The first line gives us , and of course we recognize it as meaning generally 'worthless'. But still, there are many directions in which the second line could go, with many kinds of misery, suffering, and debility that could be adduced as examples. In good mushairah performance style, we have to wait for further revelation until we hear the second line. And even then, the second line withholds its punch-word until the last possible moment: . Only then do we realize that the opposition between and its derivative opposite, , is at the heart of the verse. The word points us to the most common meaning of : something like 'action, act, deed, work, doing, handiwork, performance; work, labour, duty, task, job'. Ghalib's own use of the verse in letters also points us in that same general direction. But the position of as a 'punch-word' invites us to give it particular attention, and then of course we recall its double meaning: it also has, through both Persian and Sanskrit, a powerful range of 'desire'-related meanings: 'inclination, wish, desire, longing, inordinate desire; affection, love, passion; sexual passion; lust'. (For more discussion of these double meanings, see 22,6 .) Moreover, both these meanings of are explicitly 'activated' within the verse: the meaning 'work' is activated by the opposition to , and the meaning 'desire' is activated by the explanatory invocation of . For more on such 'double activation', see 120,3 . graphics/lover.jpg