Duur tak silsilaa-e-daar hai kaise soyeN,
zindagaanii se hameN pyaar hai kaise soyeN,
(silsilaa-e-daar : gallow lines)
vo jise zohra-zabiinoN kii nazar lagtii thii,
zulf-e-hastii meN giraftaar hai kaise soyeN,
(zohra-zabiinoN : the beautiful ones; zulf-e-hastii : tresses of existence)
zindagii duur hai aur maut bhii kuch paas nahiiN,
na to saahil hai na manjhdaar hai kaise soyeN,
ye Khabar bhii hai ke KhvaaboN ke dariiche ke qariib,
ab bhii paazeb kii jhankaar hai kaise soyeN,
(dariichaa : window)
apnii aashaaoN ke kuch phuul kiye mandir meN,
ko’ii apnaa saa gunaah-gaar hai kaise soyeN,
vahii “Iqbal” jo thaa kaj-kulaa-e-shahr-e-nishaat,
ye sunaa hai vo sardaar hai kaise soyeN.
(kaj-kulaa : tilted headgear; shahr-e-nishaat : city of happiness)