Word Meaning
ता-ब-लब
tā-ba-lab
Meaning
Up to the lips; on the verge of being uttered.
Detailed Meaning
Literally signifying 'reaching up to the lips', this Persian phrase denotes words, a sigh, or life coming to the very edge of revelation or departure. In the couplet, it illustrates how the speaker's overflowing internal thoughts and emotions desperately stir within the heart yet fail to reach the lips as spoken speech. It captures a central ghazal trope of silent suffering and forced or helpless reticence.
Etymology
Persian compound of 'tā' (up to/until), preposition 'ba' (to/at), and 'lab' (lip).
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it frequently qualifies either 'sukhan' (words held back from expression) or 'dam/jān' (the dying breath caught at the verge of leaving the body).
Examples
The silent plea rose up to the lips but could go no further.
With breath lingering at the lips, the lover awaited a final glimpse.