The beloved did not display the flame of beauty in the garden, otherwise even the nightingale would have been turned into a moth.
In this verse, the poet plays on a classic contrast between the sweet nightingale, who serenades flowers from afar, and the reckless moth, who hurls itself into fire. By imagining the beloved's beauty as a blazing flame, the poet suggests it is so overwhelmingly intense that revealing it would completely transform the garden's delicate balance. Had the beloved unveiled such fiery grace, even the gentle nightingale would have abandoned its songs to burn alive in passionate self-destruction.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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