Sher on Zindagi

gañvā.ī kis kī tamannā meñ zindagī maiñ ne

vo kaun hai jise dekhā nahīñ kabhī maiñ ne

ganwai kis ki tamanna mein zindagi main ne

wo kaun hai jise dekha nahin kabhi main ne

aa.e Thahre aur ravāna ho ga.e

zindagī kyā hai, safar kī baat hai

aae Thahre aur rawana ho gae

zindagi kya hai, safar ki baat hai

ham ko bhī ḳhush-numā nazar aa.ī hai zindagī

jaise sarāb duur se dariyā dikhā.ī de

hum ko bhi KHush-numa nazar aai hai zindagi

jaise sarab dur se dariya dikhai de

zindagī! tujh sā munāfiq bhī koī kyā hogā

terā shahkār huuñ aur terā hī maarā huā huuñ

zindagi! tujh sa munafiq bhi koi kya hoga

tera shahkar hun aur tera hi mara hua hun

māñgī thī ek baar duā ham ne maut kī

sharminda aaj tak haiñ miyāñ zindagī se ham

mangi thi ek bar dua hum ne maut ki

sharminda aaj tak hain miyan zindagi se hum

ahl-e-dil ke vāste paiġhām ho kar rah ga.ī

zindagī majbūriyoñ kā naam ho kar rah ga.ī

ahl-e-dil ke waste paigham ho kar rah gai

zindagi majburiyon ka nam ho kar rah gai

maut se pahle jahāñ meñ chand sāñsoñ kā azaab

zindagī jo qarz terā thā adā kar aa.e haiñ

maut se pahle jahan mein chand sanson ka azab

zindagi jo qarz tera tha ada kar aae hain

zindagī jab azaab hotī hai

āshiqī kāmyāb hotī hai

zindagi jab azab hoti hai

aashiqi kaamyab hoti hai

zindagī phailī huī thī shām-e-hijrāñ kī tarah

kis ko itnā hausla thā kaun jī kar dekhtā

zindagi phaili hui thi sham-e-hijran ki tarah

kis ko itna hausla tha kaun ji kar dekhta

zindagī mahv-e-ḳhud-ārā.ī thī

aañkh uThā kar bhī na dekhā ham ne

zindagi mahw-e-KHud-arai thi

aankh uTha kar bhi na dekha hum ne

sair kar duniyā kī ġhāfil zindagānī phir kahāñ

zindagī gar kuchh rahī to ye javānī phir kahāñ

sair kar duniya ki ghafil zindagani phir kahan

zindagi gar kuchh rahi to ye jawani phir kahan

ik muamma hai samajhne kā na samjhāne kā

zindagī kaahe ko hai ḳhvāb hai dīvāne kā

ek muamma hai samajhne ka na samjhane ka

zindagi kahe ko hai KHwab hai diwane ka

zindagī kī bisāt par 'bāqī'

maut kī ek chaal haiñ ham log

zindagi ki bisat par 'baqi'

maut ki ek chaal hain hum log

un pe qurbān har ḳhushī kar dī

zindagī nazr-e-zindagī kar dī

un pe qurban har KHushi kar di

zindagi nazr-e-zindagi kar di

niiñd ko log maut kahte haiñ

ḳhvāb kā naam zindagī bhī hai

nind ko log maut kahte hain

KHwab ka nam zindagi bhi hai

ḳhvāboñ par iḳhtiyār na yādoñ pe zor hai

kab zindagī guzārī hai apne hisāb meñ

KHwabon par iKHtiyar na yaadon pe zor hai

kab zindagi guzari hai apne hisab mein

dekhā hai zindagī ko kuchh itne qarīb se

chehre tamām lagne lage haiñ ajiib se

dekha hai zindagi ko kuchh itne qarib se

chehre tamam lagne lage hain ajib se

ek siitā kī rifāqat hai to sab kuchh paas hai

zindagī kahte haiñ jis ko raam kā ban-bās hai

ek sita ki rifaqat hai to sab kuchh pas hai

zindagi kahte hain jis ko ram ka ban-bas hai

zindagī kyā hai anāsir meñ zuhūr-e-tartīb

maut kyā hai inhīñ ajzā kā pareshāñ honā

zindagi kya hai anasir mein zuhur-e-tartib

maut kya hai inhin ajza ka pareshan hona

zindagī ik savāl hai jis kā javāb maut hai

maut bhī ik savāl hai jis kā javāb kuchh nahīñ

zindagi ek sawal hai jis ka jawab maut hai

maut bhi ek sawal hai jis ka jawab kuchh nahin

zindagī kyā hai ik kahānī hai

ye kahānī nahīñ sunānī hai

zindagi kya hai ek kahani hai

ye kahani nahin sunani hai

zindagī kam paḌhe pardesī kā ḳhat hai 'ibrat'

ye kisī tarah paḌhā jaa.e na samjhā jaa.e

zindagi kam paDhe pardesi ka KHat hai 'ibrat'

ye kisi tarah paDha jae na samjha jae

maut hī insān kī dushman nahīñ

zindagī bhī jaan le kar jā.egī

maut hi insan ki dushman nahin

zindagi bhi jaan le kar jaegi

vaqt se lamha lamha khelī hai

zindagī ik ajab pahelī hai

waqt se lamha lamha kheli hai

zindagi ek ajab paheli hai

jo paḌhā hai use jiinā hī nahīñ hai mumkin

zindagī ko maiñ kitāboñ se alag rakhtā huuñ

jo paDha hai use jina hi nahin hai mumkin

zindagi ko main kitabon se alag rakhta hun

log marte bhī haiñ jiite bhī haiñ betāb bhī haiñ

kaun sā sehr tirī chashm-e-ināyat meñ nahīñ

log marte bhi hain jite bhi hain betab bhi hain

kaun sa sehr teri chashm-e-inayat mein nahin

hayāt laakh ho faanī magar ye sun rakhiye

hayāt se jo hai maqsūd ġhair-fānī hai

hayat lakh ho fani magar ye sun rakhiye

hayat se jo hai maqsud ghair-fani hai

kuchh aur tarah kī mushkil meñ Dālne ke liye

maiñ apnī zindagī āsān karne vaalā huuñ

kuchh aur tarah ki mushkil mein Dalne ke liye

main apni zindagi aasan karne wala hun

ḳhudā ābād rakkhe zindagī ko

hamārī ḳhāmushī ko sah ga.ī hai

KHuda aabaad rakkhe zindagi ko

hamari KHamushi ko sah gai hai

zindagī kyā hai aaj ise ai dost

soch leñ aur udaas ho jaa.eñ

zindagi kya hai aaj ise ai dost

soch len aur udas ho jaen

hichkiyoñ par ho rahā hai zindagī kā raag ḳhatm

jhaTke de kar taar toḌe jā rahe haiñ saaz ke

hichkiyon par ho raha hai zindagi ka rag KHatm

jhaTke de kar tar toDe ja rahe hain saz ke

ai adam ke musāfiro hoshiyār

raah meñ zindagī khaḌī hogī

ai adam ke musafiro hoshiyar

rah mein zindagi khaDi hogi

hayāt aaj bhī kanīz hai huzūr-e-jabr meñ

jo zindagī ko jiit le vo zindagī kā mard hai

hayat aaj bhi kaniz hai huzur-e-jabr mein

jo zindagi ko jit le wo zindagi ka mard hai

janam janam ke sātoñ dukh haiñ us ke māthe par tahrīr

apnā aap miTānā hogā ye tahrīr miTāne meñ

janam janam ke saton dukh hain us ke mathe par tahrir

apna aap miTana hoga ye tahrir miTane mein

zindagī chhīn le baḳhshī huī daulat apnī

tū ne ḳhvāboñ ke sivā mujh ko diyā bhī kyā hai

zindagi chhin le baKHshi hui daulat apni

tu ne KHwabon ke siwa mujh ko diya bhi kya hai

ik zindagī amal ke liye bhī nasīb ho

ye zindagī to nek irādoñ meñ kaT ga.ī

ek zindagi amal ke liye bhi nasib ho

ye zindagi to nek iradon mein kaT gai

pahlā qadam hī āḳhirī ziine pe rakh diyā

yā'nī jo dil kā bojh thā siine pe rakh diyā

pahla qadam hi aaKHiri zine pe rakh diya

ya'ni jo dil ka bojh tha sine pe rakh diya

mirī mohabbat meñ saarī duniyā ko ik khilaunā banā diyā hai

ye zindagī ban ga.ī hai maañ aur mujh ko bachcha banā diyā hai

meri mohabbat mein sari duniya ko ek khilauna bana diya hai

ye zindagi ban gai hai man aur mujh ko bachcha bana diya hai

yahī hai zindagī kuchh ḳhvāb chand ummīdeñ

inhīñ khilaunoñ se tum bhī bahal sako to chalo

yahi hai zindagi kuchh KHwab chand ummiden

inhin khilaunon se tum bhi bahal sako to chalo

'mīr' amdan bhī koī martā hai

jaan hai to jahān hai pyāre

'mir' amdan bhi koi marta hai

jaan hai to jahan hai pyare

shām-e-mimbar par fazīlat ke bahut sanjīda farhāñ

sub.h-dam afsurdagī ke farsh par bikhrā huā maiñ

sham-e-mimbar par fazilat ke bahut sanjida farhan

subh-dam afsurdagi ke farsh par bikhra hua main

kitnī sachchā.ī se mujh se zindagī ne kah diyā

tū nahīñ merā to koī dūsrā ho jā.egā

kitni sachchai se mujh se zindagi ne kah diya

tu nahin mera to koi dusra ho jaega

har nafas umr-e-guzishta kī hai mayyat 'fānī'

zindagī naam hai mar mar ke jiye jaane kā

har nafas umr-e-guzishta ki hai mayyat 'fani'

zindagi nam hai mar mar ke jiye jaane ka

is tarah zindagī ne diyā hai hamārā saath

jaise koī nibāh rahā ho raqīb se

is tarah zindagi ne diya hai hamara sath

jaise koi nibah raha ho raqib se

be-ta.alluq zindagī achchhī nahīñ

zindagī kyā maut bhī achchhī nahīñ

be-talluq zindagi achchhi nahin

zindagi kya maut bhi achchhi nahin

kabhī khole to kabhī zulf ko bikhrā.e hai

zindagī shaam hai aur shaam Dhalī jaa.e hai

kabhi khole to kabhi zulf ko bikhrae hai

zindagi sham hai aur sham Dhali jae hai

masarrat zindagī kā dūsrā naam

masarrat kī tamannā mustaqil ġham

masarrat zindagi ka dusra nam

masarrat ki tamanna mustaqil gham

zindagī ham se chāhtī kyā hai

chāhtī kyā hai zindagī ham se

zindagi hum se chahti kya hai

chahti kya hai zindagi hum se

ishq ke mazmūñ the jin meñ vo risāle kyā hue

ai kitāb-e-zindagī tere havāle kyā hue

ishq ke mazmun the jin mein wo risale kya hue

ai kitab-e-zindagi tere hawale kya hue

ayāl-o-māl ne rokā hai dam ko āñkhoñ meñ

ye Thag haTeñ to musāfir ko rāsta mil jaa.e

ayal-o-mal ne roka hai dam ko aankhon mein

ye Thag haTen to musafir ko rasta mil jae