der lagi aane mein tum ko shukr hai phir bhi aae to
aas ne dil ka sath na chhoda waise hum ghabrae to

am grateful you came finally, though you were delayed
hope had not forsaken me, though must say was afraid

shafaq dhanak mahtab ghataen tare naghme bijli phul
is daman mein kya kya kuchh hai daman hath mein aae to

twilight, arc, moon, winds and stars, songs lightning flowers untold
what all her vestment does contain if only i could hold

chahat ke badle mein hum to bech den apni marzi tak
koi mile to dil ka gahak koi hamein apnae to

in exchange for love i'd trade my freedom i confess
if a buyer could be found who would my heart possess

kyun ye mehr-angez tabassum madd-e-nazar jab kuchh bhi nahin
hae koi anjaan agar is dhoke mein aa jae to

if you harbour no intent, then why this sunlit glance
what if some unknowning soul is led astray perchance

suni-sunai baat nahin ye apne upar biti hai
phul nikalte hain shoalon se chahat aag lagae to

its not merely hearsay 'tis something i have seen
flowers bloom in midst of flames, let love light the scene

jhut hai sab tarikh hamesha apne ko dohraati hai
achchha mera khwab-e-jawani thoda sa dohrae to

that history doth repeat itself has no shred of truth
if it does so let it then return to me my youth

nadani aur majburi mein yaro kuchh to farq karo
ek be-bas insan kare kya tut ke dil aa jae to

tween innocence and helplessness, distinction friends should make
what should a helpless man do if, in love his heart should break