It was not good for me to live a life separated from her, lest I should carelessly slip away during this long span of life.

This profound couplet by Mir Taqi Mir speaks to the paradox of longing. The poet suggests that living a life of separation (hijr) from the beloved is inherently difficult, almost impossible. He adds a condition: this suffering might be tolerable only if one avoids carelessness or negligence throughout the long journey of life. It’s a deep contemplation on endurance and the weight of time.