jina mushkil hai yahan aasan sab se khud-kushi
is liye lagti bhali hai zindagi se khud-kushi

ishq to ab nam hai is ka tha pahle khud-kushi
ishq karne walon ko milti hai rah-e-khud-kushi

kaun deta hai kisi ko hausla yan jine ka
kah rahe ek dusre ko kar le pyare khud-kushi

ek muddat ba'd aae aaj wo mahfil mein jab
zindagi thi samne phir kaise karte khud-kushi

zindagi ke tajribe kaise mile yan par 'shakeb'
jo ki aakhir khud se ek din kar li tum ne khud-kushi

tan kisi ke pas hai to dil kisi ke sath mein
sej par baithe hue wo kar rahe hain khud-kushi

jine ki hasrat nahin rasta ya manzil bhi nahin
ji rahe hain is tarah behtar thi is se khud-kushi

qatra qatra marne se ‘madhaw’ hai behtar bas yahi
sochta hun main laga lun ab gale se khud-kushi