baḌe azaab meñ huuñ mujh ko jaan bhī hai aziiz

sitam ko dekh ke chup bhī rahā nahīñ jaatā

baDe azab mein hun mujh ko jaan bhi hai aziz

sitam ko dekh ke chup bhi raha nahin jata

zaḳhm lagā kar us kā bhī kuchh haath khulā

maiñ bhī dhokā khā kar kuchh chālāk huā

zaKHm laga kar us ka bhi kuchh hath khula

main bhi dhoka kha kar kuchh chaalak hua

dil hai ki tirī yaad se ḳhālī nahīñ rahtā

shāyad hī kabhī maiñ ne tujhe yaad kiyā ho

dil hai ki teri yaad se KHali nahin rahta

shayad hi kabhi main ne tujhe yaad kiya ho

mirī jagah koī ā.īna rakh liyā hotā

na jaane tere tamāshe meñ merā kaam hai kyā

meri jagah koi aaina rakh liya hota

na jaane tere tamashe mein mera kaam hai kya

jitnā dekho use thaktī nahīñ āñkheñ varna

ḳhatm ho jaatā hai har husn kahānī kī tarah

jitna dekho use thakti nahin aankhen warna

KHatm ho jata hai har husn kahani ki tarah

dil ko sambhāle hañstā boltā rahtā huuñ lekin

sach pūchho to 'zeb' tabī.at Thiik nahīñ hotī

dil ko sambhaale hansta bolta rahta hun lekin

sach puchho to 'zeb' tabiat Thik nahin hoti

adhūrī chhoḌ ke tasvīr mar gayā vo 'zeb'

koī bhī rañg mayassar na thā lahū ke sivā

adhuri chhoD ke taswir mar gaya wo 'zeb'

koi bhi rang mayassar na tha lahu ke siwa

maiñ payambar tirā nahīñ lekin

mujh se bhī baat kar ḳhudā mere

main payambar tera nahin lekin

mujh se bhi baat kar KHuda mere

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

jaag ke mere saath samundar rāteñ kartā hai

jab sab log chale jaa.eñ to bāteñ kartā hai

jag ke mere sath samundar raaten karta hai

jab sab log chale jaen to baaten karta hai

ye kam hai kyā ki mire paas baiThā rahtā hai

vo jab talak mire dil ko dukhā nahīñ jaatā

ye kam hai kya ki mere pas baiTha rahta hai

wo jab talak mere dil ko dukha nahin jata

zaḳhm hī terā muqaddar haiñ dil tujh ko kaun sambhālegā

ai mere bachpan ke sāthī mere saath hī mar jaanā

zaKHm hi tera muqaddar hain dil tujh ko kaun sambhaalega

ai mere bachpan ke sathi mere sath hi mar jaana

mere paas se uTh kar vo us kā jaanā

saarī kaifiyyat hai guzarte mausam sī

mere pas se uTh kar wo us ka jaana

sari kaifiyyat hai guzarte mausam si

talāsh ek bahāna thā ḳhaak uḌāne kā

pata chalā ki hameñ justujū-e-yār na thī

talash ek bahana tha KHak uDane ka

pata chala ki hamein justuju-e-yar na thi

maiñ laakh ise taaza rakhūñ dil ke lahū se

lekin tirī tasvīr ḳhayālī hī rahegī

main lakh ise taza rakhun dil ke lahu se

lekin teri taswir KHayali hi rahegi

kuchh duur tak to chamkī thī mere lahū kī dhaar

phir raat apne saath bahā le ga.ī mujhe

kuchh dur tak to chamki thi mere lahu ki dhaar

phir raat apne sath baha le gai mujhe

chheḌ kar jaise guzar jaatī hai doshīza havā

der se ḳhāmosh hai gahrā samundar aur maiñ

chheD kar jaise guzar jati hai doshiza hawa

der se KHamosh hai gahra samundar aur main

maiñ to chaak pe kūza-gar ke haath kī miTTī huuñ

ab ye miTTī dekh khilaunā kaise bantī hai

main to chaak pe kuza-gar ke hath ki miTTi hun

ab ye miTTi dekh khilauna kaise banti hai

ek kiran bas raushniyoñ meñ sharīk nahīñ hotī

dil ke bujhne se duniyā tārīk nahīñ hotī

ek kiran bas raushniyon mein sharik nahin hoti

dil ke bujhne se duniya tarik nahin hoti

ye Dūbtī huī kyā shai hai terī āñkhoñ meñ

tire laboñ pe jo raushan hai us kā naam hai kyā

ye Dubti hui kya shai hai teri aankhon mein

tere labon pe jo raushan hai us ka nam hai kya

khulī chhatoñ se chāñdnī rāteñ katrā jā.eñgī

kuchh ham bhī tanhā.ī ke aadī ho jā.eñge

khuli chhaton se chandni raaten katra jaengi

kuchh hum bhi tanhai ke aadi ho jaenge

ulaT rahī thiiñ havā.eñ varaq varaq us kā

likhī ga.ī thī jo miTTī pe vo kitāb thā vo

ulaT rahi thin hawaen waraq waraq us ka

likhi gai thi jo miTTi pe wo kitab tha wo

andar andar khokhle ho jaate haiñ ghar

jab dīvāroñ meñ paanī bhar jaatā hai

andar andar khokhle ho jate hain ghar

jab diwaron mein pani bhar jata hai

na jaane kyā hai ki jab bhī maiñ us ko dekhtā huuñ

to koī aur mire rū-ba-rū nikaltā hai

na jaane kya hai ki jab bhi main us ko dekhta hun

to koi aur mere ru-ba-ru nikalta hai

chamak rahā hai ḳhema-e-raushan duur sitāre sā

dil kī kashtī tair rahī hai khule samundar meñ

chamak raha hai KHema-e-raushan dur sitare sa

dil ki kashti tair rahi hai khule samundar mein

be-hisī par mirī vo ḳhush thā ki patthar hī to hai

maiñ bhī chup thā ki chalo siine meñ ḳhanjar hī to hai

be-hisi par meri wo KHush tha ki patthar hi to hai

main bhi chup tha ki chalo sine mein KHanjar hi to hai

dho ke tū merā lahū apne hunar ko na chhupā

ki ye surḳhī tirī shamshīr kā jauhar hī to hai

dho ke tu mera lahu apne hunar ko na chhupa

ki ye surKHi teri shamshir ka jauhar hi to hai

ek jhoñkā havā kā aayā 'zeb'

aur phir maiñ ġhubār bhī na rahā

ek jhonka hawa ka aaya 'zeb'

aur phir main ghubar bhi na raha

dekh kabhī aa kar ye lā-mahdūd fazā

tū bhī merī tanhā.ī meñ shāmil ho

dekh kabhi aa kar ye la-mahdud faza

tu bhi meri tanhai mein shamil ho

TūTtī rahtī hai kachche dhāge sī niiñd

āñkhoñ ko ThanDak ḳhvāboñ ko girānī de

TuTti rahti hai kachche dhage si nind

aankhon ko ThanDak KHwabon ko girani de

mujh se bichhaḌ kar hogā samundar bhī bechain

raat Dhale to kartā hogā shor bahut

mujh se bichhaD kar hoga samundar bhi bechain

raat Dhale to karta hoga shor bahut

ab tak to kisī ġhair kā ehsāñ nahīñ mujh par

qātil bhī koī chāhne vaalī hī rahegī

ab tak to kisi ghair ka ehsan nahin mujh par

qatil bhi koi chahne wali hi rahegi

'zeb' mujhe Dar lagne lagā hai apne ḳhvāboñ se

jāgte jāgte dard rahā kartā hai mire sar meñ

'zeb' mujhe Dar lagne laga hai apne KHwabon se

jagte jagte dard raha karta hai mere sar mein

DhūñDhtī phirtī haiñ jaane mirī nazreñ kis ko

aisī bastī meñ jahāñ koī bhī ābād nahīñ

DhunDhti phirti hain jaane meri nazren kis ko

aisi basti mein jahan koi bhi aabaad nahin

us kī rāhoñ meñ paḌā maiñ bhī huuñ kab se lekin

bhuul jaatā huuñ use yaad dilāne ke liye

us ki rahon mein paDa main bhi hun kab se lekin

bhul jata hun use yaad dilane ke liye

sūraj ne ik nazar mire zaḳhmoñ pe Daal ke

dekhā hai mujh ko khiḌkī se phir sar nikāl ke

suraj ne ek nazar mere zaKHmon pe Dal ke

dekha hai mujh ko khiDki se phir sar nikal ke

ab mujh se ye duniyā mirā sar maañg rahī hai

kambaḳht mire aage savālī hī rahegī

ab mujh se ye duniya mera sar mang rahi hai

kambaKHt mere aage sawali hi rahegi

vo mere sāmne ḳhanjar-ba-kaf khaḌā thā 'zeb'

maiñ dekhtā rahā us ko ki be-naqāb thā vo

wo mere samne KHanjar-ba-kaf khaDa tha 'zeb'

main dekhta raha us ko ki be-naqab tha wo

sher to mujh se terī āñkheñ kahlā letī haiñ

chup rahtā huuñ maiñ jab tak tahrīk nahīñ hotī

sher to mujh se teri aankhen kahla leti hain

chup rahta hun main jab tak tahrik nahin hoti

kis ne sahrā meñ mire vāste rakkhī hai ye chhāñv

dhuup roke hai mirā chāhne vaalā kaisā

kis ne sahra mein mere waste rakkhi hai ye chhanw

dhup roke hai mera chahne wala kaisa

kahīñ pata na lagā phir vajūd kā mere

uThā ke le ga.ī duniyā shikār kis kā thā

kahin pata na laga phir wajud ka mere

uTha ke le gai duniya shikar kis ka tha

thak gayā ek kahānī sunte sunte maiñ

kyā is kā anjām nahīñ hotā koī

thak gaya ek kahani sunte sunte main

kya is ka anjam nahin hota koi

uḌā ke ḳhaak bahut maiñ ne dekh lī ai 'zeb'

vahāñ talak to koī rāsta nahīñ jaatā

uDa ke KHak bahut main ne dekh li ai 'zeb'

wahan talak to koi rasta nahin jata

aur bhī gahrī ho jaatī hai us kī sargoshī

mujh se kisī kī āñkhoñ kī jab bāteñ kartā hai

aur bhi gahri ho jati hai us ki sargoshi

mujh se kisi ki aankhon ki jab baaten karta hai

tere sāmne aate hue ghabrātā huuñ

lab pe tirā iqrār hai dil meñ chor bahut

tere samne aate hue ghabraata hun

lab pe tera iqrar hai dil mein chor bahut

jagmagātā huā ḳhanjar mire siine meñ utaar

raushnī le ke kabhī ḳhāna-e-vīrān meñ aa

jagmagata hua KHanjar mere sine mein utar

raushni le ke kabhi KHana-e-viran mein aa

maiñ ne dekhā thā sahāre ke liye chāroñ taraf

ki mire paas hī ik haath bhañvar se niklā

main ne dekha tha sahaare ke liye chaaron taraf

ki mere pas hi ek hath bhanwar se nikla

shāyad ab bhī koī sharar baaqī ho 'zeb'

dil kī raakh se aañch aatī hai kam kam sī

shayad ab bhi koi sharar baqi ho 'zeb'

dil ki rakh se aanch aati hai kam kam si

kam raushan ik ḳhvāb ā.īna ik piilā murjhāyā phuul

pas-manzar ke sannāTe meñ ek nadī pathrīlī sī

kam raushan ek KHwab aaina ek pila murjhaya phul

pas-manzar ke sannaTe mein ek nadi pathrili si

lahū meñ tairtā phirtā hai merā ḳhasta badan

maiñ Duub jā.ūñ to zaḳhmoñ ko dekhe-bhāle kaun

lahu mein tairta phirta hai mera KHasta badan

main Dub jaun to zaKHmon ko dekhe-bhaale kaun