Me and Qais, oh Kohoakan, who are now on the tongue, have destroyed all these sinners in one manner.
This profound couplet speaks to the trap of one's own speech. The poet, Mir Taqi Mir, suggests that the very tongue (ज़बाँ) has become the source of entrapment for both himself and his beloved, Qais (or Kohakan). It’s a realization that words, whether of love or sin, can become a form of bondage. He implies that the guilty are not just those who commit actions, but those who speak carelessly. A beautiful reflection on the power and peril of speech.
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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