Here’s a beautiful nazm by Sahir entitled “Ek Tasveer-e-Rang”

main ne jis waqt tujhe pahle-pahal dekha thaa
tu jawaani ka koi khwaab nazar aayii thii
husn ka naghma-e-jaaved huii thii ma’aloom
ishq ka jazbaa-e-betaab nazar aayii thii

aie tarbazaar-e-jawaani ki pareshaaN titli
tu bhi ek buu-e-giraftaar hai, ma’aloom na thaa
tere jalvoN meiN bahaareiN nazar aayiiN thiiN mujhe
tu sitam-Khurdah-e-adbaar hai, ma’aloom na thaa

tere naazuk se paroN par ye zaro-seem kaa bojh
teri parwaaz ko aazaad na hone dega
tuune raahat ki tamannaa meiN jo Gham paalaa hai
vo tirii rooh ko aabaad na hone degaa

tuune sarmaaye ki chhaoN meiN panapne ke liye
apne dil, apni muhabbat ka lahoo bechaa hai
din ki taz’een-e-fasurdaa ka asaasaa lekar
raat ki shoKh masarrat ka lahoo bechaa hai

is se kyaa faaydaa rangeen labaadoN ke tale
rooh jalti rahe, galti rahe, pazmurda rahe
hoNT haNste hoN dikhaave ke tabassum ke liye
dil Gham-e-zeest se bojhil rahe, aazurdaa rahe

dil ki taskeeN bhii hai aasaaish-e-hastii ki daleel
zindagii sirf zaro-seem ka paimaanaa nahiiN
zeest ahsaas bhi hai, shauq bhi hai, dard bhi hai
sirf anfaas ki tarteeb ka afsaanaa nahiiN

umr bhar raiNgte rahne se kahiiN behtar hai
ek lamhaa jo teri rooh meiN vus’at bhar de
ek lamhaa jo tere geet ko shoKhii de de
ek lamhaa jo teri lai meiN masarrat bhar de

Glossary

naGhma-e-jaaved = everlasting song
jazba-e-betaab = a longing feeling
tarbazaar-e-jawaani = the industry (market) of youth
buu-e-giraftaar = captured perfume
sitam-Khurdah-e-adbaar = tormented by destiny
zaro-seem = gold and silver
parwaaz = flight
sarmaaye = richess
taz’een-e-fasurdaa = sad decoration — fake happiness
asaasaa = goods, property
masarrat = happiness
labaadoN = clothes
pazmurda = withered
tabassum = smile
Gham-e-zeest = sadness in life
aazurda = worried
taskeeN = satisfaction
aasaaish-e-hasti = life’s happiness
daleel = proof
zeest = life
anfaas = breath
tarteeb = arrangment
afsaana = story
vus’at = large space.. largeness, grandness