ye kyaa sitam hai ke ehsaas-e-dard bhii kam hai

ye kyaa sitam hai ke ehsaas-e-dard bhii kam hai
shab-e-firaaq sitaaroN meN roshnii kam hai

(sitam : injustice; ehsaas : feeling; dard : pain; shab : night; firaaq : separation)

ye kaisii mauj-e-karam thii nigaah-e-saaqii meN
ke us ke baad se tuufaan-e-tishnagii kam hai

(mauj : wave; karam : gratitude; nigaah : sight; saaqii : cup-bearer; tuufaan : storm; tishnagii : thirst)

qariib-o-duur se aatii hai aap kii aavaaz
kabhii bahut hai Gham-e-justujuu, kabhii kam hai

(qariib : near; duur : distance; Gham : pain; justujuu : effort)

shauur-e-ishq ab aayaa hai apnii manzil par
huzuur-e-husn tamannaa-e-beKhudii kam hai

(shauur : etiquette; huzuun-e-husn : in presence of beauty; tamannaa : desire; beKhudii : unconsciousness)

tamaam umr teraa intizaar kar leNge
magar ye ranj rahegaa ke zindagii kam hai

(umr : life; ranj : grief)

uruuj-e-maah ko insaaN samajh gayaa lekin
hunuuz azmat-e-insaaN se aagahii kam hai

(uruuj : apex; maah : moon; hunuuz : yet; azmat : magnificence; aagahii : cognizance)

na the bahaar-e-chaman ham magar ye sunte haiN
hamaare baad guloN meN shaguftagii kam hai

(bahaar : spring; chaman : garden; gul : flowers; shaguftagii : blooming)

na saath deNgii ye dam toRtii hu’ii sham’meN
naye chiraaGh jalaao ke roshnii kam hai

(sham’meN : lights; chiraaGh : lamps)

Shahid Siddiqui