Word Meaning
मेहनत
mehnat
Meaning
Hardship, ordeal, toil, or affliction endured in love and life.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'mehnat' (derived from the Arabic 'miḥnat') primarily connotes hardship, tribulation, and distress rather than just ordinary physical labor. In this couplet, it is paired with 'ranj' (grief) to signify the spiritual trials and afflictions of love that ultimately yield supreme peace ('rāhat'). The ordeal itself is embraced as transformative and fulfilling for the lover.
Etymology
Arabic مِحْنَة (miḥnah), meaning trial, ordeal, tribulation, or affliction.
Usage
In classical ghazal traditions, it frequently pairs with 'ranj' or 'alam' to denote the purifying tribulation of the lover's path.
Examples
Hardship and toil in your lane become our repose.
A life spent bearing the ordeals of separation.