āhista baat kar ki havā tez hai bahut

aisā na ho ki saarā nagar bolne lage

aahista baat kar ki hawa tez hai bahut

aisa na ho ki sara nagar bolne lage

jabīn-e-sañg pe likkhā mirā fasāna gayā

maiñ rahguzar thā mujhe rauñd kar zamāna gayā

jabin-e-sang pe likkha mera fasana gaya

main rahguzar tha mujhe raund kar zamana gaya

kis kī ḳhushbū ne bhar diyā thā use

us ke andar koī ḳhalā na rahā

kis ki KHushbu ne bhar diya tha use

us ke andar koi KHala na raha

ret par chhoḌ gayā naqsh hazāroñ apne

kisī pāgal kī tarah naqsh miTāne vaalā

ret par chhoD gaya naqsh hazaron apne

kisi pagal ki tarah naqsh miTane wala

itnā na paas aa ki tujhe DhūñDte phireñ

itnā na duur jā ke hama-vaqt paas ho

itna na pas aa ki tujhe DhunDte phiren

itna na dur ja ke hama-waqt pas ho

yā rab tirī rahmat kā talabgār hai ye bhī

thoḌī sī mire shahr ko bhī āb-o-havā de

ya rab teri rahmat ka talabgar hai ye bhi

thoDi si mere shahr ko bhi aab-o-hawa de

khulī kitāb thī phūloñ-bharī zamīñ merī

kitāb merī thī rañg-e-kitāb us kā thā

khuli kitab thi phulon-bhari zamin meri

kitab meri thi rang-e-kitab us ka tha

umr bhar us ne bevafā.ī kī

umr se bhī vo bā-vafā na rahā

umr bhar us ne bewafai ki

umr se bhi wo ba-wafa na raha

dhuup ke saath gayā saath nibhāne vaalā

ab kahāñ aa.egā vo lauT ke aane vaalā

dhup ke sath gaya sath nibhane wala

ab kahan aaega wo lauT ke aane wala

chalo apnī bhī jānib ab chaleñ ham

ye rasta der se suunā paḌā hai

chalo apni bhi jaanib ab chalen hum

ye rasta der se suna paDa hai

ab to ārām kareñ sochtī āñkheñ merī

raat kā āḳhirī taarā bhī hai jaane vaalā

ab to aaram karen sochti aankhen meri

raat ka aaKHiri tara bhi hai jaane wala

tīrgī be-ābrū thī aur tajallī be-vaqār

ik thakā-hārā sā jugnū kis qadar dil-gīr thā

tirgi be-abru thi aur tajalli be-waqar

ek thaka-haara sa jugnu kis qadar dil-gir tha

kahne ko chand gaam thā ye arsa-e-hayāt

lekin tamām umr hī chalnā paḌā tujhe

kahne ko chand gam tha ye arsa-e-hayat

lekin tamam umr hi chalna paDa tujhe

sameTtā rahā ḳhud ko maiñ umr-bhar lekin

bikhertā rahā shabnam kā silsila mujh ko

sameTta raha KHud ko main umr-bhar lekin

bikherta raha shabnam ka silsila mujh ko

us kī āvāz meñ the saare ḳhad-o-ḳhāl us ke

vo chahaktā thā to hañste the par-o-bāl us ke

us ki aawaz mein the sare KHad-o-KHal us ke

wo chahakta tha to hanste the par-o-baal us ke

ajab tarah se guzārī hai zindagī ham ne

jahāñ meñ rah ke na kār-e-jahāñ ko pahchānā

ajab tarah se guzari hai zindagi hum ne

jahan mein rah ke na kar-e-jahan ko pahchana

karnā paḌegā apne hī saa.e meñ ab qayām

chāroñ taraf hai dhuup kā sahrā bichhā huā

karna paDega apne hi sae mein ab qayam

chaaron taraf hai dhup ka sahra bichha hua

ye kaisī aañkh thī jo ro paḌī hai

ye kaisā ḳhvāb thā jo bujh gayā hai

ye kaisi aankh thi jo ro paDi hai

ye kaisa KHwab tha jo bujh gaya hai

yā abr-e-karam ban ke baras ḳhushk zamīñ par

yā pyaas ke sahrā meñ mujhe jiinā sikhā de

ya abr-e-karam ban ke baras KHushk zamin par

ya pyas ke sahra mein mujhe jina sikha de

band us ne kar liye the ghar ke darvāze agar

phir khulā kyuuñ rah gayā thā ek dar mere liye

band us ne kar liye the ghar ke darwaze agar

phir khula kyun rah gaya tha ek dar mere liye

qismat hī meñ raushnī nahīñ thī

bādal to kabhī kā chhaT rahā thā

qismat hi mein raushni nahin thi

baadal to kabhi ka chhaT raha tha

safar tavīl sahī hāsil-e-safar ye hai

vahāñ ko bhuul ga.e aur yahāñ ko pahchānā

safar tawil sahi hasil-e-safar ye hai

wahan ko bhul gae aur yahan ko pahchana

ḳhud apne ġham hī se kī pahle dostī ham ne

aur us ke ba.ad ġham-e-dostāñ ko pahchānā

KHud apne gham hi se ki pahle dosti hum ne

aur us ke baad gham-e-dostan ko pahchana

lāzim kahāñ ki saarā jahāñ ḳhush-libās ho

mailā badan pahan ke na itnā udaas ho

lazim kahan ki sara jahan KHush-libas ho

maila badan pahan ke na itna udas ho

vo ḳhush-kalām hai aisā ki us ke paas hameñ

tavīl rahnā bhī lagtā hai muḳhtasar rahnā

wo KHush-kalam hai aisa ki us ke pas hamein

tawil rahna bhi lagta hai muKHtasar rahna

sikhā diyā hai zamāne ne be-basar rahnā

ḳhabar kī aañch meñ jal kar bhī be-ḳhabar rahnā

sikha diya hai zamane ne be-basar rahna

KHabar ki aanch mein jal kar bhi be-KHabar rahna

kaise kahūñ ki maiñ ne kahāñ kā safar kiyā

ākāsh be-charāġh zamīñ be-libās thī

kaise kahun ki main ne kahan ka safar kiya

aakash be-charagh zamin be-libas thi

thī niiñd merī magar us meñ ḳhvāb us kā thā

badan mirā thā badan meñ azaab us kā thā

thi nind meri magar us mein KHwab us ka tha

badan mera tha badan mein azab us ka tha

aise baḌhe ki manzileñ raste meñ bichh ga.iiñ

aise ga.e ki phir na kabhī lauTnā huā

aise baDhe ki manzilen raste mein bichh gain

aise gae ki phir na kabhi lauTna hua

pahnā de chāñdnī ko qabā apne jism kī

us kā badan bhī terī tarah be-libās ho

pahna de chandni ko qaba apne jism ki

us ka badan bhi teri tarah be-libas ho

vo apnī umr ko pahle piro letā hai Dorī meñ

phir us ke ba.ad gintī umr kī din raat kartā hai

wo apni umr ko pahle piro leta hai Dori mein

phir us ke baad ginti umr ki din raat karta hai

diye bujhe to havā ko kiyā gayā badnām

qusūr ham ne kiyā ehtisāb us kā thā

diye bujhe to hawa ko kiya gaya badnam

qusur hum ne kiya ehtisab us ka tha

manzar thā raakh aur tabī.at udaas thī

har-chand terī yaad mire aas paas thī

manzar tha rakh aur tabiat udas thi

har-chand teri yaad mere aas pas thi

ye kis hisāb se kī tū ne raushnī taqsīm

sitāre mujh ko mile māhtāb us kā thā

ye kis hisab se ki tu ne raushni taqsim

sitare mujh ko mile mahtab us ka tha