Word Meaning
जान-ब-लब
jān-ba-lab
Meaning
At the point of death; moribund; life brought to the lips.
Detailed Meaning
Literally translating to 'life at the lips', this compound describes someone on the verge of death whose breath or soul is about to depart. In the context of this couplet, it conveys the lover's extreme state of agony, where after enduring a wounded heart and pierced liver, even their departing soul is overwhelmed by sorrow. It is a traditional Persian and Urdu idiom for the agonizing final moments before dying.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'jān' (life/soul), the preposition 'ba' (to/at), and 'lab' (lip).
Usage
Widely used in the Urdu ghazal to dramatically represent the helpless lover lingering on the absolute threshold of death caused by separation.
Examples
The afflicted lover lay with his life at his lips, awaiting the beloved.
In the final hour of longing, the suffering soul was at the verge of death.