raaz-e-nihan thi zindagi raaz-e-nihan hai aaj bhi
wahm-o-guman mein thi wahm-o-guman hai aaj bhi

kal bhi nawa-e-agahi qimat-e-sang-o-khisht thi
naghma-e-amn-o-ashti jins-e-giran hai aaj bhi

dil se to roz-o-shab hui lakh tarah ki guftugu
tishna-e-guftugu magar apni zaban hai aaj bhi

khak mein jazb ho gaya tere shahid ka lahu
matla-e-kaenat par surkh dhuan hai aaj bhi

ishq ko nind aa gai waqt pe os pad gai
apne junun ke dasht mein dhup jawan hai aaj bhi

waqt ki dastaras nahin bazm-e-gah-e-khayal tak
rukh pe ghubar hi sahi yaad jawan hai aaj bhi

kal bhi rukh-e-hayat par rang-e-shaguftagi na tha
subh-e-bahaar-e-zindagi sham-e-khizan hai aaj bhi

kal bhi zaban-o-nutq ko khauf-e-sinan-e-saif tha
naqd-o-nazar ko dahshat-e-tir-o-kaman hai aaj bhi

'darshan'-e-tishna-kaam par ek nigah saqiya
shoala-bayan ye kal bhi tha shoala-bayan hai aaj bhi