ham junūñ ko zindagī kā mustaqar samjhā kiye
ai ‘shifā’ manzil kidhar thī aur kidhar samjhā kiye
vaa.e ye kotāhī-e-ehsās-o-tangī-e-nazar
zindagī ko zindagī bhar muḳhtasar samjhā kiye
kārvāñ pahuñche qarīb-e-sa.ī-e-anjām-e-safar
aur ham mafhūm-e-āġhāz-e-safar samjhā kiye
be-ḳhudī ne kis qadar gumrāh rakkhā ishq ko
ham tasavvur hī ko husn-e-mo’atabar samjhā kiye
dekh kar bhī un ko ham māyūs-e-nazzāra rahe
har nazar ko laġhzish-e-zauq-e-nazar samjhā kiye
husn ke rangīñ muamme ishq ke ġhamgīn raaz
kuchh samajh meñ to na aate the magar samjhā kiye
zarre zarre kā shu.ūr o zehn ko irfān thā
be-ḳhabar the ḳhud jo ham ko be-ḳhabar samjhā kiye
aaj tak ham ne faroġh-e-dil pe nazreñ hī na kiiñ
mehr-o-mah par munhasir apnī sahar samjhā kiye
dar-haqīqat vo halākat-āfrīñ niklī ‘shifā’
ham jise ab tak mohabbat kī nazar samjhā kiye