gam nahiin hotaa hai aazaadon ko besh az yak nafas
— Mirza Ghalib
Gham naheen hotaa hai aazaadon ko besh az-yak-nafas
Barq se karte hain raushan sham-e-maatam-khaana ham
Mahfilen barham kare hai ganjifa-baaz-e-khayaal
Hain varaq-gardaanee-e-nairang-e-yak-but-khaana him ham
Baavajood-e-yak-jahaan hangaama paidaa.ee naheen
Hain charaaghaan-e-shabistaan-e-dil-e-parvaana ham
Zo'f se hai ne qanaa'at se ye tark-e-justujoo
Hain vabaal-e-takiya-gaah-e-himmat-e-mardaana ham
Daa.im-ul-habs is men hain laakhon tamannaa.en 'asad'
Jaante hain seena-e-pur-khoon ko zindaan-khana ham
Bas-ki hain bad-mast-e-ba-shikan ba-shikan-e-mai-khaana ham
Moo-e-sheesha ko samajhte hain khat-e-paimaana ham
Bas-ki har-yak-moo-e-zulf-afshaan se hai taar-e-shuaa.a
Panja-e-khursheed ko samjhe hain dast-e-shaana ham
Hai farogh-e-maah se har mauj ik tasveer-e-chaak
Sail se farsh-e-kataan karte hain taa-veeraana ham
Mashq-e-az-khud-raftagee se hain ba-gulzaar-e-khayaal
Aashnaa tabeer-e-khvaab-e-sabza-e-begaana ham
Fart-e-be-khvaabee se hain shab-haa-e-hijr-e-yaar men
Juun zabaan-e-sham.a daagh-e-garmi-e-afsaana ham
Jaante hain joshish-e-saudaa-e-zulf-e-yaar men
Sumbul-e-baaleeda ko moo-e-sar-e-deevaana ham
Bas-ki vo chashm-o-charaag-e-mahfil-e-aghyaar hai
Chupke-chupke jalte hain juun sham-e-maatam-khaana ham
Shaam-e-gham men soz-e-ishq-e-aatish-e-rukhsaar se
Par-fashaan-e-sokhtan hain soorat-e-parvaana ham
Rahte hain afsurdagee se sakht be-dardaana ham
Sho'la-haa nazr-e-samundar balki aatish-khaana ham
Hasrat-e-arz-e-tamannaa yaan se samjhaa chaahiye
Do-jahaan hashr-e-zabaan-e-khushk hain juun shaana ham
Kashti-e-aalam ba-toofaan-e-taghaaful de ki hain
Aalam-e-aab-e-gudaaz-e-jauhar-e-afsaana ham
Vahshat-e-be-rabti-e-pech-o-kham-e-hastee na poochh
Nang-e-baaleedan hain juun moo-e-sar-e-deevaana ham