ranj-o-gham deta hai ya dad-e-wafa deta hai
dekhna ye hai zamana mujhe kya deta hai

log ye puchh rahe hain tere diwane se
kis ka diwana hai tu kis ko sada deta hai

us ki azmat ko to ai dost khuda hi jaane
kosne walon ko jo shakhs dua deta hai

jaane kis soch mein duba hai masiha mera
zahr deta hai mujhe aur na dawa deta hai

aaj ye dekhne nikla hun ba-sad shauq-o-khulus
kaun duniya mein wafaon ka sila deta hai

tujh ko bhule hue ek umr hui hai lekin
dil ka har zakhm tujhe ab bhi dua deta hai

ab main is shahr mein rahta hun jahan ai 'akhtar'
ek banata hai makan dusra dha deta hai