# SGGS With English Translation



## techsingh (May 21, 2013)

Am looking to buying something like this. Has anyone reviewed it to see if the shabad meanings are accurate. here is the link. 

http://www.sikhnet.com/GuruTranslation


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## spnadmin (May 21, 2013)

techsingh ji

The cost of the volume is $245.00. Now what is my personal assessment?  The volumes are bound versions of the Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa MD translation. Yes, it is the most widely used translation on the Internet. It is used on major web sites including srigranth, Search Gurbani, and sikhitothemax.

However, if you have been following any of our threads where translations are used and discussed, you will already know that the translation is not received in a positive way by those who have made study of Gurbani a lifelong endeavor.

The translation is one of the 5 approved by SGPC. It is also termed the "consensus translation." Personally, I fail to see that there is any consensus. 

The translation deviates in many important ways from the Guru Granth Darpan of Professor Sahib Singh Ph.D., a significant contribution to the world of religious studies. Even I, a relative novice, have spotted many instances where the translation is simply wrong with respect to specific tuks. Words are translated according to the intuitive sense of Dr. Sant Singh ji; yet they distort the meaning of a tuk in a significant way. Recent findings in discussions this past month or so.  Nirbau is not Nirvaana; and karam is not karma. Karams are not karmas of past deeds. Hari is not a "Lord." Many more examples like that. Entire interpretations shift, often giving a Christian or a Hindu bias. I would not spend that kind of money on it.

If you go to this link at Sikhnet http://www.sikhnet.com/pages/siri-guru-granth-sahib-english-translation-comparison you can read the comparison of 5 approved versions of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. 

I own the translation by Dr. Gurbachan Singh Talib, and it is good because it gives alternative translations that scholars have proffered. Its 4 heavily researched volumes cost $ 99.00. The drawback... it is English only and therefore I need at least two pothis to be able to cross check the Punjabi to the English. I do consider it worth the money spent because of the footnotes.

The translation by Dr. Manmohan Singh is well-received. *This translation is my top Punjabi/English choice. * The translation suffers from one drawback. The good scholar used phrases that would be familiar to Christian eyes and ears. Hence parts of his translation are disputed.

The translation by Pritam Singh Chahil is an updated version of that by Dr. Manmohan Singh. It is also very costly.

All translations so far fall short of the mark in one or another way. You essentially will need to make a cost/benefit decision. Most people who engage in vichaar at SPN use more than one translation, use pothis edited by various scholarly groups like Missionary College of Ludhiana, and can read Guru Granth Darpan in Punjabi or are learning to do so. If I absolutely had to purchase an English translation with Punjabi in Gurmukhi font, it would not be the bound volumes by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa MD for reasons I have mentioned. You are not getting as much as you deserve for the price you will pay.


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## techsingh (May 21, 2013)

mostly i have been using prof. shaib singh darpan. Sometimes i like to have english meanings beside me because half of my thinking thoughts occur in english and the other half in punjabi. As long as the translation gets me in the ballpark. any link to where i can view or buy Dr. Gurbachan Singh Talib translation.


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## spnadmin (May 21, 2013)

About Dr. Manmohan Singh's translation

http://www.sikhs.org/english/english.htm

2. Manmohan Singh Translation

A very different translation was published just a short time after Dr. Gopal Singh's work came out. Back in 1948, after Sardar Manmohan Singh, a devout Sikh, lost everything worldly in the partition of India and Pakistan, he began work on what would be a lasting legacy. He worked on this for 12 years, completing it in 1960. This is the ëeight-volume setí with the original Gurmukhi, side-by-side with translations into English and Panjabi, with nearly every word individually cross-referenced across the three languages. The S.G.P.C. published and distributed this 8-volume set in a dark blue cover, starting with the first volume in 1962, and completing the eighth in 1969, the year in which Manmohan Singh passed on.

For the first time, Sikhs all around the world had access to a most practical resource in understanding the Word of the Guru. It has become common practice in all parts of the world to install this 8 volume set as Guru, and read out the Hukam in both Gurmukhi and English, and sometimes in Panjaabi as well. Many Gurdwaras, especially larger ones, have a single volume Bir installed, and use this 8-volume set to read out the translation.

Page breaks appear to be precisely placed, but are not correlated to the original with any precision, and there are many typographical errors. There are also small passages of the original which are omitted in this work-again, typographical mistakes.

Overall, this work represents a distinctly more accurate and direct translation of the Guru's Word, although it includes a large number of antiquated, idiosyncratic expressions more common to 18th and 19th century British India-words like mammon (for Maya), myrmidon, collyrium, mumpers, gnosis (for knowledge), apostates, sans (French for without), etc. Much of his grammar is so dated as to be distracting, and even confusing to the modern ear.

For example:

"Raising, the embankments of my mind's field, I gaze at the high sky or mansion. When Divine devotion enters bride's mind-home, the Friendly Guest pays her a visit."
He, who slanders Thy attendant, him Thou chrusheth and destroyest".

In spite of these difficulties, the translation has a much deeper impact, and a more obvious accuracy, than the Bhai Gopal Singh translation. It is very poetic, and conveys a sense of humility and devotion.


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## spnadmin (May 21, 2013)

techsingh said:


> mostly i have been using prof. shaib singh darpan. Sometimes i like to have english meanings beside me because half of my thinking thoughts occur in english and the other half in punjabi. As long as the translation gets me in the ballpark. any link to where i can view or buy Dr. Gurbachan Singh Talib translation.




You may have trouble finding it now. It is out of print and may be out of stock on many shelves. 

I found it and will send you a private message. Used copies are available.


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## Ishna (May 21, 2013)

I hate to be pedantic but for future searchability can we fix the title from SSGS to S.G.G.S (minus the dots - I had to put them in because of the auto-change) please? Or not. Up to you.


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## techsingh (May 21, 2013)

Sorry about that I just noticed it. Thanks. Maybe admin can fix it.


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## spnadmin (May 21, 2013)

lol The way it works!

In text

If you type S G G S without spaces or dots the auto will spell it out as Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. If you type it with the dots, as below, then you will get S.G.G.S ....

I can't do anything about the auto-correct. I can fix what you or anyone else has typed in by editing, but I can't stop anyone in the future from doing it.

If I take out the dots it will become Sri Guru Granth Sahib. What is your choice?

In the title

We usually leave it up to the thread starter; the forum preference is to spell out SGGS


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## akiva (May 22, 2013)

You might look at the (ongoing) translation at http://www.sadhsangat.com

It's not in print -- but saving the HTML pages works.

Akiva


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## spnadmin (May 22, 2013)

akiva said:


> You might look at the (ongoing) translation at http://www.sadhsangat.com
> 
> It's not in print -- but saving the HTML pages works.
> 
> Akiva



Yes.. that is Sardar Rawel Singh ji. He has been laboring away. His translations are very closely based on Professor Sahib Singh, especially as he progressed further into his project. I use his blog all the time.

There are some things to keep in mind. 

He has not got to the end of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji yet. If I had a smileycon of someone lifting weights though I would post it for him. What a seva!  Will have to use this one 

He is a tad inconsistent in his presentation. When he began he did not give the translations of important words in a shabad. Now he does, as in the Gurbani word xxxx = modern Punjabi meaning  for all the important words (which is the format used by Professor Sahib). 

If these are criticisms, then I am ungrateful. Thanks for calling attention to his work.


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