nahii.n ki milane milaane kaa sil_silaa rakhanaa
kisii bhii satah pe ko_ii to raabtaa rakhanaa 

[satah=level; raabtaa=relationship] 

madad kii tum se tavaqqo to Khair kyaa hogii
Gariib-e-shahar-e-sitam huu.N meraa pataa rakhanaa 

[madad=help; tavaqqo=expectation] 

mare.nge aur hamaare sivaa bhii tum pe bahut
ye jurm hai to phir is jurm kii sazaa rakhanaa 

naye safar pe ravaanaa huaa hai az-sar-e-nau
jab aa_uu.Ngaa to meraa naam bhii nayaa rakhanaa 

[az-sar-e-nau=a fresh start] 

hisaar-e-shauq uThaanaa ’Zafar’ zaruur magar
kisii taraf se nikalane kaa raastaa rakhanaa

dekhanaa hai vo mujh par meharabaan kitanaa hai
asaliyat kahaa.N tak hai aur gumaan kitanaa hai

[asaliyat = reality; gumaan = doubt]

kyaa panaah detii hai aur ye zamii.n mujh ko
aur abhii mere sar par aasamaan kitanaa hai

[panaah = shelter]

kuchh Khabar nahii.n aatii kis ravish pe hai tuufaa.N
aur kaTaa phaTaa baaqii baadabaan kitanaa hai

[baadabaan = sail]

to.D pho.D karatii hai.n roz Khvaahishe.n dil me.n
tang in makaano.n se ye makaan kitanaa hai

kyaa uThaaye phirataa hai baar-e-aashiqii sar par
aur dekhane me.n vo dhaan-paan kitanaa hai

[baar = weight/burden]

harf-e-aarazuu sun kar jaa.nchane lagaa yaanii
is me.n baat kitanii hai aur byaan kitanaa hai

phir udaas kar degii sarsarii jhalak us kii
bhuul kar ye dil us ko shaadamaan kitanaa hai

mile kisii se nazar to samajho Gazal hu_ii
rahe apanii Khabar to samajho Gazal hu_ii 

milaa ke nazaro.n ko vo hayaa se phir
jhukaa le ko_ii nazar to samajho Gazal hu_ii 

idhar machal kar unhe.n pukaare junuu.N meraa
bha.Dak uThe dil udhar to samajho Gazal hu_ii 

udaas bistar kii silavaTe jab tumhe.n chubhe.n
na so sako raat bhar to samajho Gazal hu_ii 

vo bad_gumaa.N ho to sher suujhe na shaayarii
vo mahar_baa.N ho ’Zafar’ to samajho Gazal hu_ii 

mere baad kidhar jaayegii tanhaa_ii
mai.n jo maraa to mar jaayegii tanhaa_ii 

mai.n jab ro ro ke dariyaa ban jaa_uu.Ngaa
us din paar utar jaayegii tanhaa_ii 

tanhaa_ii ko ghar se ruKhsat kar to do
socho kis ke ghar jaayegii tanhaa_ii 

viiraanaa huu.N aabaadii se aayaa huu.N
dekhegii to Dar jaayegii tanhaa_ii 

yuu.N aao ki paao.n kii bhii aavaaz na ho
shor huaa to mar jaayegii tanhaa_ii 

mausam ko ishaaro.n se bulaa kyuu.N nahii.n lete
ruuThaa hai agar vo to manaa kyuu.N nahii.n lete 

diivaanaa tumhaaraa ko_ii Gair nahii.n hai
machalaa bhii to siine se lagaa kyuu.N nahii.n lete 

Khat likh kar kabhii aur kabhii Khat ko jalaakar
tanhaa_ii ko rangiin banaa kyuu.N nahii.n lete 

tum jaag rahe ho mujh ko achchhaa nahii.n lagataa
chupake se merii niind churaa kyuu.N nahii.n lete 

majabuurii ke mausam me.n bhii jiinaa pa.Dataa hai
tho.Daa saa samajhautaa jaanam karanaa pa.Dataa hai 

kabhii kabhii kuchh is had tak ba.Dh jaatii hai laachaarii
lagataa hai ye jiivan jaise bojh ho ko_ii bhaarii
dil kahataa hai roye.n lekin ha.Nsanaa pa.Dataa hai 

kabhii kabhii itanii dhundhalii ho jaatii hai.n tasviire.n
pataa nahii.n chalataa qadamo.n me.n kitanii hai.n zanjiire.n
paa.Nv ba.Ndhe hote hai.n lekin chalanaa pa.Dataa hai 

ruuTh ke jaane vaale baadal TuuTane vaalaa taaraa
kis ko Khabar kin lamho.n me.n ban jaaye kaun sahaaraa
duniyaa jaisii bhii ho rishtaa rakhanaa pa.Dataa hai 

kyaa ummiid kare ham un se jin ko vafaa maaluum nahii.n
Gam denaa maaluum hai lekin Gam kii davaa maaluum nahii.n 

jin kii galii me.n umr ga.Nvaa dii jiivan bhar hairaan rahe
paas bhii aake paas na aaye jaan ke bhii a.njaan rahe
kaun sii aaKhir kii thii hamane aisii Khataa maaluum nahii.n 

ai mere paagal armaano.n jhuuThe ba.ndhan to.D bhii do
ai merii zaKhmii ummiido.n dil kaa daaman chho.D bhii do
tum ko abhii is nagarii me.n jiine kii sazaa maaluum nahii.n 

jab merii yaad sataaye to mujhe Khat likhanaa
tum ko jab niind na aaye to mujhe Khat likhanaa

niile pe.Do.n kii ghanii chaa.Nv me.n ha.Nsataa saavan
pyaasii dhartii me.n samaane ko tarasataa saavan
raat bhar chhat pe lagaataar barasataa saavan
dil me.n jab aag lagaaye to mujhe Khat likhanaa

jab pha.Dak uThe kisii shaaKh pe pattaa ko_ii
gud_gudaaye tumhe.n biitaa huaa lamhaa ko_ii
jab merii yaad kaa bechain safiinaa ko_ii
jii ko rah rah ke jalaaye to mujhe Khat likhanaa

jab nigaaho.n ke liye ko_ii nazaaraa na rahe
chaa.Nd chhip jaaye gagan par ko_ii sahaaraa na rahe
log ho jaaye.n paraaye to mujhe Khat likhanaa

hameshaa hai vasl-o-judaa_ii kaa dhandhaa
buto.n kii hai ulfat Khudaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

agar baiThe rindo.n kii sohabat me.n zaahid
to de.n chho.D sab paarasaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

[rind = one who drinks; sohabat = company]
[zaahid = preacher/religious man; paarasaa_ii = self-restraint]

jo honaa hai aaKhir vo hokar rahegaa
kare kaun baKht_aazamaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

[baKht_aazamaa_ii = testing one’s fate/luck]

pareshaa.N rahii umr bhar par na chho.Daa
terii zulf ne kaj_adaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

[kaj_adaa_ii = crookedness (curliness)]

mubaarak ra_iiso.n ko kaar-e-riyaasat
gadaa ko hai kaafii gadaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

[gadaa = beggar; gadaa_ii = begging]

nahii.n Khizr ke piichhe gar aur jhaga.De
to hai saath ik rah_numaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

[rah_numaa_ii = guidance/to show the path]

’Zafar’ is se bahatar hai naa_aashanaa_ii
ki mushkil hai ye aashanaa_ii kaa dhandhaa 

din ko bhii itanaa a.Ndheraa hai mere kamare me.n
saayaa aate hue Darataa hai mere kamare me.n 

Gam thakaa haaraa musaafir hai chalaa jaayegaa
kuchh dino.n ke liye Thaharaa hai mere kamare me.n 

subah tak dekhana afasaanaa banaa Daalegaa
tujh ko ek shaKhs ne dekhaa hai mere kamare me.n 

dar_ba_dar din ko bhaTakataa hai tasavvur meraa
haa.N magar raat ko rahataa hai mere kamare me.n 

chor baiThaa hai kahaa.N soch rahaa huu.N mai.n ’Zafar’
kyaa ko_ii aur bhii kamaraa hai mere kamare me.n