zindagi ki sham hai izn-e-safar hone ko hai
ek musafir wo hun jo ki dar-ba-dar hone ko hai

dagh-dar is dil ko le kar hum kahan ab jaenge
fitna-gar wo shahr-bhar mein jalwa-gar hone ko hai

jo hamari jaan the hone lage hain ajnabi
kaisa kaisa zakhm kari ruh par hone ko hai

ai shab-e-gham tu bata in hasraton se kya kahen
bach rahi hain chand sansen aur sahar hone ko hai

ek bala ke ba'd phir se ek bala aati rahi
lazmi ek zarb hum par kargar hone ko hai

dastan-e-gham suna kar wo to uth kar chal diye
phir se hum par gham ki barish taza-tar hone ko hai

hain meri aankhon mein aansu aur labon par jaan hai
zindagi ai zindagi tu mukhtasar hone ko hai

jo ki mangi thin duaen kho gain jaane kahan
kuchh hai ghabrahat ki ye sab be-asar hone ko hai

un ka aana tha ki sare baam-o-dar sajne lage
khushnuma is shahr ki har rahguzar hone ko hai

bas nazar ki baat thi jo hum ko ghayal kar gai
qatl-gah-e-ishq ki hum par nazar hone ko hai

kuchh to aisi baat hai wo baam par aane lage
kis pe mail aaj-kal bedad-gar hone ko hai

hum ne 'barham' dekh li ye zindagi wo zindagi
dekhte hi dekhte khun-e-jigar hone ko hai