bahr-e-hasti mein sohbat-e-ahbab
yun hai jaise baru-e-ab-e-habab

gardish-e-asman mein hum kya hain
par-e-kahe miyana-e-gardab

baada-e-nab kya hai khun-e-jigar
zardi-e-rang hai shab-e-mahtab

jis ko raqs-o-surud kahte hain
wo bhi hai ek hawa-e-khana-kharab

umr kahte hain jis ko wo kya hai
misl-e-tahrir mauj-e-naqsh-bar-ab

jism kya ruh ki hai jaula-nigah
ruh kya ek sawar-e-pa-ba-rikab

husn aur ishq kya hain ye bhi hain
khatfa-e-barq-o-qatra-e-simab

zindagani-o-marg bhi kya hain
ek misl-e-khayal-o-digar-e-khwab

fursat-e-umr qatra-e-shabnam
wasl-e-mahbub gauhar-e-nayab

kyun na ishrat do-chand ho jo hai
yar mah-chehra aur shab-e-mahtab

sab kitabon ke khul gae mani
jab se dekhi 'nazir' dil ki kitab