The newly sprouted facial hair fears the mirror just as a thief fears the watchman.

In classical Urdu verse, 'khat' refers to the first delicate trace of facial hair stealing across the youthful beloved's cheek like a silent thief. The poet likens the mirror ('aarsi') to a vigilant watchman, always ready to catch and expose this secret intruder. It is a delightfully witty observation about the subtle arrival of age and the uncompromising honesty of a mirror.