har mod nai ek uljhan hai qadmon ka sambhalna mushkil hai
wo sath na den phir dhup to kya sae mein bhi chalna mushkil hai

yaran-e-safar hain tez-qadam ai kashmakash-e-dil kya hoga
rukta hun to bichhda jata hun chalta hun to chalna mushkil hai

ab hum pe khula ye raaz chaman uljha ke bahaaron mein daman
kanton se nikalna aasan tha phulon se nikalna mushkil hai

tabani-e-husn-e-alam hai garmi-e-mohabbat ke dam se
parwane agar mahfil mein na hon phir shama ka jalna mushkil hai

nakaami-e-qismat kya shai hai kya chiz shikasta-pai hai
do-gam pe manzil hai lekin do-gam bhi chalna mushkil hai

ya hum se pareshan khushbu thi ya band hain ab kaliyon ki tarah
ya misl-e-saba aawara the ya ghar se nikalna mushkil hai

likhte rahe khun-e-dil se jise taid-e-nigah-e-dost mein hum
'iqbaal' ab us afsane ka unwan badalna mushkil hai