Do not attach your heart to the beloved's face which is covered in sweat. Lift up the mirror, for the ground here is very damp.
This powerful couplet is a warning wrapped in intoxicating beauty. Mir Taqi Mir advises the listener not to fall deeply in love with the beloved, whose charm is likened to potent wine. The second line is profound: 'Pick up the mirror, for the ground is very damp.' The damp ground suggests that the reality of this love, or the reflection of the beloved's image, is unstable, transient, or perhaps soaked in tears and sorrow. It's a caution to look beyond the illusion.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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