kaam aati nahin ab koi tadbir hamari
hum se hai khafa sahibo taqdir hamari

aata hi nahin baz kabhi kar-e-ziyan se
pani pe banata hai wo taswir hamari

ab sar pe thaharti nahin dastar-e-shujaat
khud apna lahu piti hai shamshir hamari

hum khana-kharabi ke asar se nahin nikle
puri na hui hasrat-e-tamir hamari

ab ru-ba-ru aati hi nahin subh-e-masarrat
talti hi nahin hai shab-e-dil-gir hamari

har shakhs haqarat se hamein dekh raha hai
koi bhi batata nahin taqsir hamari

wo gosha-e-tanhai mein padhta hai shab o roz
us ke waraq dil pe hai tahrir hamari

gumrah na hone diya sabit-qadami ne
shaista-e-tahzib hai zanjir hamari

hum wajd mein dube rahe aur ret ki surat
mutthi se sarakti rahi jagir hamari

be-tab-o-tawan zinat-e-diwar hai 'akhtar'
ab larza-bar-andam hai shamshir hamari