ek muddat se jo siine meñ basā hai kyā hai

karb-e-ehsās hai yā karb-e-anā hai kyā hai

daur-e-hāzir meñ har ik shaḳhs hai kyuuñ sahmā huā

dil meñ jo ḳhauf hai vo ḳhauf-e-fanā hai kyā hai

mujh ko is lafz kā mafhūm batā do yaaro

dostī naam hai jis kā vo jafā hai kyā hai

baat matlab kī kahūñ us se magar pahle zarā

ye to ma.alūm ho vo ḳhush hai ḳhafā hai kyā hai

is qadar rañj-o-alam itne masā.ib tauba

zindagī silsila-e-āh-o-bukā hai kyā hai

jo giraftār huā is meñ ulajhtā hī gayā

zulf-e-jānāñ bhī koī dām-e-balā hai kyā hai

kitnī hī baar ye chāhā ki zarā dekhūñ to

us kī āñkhoñ meñ jo ik naam likhā hai kyā hai