mā.il-e-lutf hai āmāda-e-be-dād bhī hai
vo sarāpā-e-mohabbat sitam-ījād bhī hai
shab-e-tanhā.ī bhī hai saath tirī yaad bhī hai
dil kā kyā haal kahūñ shaad bhī nāshād bhī hai
daulat-e-ġham se har ik gosha hai is kā ma.amūr
dil kī duniyā mirī ābād bhī barbād bhī hai
be-sabab to nahīñ ehsās ḳhalish kā mujh ko
bhūlne vaale tire dil meñ mirī yaad bhī hai
kyuuñ na āsāñ ho rah-e-ishq ki mere ham-rāh
jazba-e-‘qais’ bhī hai himmat-e-‘farhād’ bhī hai
jal gayā apnā nasheman magar afsos ye hai
phūñkne vāloñ meñ ik barq-e-chaman-zād bhī hai
merā vijdān muharrik hai mire naġhmoñ kā
tab-e-mauzūñ mirī pāband bhī āzād bhī hai
kyā batā.ūñ maiñ tumheñ kyā hai navā-e-‘aḳhtar’
naġhme kā naġhma hai fariyād kī fariyād bhī hai