jo achchhe haiñ un kī kahānī bhī achchhī
laḌakpan bhī achchhā javānī bhī achchhī
tirī mehrbānī na achchhī ho kyuuñ kar
ki hai terī nā-mehrbānī bhī achchhī
dar-e-yār se ham ko uThnā hai mushkil
jo aisī ho to nā-tavānī bhī achchhī
tire tiir ko apnā dil kyuuñ na deñ ham
nishāna bhī achchhā nishānī bhī achchhī
jo ho sidq-e-dil se koī sunñe vaalā
to vallāh jhūTī kahānī bhī achchhī
kahīñ ishq meñ bad-gumānī burī hai
kahīñ ishq meñ bad-gumānī bhī achchhī
mai-e-nāb kī qadr ham jānte haiñ
na.ī to na.ī ye purānī bhī achchhī
na ho dil meñ lekin mire dil ke haq meñ
tumhārī mohabbat zabānī bhī achchhī
agar 'nūh' kī sher-goī hai behtar
to hai 'nūh' kī sher-ḳhvānī bhī achchhī