saz-e-umid chhed kar taron ki tharthari na dekh
raaz-e-shikastagi samajh rang-e-shikastagi na dekh

khanda-e-be-zarar kahan ghuncha-o-gul se dars le
fitrat-e-zindagi pe ja ishrat-e-zindagi na dekh

hogi faza-e-ashiyan soz-e-chaman se sazgar
barq-gudaz ban ke ji barq ki barhami na dekh

sud-o-ziyan ke marhale bach agar in se bach sake
apne se kuchh kami na kar aur koi kami na dekh

chand hai tera ham-safar koi nahin hai rahbar
aage qadam badha ke rakh dur ki raushni na dekh

tu hi agar subuk na ho tere siwa hai ma-siwa
apni farotani nibah ghair ki bartari na dekh

kuchh bhi nahin ye unch-nich daman-e-e'tibar khinch
izzat-e-admi ko taul qimat-e-admi na dekh

apne maqam par sanbhal chal to yagana-war chal
daulat-e-dosti samet jaanib-e-dushmani na dekh

aql ki manzilat ke sath aql ki manzilen bhi hain
ilm ki ismaten bacha jahl ki abtari na dekh

apne nizam se ulajh subh se sham se ulajh
aafat-e-be-zari ko jaan lanat be-zari na dekh

tu ne magar 'shahab' ke sher sune bhi hon kabhi
azmat-e-shairi ko le shohrat-e-shairi na dekh