be-sabab hi jaane kis kis ko khafa karte rahe
kyon kisi ke ru-ba-ru hum aaina karte rahe

log tadbiron se hangame bapa karte rahe
aur hum jabr-e-mashiyyat ka gila karte rahe

wae majburi ki honton par na aai dil ki baat
lakh hum sai-e-bayan-e-muddaa karte rahe

ghaaliban ye bhi hamara imtihan tha bazm mein
log rah rah kar tumhaara tazkira karte rahe

un ki khatir is takalluf ki kisi ko kya khabar
kis liye apne lahu ko hum hina karte rahe

har nafas ke sath jun jun umr kam hoti gai
mukhtasar hum zindagi ka rasta karte rahe

aur bhi dushwar ab khud ko samajhna ho gaya
hosh ke aalam se 'afzal' hum bhi kya karte rahe