milti hai khu-e-yar se nar iltihab mein
kafir hun gar na milti ho rahat azab mein

kab se hun kya bataun jahan-e-kharab mein
shab-ha-e-hijr ko bhi rakhun gar hisab mein

ta phir na intizar mein nind aae umr bhar
aane ka ahd kar gae aae jo khwab mein

qasid ke aate aate khat ek aur likh rakhun
main jaanta hun jo wo likhenge jawab mein

mujh tak kab un ki bazm mein aata tha daur-e-jam
saqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharab mein

jo munkir-e-wafa ho fareb us pe kya chale
kyun bad-guman hun dost se dushman ke bab mein

main muztarib hun wasl mein khauf-e-raqib se
dala hai tum ko wahm ne kis pech-o-tab mein

main aur hazz-e-wasl khuda-saz baat hai
jaan nazr deni bhul gaya iztirab mein

hai tewri chadhi hui andar naqab ke
hai ek shikan padi hui tarf-e-naqab mein

lakhon lagao ek churana nigah ka
lakhon banaw ek bigadna itab mein

wo nala dil mein khas ke barabar jagah na pae
jis nala se shigaf pade aaftab mein

wo sehr mudda-talabi mein na kaam aae
jis sehr se safina rawan ho sarab mein

'ghaalib' chhuti sharab par ab bhi kabhi kabhi
pita hun roz-e-abr o shab-e-mahtab mein