The garland of countless cruelties, O Andaleeb, may it not be true; even the green of a stranger was familiar in this garden.

This profound couplet, by Mir Taqi Mir, uses the metaphor of a garden (Chaman) to discuss the nature of love and acceptance. The poet addresses the nightingale, pleading that the cruelty inflicted should not be unjust. But the real depth lies in the second line: 'Even the green shoot of a stranger was familiar to this garden.' It suggests that the beloved's world is so expansive and accepting that it finds comfort and familiarity even in the presence of the unknown or the outsider. It is a beautiful commentary on unconditional belonging.