नहीं है ना-उमीद 'इक़बाल' अपनी किश्त-ए-वीराँ से
ज़रा नम हो तो ये मिट्टी बहुत ज़रख़ेज़ है साक़ी
— Allama Iqbal
Meaning
O Saqi, do not despair regarding your patch of barren land; if it gets a little moisture, this soil is very fertile.
Explanation
This powerful couplet is a testament to resilience. When the poet addresses the 'Saqi' (the giver of wine/inspiration), he acknowledges his current state—a 'desolate patch' (kishth-e-veeran). However, he doesn't beg. He reminds the listener that even in apparent barrenness, the soil holds immense, untapped potential. It just needs a little moisture, a little belief, to bloom into something magnificent. It is a call to faith in one's own latent power.