zindagani hai meri teri nazar hone tak
raushni shama ki hai nur-e-sahar hone tak

umr-e-do-roza par aur mal pe beja hai ghurur
der lagti hai kahan khak bashar hone tak

aa hi jaen na kahin baad-e-khizan ke jhonke
waqt darkar hai phulon ko samar hone tak

sans ki aamad-o-shud hai na dawami hargiz
is ki raftar bhi hai dard-e-jigar hone tak

zarre zarre mein badal jaenge ye shams-o-qamar
zarre zarre bhi to hain shams-o-qamar hone tak

dosh aur pusht ki zinat hai jo zulf-e-pechan
hai pareshan bahut zeb-e-kamar hone tak

aag hai dil mein lagi sina bana hai bhatti
rakh ho jaunga main dida-e-tar hone tak

shakl-e-insan mein har insan kahan hai insan
aadamiyyat ka sharaf to hai bashar hone tak

na-tawanon ko bhi kamzor na jaano hargiz
pani pani hai faqat barq-o-sharar hone tak

ek fa'al hararat ki zarurat bhi to hai
khak-e-namnak ko khisht aur hajar hone tak

maut kahte hain jise hai wo hayat-e-abadi
maut hai lazim-o-malzum amar hone tak

jaan bhi jaan hai jab tak hai badan ke andar
jism hai jism-e-hasin nau-e-digar hone tak

hath ab khinch hi lo aah-o-fughan se 'arshad'
kya na mar jaoge tum in mein asar hone tuk