thaknā bhī lāzmī thā kuchh kaam karte karte

kuchh aur thak gayā huuñ ārām karte karte

thakna bhi lazmi tha kuchh kaam karte karte

kuchh aur thak gaya hun aaram karte karte

ab ke is bazm meñ kuchh apnā pata bhī denā

paañv par paañv jo rakhnā to dabā bhī denā

ab ke is bazm mein kuchh apna pata bhi dena

panw par panw jo rakhna to daba bhi dena

yahāñ kisī ko bhī kuchh hasb-e-ārzū na milā

kisī ko ham na mile aur ham ko tū na milā

yahan kisi ko bhi kuchh hasb-e-arzu na mila

kisi ko hum na mile aur hum ko tu na mila

tujh ko merī na mujhe terī ḳhabar jā.egī

eid ab ke bhī dabe paañv guzar jā.egī

tujh ko meri na mujhe teri KHabar jaegi

eid ab ke bhi dabe panw guzar jaegi

jhuuT bolā hai to qaa.em bhī raho us par 'zafar'

aadmī ko sāhab-e-kirdār honā chāhiye

jhuT bola hai to qaem bhi raho us par 'zafar'

aadmi ko sahab-e-kirdar hona chahiye

ab vahī karne lage dīdār se aage kī baat

jo kabhī kahte the bas dīdār honā chāhiye

ab wahi karne lage didar se aage ki baat

jo kabhi kahte the bas didar hona chahiye

muskurāte hue miltā huuñ kisī se jo 'zafar'

saaf pahchān liyā jāatā huuñ royā huā maiñ

muskuraate hue milta hun kisi se jo 'zafar'

saf pahchan liya jaata hun roya hua main

rāste haiñ khule hue saare

phir bhī ye zindagī rukī huī hai

raste hain khule hue sare

phir bhi ye zindagi ruki hui hai

ḳhāmushī achchhī nahīñ inkār honā chāhiye

ye tamāshā ab sar-e-bāzār honā chāhiye

KHamushi achchhi nahin inkar hona chahiye

ye tamasha ab sar-e-bazar hona chahiye

safar pīchhe kī jānib hai qadam aage hai merā

maiñ būḌhā hotā jaatā huuñ javāñ hone kī ḳhātir

safar pichhe ki jaanib hai qadam aage hai mera

main buDha hota jata hun jawan hone ki KHatir

us ko aanā thā ki vo mujh ko bulātā thā kahīñ

raat bhar bārish thī us kā raat bhar paiġhām thā

us ko aana tha ki wo mujh ko bulata tha kahin

raat bhar barish thi us ka raat bhar paigham tha

ḳhudā ko maan ki tujh lab ke chūmne ke sivā

koī ilaaj nahīñ aaj kī udāsī kā

KHuda ko man ki tujh lab ke chumne ke siwa

koi ilaj nahin aaj ki udasi ka

ḳhushī milī to ye aalam thā bad-havāsī kā

ki dhyān hī na rahā ġham kī be-libāsī kā

KHushi mili to ye aalam tha bad-hawasi ka

ki dhyan hi na raha gham ki be-libasi ka

jaisī ab hai aisī hālat meñ nahīñ rah saktā

maiñ hamesha to mohabbat meñ nahīñ rah saktā

jaisi ab hai aisi haalat mein nahin rah sakta

main hamesha to mohabbat mein nahin rah sakta

badan kā saarā lahū khiñch ke aa gayā ruḳh par

vo ek bosa hameñ de ke surḳh-rū hai bahut

badan ka sara lahu khinch ke aa gaya ruKH par

wo ek bosa hamein de ke surKH-ru hai bahut

TakTakī bāñdh ke maiñ dekh rahā huuñ jis ko

ye bhī ho saktā hai vo sāmne baiThā hī na ho

TakTaki bandh ke main dekh raha hun jis ko

ye bhi ho sakta hai wo samne baiTha hi na ho

vahāñ maqām to rone kā thā magar ai dost

tire firāq meñ ham ko hañsī bahut aa.ī

wahan maqam to rone ka tha magar ai dost

tere firaq mein hum ko hansi bahut aai

us ko bhī yaad karne kī fursat na thī mujhe

masrūf thā maiñ kuchh bhī na karne ke bāvajūd

us ko bhi yaad karne ki fursat na thi mujhe

masruf tha main kuchh bhi na karne ke bawajud

mujh se chhuḌvā.e mire saare usuul us ne 'zafar'

kitnā chālāk thā maarā mujhe tanhā kar ke

mujh se chhuDwae mere sare usul us ne 'zafar'

kitna chaalak tha mara mujhe tanha kar ke

tum hī batlāo ki us kī qadr kyā hogī tumheñ

jo mohabbat muft meñ mil jaa.e āsānī ke saath

tum hi batlao ki us ki qadr kya hogi tumhein

jo mohabbat muft mein mil jae aasani ke sath

ghar nayā bartan na.e kapḌe na.e

in purāne kāġhazoñ kā kyā kareñ

ghar naya bartan nae kapDe nae

in purane kaghazon ka kya karen

maiñ kisī aur zamāne ke liye huuñ shāyad

is zamāne meñ hai mushkil mirā zāhir honā

main kisi aur zamane ke liye hun shayad

is zamane mein hai mushkil mera zahir hona

chehre se jhaaḌ pichhle baras kī kudūrateñ

dīvār se purānā calender utaar de

chehre se jhaD pichhle baras ki kuduraten

diwar se purana calender utar de

jab nazāre the to āñkhoñ ko nahīñ thī parvā

ab inhī āñkhoñ ne chāhā to nazāre nahīñ the

jab nazare the to aankhon ko nahin thi parwa

ab inhi aankhon ne chaha to nazare nahin the

bharī rahe abhī āñkhoñ meñ us ke naam kī niind

vo ḳhvāb hai to yūñhī dekhne se guzregā

bhari rahe abhi aankhon mein us ke nam ki nind

wo KHwab hai to yunhi dekhne se guzrega

bas ek baar kisī ne gale lagāyā thā

phir us ke baad na maiñ thā na merā saayā thā

bas ek bar kisi ne gale lagaya tha

phir us ke baad na main tha na mera saya tha

ḳharābī ho rahī hai to faqat mujh meñ hī saarī

mire chāroñ taraf to ḳhuub achchhā ho rahā hai

KHarabi ho rahi hai to faqat mujh mein hi sari

mere chaaron taraf to KHub achchha ho raha hai

yuuñ bhī hotā hai ki yak dam koī achchhā lag jaa.e

baat kuchh bhī na ho aur dil meñ tamāshā lag jaa.e

yun bhi hota hai ki yak dam koi achchha lag jae

baat kuchh bhi na ho aur dil mein tamasha lag jae

maut ke saath huī hai mirī shādī so 'zafar'

umr ke āḳhirī lamhāt meñ dūlhā huā maiñ

maut ke sath hui hai meri shadi so 'zafar'

umr ke aaKHiri lamhat mein dulha hua main

yuuñ mohabbat se na de merī mohabbat kā javāb

ye sazā saḳht hai thoḌī sī ri.āyat kar de

yun mohabbat se na de meri mohabbat ka jawab

ye saza saKHt hai thoDi si riayat kar de

vo sūrat dekh lī ham ne to phir kuchh bhī na dekhā

abhī varna paḌī thī ek duniyā dekhne ko

wo surat dekh li hum ne to phir kuchh bhi na dekha

abhi warna paDi thi ek duniya dekhne ko

vo bahut chālāk hai lekin agar himmat kareñ

pahlā pahlā jhuuT hai us ko yaqīñ aa jā.egā

wo bahut chaalak hai lekin agar himmat karen

pahla pahla jhuT hai us ko yaqin aa jaega

rū-ba-rū kar ke kabhī apne mahakte surḳh hoñT

ek do pal ke liye gul-dān kar degā mujhe

ru-ba-ru kar ke kabhi apne mahakte surKH honT

ek do pal ke liye gul-dan kar dega mujhe

apne hī sāmne dīvār banā baiThā huuñ

hai ye anjām use raste se haTā dene kā

apne hi samne diwar bana baiTha hun

hai ye anjam use raste se haTa dene ka

vo chehra haath meñ le kar kitāb kī sūrat

har ek lafz har ik naqsh kī adā dekhūñ

wo chehra hath mein le kar kitab ki surat

har ek lafz har ek naqsh ki ada dekhun

sunā hai vo mire baare meñ sochtā hai bahut

ḳhabar to hai hī magar mo'tabar zyāda nahīñ

suna hai wo mere bare mein sochta hai bahut

KHabar to hai hi magar mo'tabar zyaada nahin

vidā.a kartī hai rozāna zindagī mujh ko

maiñ roz maut ke mañjdhār se nikaltā huuñ

widaa karti hai rozana zindagi mujh ko

main roz maut ke manjdhaar se nikalta hun

abhī merī apnī samajh meñ bhī nahīñ aa rahī

maiñ jabhī to baat ko muḳhtasar nahīñ kar rahā

abhi meri apni samajh mein bhi nahin aa rahi

main jabhi to baat ko muKHtasar nahin kar raha

kartā huuñ niind meñ hī safar saare shahr kā

fāriġh to baiThtā nahīñ sone ke bāvajūd

karta hun nind mein hi safar sare shahr ka

farigh to baiThta nahin sone ke bawajud

kab vo zāhir hogā aur hairān kar degā mujhe

jitnī bhī mushkil meñ huuñ āsān kar degā mujhe

kab wo zahir hoga aur hairan kar dega mujhe

jitni bhi mushkil mein hun aasan kar dega mujhe

ab us kī diid mohabbat nahīñ zarūrat hai

ki us se mil ke bichhaḌne kī aarzū hai bahut

ab us ki did mohabbat nahin zarurat hai

ki us se mil ke bichhaDne ki aarzu hai bahut

uThā sakte nahīñ jab chuum kar hī chhoḌnā achchhā

mohabbat kā ye patthar is daf.a bhārī ziyāda hai

uTha sakte nahin jab chum kar hi chhoDna achchha

mohabbat ka ye patthar is dafa bhaari ziyaada hai

mujh meñ haiñ gahrī udāsī ke jarāsīm is qadar

maiñ tujhe bhī is maraz meñ mubtalā kar jā.ūñgā

mujh mein hain gahri udasi ke jarasim is qadar

main tujhe bhi is maraz mein mubtala kar jaunga

aañkh ke ek ishāre se kiyā gul us ne

jal rahā thā jo diyā itnī havā hote hue

aankh ke ek ishaare se kiya gul us ne

jal raha tha jo diya itni hawa hote hue

puurī āvāz se ik roz pukārūñ tujh ko

aur phir merī zabāñ par tirā taalā lag jaa.e

puri aawaz se ek roz pukarun tujh ko

aur phir meri zaban par tera tala lag jae

vo mujh se apnā patā pūchhne ko aa nikle

ki jin se maiñ ne ḳhud apnā surāġh paayā thā

wo mujh se apna pata puchhne ko aa nikle

ki jin se main ne KHud apna suragh paya tha

husn us kā usī maqām pe hai

ye musāfir safar nahīñ kartā

husn us ka usi maqam pe hai

ye musafir safar nahin karta

tirā chaḌhā huā dariyā samajh meñ aatā hai

tire ḳhamosh kināre nahīñ samajhtā huuñ

tera chaDha hua dariya samajh mein aata hai

tere KHamosh kinare nahin samajhta hun

'zafar' zamīñ-zād the zamīñ se hī kaam rakkhā

jo āsmānī the āsmānoñ meñ rah ga.e haiñ

'zafar' zamin-zad the zamin se hi kaam rakkha

jo aasmani the aasmanon mein rah gae hain

ye ham jo peT se hī sochte haiñ shaam o sahar

kabhī to jā.eñge is dāl-bhāt se aage

ye hum jo peT se hi sochte hain sham o sahar

kabhi to jaenge is dal-bhat se aage