main bahut sada tha har baat ko sada samjha
phul ko phul kaha tare ko tara samjha

dost ko baam kaha khwab ko zina samjha
main ne tanhai ko hi hukm khuda ka samjha

mujh ko kya ilm tha ikhlas kise kahte hain
kya hai dariya ka sukun pyas kise kahte hain

mujh se ye puchhte banwas kise kahte hain
raegan hone ka ehsas kise kahte hain

bad-tar-az-hijr meri bazm-e-tarab hoti thi
ek bechaini si har sham ajab hoti thi

ye to malum nahin kis ke sabab hoti thi
phir bhi rah-rah ke zamane ki talab hoti thi

waqt badla to mere nam ka tara nikla
jaise bachche ka koi lafz ho pahla pahla

jaise pyasa koi aa kar lab-e-dariya machla
jaise kohsar ke goshe pe musafir sanbhla

aise tum aae ki sahra pe rawani aae
jaise sita ke qarin ram nishani aae

nind ke maron ki aankhon mein kahani aae
salon se tanha pade ula pe sani aae

jagti aankhon se kuchh khwab dikhae tum ne
rah-e-ummid pe sab naqsh banae tum ne

meri hasti ke maani bhi batae tum ne
qafiye main ne chune aur nibhae tum ne

tum musawwir ka fusun tum ho sukhanwar ka kamal
tum khizaon se bahut dur bahaaron ka khayal

tum ne dekha hai masarrat ka safar gham ka zawal
tum ne hansti hui aankhon se bhi puchhe hain sawal

jaise ek naw ho mujh talib-e-sahil ke liye
khwab ki shama kisi nind ki mahfil ke liye

hausla bheja ho rab ne dil-e-buzdil ke liye
tum mohabbat se ziyaada ho mere dil ke liye

banjh dharti ke kaleje pe uge misl-e-chaman
mujh se be-rang ko khush-rang banane mein magan

sharmsari ke andhere mein raunat ki kiran
ai mere dost meri jaan meri wajh-e-sukhan

mere hone ki zamane mein wazahat karna
dil ke jazbaat ki duniya se hifazat karna

waise mushkil hai kisi par bhi ye nemat karna
phir bhi mumkin ho to ta-umr mohabbat karna