POEM · PERMANENT EDITION
Mir Taqi Mir چپکے رہنا نہ میرؔ دل میں ٹھانو Chupke rehna na Mir dil mein thaano ●sher 1 of 2

چپکے رہنا نہ میرؔ دل میں ٹھانو

Chupke rehna na Mir dil mein thaano

بولو چالو کہا ہمارا مانو

Bolo chaalo kaha humara maano

O Meer, do not resolve to remain silent in your heart.
Speak and converse, heed our words.

یک حرف نہ کہہ سکوگے وقت رفتن

Yak harf na keh sakoge waqt-e-raftan

چلنے کو زبان کے غنیمت جانو

Chalane ko zabaan ke ghaneemat jaano

You won't be able to utter a single word at the time of departure.
Consider the movement of your tongue a blessing.

Context

This profound quatrain, characteristic of classical Urdu wisdom poetry and likely penned by the celebrated master Mir Taqi Mir, serves as a poignant memento mori. It encapsulates a central theme in many Eastern philosophies: the imperative to value and utilize one's faculties, particularly the power of speech and expression, while alive, as the ultimate silence of death renders all words impossible. It's a call to conscious living and communication in the face of life's brevity.

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