maut han bar-haq hai lekin zindagi fani kahan
qissa-e-hasti ba-anjam-e-tan-asani kahan

aap ke sajde mein ruh-e-sajda ai 'mani' kahan
kash ye ehsas hota kham hai peshani kahan

mushkilon se ruh ko manus hona chahiye
zindagi dushwariyon hi mein hai aasani kahan

ai zulekha bartar-az-insaniyat ka zikr chhod
dard se begana rahna kar-e-insani kahan

tishna-e-maqsud dhokha hai jhalak ummid ki
sirf ek manzar sarab-asa hai ye pani kahan

kat di bistar pe angaron ke sari zindagi
ai tamanna is se badh kar koi qurbani kahan

manzil-e-hairat mein laya imtihan-e-tab-e-did
dekhiye le jaegi ab dil ki hairani kahan

kasrat-o-wahdat mein nisbat hai shua-o-shams ki
ek hi jalwa hai jalwon ki farawani kahan

mit ke mere ghar ki raunaq aalam-e-ibrat bani
dasht bhi viran hai lekin naf-e-virani kahan

aish-e-azadi kabhi milta to hota ranj-e-qaid
mustaqil jamiyat-e-dil hai pareshani kahan

ye faza-e-fikr ai 'mani' hai mearaj-e-sukhan
ab magar takhil mein wo barq-samani kahan