Ru-safedi Hai Naqab-e-rukh-e-shor-e-masti — Mir Taqi Mir
Meaning
The whiteness of the veil over the face of intoxication is the mirror that shines because of the Qazi's beard.
Explanation
This couplet is a masterful critique of superficiality and the artificiality of appearance. The 'whiteness' (रू-सफेदी) is not genuine purity, but a mask worn in the guise of drunken revelry. The second line suggests that even something simple, like a mirror, is beautified or given meaning merely because of the authority (the Qazi's beard). Mir Taqi Mir uses these images to question what is real versus what is merely perceived or imposed.
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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