यक बयाबाँ ब-रंग-ए-सौत-ए-जरस
मुझ पे है बे-कसी-ओ-तन्हाई
— Mir Taqi Mir
Meaning
Oh, the desert, the color of your voice, O Jaras. Upon me, there is a loneliness that has no end.
Explanation
This profound couplet speaks to the paradox of beauty and sorrow. The sound of the anklet (Jaras) is often associated with joy or allure, yet for the lover, this beautiful sound only deepens the feeling of emptiness. Mir Taqi Mir suggests that the very memory or echo of such beauty, even if it's just a sound, is enough to plunge the heart into overwhelming solitude and loneliness. It's the beauty that hurts the most.
