humse na puchhiye ki kidhar dekhte rahe

ham se na pūchhiye ki kidhar dekhte rahe

thī dekhne kī chiiz jidhar dekhte rahe

ahl-e-havas ko diid mayassar nahīñ huī

jalve ko un ke ahl-e-nazar dekhte rahe

dekhā to kaam kā koī din thā na raat thī

ham zindagī ke shām-o-sahar dekhte rahe

aatī rahī hamīñ pe musībat tamām umr

ham apnī aah kā ye asar dekhte rahe

din-rāt ek jalva-e-dīdār thā nasīb

ham raushnī-e-shams-o-qamar dekhte rahe

jalva ba-vaqt-e-dīd rahā jāzib-e-nazar

ham hosh meñ nahīñ the magar dekhte rahe

nāloñ se aag sī thī shab-e-ġham lagī huī

ham apne ghar meñ raqs-e-sharar dekhte rahe

ahl-e-nazar kahāñ thī hamārī nazar kahāñ

ham bazm meñ kahāñ the kidhar dekhte rahe

luTtī rahī jahān meñ 'ḳhushtar' kī zindagī

ham the ki us ko shām-o-sahar dekhte rahe

hum se na puchhiye ki kidhar dekhte rahe

thi dekhne ki chiz jidhar dekhte rahe

ahl-e-hawas ko did mayassar nahin hui

jalwe ko un ke ahl-e-nazar dekhte rahe

dekha to kaam ka koi din tha na raat thi

hum zindagi ke sham-o-sahar dekhte rahe

aati rahi hamin pe musibat tamam umr

hum apni aah ka ye asar dekhte rahe

din-raat ek jalwa-e-didar tha nasib

hum raushni-e-shams-o-qamar dekhte rahe

jalwa ba-waqt-e-did raha jazib-e-nazar

hum hosh mein nahin the magar dekhte rahe

nalon se aag si thi shab-e-gham lagi hui

hum apne ghar mein raqs-e-sharar dekhte rahe

ahl-e-nazar kahan thi hamari nazar kahan

hum bazm mein kahan the kidhar dekhte rahe

luTti rahi jahan mein 'KHushtar' ki zindagi

hum the ki us ko sham-o-sahar dekhte rahe