go and catch the thief of Bulleh Shah!
Vocabulary: Meri Bukkal De Vich Chor
- Bukkal: The fold of a shawl or cloak wrapped around the body.
- Chor: Thief (metaphor for the Hidden Divine).
- Gor: Grave.
- Khor: Grudge / Enmity / Confusion.
- Qadimi: Ancient / Eternal.
- Kundiyan: Hooks (spiritual attraction).
- Gaddi te Dor: The kite and the string.