तुझ बिन शराब पी के मूए सब तिरे ख़राब
साक़ी बग़ैर तेरे उन्हें जाम-ए-सम हुआ
— Mir Taqi Mir
Meaning
Without you, my beloved, the wine drunk and the lips stained, every cup has become a bitter draught, O cupbearer, without you.
Explanation
This powerful couplet speaks of complete emotional dependency. The poet suggests that the intoxicating wine, the friends, and the whole gathering lose their flavor and mischief ('kharab') when the beloved is absent. The wine itself, the 'jaam-e-sam' (sacred cup), becomes meaningless without the vision of the beloved. It’s a deep declaration that the beloved’s presence is the only true intoxication in life.
