zindagii Khvaab-e-pareshaa.N hai koii kyaa jaane
maut kii larazish-e-mizshagaa.N hai koii kyaa jaane

raamish-o-rang ke aivaan me.n lailaa-e-hayaat
sirf ek raat kii mehamaa.N hai koii kyaa jaane

[raamish=music]

gulashan-e-ziist ke har phuul kii rangiinii me.n
dajalaa-e-Khuun-e-rag-e-jaa.N hai koii kyaa jaane

[dajalaa-e-Khuun=stream/river of blood]

rang-o-aaha.ng se bajatii huii yaado.n kii baraat

ye din bahaar ke ab ke bhii raas na aa sake
ki Gu.Nche khil to sake khil ke muskuraa na sake

merii tabaahii dil par to raham khaa na sakii
jo raushanii me.n rahe raushanii ko paa na sake

na jaane aah! ki un aa.Nsuuo.n pe kyaa guzarii
jo dil se aa.Nkh tak aaye mishgaa.N tak aa na sake

rahe.n Khuluus-e-muhabbat ke haadasaat jahaa.N
mujhe to kyaa mere naqsh-e-qadam miTaa na sake

kare.nge mar ke baqaa-e-davaam kyaa haasil
jo zi.ndaa rah ke muqaam-e-hayaat paa na sake

nayaa zamaanaa banaane chale the diivaane
na_ii zamii.n, nayaa aasamaa.N banaa na sake

soz-e-Gam deke mujhe us ne ye irshaad kiyaa
jaa tujhe kash-ma-kash-e-dahar se aazaad kiyaa

vo kare.n bhii to kin alfaaz me.n teraa shikavaa
jin ko terii nigaah-e-lutf ne barbaad kiyaa

dil kii choTo.n ne kabhii chain se rahanaa na diyaa
jab chalii sard havaa mai.n ne tujhe yaad kiyaa

[sard=cold]

aise me.n mai.n tere taj-takalluf pe nisaar
phir to farmaaye vafaa aap ne irshaad kiyaa

[taj-takalluf=to give up/sacrifice formality/reticence; irshaad=to show the way]

is kaa ronaa nahii.n kyo.n tumane kiyaa dil barbaad
is kaa Gam hai ki bahut der me.n barbaad kiyaa

itanaa maasuum huu.N fitarat se, kalii jab chaTakii
jhuk ke mai.n ne kahaa, mujhase kuchh irashaad kiyaa

[fitarat=nature; irashaad=to speak]

merii har saa.Ns hai is baat kii shaahid-e-maut
mai.n ne har lutf ke mauqe pe tujhe yaad kiyaa

[shaahid-e-maut=witness of death]

mujhako to hosh nahii.n tumako Khabar ho shaayad
log kahate hai.n ki tumane mujhe barbaad kiyaa

vo tujhe yaad kare jisane bhulaayaa ho kabhii
hamane tujh ko na bhulaayaa na kabhii yaad kiyaa

kuchh nahii.n is ke sivaa ’Josh’ hariifo.n kaa kalaam
vasl ne shaad kiyaa hijr ne naashaad kiyaa

qadam i.nsaa.N kaa raah-e-dahar me.n tharraa hii jaataa hai
chale kitanaa hii ko_ii bachake Thokar khaa hii jaataa hai

[raah-e-dahar=path of life]

nazar ho Khvaah kitanii hii haqaa_iq-aashnaa phir bhii
hujuum-e-kash_ma_kash me.n aadamii ghabaraa hii jaataa hai

[haqaa_iq-aashnaa=one who is in touch with reality]
[hujuum-e-kash_ma_kash=crowd of difficulties]

Khilaaf-e-masalehat mai.n bhii samajhataa huu.N magar naaseh
vo aate hai.n to chehare par tahayyur aa hii jaataa hai

[Khilaaf-e-masalehat=against wisdom; tahayyur=change]

havaaye.N zor kitanaa hii lagaaye.N aa.Ndhiyaa.N banakar
magar jo ghir ke aataa hai vo baadal chhaa hii jaataa hai

shikaayat kyo.n ise kahate ho ye fitarat hai i.nsaa.N kii
musiibat me.n Khayaal-e-aish-e-raftaa aa hii jaataa hai

[fitarat=nature; Khayaal-e-aish-e-raftaa=thoughts of bygone days of leisure/happiness]

samajhatii hai.n ma’al-e-gul magar kyaa zor-e-fitarat hai
sahar hote hii kaliyo.n ko tabassum aa hii jaataa hai

naqsh-e-Khayaal dil se miTaayaa nahii.n hanoz
bedard mai.n ne tujhako bhulaayaa nahii.n hanoz

[hanoz=as yet/still]

vo sar jo terii raahaguzar me.n thaa sajdaa-rez
mai.n ne kisii qadam pe jhukaayaa nahii.n hanoz

[sajdaa-rez=bowed]

maharaab-e-jaa.N me.n tuu ne jalaayaa thaa Khud jise
siine kaa vo chiraaG bujhaayaa nahii.n hanoz

[maharaab=arched gateway (maharaab-e-jaa.N would imply in the inner heart)]

behosh hoke jald tujhe hosh aa gayaa
mai.n badanasiib hosh me.n aayaa nahii.n hanoz

mar kar bhii aayegii ye sadaa qabr-e-"Josh" se
bedard mai.n ne tujhako bhulaayaa nahii.n hanoz

ahal-e-daval me.n dhuum thii roz-e-sa_iid kii
muflis ke dil me.n thii na kiran bhii ummiid kii
itane me.n aur charKh ne maTTii paliid kii
bachche ne muskuraa ke Khabar dii jo iid kii

[ahal-e-daval=rich people; roz-e-sa_iid=festive day]
[muflis=poor/poverty/stricken; charKh=sky (referring to God)]

fart-e-mihan se nabz kii raftaar ruk ga_ii
maa.N-baap kii nigaah uThii aur jhuk ga_ii

[fart-e-mihan=wave of sorrow; nabz=pulse]

aa.Nkhe.n jhukii.n ki dast-e-tihii par nazar ga_ii
bachche ke val-valo.n kii dilo.n tak Khabar ga_ii
zulf-e-sabaat Gam kii havaa se bikhar ga_ii
barchhii sii ek dil se jigar tak utar ga_ii

[dast-e-tihii=empty hands; val-vale=enthusiasm]
[sabaat=patience; barchhii=spear]

dono.n hujuum-e-Gam se ham-aaGosh ho gaye
ik duusare ko dekh ke Khaamosh ho gaye

kyaa hi.nd kaa zi.ndaa.N kaa.Np rahaa guu.Nj rahii hai.n takbiire.n
uktaaye hai.n shaayad kuchh qaidii aur to.D rahe hai.n za.njiire.n

[zi.ndaa.N=prison; takbiire.n=slogans]

diivaaro.n ke niiche aa aa kar yuu.N jamaa huye hai.n zi.ndaanii
siino.n me.n talaatum bijalii kaa aa.Nkho.n me.n jhalakatii shamashiire.n

[zi.ndaanii=prisoners; talaatum=storm; shamashiire.n=swords]

bhuukho.n kii nazar me.n bijalii hai topo.n ke dahaane Tha.nDe hai.n
taqadiir ke lab pe jumbish hai dam to.D rahii hai tadabiire.n

[jumbish=small/slight movement; tadabiire.n=solutions]

aa.Nkho.n me.n gadaa kii surKhii hai be-nuur hai cheharaa sultaa.N kaa
taKhriib ne paracham kholaa hai sajade me.n pa.Dii hai.n taamiire.n

[gadaa=poverty; be-nuur=light-less; taKhriib=destruction]
[paracham=flag; taamiire.n=constructions]

kyaa un ko Khabar thii siino.n se jo Khuun churaayaa karate the
ik roz isii be-rangii se jhalake.ngii hazaaro.n tasviire.n

kyaa un ko Khabar thii ho.nTho.n par jo kufl lagaayaa karate the
ik roz isii Khaamoshii se Tapake.ngii dahakatii taqariire.n

[kufl=lock; taqariire.n=speeches]

sambhalo ki vo zi.ndaa.N guu.Nj uThaa jhapaTo ki vo qaidii chhuuT gaye
uTho ki vo baiThii diivaare.n dau.Do ki vo TuuTii za.njiire.n

kis ko aatii hai masihaa_ii kise aavaaz duu.N
bol ai Khuu.nKhaar tanahaa_ii kise aavaaz duu.N

chup rahuu.N to har nafas Dasataa hai naagan kii tarah
aah bharane me.n hai rusavaa_ii kise aavaaz duu.N

[naagan=naagin (snake)]

uff Khaamoshii kii ye aahe.n dil ko baramaatii hu_ii
uff ye sannaaTe kii shehanaa_ii kise aavaaz duu.N

Khaamoshii kaa samaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N
dayaar-e-Khuftagaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[dayaar-e-Khuftagaa.N=world of sleeping people]

kabhii Khud ko bhii i.nsaa.N kaash samajhe
ye sa_ii-e-raayagaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[sa_ii-e-raayagaa.N=futile attempt]

kahuu.N kis se ki is jamahuuriyat me.n
hujuum-e-Khasaravaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[hujuum-e-Khasaravaa.N=mob of kings]

pa.Daa huu.N is taraf dhuunii ramaaye
ataab-e-rah-ravaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[ataab-e-rah-ravaa.N=wayfarers’ wrath]

kahaa.N hai ham-zabaa.N allaah jaane
faqat merii zabaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[faqat=merely]

Khaamoshii hai zamii.n se aasmaa.N tak
kisii kii daastaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

qayaamat hai Khud apane aashiyaa.N me.n
talaash-e-aashiyaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

jahaa.N ek jurm hai yaad-e-bahaaraa.N
vo laafaanii Khizaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[laafaanii Khizaa.N=eternal autumn]

tarasatii hai.n Khariidaaro.n kii aa.Nkhe.n
javaahir kii dukaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[javaahir=jeweller]

nahii.n aatii ab aavaaz-e-jaras bhii
Gubaar-e-kaaravaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

[aavaaz-e-jaras=sound of bells]
[Gubaar-e-kaaravaa.N=dust left behind by a caravan]

ma’al-e-ba.ndagii ai "Josh" taubaa
Khudaa-e-meharabaa.N hai aur mai.n huu.N

ibaadat karate hai.n jo log jannat kii tamannaa me.n
ibaadat to nahii.n hai ik tarah kii vo tijaarat hai

[ibaadat=prayer; jannat=heaven; tijaarat=trade]

jo Dar ke naar-e-dozaKh se Khudaa kaa naam lete hai.n
ibaadat kyaa vo Khaalii buzadilaanaa ek Khidamat hai

[naar-e-dozaKh=fires of hell; buzadilaanaa=cowardly; Khidamat=service]

magar jab shukr-e-ne’mat me.n jabii.n jhukatii hai bande kii
vo sachchii bandagii hai ik shariifaanaa ita’at hai

[shukr-e-ne’mat=thanks for blessings; jabii.n=forehead; ita’at=submission]

kuchal de hasarato.n ko beniyaaz-e-mudd’a ho jaa
Khudii ko jhaa.D de daaman se mard-e-baaKhudaa ho jaa

[beniyaaz-e-mudd’a=oblivious of one’s goals; Khudii=self/ego]
[mard-e-baaaKhuda=man/servant of God]

uThaa letii hai.n lahare.n tahanashii.n hotaa hai jab ko_ii
ubharanaa hai to Garq-e-bahr-e-fanaa ho jaa