This shabad is written in Raag Aasaa, by the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Mehla 5 is to be pronounced Mehla panjwan).
In this Shabad Guru Ji says that being born as a human being is a precious opportunity to get out of the cycle of birth and death by remembering God with love and devotion. We should not waste this opportunity by remaining engrossed in the pursuit of worldly possession. Guruji says, we should perform all the worldly tasks and yet keep our minds attuned to God.
(O brother), You got this beautiful human body.
This is your only chance to achieve salvation (being one with God).
Salvation can be achieved only by God’s grace, which comes by righteous living and doing Simran (meditating) with love and devotion. Only human beings can do this. Therefore, being born as a human being is the only chance to achieve salvation.
Gobind: God; milan: to meet, to be one with God, implies to achieve salvation; eh: this; teri: your; bariaa: turn, implies chance.
(work hard to become deserving of His grace because) all other things you do will be of no benefit to you (in achieving salvation).
avar: other; kaaj: work or deeds; tere: yours; kitae: anywhere; na: no; kaam: avail or benefit.
Therefore, Join the company of God loving people and in that company, meditate only on His Name.
(O brother), get in the pursuit of successfully crossing this ocean of life, (make every effort to remain above worldly temptations while living in this world).
saranjaam: in the pursuit of; laag: do; bhavjal: ocean of life; taran: swim; kae: of, bhavjal taran kae: of successfully swimming the ocean of life without drowning, implies remaining above or untouched by the effects of worldly temptations (Maya).
(because, without this effort,) this precious human life is being wasted by remaining engrossed in worldly possessions.
jap: simran (repetition of God’s name); tap: self discipline; sanajm: discipline to keep the mind away from bad thoughts and deeds; dharam: religious duties or righteous life; na: not; kamaiya: earned, practiced.
(neither you) served the Guru, nor you remembered the Divine Master, God.
we seek Your shelter; (forgive us and) protect our honor (so that we may not depart from this world in disgrace).