For discussion of the versatile idiomatic expression , see 148,1 . And in fact this verse is a sort of garden of idioms: for discussion of , see 9,4 . Most striking of all is the highly colloquial , an emphatically negative exclamation that rests on an implied but colloquially omitted ; for more on this, see 7,5 . As Nazm observes (though very cryptically), the complexity in the verse is generated by the second half of the second line, , which has been carefully stripped of all accompanying grammar-- such as pronouns or a verb-- that would limit its meaning. Thus we're left with two readings of the second line: (1) We're always faithful-- if not indeed to passion, then to difficulty indeed. (Whether or not we can count on passion, we can always count on difficulty to be our constant companion-- and one whose company we never seek to escape.) (2) We're always faithful-- if indeed we didn't have passion, then that would be difficulty indeed! (The suffering caused by passion is nothing compared to the real suffering that would be caused by the lack of passion.) All this is done in six small words, one of which is used twice. Elegant, isn't it? graphics/passion.jpg