Quatrain 72 from Rubaiyat of Saadi Shirazi
چون صورت خویشتن در آیینه بدیدوان کام و دهان و لب و دندان لذیذ
میگفت چنانکه میتوانست شنیدبس جان به لب آمد که بدین لب نرسید
Description:
English Translation:
When she saw her own face in the mirror,
And those sweet lips, teeth, and tongue so dear,
She said, as loudly as she could,
"Oh, how many've longed to kiss those lips!"
Analysis:
This quatrain by Saadi Shirazi is a playful exploration of self-love and the desire for physical intimacy. Let's break down each line:
Line 1: چون صورت خویشتن در آیینه بدید
"When he saw his own face in the mirror,"
The speaker is describing a moment of self-reflection. They are looking at their own image.
Line 2: وان کام و دهان و لب و دندان لذیذ
"And those sweet lips, teeth, and tongue so dear, "
The speaker's attention is drawn to their own lips, teeth, and tongue. They find these features to be very attractive.
Line 3: میگفت چنانکه میتوانست شنید
"He said, as loudly as he could,"
The speaker expresses their thoughts out loud, as if talking to themselves.
Line 4: بس جان به لب آمد که بدین لب نرسید
"Oh, how I've longed to kiss those lips!"
The speaker reveals a deep desire for physical intimacy, specifically a desire to kiss their own lips. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for a desire for something that is unattainable or for a sense of self-love.
Deeper Meaning:
This quatrain can be interpreted in several ways:
Self-love and vanity: On the surface level, the quatrain seems to be about vanity and self-love. The speaker is clearly admiring their own appearance.
A desire for intimacy: The speaker's desire to kiss their own lips could be a metaphor for a longing for physical intimacy, perhaps with another person.
The unattainable: The act of trying to kiss one's own reflection is inherently impossible. This could be a metaphor for the pursuit of something that is ultimately unattainable.