ho kis tarah na hum ko har dam hawa-e-matlab
dekha jo khub hum ne duniya hai ja-e-matlab

jo gul-badan ki aaya aaghosh mein hamare
kuchh aur bu na nikli us mein siwae matlab

ushshaq ki bhi ulfat khali nahin gharaz se
marte hain ye bhi is par jis se barae matlab

koi kisi ke upar hum ne fida na dekha
munh par fida hain lekin dil mein fida-e-matlab

matlab ke aashna ko ho kis se aashnai
kab aashna kisi ka ho aashna-e-matlab

gar bazm-e-raqs dekhi to wan bhi gosh-e-dil mein
koi sada na aai ghair-az-sada-e-matlab

zer-e-falak to hum se jati nahin tamanna
han phir falak pe jawen jab hum se ja-e-matlab

wo aabru ki jis par karte hain jaan tasadduq
us ko bhi de chuke hain akasr barae matlab

jab harf-e-abru tak pahuncha 'nazir' phir to
kya kahiye aisi jagah jizya ki hae matlab