Word Meaning
ख़ुश-ज़बान
khush-zabān
Meaning
Sweet-spoken, eloquent, melodious, or having a pleasant voice.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning sweet-tongued or eloquent, this compound characterizes someone who speaks or sings with captivating charm. In this couplet, the singing garden bird is viewed as a surviving trace or memory of a deceased or departed sweet-voiced person. The verse implies that the melodious voice in nature carries the echo of an eloquent beloved who has returned to dust.
Etymology
Persian compound of 'khwush' (sweet, pleasant) and 'zabān' (tongue, speech).
Usage
Frequently used in classical ghazal to praise the sweet speech of the beloved or the melodious song of the nightingale.
Examples
that sweet-tongued companion of bygone gatherings
the sweet-tongued nightingale of the flowering meadow