zindagi ke dard-o-gham se jaan-ba-lab
aansuon ko pi raha hun roz-o-shab

dil ki hasrat thi ki gham ki kali raaton mein koi
chand ban kar mere aangan mein khile

par meri rahon ke sae ho gae tarik-tar
lut gae sab zindagi ke ham-safar

ab labon ki sarhadon par
aah-o-nala ke siwa kuchh bhi nahin

kuchh bhi nahin
sang-dil kitna hai qasr-e-zindagi ka aastan

kha gaya mujh ko mohabbat ki zamin ka aasman
ab nahin mere muqaddar mein koi kirnon ka phul

kis janam mein ho gai thi jaane mujh se koi bhul
chhin gaya meri jawani se mohabbat ka surur

ruk gaya mere sanam-khana mein raqs-e-zindagi
ek muflis ki bhala daulat se kaisi dosti

zindagi ai zindagi tu kis jahan mein kho gai
hum se na-manus hai ab chand taron ki ziya

hum se na-manus hai ab bagh-e-ishrat ki faza
hum se na-manus hain pairon ki bojhal bediyan

hum salasil ki har ek jhankar se waqif to hain
yani zanjir-o-salib-o-dar se waqif to hain

ai shab-e-gham ke charagho khun-e-dil jalne to do
nange pairon tez kanton par mujhe chalne to do

aag dene do mujhe ahd-e-kuhan ki lash ko
main mitana chahta hun har ghalat parkhash ko

ruh par insaniyat ki dagh ban kar hai ayan
sah raha hun main kai sadiyon se kyon sud-o-ziyan

ek zara si zindagi ke waste
itni saza

itne tauq itni saliben itne gham itne sitam
lala-o-gul ke dilon mein kuchh sunahre zakhm hain

mere sine mein magar sadiyon se gahre zakhm hain
ek zara si zindagi ke waste