ek huk si dil mein uthti hai aur ashk-fishani hoti hai
yaad un ki satane aati hai jab raat suhani hoti hai

ye sozish-e-gham ye dard-o-alam inam-e-mohabbat kya kahiye
ek dagh hi par mauquf hai kya har chiz nishani hoti hai

lahraata rahe gar shoala-e-gham to husn ka daman bach na sake
aadab-e-mohabbat ki khatir ye aag bhi pani hoti hai

thi samne hi ki baat magar ye bhed abhi tak khul na saka
kyon rog laga kar ulfat ka maghmum jawani hoti hai

us rah mein ye arbab-e-hawas sath ahl-e-wafa ka kya dete
jis rah mein sirf arman nahin hasti bhi mitani hoti hai

mai-khana-e-ulfat ki baaten na-ahl-e-mohabbat kya jaanen
matwali nazar ki gardish bhi dilchasp kahani hoti hai

'nawwab' wo chahe husn ki ho daulat hai bahar-surat daulat
daulat ko jahan mein qiyam kahan ye aani jaani hoti hai