Sher on Maut

hamārī zindagī to muḳhtasar sī ik kahānī thī

bhalā ho maut kā jis ne banā rakkhā hai afsāna

hamari zindagi to muKHtasar si ek kahani thi

bhala ho maut ka jis ne bana rakkha hai afsana

rahne ko sadā dahr meñ aatā nahīñ koī

tum jaise ga.e aise bhī jaatā nahīñ koī

rahne ko sada dahr mein aata nahin koi

tum jaise gae aise bhi jata nahin koi

zindagī firdaus-e-gum-gashta ko pā saktī nahīñ

maut hī aatī hai ye manzil dikhāne ke liye

zindagi firdaus-e-gum-gashta ko pa sakti nahin

maut hi aati hai ye manzil dikhane ke liye

rone vāloñ ne uThā rakkhā thā ghar sar par magar

umr bhar kā jāgne vaalā paḌā sotā rahā

rone walon ne uTha rakkha tha ghar sar par magar

umr bhar ka jagne wala paDa sota raha

zindagī hai apne qabze meñ na apne bas meñ maut

aadmī majbūr hai aur kis qadar majbūr hai

zindagi hai apne qabze mein na apne bas mein maut

aadmi majbur hai aur kis qadar majbur hai

maut bhī duur bahut duur kahīñ phirtī hai

kaun ab aa ke asīroñ ko rihā.ī degā

maut bhi dur bahut dur kahin phirti hai

kaun ab aa ke asiron ko rihai dega

na sikandar hai na daarā hai na qaisar hai na jam

be-mahal ḳhaak meñ haiñ qasr banāne vaale

na sikandar hai na dara hai na qaisar hai na jam

be-mahal KHak mein hain qasr banane wale

maut kā ek din muayyan hai

niind kyuuñ raat bhar nahīñ aatī

maut ka ek din muayyan hai

nind kyun raat bhar nahin aati

maut kahte haiñ jis ko ai 'sāġhar'

zindagī kī koī kaḌī hogī

maut kahte hain jis ko ai 'saghar'

zindagi ki koi kaDi hogi

aa.ī hogī kisī ko hijr meñ maut

mujh ko to niiñd bhī nahīñ aatī

aai hogi kisi ko hijr mein maut

mujh ko to nind bhi nahin aati

kahānī hai to itnī hai fareb-e-ḳhvāb-e-hastī kī

ki āñkheñ band huuñ aur aadmī afsāna ho jaa.e

kahani hai to itni hai fareb-e-KHwab-e-hasti ki

ki aankhen band hun aur aadmi afsana ho jae

bichhḌā kuchh is adā se ki rut hī badal ga.ī

ik shaḳhs saare shahr ko vīrān kar gayā

bichhDa kuchh is ada se ki rut hi badal gai

ek shaKHs sare shahr ko viran kar gaya

maut kā bhī ilaaj ho shāyad

zindagī kā koī ilaaj nahīñ

maut ka bhi ilaj ho shayad

zindagi ka koi ilaj nahin

duniyā merī balā jaane mahñgī hai yā sastī hai

maut mile to muft na luuñ hastī kī kyā hastī hai

duniya meri bala jaane mahngi hai ya sasti hai

maut mile to muft na lun hasti ki kya hasti hai

kal us key aañkh ne kyā zinda guftugū key thī

gumān tak na huā vo bichhaḌne vaalā hai

kal us key aankh ne kya zinda guftugu key thi

guman tak na hua wo bichhaDne wala hai

bandhan sā ik bañdhā thā rag-o-pai se jism meñ

marne ke ba.ad haath se motī bikhar ga.e

bandhan sa ek bandha tha rag-o-pai se jism mein

marne ke baad hath se moti bikhar gae

maut se kis ko rustagārī hai

aaj vo kal hamārī baarī hai

maut se kis ko rustagari hai

aaj wo kal hamari bari hai

mirī zindagī to guzrī tire hijr ke sahāre

mirī maut ko bhī pyāre koī chāhiye bahāna

meri zindagi to guzri tere hijr ke sahaare

meri maut ko bhi pyare koi chahiye bahana

kam se kam maut se aisī mujhe ummīd nahīñ

zindagī tū ne to dhoke pe diyā hai dhoka

kam se kam maut se aisi mujhe ummid nahin

zindagi tu ne to dhoke pe diya hai dhoka

apne kāñdhoñ pe liye phirtā huuñ apnī hī salīb

ḳhud mirī maut kā mātam hai mire jiine meñ

apne kandhon pe liye phirta hun apni hi salib

KHud meri maut ka matam hai mere jine mein

jaane kyuuñ ik ḳhayāl sā aayā

maiñ na hūñgā to kyā kamī hogī

jaane kyun ek KHayal sa aaya

main na hunga to kya kami hogi

sambhālā hosh to marne lage hasīnoñ par

hameñ to maut hī aa.ī shabāb ke badle

sambhaala hosh to marne lage hasinon par

hamein to maut hi aai shabab ke badle

jo unheñ vafā kī sūjhī to na ziist ne vafā kī

abhī aa ke vo na baiThe ki ham uTh ga.e jahāñ se

jo unhen wafa ki sujhi to na zist ne wafa ki

abhi aa ke wo na baiThe ki hum uTh gae jahan se

zamāna baḌe shauq se sun rahā thā

hamīñ so ga.e dāstāñ kahte kahte

zamana baDe shauq se sun raha tha

hamin so gae dastan kahte kahte

maut kā intizār baaqī hai

aap kā intizār thā na rahā

maut ka intizar baqi hai

aap ka intizar tha na raha

ghasīTte hue ḳhud ko phiroge 'zeb' kahāñ

chalo ki ḳhaak ko de aa.eñ ye badan us kā

ghasiTte hue KHud ko phiroge 'zeb' kahan

chalo ki KHak ko de aaen ye badan us ka

vo jin ke zikr se ragoñ meñ dauḌtī thiiñ bijliyāñ

unhīñ kā haath ham ne chhū ke dekhā kitnā sard hai

wo jin ke zikr se ragon mein dauDti thin bijliyan

unhin ka hath hum ne chhu ke dekha kitna sard hai

dil ka.ī saal se marghaT kī tarah suunā hai

ham ka.ī saal se raushan haiñ chitāoñ kī tarah

dil kai sal se marghaT ki tarah suna hai

hum kai sal se raushan hain chitaon ki tarah

maiñ nāhaq din kaaT rahā huuñ

kaun yahāñ sau saal jiyā hai

main nahaq din kaT raha hun

kaun yahan sau sal jiya hai

maut us kī hai kare jis kā zamāna afsos

yuuñ to duniyā meñ sabhī aa.e haiñ marne ke liye

maut us ki hai kare jis ka zamana afsos

yun to duniya mein sabhi aae hain marne ke liye

maut kī god meñ jab tak nahīñ tū so jaatā

tū 'sadā' chain se hargiz nahīñ sone vaalā

maut ki god mein jab tak nahin tu so jata

tu 'sada' chain se hargiz nahin sone wala

ayādat hotī jaatī hai ibādat hotī jaatī hai

mire marne kī dekho sab ko aadat hotī jaatī hai

ayaadat hoti jati hai ibaadat hoti jati hai

mere marne ki dekho sab ko aadat hoti jati hai

maut kī ek alāmat hai agar dekhā jaa.e

ruuh kā chaar anāsir pe savārī karnā

maut ki ek alamat hai agar dekha jae

ruh ka chaar anasir pe sawari karna

dard ko rahne bhī de dil meñ davā ho jā.egī

maut aa.egī to ai hamdam shifā ho jā.egī

dard ko rahne bhi de dil mein dawa ho jaegi

maut aaegi to ai hamdam shifa ho jaegi

'anīs' dam kā bharosā nahīñ Thahar jaao

charāġh le ke kahāñ sāmne havā ke chale

'anis' dam ka bharosa nahin Thahar jao

charagh le ke kahan samne hawa ke chale

us galī ne ye sun ke sabr kiyā

jaane vaale yahāñ ke the hī nahīñ

us gali ne ye sun ke sabr kiya

jaane wale yahan ke the hi nahin

ye kis maqām pe sūjhī tujhe bichhaḌne kī

ki ab to jā ke kahīñ din sañvarne vaale the

ye kis maqam pe sujhi tujhe bichhaDne ki

ki ab to ja ke kahin din sanwarne wale the

ḳhūb-o-zisht-e-jahāñ kā farq na pūchh

maut jab aa.ī sab barābar thā

KHub-o-zisht-e-jahan ka farq na puchh

maut jab aai sab barabar tha

had se guzrā jab intizār tirā

maut kā ham ne intizār kiyā

had se guzra jab intizar tera

maut ka hum ne intizar kiya

bahut aziiz thī ye zindagī magar ham log

kabhī kabhī to kisī aarzū meñ mar bhī ga.e

bahut aziz thi ye zindagi magar hum log

kabhi kabhi to kisi aarzu mein mar bhi gae

kaun kahtā hai ki maut aa.ī to mar jā.ūñgā

maiñ to dariyā huuñ samundar meñ utar jā.ūñgā

kaun kahta hai ki maut aai to mar jaunga

main to dariya hun samundar mein utar jaunga

kahānī ḳhatm huī aur aisī ḳhatm huī

ki log rone lage tāliyāñ bajāte hue

kahani KHatm hui aur aisi KHatm hui

ki log rone lage taliyan bajate hue

niiñd kyā hai zarā sī der kī maut

maut kyā kyā hai tamām umr kī niiñd

nind kya hai zara si der ki maut

maut kya kya hai tamam umr ki nind

ab nahīñ lauT ke aane vaalā

ghar khulā chhoḌ ke jaane vaalā

ab nahin lauT ke aane wala

ghar khula chhoD ke jaane wala

be-ta.alluq zindagī achchhī nahīñ

zindagī kyā maut bhī achchhī nahīñ

be-talluq zindagi achchhi nahin

zindagi kya maut bhi achchhi nahin

ai ajal ek din āḳhir tujhe aanā hai vale

aaj aatī shab-e-furqat meñ to ehsāñ hotā

ai ajal ek din aaKHir tujhe aana hai wale

aaj aati shab-e-furqat mein to ehsan hota

ai ajal kuchh zindagī kā haq bhī hai

zindagī terī amānat hī sahī

ai ajal kuchh zindagi ka haq bhi hai

zindagi teri amanat hi sahi

būḌhoñ ke saath log kahāñ tak vafā kareñ

būḌhoñ ko bhī jo maut na aa.e to kyā kareñ

buDhon ke sath log kahan tak wafa karen

buDhon ko bhi jo maut na aae to kya karen

maut māñgī thī ḳhudā.ī to nahīñ māñgī thī

le duā kar chuke ab tark-e-duā karte haiñ

maut mangi thi KHudai to nahin mangi thi

le dua kar chuke ab tark-e-dua karte hain

mirā gumān hai shāyad ye vāqi.a ho jaa.e

ki shaam mujh meñ Dhale aur sab fanā ho jaa.e

mera guman hai shayad ye waqia ho jae

ki sham mujh mein Dhale aur sab fana ho jae