Kya Dekhte Hum Yusuf-e-kanaan Ko Ki Apna — Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq
Meaning
Why would we look at Joseph of Canaan, when a beauty of our own had already become the focus of our gaze.
Explanation
The poet is saying something lovely and a little playful. Yusuf of Canaan, meaning Joseph, is famous in old stories as the very symbol of beauty. But the poet gently sets him aside. Why would I even look at Yusuf, he asks, when I have already found someone beautiful to adore? My own beloved has already won my heart and become the one my eyes long for. In other words, once love has chosen its own, no legendary beauty can compete. The person we cherish becomes, for us, the most beautiful of all. It is a tender way of praising the beloved, placing them above every famous standard of beauty the world has ever known.
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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