ajab apni haalat ye hum dekhte hain

'ajab apni haalat ye hum dekhte hain
ki aankhon ko har lamha nam dekhte hain
lagaen to kya aisi duniya se dil hum
musalsal jahan gham pe gham dekhte hain


darakhton samundar hawa aur falak par
'ajab us ka jah-o-hasham dekhte hain
jo rahta hai shah-rag mein apni usi ko
na tum dekhte ho na hum dekhte hain


hum apne chaman-zar-e-hasti pe ek din
sitam-zar-e-mulk-e-‘adam dekhte hain
wo na-mehrban mehrban ho gaya hai
qadam do qadam chal ke hum dekhte hain


nahin dekhte hain tere khwab jab hum
to phir rah-e-mulk-e-‘adam dekhte hain
ulajhte hain jab bhi masail mein 'qaisar'
to us zulf ke pech-o-kham dekhte hain