Afghan Poetry
Afghan Poetry
Afghan Poetry
AND REYdRRR
' \
LONDON :
WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,
HENRlETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN,
AND SOUTH FREDFIZTCR STREET, EIIINHURGR.
TO
THIS WORK,
-
ON TIIE POETRY OF THE AFGHANS,
IS,
DEDICATED,
BY IIIS OBLIGED AND BAITHFUL SERVANT.
I AVAIL myself of this opportunity, to express my great thanlrs to the
different Subscriber3 in Englnnd, in India, and on the Continentmorc
p~rticularlyto the different I?ORE~GX G~VERNME~TS-for their libernl
llntronage to this, a s well a9 to my previous modis in the hf&?in Lnn-
guxge, in the, nt present, D A R KAVEOI? O N ~ T A LLITERATURE; when
t h a t 8~11,
which ever diffused its rnys of support up011 the cultivation of
Enstern lore and Asiatic subjects, has set ; and naught but ihrk, lowering.,
mii ~lngelii:d cloucla rem:lin.
Should this work, on the Poetry of the Afg&ns, meet with the appro-
lati011a i d support of the general Public, I may, perhaps, shortly publisll
n second volume.
TO THE READER,
* MALCOLN'S HISTORYOF P ~ S I A .
t ('The creation proceeded at once from tho splendour of God, who
poui-ed his spirit upon the universe, as the general ciiffi~sionof lighk is
poured over the earth by the rising sun; and as the absence of that
li~minarycreates total darlcness, so tho partial 01, total absence of the
Divine splendour or light causes partial or general annihilation. The
creation, in its relation to the Creator, is like unto the small particles
discernible in the sun's rays, which vanish the moment it teases to
h1iine."-PE~SIAN MS.
xii K STHE B ~ Y S I ~ I DOCTRINE
I ~ I C ~ I A I ~ON C
ere the soul fell i t had seen the face of TRUT~, but, in this woikl,
it merely obtains w pwtinl and shadowy glimpse, " which smves t o
nwalren the slnmbering memory of thc past, but call only vagmly
recall i t ; and Sfifi-isrn.~~ndertxkes,by a long course of eclncation,
and moral discipline, to lead the s o d onward, from stnge to stage,
until, at length, it reaches the g o d of pelfeet lci~o~ledge, truth,
and peace."+
According to this mysterious doctrine, there are four stages
through which it is necesvm-y man shodd pass, prior t o attaining
unto the highest state, or that of divine beatitude ; mhcre, Lo use
their o m words, "his corporeal veil, which had previously obscurecl
his sight, mill be chawn aside, and his soul, emancip~tedfrom all
materid things, will agnin unite with the divine and transcendent
essence, &om which i t had been clivided, for a time, but i ~ o t
separated for ever."
T ~first
G of these stngcs is termed n~sz~t, or humanity, in which
tho disciple is aupposcd to be living in obedience t o the & n m , or
01-thoclox law, nnci paying due observnnce to the rites and ceremo-
nies of religion; for tliese things are dlowcd to be necessary and
usef~din regdating thc lives of t h e wlgm and weak-minded, and
in restraining within poper bouncls, and gniCling such as are unable
to reach the acme of divine contemplation nnd ahstmction, who
might be led astray by that very latitude in matters of faith, which
instlxots and enrapt~resthose of more powerfd intellect, a d
more ardent piety.
The second stage is termecl tu7~i?int,OT the way, in which tho
clisciple ~bttainswhat is called jubrkt, or potentiality and cnpacity ;
m1d he who reaches this stage, quits, dtogether, that state in which
he is merely permitted to follow and revere a teacher or pii*itual
guide, and thus he becomes admitted within the p d e of $S-ism.
obsel.vance of the rites and forms of religion may be h i d aside ;
L L , : " O X V O ~EssA~s."
" E.B. C ~ W ~ 3Z.A. D
AND POETRY ?P THE SUFIS.
...
Xlll
* Scorn. f ASIATICRESEAIICIIE~~,
Vol. 111.
AND rolWnY OF TRE SUFIS. six
illusoi-y; that the beauties of uatnre are faint rescmblanccs, like
iinages in a mirror, of the Divine charms ; that, from ctc~uity
without begiming, to ctcrnity without cncl, the Supreme Bene-
volence is occupiecl in bestowing happiness, or the means of
attaining it : that men can only attain it by performing thoir
p m t of the primal covenalzt, bctmeen them and the Creator; that
nothing has a pure, absolute exist,ence but mincl or s p i ~ i t ; that
n~citekdsubstwuces, ns tho igxormt call them, arc no more thnn
gay pictzcres, preseiitcd continually to our mhids by the spiritual
ihtist ; that me must be aware of nttnchmcnt to such phn,ztoms,
and attach ourselves, exclusively, to GOD,who truly exists in us,
as me exist solely in Him; that me retain, even in this forlorn
state of sepwation from om beloved, the idea of l~euvenlybeauty,
and thc remm6mnce of our primeval vows; that smect music,
gentle breezes, fragrant flowers, perpetually renew the primary
idea, refresh o w facling memory, and melt us mith tellder affec-
tions ; that we must cherish these affections, and, by abstracting
our souls from vmity, that is, from all but GOD,approxirnntc to
His essence, in o w fiual union with which will consist our snprcmc
beatitude. From these principles flow a t h o n s ~ dmetaphors, and
othcr poetical f,meu, which tkbound in the sacred poems of the
Porsiuus and Hindiis, who seem to menn the samc thing in s u l ~
stance, and d a e r only in expression, as their languages differ in
idiom." I t is -the same in Af&%n poetry also, as the followiilg
p a p s will amply show.
The modern Siifis, who profesa a belief in the I$w'iin, suppose,
mith much snblimity both of thought and diction, that in a prior
state of existence tlic s o d had been united with God ; and that, at
the Creatioii, thc crested spirits, and the supreme soul fiom which
they emanated, mere summoned togethcl; whcn a celestial voice
demanded from each, separately, "ALABTO BI-RABEIILUAIP" "Art
thou not with thy God 1" that is, AT^ thou not bound by solen~n
aa
SS REMARKS OX TIIF, XISTIC DOCTRCXE
AND POETRY OF TIIE SOPIS. xxi
history, yct avomcdly dkgorical and mysterious; for thc intro-
duction to it is n, contiiiuod mpturc on Diviac low; nnd tho name
of LAY^ scems to bo used in the ilfr~snawi'~ ;tnd the oclcs of &ifi!,
for tllc omlipresent Sl~iritof God." If reference is here nvuclo to
t h e first of the poem of 1110 Af-&iLn moilarch, A~m:~cl& ~ h ,a t
page 204, thc forco of tllc morrls of Sir William Jones will bo moro
fully sccn.
According to thc intcrprctatio~igivon to thcsc mystical poems,
by the @fis themsclvcs-for t h y hnvc cvcn cornposcd IL vocabulary
of the words used by thcsc nlystica-by witz is mcant dcvot,ion,
sleep is rncditntion 011 tho Divine pcrfcctions, and pwfzwze the h o p
of t h e Divino favour ; thc Z~JILJWS aso outbursts of g:uc ; kiases nnd
cnzlr?*c~c~s,tllc trz~niiportsof devotion nnd picty ; idolators, injclels,
and lilre~tiws,wc 111011 of tho p111-cst filith, m d thc idol C J L~oo~ship
C~
is t h e Cscntor hitn~clf;t l ~ ctriuem is n scclncled oratory, whcrc Ibey
bccome intosicatcd with thc miuc of lovc, and its kcepm, is an
cillightcncd i~istwctoror ~piritnnlguidc; fieccuty clenotes thc pcr-
feclion of tho Dcity ; czcrh niid twsses are thc iilfi~iiteiuxsof His
glory ; t l ~ cli$s nrc tho in~ciwtaI~lc mysteries of lIia esacilco ; dawn
on thc chcck, thc wodrl of spirit8 who snrro~uildHis tlronc ; a i d
t h e blncJc mole npon thc cheek of thc bclovccl, thc point of incli-
visilslo unity ; and zoantotu~ess, mirtJ~, a i d i~~ebrintiox,~igiiify
religious enthusinsm, a d ab~traotioufrom all earthly tliougl~ts
and contempt of d l mo~*ldlyt~ffnirs.
Thc pacts t l i c r n ~ ~ l give
~ c s a C O ~ O L Wto such intorprctatio~isas tho
forcgoing, in mnuy pnshnges in thcir poems ; niid i t i~ impossibla to
imnginc t h t srtdl cfhriioils ns those of xIIfi2, Snmdi, ancl tllcir
imitr~tors,wonltl, ol.licrwiue, bc tolcratcd in a M~~sr~lln%ri co~~itry,
1)articularly : ~ plnocs
t liko Cl~iro a r ~ Co~i~(,~~iltiilo~)le,
l wherc t h y
we vcilcratorl ns clivino compositions. It mnst Irc, howovcr,
else, for with hcr thou liast no room for any other ; thou dcclarcst I
- Another Persia11 A ~ ~ t h o of
r , high r e p ~ ~ h t i o nfor
+ E s piety and
jndgment, has given R good account of t h e Scfis and their doctrines.
B e conceives, with sevorsl other R l d p ~ ~ l m a d nmiter4
n that somc
d a l l merc or t h e @fi belief; b ~ ~ t
of thc principal M ~ ~ ~ a m m i ~saints
lic nppliee this iinmc to them, n p p a r ~ n t l ~oiily , a s religious e n h -
niitl
H~:IS~S, no more. He malicd a great distinction betwecn those
wlio, wllilst t h y ~uortificdthc flcdi, nud indulged in nn enr@1ueed
]OW of thc Bluiighty, still kept withill the pnlc of revealed rcligioll ;
mid tliosc wild dcvotces ~vlio,nl~nudunin~ themselves to tlre Dcnzied
~ \ - a i i d ~ r i nof~ sn 1ic:~tcclilungin:~tion, fiullcied t h e y should dram
iicnrer unto God l-ry ~ l c ~ a r t i lfrom i g ercry thing dcevlccl rational
n111011g 111e11. *
I n niiotlicl~Ilnssage, this nutlior states, '(The AIinighty, after his
p r q h c t s niid holy tcncl~crs,esteems none nlorc tlinn the pnrc $fis,
11uc:~usotlloir clcsirc is to i-nise thcmsclvcs, tllrougli His p c e , fro111
tl~circ:~rthly lnalision t o tho heavedy regions, and t o ercllangc
tlicir l o d y a)nditioii for that of angels. I have stated what I
liiiow of thcni in n ~ yPreface. The accomplishcd a d cloqueut
:~iuuiigtlien~f m n t n o c1:~sseqtlic Huknmb, or men of scie?zce, M C ~
tliu -Eri1:11uZ, or nzcil of l ~ i e t ya i d lectming. The foimcr scck trnth
I)y dcmonstr~tiuii; tlic latter, through rerclation. There is nnothcr
d :d ~ c d 1E:~n?fi,or n m of k~~ozuledp, and A d i y z , or holy men,
alicr, in ciitlearoruring to reach n, stntc of beatitude, h a m aba~lduiied
thc world. Tlicse arc also I I E ~ IofL science; but as, through Diviue
gme, they lir~vcattniued to n st& of pelfection, their fcnrs are
hulicvcd to be less than those of others who remain in mol.ldly
o c c : ~ t i o i i s . Thus thcy ara more osnltcd, and nearer t o tho rich
iiiliclitnncc of tlie Prophct tlinii other men. No doubt there arc
irilluirieilt dnngcrs along t h e pnth : there are many false teachcm,
* A ~ A L C O L ~: THISTOILY
OF Psnsra. Some Christians in the extreme
v-est of l31igland have preached such doctrines, but practised the contrary.
-1I t i~ related that the disciple of u celebyatedSfifi, having some money
in his pocket ~ v l ~ etravelliug,
n began to express his fears. " Cast sway
tlly fear," said the old man. ('How can I cast amay a feelingf" he
replid. "By casting aaay that wliicich excites it," was the answer. IIe
cnst his money nwq, and, having nothing to lose, felt no fcnr.
A&I) POETRY OP THE $€mis. sxis
and many del~tdcdstuclents pursuing the v a p o ~ of i the desclt, like
the thirsty, t r v c l l e r ; and these, if tlicy do not rush unto their
death, rctum wearied, grieved, nnd disappointed, from having been
thc dnpes of thcir fancy. A true a n d perfect teaolicr is most rare ;
and when lie exists, to discover liiln is impossible ; for who shall
discover pcrfeotion, except H e who is himself perfect 'l who but tho
jeweller shall tell t h e price of the jewel P This is thc rcason why
so many miss the truo path, and fall into all the mazes of error.
They are dcceivcd by iqqear,mces, and waste their lives iu the
pursuit of t h a t which is most defective; conceiving all along that
it is most pcrfect ; and thus lose their time, their virtue, a d their
rcligioii. It is to save men from this dangel; that God, througli
the Prophct, has wnrned us to nttend to establishcd usages, and to
bo guided by care and pradence. Whnt has been said applies
equally to those who live in the morld, and to those who have
nbandoned it; for neither nbstinence, nor devotion, can exclude
the Devil, who will seek retired mendicants, clothed in the garb of
divinity ; and these, like other men, will discover that real hiom-
lcclge is tlie only talisman b y vhich the dictatcs of the good can
be &sthguislied from those of the evil spirit. The travcllel; oil
the path of @if?-ism, must not, therefore, be dcstitute of worldly
knowledge, othelvise ho will be alike exposed t o danger from excess
or deGcie11cy of zcal, and he will ccrtaidy act c o n t r i y to tho most
saored of his duties. A senseless ~ n a nis likely to exceed the just
boundg in t h e practice of abstinence and abstraction, m d then
both his bodily and mental frame become dected, and he loses his
labour nnd his object."
the Siifi teacher," continues q j z i Nii-ullah, L'professes to
instruct his disciple how to restore the ilmard man hy purifying
the spirit, cleansnsing the heart, enlightening the hcacl, and anoiut-
ing the soul : and whcn all this is donc, they affirm that his desircs
shall be nccomplished, and his depraved qualities changed into
XSX REhlAltKS ON TIIE MYSTIC DOCTRINE
thesc psendo friends had, to increase the bull< of their own col-
lection of the poet's odes, mixed up a q~&kitY of their own trashy
coinpositions with Ralpiin's, and had added, or ralher forged, his
mine to them in the last couplets. I n this manner two of these
collections of odes were made, and y e r e styled Ralpan's first and
second. Fortunately for his seput~tioii,these forgeries mere clis-
covered in time, by some of t h e clewest of the poet's friends, who
recogvised or remcmberad the puticular poems of his oomposi-
n
tion ; and they accordingly rajected tho chaff, retaining the wheat
only, in tlie shape of his Diwiin, or alphabetical oolleotion of odes,
as it has come down to the present day. Still, considerable differ-
ences exist in many copies, some odes having. a line mom or a
line less, whilst some again contain odes that are entirely wanting
in others. This caused me considerable troulslo when preparing
several of them for insertion in mJ' Selections in the Af&h
Language;" but it was attended with a proportionate cleflee of
advantage, having altogether cornpaxed some sixty different copies
of the poet's works, of various dates, some of which wese mitten
shortly after Ramiiu's death, when his friends had succeeded in
collecting thc poems in a single volume.
By some ncco~ults,tlie poet mould appear to have been a co-
temporaiy of the waiiior-poet, JQu&l~%l &In ;"and it has been
stated, that on two or thvee*occasio~sthey hcld poctical disputa-
tions together. This, however, cannot be time; for it seems that
although RGrnfm was living towwds the latter part .of that bravo
chieftain's lifc, yet he- was a mere y o ~ t h ,aud was, more correctly
speaking; a cotemporary of Af@ &&ids, tho gl*anclson aud suc-
cessor of Rhush@l, and the author of that rare, excellent, and
extensive Af&%n history, entitlod, uTBri~-i-Murassase,"and other
valuable works. A proof of the incomctness of this statement
is, thm! the tsagiod end of Gul a & n and Jam81 Qiin, which
Ra@iin and the poet Ham-d also have dcvotecl a long poem to,.l*
took placc in tho year of the Hijrah 1123 (A. D. 171l), twenty-five
y e u s after the death of Rhushw. Anothel; and still strongor
proof against thc stntemcnt of poetical disputations having taken
place between them, is the fiact of RaJ,lm%nlsretired life, and his
humble position, as compmed with that of Khush@l, the chief of a
powel-ful tribo, 2nd as good a poet as himself.
hIy mcdpiug for thc beloved llnth passed beyond all computntion ;
Yet the clear one is in no wny affected at the sight of my teirs.
Though cveiy one of my words should be pearls of great pike,
Still she tlotll not account them at nll worthy of her e m .
Were she ovwcome by sleep, I wodd arouse her by my cries ;
But though fully awake, my loved one is asleep iinto me.
Like unto a writing, I speak, thongh with mouth coverccl ;
But my silence surpasseth my mails and my lamentations.
Wllen is there security for the crop of love in scolzhing gro~ud!
It requireth n snlamandel. t o mist i n this clewt of minc.
This is not my love that separation hath parted from me :
'1% my sod, which hat11 become separated from this body of mine.
I, RAE~IXN,desire nnught else thnu the belovod of my hemt,
Should my prayer be nccoptod nt the tlireshold of the Almighty.
IV.
VI.
14 ~EA~{D-cR-RAHMI~N.
VIII.
l
Ithere bo any blessing, trnly, i t is that of devotion :
Consider that there is no greater good, in this morld.
* That is to say, the signs aud omens of the approach of the end of
the molid.
t The deposit or pledge for the observance of fnith and obedience unto
God. See MipS, Poem VI., second note.
f The mode of salutation in Eastern countries is, by raising the riglit
hand to the forehead, or by placing it to the breast.
If exalted rank be of advantage nnto nny one,
A high place is justice and equity, in this world.
No other regrets can be taken ont of it by us,
Save those of affection and kindness, in this world.
Tho whole of that world's traffic is carried on in this,
If one desire to follow cornrnorce, in this world
If man's good fortuno may not have become invcrtcd,
The t m t h is by no means hiddeli from him, in this world.
It behoveth that good be rendered for good, evil for evil,
If any one seek after holii~ess,in this world.
The Almighty hath bestowed sanctity upon them,
Who have ~ h o mstcdfastness and constnncy, in this world.
Should d l created beings combinc in union togethei;
They will not be able to change the^ lot, in this world.
If any olle here below oaii be called a man, verily 'tis hc
Who may have neither need nor necessity, in this world.
' Since solicit~tdeon its account is the cause of all sin,
How can people show such a hankering, for this world ?
Over BA~MHN, indeed, this life hath passed away,
Even as a short honr glideth aany, in this world.
Its old and its young, &ke, arc all rivals of each other-
Where is the true friend in the region of this world 7
Whatever may be created, the whole shall f d e and perit&-
Draw new ! behold the raids and ravages of this wodd !
* The play upon the words 'head' and ' head-man' here is almost lost
i n the tsanslution.
u a
9
One hour it may be spring-in another, aut~unnwill come ;
For 110 peimanence mhatevei; hat11 the spring of this world.
Tliongll thousands of props should be placed to support it,
Without foundation, notwithstanding, is the mdl of this world.
Since thou pnssest thy days in jollity, and thy nights in slnmbci;
When, 0 uunfort~mnte! milt thou bring the Almighty to mind 3
Thy departure, if thou asl; avare, will be extremely preoipitatc-
Be not, theil, numindful of the exceeding ~hortnessof life !
Thy breath and thy footsteps hero are all, d l computed ;
Therefore step not on this path inconside~ntelyand in error.
I n the book, the Almiglity hath sent a statement of tho account :
See, then, thou make Lhyseff with both account and book ao-
qurhted.
1 nrn fully aware that, originally, thou w t of the earth;
Why then, with thy fingcs, removcst thou thc dust from thy person ?
Not until thy thirst for t i i s world shall hsvc become queuchcd,
Shalt thou, a t the judgment, become satiated with thewater ofliib.
Weigh thou, then, with thine own hands, this good and evil,
A; to how much t h y wicked actions do exceed ihc good.
In that world, after what manner will thy answcr be,
Seeing that in this, thou s~1.twholly unable t o reply ?
To-day that thou runnest t o the shack for shelter from the sun :
I n e n it stands but n spew's height? above thee, what wilt thon clo
rlcqniesce not, o R h l p ~ d! ~
in csnsing affliction uuto anypone,
'
If thou clesirest salvation froin the torments to come.
XI.
I
XII.
XIII.
XV.
This is the adored one-that is the rival :
This is tho rose-that is the thbm.
9 Abii Sinil, the ('father of rivers," the name given by the Af&Bns to
the Indus.
This is t h e rose-that is the thorn :
This is Mansfir*-.that the gallows-tree.
This is the beloved-that tho malicious :?.
'l'his is t h e treasure-that is the sn&.
Thiv is misdom-and that is love :
This is anapish-that the consolor.
This is separation-that is conjunction :
This is autumn-that the fresh spring.
This is devotion-that is si~~fuluoss :
This is refulgence-bltt that is fire.
This is tlie wise man-that is the fool :
I
This is avxlre-but that is asleep.
This is RiqnriT~--tlx~l; is the adored : .
This is the sick-that is the physicinn.
XVII.
XVIII.
* The loves of Majnfin and his mistress Layla are the subject of one
of the most celebrated mystic poems of tlle Persian poet N i z ~ m i ,and
famous tliroughout the East.
I 11me ncither inquiry nor research to mnlre, save after thee :
Thou art my object every moment, and at every step.
Sho~dcli t be my good fortune to obtnin the l~lnttersof thy dogs,
1 would no more cast mine eyes, even q o n Jamded's cup."
So completely have I gambled away my heart up011 thy c~wls,
As when a little button fdleth, and, in inurky clarhess, is losl,.
All ensmg~~.ined
in blood, like unto red roses h a g ,
A thousand hearts in every ringlet of t h y curly hair.
I, R A ~ U ~vitl~drarrm
N, from tho morld, mns happy indeed ;
B n t l o o l h ~ gtoma~dsthee, hat11 b r o ~ ~ g mads
ht censure on me.
xx.
The Pair face t w i e t h Like unto a smoky pot in old age :
The ul~rigl~t-statued hecometh like a bent stick, in old we.
Like unto the candle in t h e morning or the snn in minter,
One t ~ w n e t hpalo, nud wanteth warmth, in the time of old ago.
If a person place his fpot in one direction, he goeth in mothel-;
The whole body bccomoth quito a stranger to us, in old age.
One's limbs are laid out, a s if accounted among the dend,
Although he is still pdpnbly beheld alive, in old age.
XXI.
Hc who placeth any hope upon the fabric of thi6: world,
Embarketh, on a tour of the ocean, in a pnpor boat.
No one hitherto hath successfully run the steed of tho s$+-
How can ono practise horsemanship on the back of thc wiud?
Neither can the wolf bd instructed in the art of humanity,
Nor can any reliance be placed on the forbearance of fatc.
F o r t u e revolveth equally with Iskm 'and with idolatry-
When dot11 the blind m&e distinction 'twixt white and black ?
With mine own eyes ham I viewed the po~-tentsof destiny :
T t crentetl~thouam& e ~ e r ymoment, and destroyeth &em too.
I am unable to place any such trust in fate's revolutions,
As that when its time cometh, it will grant exemption to me.
No one, indeed, will have experienced in lriil whole lifetime,
Such severity as tho beloved-one, l~omly,wreaketh npon me.
XXII.
XXIII.
* The patrim~chJoseph.
+ The name of Af@~apoets.
$ Balam-gir-'LThe world-conquering"-tlle name assumed by
Auranpceb, Emperor of Hindiisth
D
They are all fools, who barter their rcligion for t h e modd-
Where we fifty clays ? where cteruity a i d everlasting life ?
. Though kings mcl princes have made tgeir exit from t i e world,
It hat11 not become, in anywise, imperfect or clefeotive thereby.
Though thousnncls, every moment, perish mlcl pass away,
Thousands, likewise, every instant, are into it brought.
Of their exits mcl their cntrnnces there is no computntion :
They am like unto the fathomlcss ocean .$hat rolleth.along.
A t m~other'ss o ~ ~ o wmail
s , cloth not become affected :
He is done sensitive of what hap.ppeneth t o himself.
One, so illustrious as the Prophet, passed from t h e world away ;
Yct this world did not become ruinecl by that separation.
xxv.
The chiefs and the moawchs of the world,
At last, abject and confounded, depa~t.
They we fastened to the link-ropo of fate,
Like aa ca1)tives togetbcr ni-c chainecL
Smeet existence departeth from him,
And the king hath neither powor nor control.
Though he give w a y wealth and lands,
E e obtaiileth ileitllcr quarter nor mercy.
C
Not even a record of him remnincth ;
Nut cvcn his title, to futme times.
?'he wolld, verily, is like a ruiining etreiun,
Upon which no 'impression can remaiu.
Though o m mny people a thousand spots,
Still, nll, a t lnet, must desolnto become !
Like a3 tho mind cometh and passet11 by,
So rolleth awny the course of timc !
XXVII.
Many awake, are fast asleep, like the stntue, with eyes open :
Though i t regud thee with sbriug eyes, anrake, account i t not.
The object to be conveyed by tlic faces of the fair, is a certain
emotion :
That which procluceth not such impression, n face, mcount it not.
The thorn, wllich is along with the rose, is among roses reckoned :
What mattor though 't is termed a thorn 1 as such, nccount i t not.
The misc mc those, who confess themselves wanting in wisdom-
They who account tl~emselvessage, as wcll, account tllcm not.
Be, indeed, is sinful, zulto whom his o m sins are llot evident :
Wliocvcr co~isidorethhimself evil, as such, account him not.
He, who hnth confessed tho power of his beloved one's dark loclrs,
~ ; then tmanquil, account hiln not.
WiI1 be disturbed f o evcr
Let him, ~ 1 1 0seeketh perfection, p~.nctiscthe lowliness of R A ~ I H:N
That is thc Bxl~eclient: my other plan, successf~d,account it not.
Would to llcnvcn tliat I wero the clust and nshes a t thy door !
Wonld that thy foot were, for ever, placed upon my heacl !
By all memns, let thee and me meet face to face;
Thcn let my breast be tho target f o thine
~ ai.130ms!
Let my whole body, lilro ~ntiniony,be ground t o powclcr *;'
For tlien, a t least, one glance of thy dark eyes d l be rninc.
Were the society of the fair rlepearlcnt on gold or silvcl;
I had acquired it, by my sallownkss, a d m y silvel*ytears.
Whcrefoq indoetl, had reproachts becn uttered against mc,
If auy one had been nrna1.e of thy hed1.t-ravishing ways 1
Should I tell them of t h o dignity thy l o v ~hath brought me,
~ ~ lgO that me mere h~lrnantoo !"
Tho angels, all, T V O U cry,
If I mere the heart-r,ivishei,, and thou, like me, Clie hea1.t-ravished,
The ~pectaoleof my condition would thcil be manifest to thee.
" Thou monldst be better mere t h y state even worse than it is."
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
T h e face of the belovecl, the sun, a i d tho moon, aro all three one :
H e r stature, the cypress, nnd tkc pine, are d l t h e e one.
XXXII.
XXXV.
To the lovel; if tlierc is aught in lifa, 't is the socicty of his beloved-
The life of sepmation canuot bc reckoned ns existeuce.
It increaseth arid giaweth less, in the tn~inlilingof the eye-
Reliance on the ravolutions of fortnue is no rclinnee whatever.
If one be the father of a hundrecl sons, what shall he do mith them 'l
Thc ignorant, foolish son, is not the son of his fathcr.
Unto their lovers, thc beloved ones ever manifest their caprices ;
But tho beloved of R,rI;rnrX~oauscth him no disquietude.
* The name of a tree, whose fruit and flowers arc of a beautiful red
colour-the Cercis Siliguastrz~nz,of botmists, pobably.
Can any one cause a single flower t o grirw from out the cart11 7
Yet Hc hnth made to bloom gardens of sweetest flowers. .
H a t h any one the pomer t o pro(111ce mnter from fire?
He, from the fire of s~rmrne~, hat11 produced the minter rains.
H n t h m y one the ability to impart rcligion unto mmi!
Y e t He, npon dl His servants, hath fslith and religion bcstoycd.
Can any one ascend from earth t o Heaven 1
Yet this potent power, He hath, nnto Jesus Chist, assigned.
Who is there tbnt .can hold converso 116th the Almighty 2
Yet, tb this degrce, He hath the patriarch Moses esaltecl.
Who is mighty enough to place a, sadcllo on the steed of the mind ?
Whilat H e hath, high in air, the tlxone of Suliman sct LIP.+
What man, with snowy bend, can, urto the Last Dny, live 'I
Yet, upon a i m , + this great favour hth He confei~ed.
I Ha& any one powey to proclncc gems from O L L ~the rain-drops ?
Whilst He, from out the rain-rlrops, hath proclucecl pcnds.
David when only twelve years olcl ; at which age the Almighty placed
under his command dl manlcind, the bensts of the earth and the fowls of
the air, the elements, and the genii. The birds were his constant xttend-
ants, screenhg him from the inclemencies of the weather, mhilst his
magnificent throne was boim by the minds whithersoever he wished
to ga.
t The name of u prophet, who, nccolding to Oriental tradition7was
Wazir, or W~iister,and General of ICayltobBcl, nn ancient King of Persia.
They say Bat he cliscovererl and drmk of the fountain of life or immor-
tdity, and that7in consequence, he will not die uutil the sounding of the
last trumpet, at the dudgm~ntDay.
That which He can perfom, none else can accom~~lisli :
All tlrc niost powerful are impotent, befo1.e His omnil)otence.
EIe hxth fouudecl the houso of stone in the midst of the waters,
I11 ~vlvEllcliHe hath given, unto fire, security and protection." ,
pcople.
The poetry of MirzI is deeply tingccl d t h the mysticivins of the
Sfifis, and, to some extent, with the religions tenets of his a n c e s t o r
Pir Ros'&m. His cff~~sionsare, cer-tailily, more difficult than t h a t
of m y other poet, from the £act of their being (as I think will be
allowed) more sublime, 'md pander in conception.
It is said t h a t Nirzh in tllc Litter yews of his life, married a n d .
settled iu the T i - d district,
~ lying immediately to the south of the
fnmons JJbaibar Pnss, and ignored the RO&IUKL~faith, wliicIi iu
his more yo~zthfddays lie had ilcloptecl, a i d lnarlifested great
repentance for every thing ho had mitten or said, contmi-y to tho
-
S J L C L ~ or
, o~+thodoxcanons of tho 3Iulg~mmclaucreed. On t1li.r
- accouut, 1x3 soon became great with the ecclesiastics of Pe&iwar-
a city, in those days, as famous as Uouiirii itself for tlloologicel
learning-and tllenceforth mas held in high estimation by them.
His rlosccudnnts, on this accoumt, aro still greatly respected by tllc
M~~\lamma&aua of those paits, whether Af&iins or otllers.
Nothing is known, for certain, regarding the dent11 of Mirz&; for
he pnssorl a great portion of his lifo in Hinchist?m, and must have
ended his days in that country." His descundants still dwell in .
the Ti-6h dist~ict,amongst the clan of Mi-an n e l , and have the
~ e ~ uoft ebcing quiet and well beha&. There is generally one of
the family who follows the life of an ascetic ; and is allonwl, by the
simple people, to hnve the powor of modcing miracles.
' A person named YirzE, sun of Kcr-ud-Din, one of the sous of Pis
Bo&En, lived in ShEh Jah%'s reign, and wns 1;illed at the buttle o f
, DswktZbZd.
0 THOU, ill heart ignorant concerning thine own sod !
0 man, scck thon the nat~meof it, from kilo redity itself!
Vrom tlic rcfdgence of religion, acquire thou comprahenaioil :
I<cnr away, mito tho dcscrt, this d:L1.kncss of illfidelity !
Sill : ~ l ~ n i i J;oand
~ i set ont towarcls devotion alld piety !
This is the road, witliont anxiety, and from danger freo.
'Uiis sccrct pmisc is thc 1:unp of t m t h and orthodoxy ;
Tli~rcfo~c, fro111 tlie Iinlnncdate's l ~ ~ n the
d , lightcd lamp ti~lic.
Sliodd purccl~tioii'slight become ciilundlecl in thino heart,
Tllo~lwilt, nltoyctlicr, acquire life's happiness a d felicity.
'rhc p c t m t i n g , nild the clilightcncd, are spectators of both worlds ;
Uut tllc bat flicth about in the cktrk, mitliout seeing.
t I, blind tliat I am, know of the state of tho sublime S
W l ~ x do
How wilt thou, f i m l thc deaf, ask thc import of sound ?
Thou wilt comprehend, forthwith, the language of d l things,
Slionldst thou, sagacious one ! make thino heart's ear t o hew.
Err not, regnrciing the amomt of nttribntes aucI properties ;
And unto the sowco of t,lie essencc, bcais tho esvcllce itself,
'About their o m materiality, the ciiliglltencd are in torment ;
Unt therc can bc no dread of mortality from corruption itrsclf.
From the firat, thy root germinated from me, and flo~vishocl:
The development of thy p~uposedevolved, wholly, on me."
The reply from tho trec, how eve^, is here somd slud wisc,
T h o ~ g hthe obsei.vation of its fruit is, of attention, mo~thy.
On all sides, where'cr I cast mine eyes, of eye17 tinge and dye,
The chequered owpet of tho Grent Chmnh-lain is sprcacl out.
The co~wtlesscimttures tht, @ all clhections, meet the eye,
Arc the army of this grcnt chess-bod, in order anrmmlgcd.
Here, the destiny of eveq one, mllrutevc~he may be, is EuIfiUed-
From tho game's conullencemcnt, the Imights we momlted, the foot-
man on foot.
And mnkincl themselves, originally, are of one origtn nud race ;
Yet somo rulc empires, whifst ot1~01.sbeg from door t o door !
Though tho beasts of the ficlcl exist, from inconvenieuce frec,
Tllu whole buden of 'LDo" and Rofi-ain" is laid upon mankind.
('
Unto every maw his own private intcrcsts are tho most npccnl~le;
"
Ant the docrees of the Great Juclgc are aeparrdcly meted unto dl.
!rho mei7cyof tlle N1-mercif~ilis ecludy extended to all men;
Though some haw chosen t b dony ' ~ i m whilst
, others haw obeyed.
;
Poy the use of manl~indwcre dl living ci'eahu'es prod~~ced
A~ldmm himsclf' created, to acq~~ireImowlec~geof thc tnlth.
He, who ill this life, ncq~&vthnot a percoption of the nature diviue,
Hath nanght of liumnnity in him; mcl 't i s just to term him a
beast.
W~osoevergivdh car unto thc inordinate promptings of canlality,
Though, in outward appeamncc, he liveth, yet his soul is nmiliilated.
Wliereforc doth he givc himself airs about this ~ h o r existence
t ;
Since, without :m aim, he is stniding like a signpost in tlic pl~tll?
Like unto t l e hare, mith eyes wide opeu, h e for cvcr slcepeth :
I n v h d maliner, as though cntrancod, shall the slcep-ovcrcomc
awake 1 '
He hath abandoned the path a t the copnscl of the Accused :
His mild is misled by hypoorisy's manifold deceits.
The poor, ignornnt ccreature is nccow~tcd n clcmon, and boast of
pray :
Even worsc still-he is amongst decayed carcasses numberccl.
His dark, confined heart is as ,z tomb; for his soul is dead :
His decked-out body, a grave, on which the mould is hcatcn down.
His distressed and distracted mind is the emblcm of the worm :
His scpulchre is intact : i t is his.so~dthat is dcvoyred.
IIe hnth no pcnce nor tmmqaillity : i~oughtelse save torment :
Eveiy moment overwhelmed in misery : driven away ns one ~uzclem.
Hc posscssetl~not strength snfficiont, the h ~ u n a nform to support-
110toolr'tho deposil; on his head, without calculating its vciglii."
Like unto t h e mulc, it is expelled from its own lcinthed racc,
That, -which being one by nature, hqth become, mith another, mixed.
Tyrant i ~ n dfool that he was, he sho~ddhave acted in this may-
H C should have ciied vith piercing cries, and have daslied his hcad.f-
Such a ponderous load, as neither Deaven nor earth cod& hew,
By w h ~ strcngt11
t could the weak, helples~,ignorant, sust5~iii1
I11
*, stands f o e\L,
~ of wl1ic11it ie the first lette~,signifying u. pilgrim,
a traveller, and, metaphorically, ;I devotee.
t A custom of acat,tering money, by way of lmgess, amonget the
people on festive occasions.
v.
is significant of faith's straight ailcl narrow path ;"
Aud, after much terror %nd danger, its goal is attained.
The artifices and deceits of the Devil are mani'fold in iiuinbcr ;
BLI~far, far morso than L ~ O R C , is that enemy the flesh.
Follow thon not, in pwsuit of the lnsts of t h e world :
The state is evil, a i d their promptings are pernicions.
The Devil spread out for mnn, the snwe of postcrity ;
And vedth, m d vmio~mpleaswes, are thc hnits thereon.
VII.
The r n ~ ~ n d athings
m of this world are n dream :
Now give thon the interpretation of the truth.
Subtile and profo~~nd are the words of MTRzK :
I
11 their dncidntioi~,do thou thy percepiiou shorn !
VIT I.
IX.
"iid is the Arabian name of Og) the son of Anali, uoncerning whose
enormous stature, his escaping the Rood, aid the manner of hi? being
slain by Moses, the &Lulpmrnadansrelate numerous fables. See Nunmsas,
xxi. 31,36.
t The bridge over the infernal fire, and over which those who are to b e
admitted into Paradise, as well as those who are destined to Hell-fire,
must psss. I t is described as finer than the thread of a famished apider,
and sharper than the edge of a sword.
f ( ( I n remoteat time, the swold was emblematic of chastity. When
the Emperor Maximilinn married Maria of 13urguildg by proxy, he
enjoins the knight) who is to he his repretesentative, to lay him down in
the bridal bcd, to which he is to lead the princess, in full armour, and to
place a drawn sword between himself and her."-C~anmnns' JOUI~NAL,
Vol. XI. From this it wonld appear to have been also practised bg the
nations of the East.
If i t be thy wish to pass through life, fi~onlh a t i d a i d malice free,
From tlio longings of covetonsness deliver this spotless breast.
apprent, precions to me !
XIII.
XIV.
d
His prosperity is trouble-he goweth clown-hearted thereby :
Ancl his fresh aciversity acldeth twofold misery his SOWOFZ'Sunto.
Every man, who secketh fidelity from the perfidions world,
Taketll it, in lease, for much bitterness, and many WOCY.
Succcss aucl clisastey-goocl and evil-are with the act conpled ;
But fools suppose such things influenced by the stms.
I am amam4 beyond measure, a t such lilrc people,
Who place any iseliancenpon the 11ubble'spernmncncy.
The ocean's wmes will, one dayy dash agniilst cach other ;
Ancl will, f ~ dspeedily,
l t h e grwvlent of the bubble rend
Whcn the pions and dcvont viev this running stream,
T h y pcrccive, in its flowing, the scene of their own existcnce.
Tho wise &itor upon tlic search of tho object of their desires :
The beasts of the field, about food a i d slccp, themselves concep.
VVheu the adorcrs m&c from the dumber of remissi~ess,
They take due heecl of t h c fleeting of every b~eatli.
That the traveller may, from his sweet rcposc nlvalccn,
The mwtiing bell of depnrtm, tolleth at the dawn of clay."
The delight of the D:mve& is in feivour, 'and in stndy :
Thc pleasure of Chiefbniris is iu thck banners m c l &1~11s,
That coumtry cannot be exempt from confusion and ruin,
Whose army iiiclulgeth in grossest t y ~ m n yand rapacity.
I f a friend shodcl lend ear ~ u t othe secret of the stsaIiges,
Friencls mill, theinsclves, ruin their own nf&irs, thereby,.
" It is usual t o +ig a bell at the dswn of day, to nrouse the people of
u cnmvan to prepare to set out.
When the mandate of the All-poweifd shall ~ m c hhim,
Prom whence shall MinzX's strength a 1.eluecly obtain ?
XVI.
xvIr.
What inqliry mnlrest tliou conceriliiig the lover's couMtion ?
No one hnth haznrclcd n coiijectn~eof the interminable r o c d !
Wherefore had I becii nfflioted with misery snch ns this,
Had I. guwclecl the heart fiom hcuiilg tlie sight's p r o q t i n g s 'I
How can thcre bc m y peace or tmiqnillity for them,
Whose he;uits, the ardent glances of the beloved have a1)clucted ?
Love, she hntli madc tlic chain of a diatmctcd b r ~ s ;t
And, by tlic ponTerof llcr glnucc, rllxnrcth the hold uuto her.
A mo~ldrousstate of nffoction lmth come ovcr them-
Without sccing, t l ~ e ywc disturl)ecl, and in pursuit tired out.
W i t l i o ~m
t y mill of their own, they seawh for liberty :
With mcli n death impending, the dead yen11 after lifc.
When the ripe &nit falleth t o the ectrtli, in its perfection,
The seed, vith gia&lc&s, boweth its head to the gr.~und.
This bubble, even now foimed by tho water, is by i t agdu broken ;
But what is carried away by the flood, flonteth, its surface, upon.
!l'hcy of little sense, arc at their good fortuue pei-plexod ;
A i d this mind, like unto chaff, cnl~icththem before it.
Onc, here and tlicre, comprehelldetll the reality's p ~ q o r t -
Thk lightly equipped trnvelleth, easily, along tlic narrow pntll.
Cast, 0 Minzi, thine eyes upon the b~umishcdmirror !
There is 110 particle of iron-dross in tlic steel tliereof.
XVIII.
XX.
Bow long wilt thou wander, 0 covetous one ! in the world's pwsnit 'l
This very avarice, i n itself, is au impediment in t h y design !
For far fiercer thnn fire, is t h e ffamc of covetousness :
As much more as its food m a y be, so mnch is its voracity.
New caros and mxietiea about it, eveiy moment increase :
I t hath taken all zest and plensurc from its bondsmen.
I t coquets and toys, separately, with oveiy one :
To t h e whole creation it is t h e seller, and they its buyers we.
Neither did &ad&& in his arrogmce, enter his paradise,'"'
Nor did 1l;kan-1 derive any profit from its pursuit.
" Shaddad and Shacldid, the two sons of B s d , who reigned shortly
after the death of their fnther, and extended their power over tlie grenter
part of the world ; bnt the lntter d,ging, his brother became sole inonnrch ;
who having- heard of the celestial palsadise, made >L garden in imiti~tion
thereof, in the deserts of Adell, and called it hem, aftcr the nnme of
his great-grandfather. When it was finished, he set out, with n great
nttendmce, to tnlce a view of it ; but whcn they were come withi11 a
clay's journey of the place they were all clest.ro;yed by a terrible noise
from hewen. ~ A L E ' SK u i t ' n ~ , pege 488, and note.
t I<bsEn, the son of Pe&w (or Izhtlr), tlie uncle of Moses, n i ~ dcon-
0
m
It conceded religion from the childsen of profanity ;
And thc straight-path, mcre rites and ceremonies termed.'
It hath spread out a, great net in this universal roncl ;
A d no wise man, save the oontented, esc+apcth from it.
The pions and dcvout, thro' contentment, peace of nlind acquire,
When mito the Consolel; they theis distressed hcwts tum.
From head to foot, the clcvo~~t
shall become illumined,
When they, tlwo' their heal%$ cousage, t o the'Croaior chaw nigh.
Hc, who hat11 dicd ~ m t othe morlcl, obtniueth all tliings-
This is tho great axiom of the Somcr of bygone times.
The advantages he mill acq~me,will exceed d l computation,
Wlm, in his necessities, hccometh the acquker of the Giver of Good.
EABD-UL-HAMID.
"prelate,
A
a doctor
priest, a lcarlied
learned in the lqw, n venernblc old man.
man.
Tllc hand of despnir he will soon place upon his hip,"
girdeth ny his loins, hi the world's people'confiding.
0 &\>rin ! thc fostering of the flesh's l m t s is improper ;
Fol. no one, swely, showeth nffectiol~ for'an inveterate foe !
-'The term ('placing the hand on the hip," is similar to one's scratch-
ing his head, or puttinghis finger in his mouth, when entirely at a loss
what to do.
Absurdly, thou attachest tl~ineheart to the somds of it8sdrum ;
For the worlcl is a biidal proccssion-the mere guest of an ho~u..
No one hath becorde a gainci; by its imdc and its traffic ;
For- the woi~lclis 8 seller of barley, thongh an exposer of mhetlt.
It is not meet, that thc good and great bend tlwir steps towarcls it ;
For. this world is a spectacle-n mere children's shorn.
and is many therein, but Iaugheth a t himself;
HAMID,who' l~~ugheth
For, incleed, tho world is only a place of sorrow and of grief.
Since thou art the light of miile eyes, when thou art nbsent,
How shall I, the view of the pwterre and its fi-agrillltflowei~,enjoy?
Since I am cmiied to the fire, perpetually, like meat for thc lqoast,
Of what use t o me is existence, like sl~ugllter,without thee 2
" Yaman-Arabia Felix, celebrated throughaut the East fur its tulips
and its rubies.
t A country of Chinese T%?tary,famous for its musk, mid the beauty
of its women.
VII.
IX.
XI.
'Wiilicntnl mime, or species of nmber, which hns the virtue of' attrncting
stmws.
This refers pnrticularly to Af&m motliers very often becoming the
innocent cause of the death of thek infants, from falling asleep whilsli
giving suck at night, nnd the nipple being in the infanl's mouth, the
weight of the breast itself snffocntes the child.
By the recollection, every moment, of the mole of my beloved,
A musk-pod, as it wer0, becometh broken upon my head,
The RustnmsQ of patience and abstinence7 like little chilcben,
Take shelter,, in retiremonk, from the crushing blow of love.
At t h e fo~ultainof union's attainment, I dic, with lips parched,
R o m th; burning fever of the dread of sepnmtion.
Since the elf-willed, like HAN~D,
they have made humble,
Love's pomp and grnildeur are not withont mishaps and blows.
XII.
c.
The friendship of thiii morlcl's friend is false and hollow :
From the tulip thou seekest pwmanence, unavnilingly."
Like unto one who vnidg c d e t h to n goose for n poi.riuger,t
So abslu'cl, hnth becofie, the hope of m y constmoy.
Siuoe no one is the gainey from a fiicncl's fricndsliip,
Lot not this unprofitrtldc, gainlcss trade be enterod 011.
He, who in his necessities, crt~vethaught fimn fato's revolutions,
Unrtvnilingly, numeth af$er the ligl~tning'sbright gleams.
To-morrow, thy manliness will bc, from thy acts, seen ;
Therefore, in boasting, miso no foolish noise, to-day.
Speaking, without acting, is meit trouble and vcxation : .
The kernel of desirc, by this absurdity, cannot be obtained.
' He, who may open his inontli nuto the menu m d base,
Renclereth the pclvrls of hi8 o m speech worthless, altogether.
When, thereby, its ovn rcnt garment it onnnot tggetlmr,
The rose, unreasonably, laugheth, at the weoping of the dew.$
Siuce, in the flame, 0 H A X ~!Dthe inotli uttereth no ciy,
Tho m,iliiig of the nightiugnle for the rose, is utterly vniii.
Like the rose, tliy face shn11 glow beforc every one,
IT thou bnt mash thc.facc of the heart with blood.
The darlrsomc stain of tliy eagerness mill not clisappcw,
Till, with patience's pearl-powder, than cleallse ndt the face.
The pztient ~~i~lcl
s~~bmissive,&om 1~11clcnccm d ~ ~ I ~ ~ u ~ c s s ,
Are ni~nbleto look q o n their own f m x , the mirror nithin.
H e mlio beareth the blister of toil arid lnbolu; upon his hand,
Will gnze, williont apprehension, on the suiface of the gem.
Unto the wise, a display of knowledge is a p a t defect-
Tho lustre of the gem change& the mirror to an earthen plate.
If thou seok after distinction in t h e court of the adored,
Like as the mirror, smear oovei. thy face with ashes m d dust.
The ardent longing of HA?& containeth na~ightof sinfi~liiess;
It only sceketh everymhere, for t h t which it hath lost.
XVIII.
* It is supposed that the complnints and the curses of the oppressed are
most effectire at the dawn of duy.
t See note at page 89.
If thou, 0 moi~itor! cdlost tllysclf as wise as Rnto,
Uilto me, in sooth, thou art but Mrqjn~n'scrnxy brotI~c~~."
I mill now embmce the paganism of snblo ringlets,
1E thou givcst m y of thy aclmouitions mlto me.
0 fool l love hath vanquislleci many pomcrful ones :
Why then, 011 the strength of thy hypocriticnl austerity, so cl& 1
TVhat idol is it, 0 ~ m i o that
, is resting 011 thy hdayt,
Unto which, thou art ever, in andration, bcnt down ?
XIX.
XX.
XXII.
XXIII,
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
' XXX.
XXXI.
At tho present time, extinct is the principle of sincerity!
That which is tdmn now, is but the empty nmnc of sincority !
I discovci~nought elsc, whatevel; save duplicity and deceit,
Though I Iinve carefully cxnlnined the horoscope of sincerity.
Let any one, with the finger, unto me a single man point out,
Whose acts arc in nccord~nccwith the usages of sincerity.
As thong11 follcs, festive songs, ovei a dencl bride, should sing ;
So entirely hollow and dolofd are the drum souids of sinccrity.
When the occupation of h t h e r and son, is dissimulntion,
What then remaineth of tho colour and odour of sincerity 'l
Because hypocrisy hnth destroyed the tasto of the world's mouth ;
Hence poison of the infernal tree" is the sweet savour of sinocrity.
Examine closcly the cottages and the muisions of the niorlcl :
Say, hnth any om laid on their malls n dnglc layer of sincority 1
\
XXXIII.
To this degree, art thon become absorbed in thine own selfid1
objects,
That thc interests of otllers aro good for nothing, in thy sight,
, I a
When the feasible wishes of otl~ersarc so difficult uuto thee,' .
W!.~at rcraedy milt thou devise, as to t l k e own impossible oiles ?
Until, of thine o m frec will, thou carry ont the mishcs of others,
120w, by the means of them, sli,zll thy oilcls be efccted?
"T;Vhcre therc is no object, wllat ia the object !"-so the proverb
runneth ;
Hence, for tlie lamp, thc niglltingde no solicitude showeth.
Dost repeat a prayel; that ;twit11 sucli vehemence thou criest P
Calling y o n the Ahniglity, is not the object of thy invocations !
Without being summoned, folks wound thc lamp assemble,
Becausc, with silent mouth, it mentioneth its aims and wishes.
I n all this a n o u t of trouble, t h t he tulreth on himself,
Tlie giving of advice a ~ l dadmonition is the o d y object of HAAI~I).
n
When, 0 counsellor ! miU they become acceptnble unto lavers-
T h e monlr-anil-hermit-approvedexpostulations of thinc ?.
XXXVI.
* They say, in the East, thnt pearls ore fonned by the oyster reoeivjlig
a single drop of rain-water in its shell.
P
They mill not leave theo, 0 B~nrin! -in thy decency, and repute ;
Since the base and inhmous have become the great ones of tlm age.
XXXVII.
I perceive in friendship togcthcl; the vile, deceitful modd ;
By which meand its peoplo have forfeited tho c o ~ m t gof truth.
It appcaseth unto me, merely poison mixed with sugw,
This, than honey or than sugal; more seemingly, loving world.
Be mindful never to sit iu tlie assembly, a t any time soevel.,
Of this, without hurt, and without dutriinent, woe-begonc world !
When is the brightness of any one's face agrcoablc or pleasing,
I n the dark eyes, of tho uuto-justicc-bleas-eyed world 'l
Let it be an oblation on the d t a r of a single grain of modesty,
The hunch-ed-weight-lascivious,wanton, shnmeless world !
I n reality, it is but a useless shell, without a keruel,
The prescnt race ofmankind in comparison to tho past.
The hand, from toil blistored ovel; is, truly, Yamnu* in itself;
Then why, in search of rubies, dot11 the scabby world wring its hands 1
From tho vile and base, i t behovoth well, tho 11east's secret to gumd-
I n the flower-gudeu, the foul and filthy world is not admitted.
8
XXXVIII.
When my love for thy sweet face became noised abroad,
Thc lo.ve of Afajnfix and of Lail$+ became MI empty jest.
XXXIX,
XL.
* There is a certain fly or beetle that skims along the surface of the
water, and is difficult to strike ; hence the doing of nny absurd or useless
, , like attempting to st,rikeit.
t h i ~ g is
8
Where is lamentation 1 where is the song of gladness S
Where the plmdered '2 'ivl~erethe Uzbak* that harried him ?
Were the actions of fato, ever of one uniform colow,
The firmament would not bo thus spotted with stnrs. ,
The tyranny and injustice are not npon thee alone,
Of fortune's ever changing, inconstant revolutions.
In thcse troubles and vicissitscles, many other folks
Are thy compmions, and are, h a d in hand, with thee.
Ever ~ m t odistance remote, direct thou thy sight :
Even fiom the heavens, the ea~ih-supporting-fishunto.+
There is a dart embedded i n the heart of every one,
Discharged therein by the ruthIess hand of fate.
This fearfnl pestilence, indeed, hath reached
Eveiy housc, and every clmelling-place, unto.
It, however, behoveth, t h a t in this net of calamity,
The prudent bhd should bc careful ]lot to flutter.
Hmin'8 iwignation hath t o songs of gladness tuwccl,
Through tho tyranny and oppression of cvory dnstard.
XLII.
4
XLIII.
Until thou, against the belly, malcest a determined stand,
By milrlnoss thou wilt not escape from the Uzbnlc's hands.+
Neither doth n stone, forsooth, grow soft, nor an cnelq, a frienrl';
Thcn do not be beguiled, 0 mean one ! into tho belly's sewitudc.
It is not advisable to show ever so little kindness to the bclly-
The pilfering hostess saitisfieth herself by a snaclr from each dish.
How can there be a place therein for the remembrance of thy God,
When thy belly, with eatables, is constantly crammed B
If thy heart desire, that t h y body should be resplendent,
Take example of the pinched-up belly, from the firmament, itself.$
From a slight blow, this turban will fall unto the gro~uld,
Which, fyom pride, thou placest so jauntily, one side of thy hcnd.
Consider the bclly more conteinpiible than dl else besides,
If thou desire thc standard planted, on Heaven's pinnacle.
d ~ t no affection towards tho world's pcople,
That thou s h o ~ ~ lshow
Is, bcyond all cdoubt, the safe nild the peaceful side.
Thro' this thine own meehcss and humility, 0 H ~ n r !i ~
Thou art dust in the eyes of thc conceited and. the proud.
. XLIV.
XLV.
* The name of one of the two gmnd divisions of the Af&zn tribes,
inhabiting the tmts about Pe&war, and to the norlh.
t Canaan.
$ A plant bearing a red berry, the ranunculus or crowfoot.
5 The Turks or Scythians have generally fine co~intena~~ces nnd large
dafi eyes, hence the JIul~ammadanpoets make frequent use of the word
to express beautiful youth of both sexes.
I( There is an insect called an ant by the Af&%ns, which, 011 its swings
appearing in the spring, comes forth and falls a prey to the bird.
* * The name of the rlegro mzb'aqain or crier, who innounced unto the
people when ICulynmad prayed.
1c
a
Defend u s Don1 tho pntroimgc of the sclf-conceited, be llc 'cvcr so
liberal :
The mouth gasping thro' hunger, is good ; but not opcued, to Leg.
Envy not, 0 possessor of riches, the poverty of Haxzn !
This p o o ~bl:tnl~et, for that sshnn4, I mill not exchange with thee !
XLVII.
Thong11 I adjure thee again and again, n thousand times,
Or give cou~lscluuito thee, in a huudsed diffei-ent ways,
Ncitlw my monitions, nor my cnt~entiestonch tliee-
What cdmnity a m F? what abo~ni~iation
fallen in the path ?
If tllcse are not the marplot's connsels, what thcu wo they,
Thnt my admoilitions make no impressiou on thy C ~ I 2,
Such joy ns thou clisplnpest in cruelly .tortwing inc,
Such delight, the nightingnlo shometh not, even for the rose.
In love, siizce I live on less tllm half of a clyidg breath,
Death is a hunched tiincs prefmddc, to such existence as this.
*
Since t h y talk t o me of patience, when separntecl from thee,
The ndmonislicrs cllem, out of place, these cuds of monition.
Ask no promises of me rcgmding the affairs of love ;
Else, why is it, that poison is not with relish smnllowed 'l
As onc, that from the sheath, half drnweth ,z sword on nnothel;
I n such wise, do thy white arms daunt and terrify me.
A nightingdc, lilrc &win, there would not be among them, '
Were llot the 8ai~abnns"a gwclen, t h o ' their rnaidcns fair.
XLIX.
Though thou canst manage t o g i w it goocl food, and fine clotl~os;
Still, thou vilt not bc able to exempt the body from the fire of hell.
" Children in Afg&nist~n ride on a long reed for a llorae, as they do
in England upon a stick.
t That is to finy, what is ftweiyn is good.
. R 2
Until thy body shall be declced out in the gnrmcnts of piety,
Plnma not thyself on the mere adormelit of t l ~ epcrsen.
These ncts, which passion, today, prompteth thee t o commit,
I perceive in them, for thee, death and destruction to-inorrow.
Since by death, thou becomest like unto a p u t ~ i dcarcass,
Do not become, in life, like untd a musk-deer of = u r n . *
Fools, that they may gain the world thcmby,' their &it11 bwtcr ;
But such lice buying and selling as this, the wise pmctise not.
Save thcc, by 7~110133both gram and resul~.ectionam forgotten,
Know, that every strauger seeketh his o m ooutlPyto reach.
From the goblct which is f d l , no s o w d proccedeth ever ;
But thro' deficiency and emptiness only, thy Aotorieiy ariseth.
Since 7lere thy sitting is among the wicked, alld the ~uiworthy;
Flatter not thyself, that there, thou shalt, with the jmt, arise.
Unto thee, 0 H A ~ I!~the
D wise and the prudent will give ear ;
Rut what know the ignorant, concerning thy stringing of pearls.+
LI.
Since thon confessest unto igpomnce, it proveth thy sensc is good ;
Out when thon boastest of thy visdom, thbn a t then unwise.
When thy comprehension reacheth not .ulto thine owl faults,
IIow then knowest thou aught about the shortiomings of othem P
If thou hast prcserved thy heart from the deceits of the flesh*
Then mayest thou say ~ u t oit, verily thou m t wise I
Seeing that thon hast no conception of religion in thy heart,
Thou, foolisllly, pleasest thysclf-thou w t but lip-wise.
But mhar~forcis not the thief of thine own abodc seized by thee,
When thou pointest out others' stolen goods, and lcnowcst the
, robber too?
'
First ropah tllinc own ruined and clilqGlatcd affairs,
If, in truth, thou lrnowest a; plan for restoring them.
Since, 0 hem%-ravishcr! all my wisheg thou fulfillest,
Elow wonclo~fnlly~ c lmust
l thon, the heart of H n n i i ~know !
Whom love nlny n d i e liglitcr, cvcn tlim n feather,
Consider h t persol1 11e:~yierthau the mouutain of I55f."
1TTl~i1,x-it11 tlic ashes of d~jcctncss,it slid1 becornc di~ulb~d,
The mirror of tl~eirhearts, s h d l clcw, a d bright becomc.
Though the fool may prntc nncl vnpow bcfore the wise ;
The roasting grain will not, in the lmst, crncl; tllc pan.
With e p s tllnt see, and cars that liew, thou slmomest thy malicc :
Art thou not, lmto tlic I)lmtli nild footstep of thc Mcssid~,bli~id2'
If a ~ ~ e r mshut
n not his cycs, p~wposely,on what is ~nl&wfill,
Tllc str:ugcr's sllocs can be easily recognised upon his feet.
Since 1 1 a ~ i nstretolictll fort11 his hand to the cliin of the belovcd,
0 ! would thtrt tlic br:tnch of tllc willow did npplcs yield !
LIII.
* See note at page 48, t Figuvatively, a tyrnnt. Sea note nt 1nIg.c 91.
Tho bitterness of q ~ a r n t i o nmill not pass down m y tli~ont,
N o t w i t l ~ s t n n Il cat, nlorig mith it, the sugar of association.
Tears too, in tho time of nclversity, sevcred themselves from me-
Alas, one's OIW, as well as straiigers, arc but prosperity's friends !
How moiiderfi~llygorgcons thou rnakeut simple things, 0 ~ A I I ~! D
Mi~ythy penetrating collceptioiis nevcr come under the evil eye !
LV.
Whoii x sutperior entcreth into contention with an infwiol;
Tlirongli folly, lie exchmgetli a shawl for a woollen blanket,
He wlio calleth aiothei; the son of a clog, is, himself, a dog,;
For tlic soil of a man affiliatcth not another on a clog.
Thm this, that a;t n clog thou shouldst fling n stouc OT a clod,
It is far better, that thou sho~lldsttlrom hiin a cake of b~ead.
Now, out npon such,likc name and indication,
That may set up for thcc tlie stnf of injwy a~lclill !
Tlic acts of yonth cannot be pmctiscd ill old age-
Tlicrcfore, old wonmn ! with gilded paper ornament not thy hcncl.!'
Emry proccedi~igliarmonizetli with its o m proper senson-
White hair suitetli not for aidc locks, nor for back oiies eit1ior.t
Plodding about in the world, is of no advantage whatever-
Then what ttwe I to do mith the einbraces of this old hag?
LVI.
Since thou cart occupied in giving car unto envy and covctonsaess, '
Tho' thou s l ~ o ~ ~ lthe
d s tpossessor of treasures become, a poor beggar
art tho^^.
e
Sovereignty and dominion shall follow thee, like n shadow,
If thon art content, like the &ma, up011 &ybones to live."
Wherefore then, cast away life and faith for the sake of the belly ?
Why, 0 why ! dost thou, brolten-dom-asses, upon roses graze ?
Like unto dogs, th?t circle round about the putrid caroass,
Thus thou, for protection, to worthy and unworthy payest tout.
Thy human nature mill bccome that of the dog by this oovetousness;
well thy integhty by patience, if thou zL1.t wise.
Therefore, ~LIZWCI
Grccdinesa and envy will bring such cakzmities upon thee
As may never have befallen my one-so hereafter wilt thou say.
Safety fiom Hell's b~trningflameg cannot be effectod by this,
That thou shouldsli gay clothes don, eat delicacies, and extol thysell:
In this world,~cstrninthy violent passions by devotion. m d piety,
If thon e~ite~taiu
the desire of salvation, in the world to come.
Sincc in love, thou endurest such an a m o ~ n tof affliction,
Thou form of I~AMPD ! what a terrible calamity apt thou !
* Thc FumE is IL f~~bulousbird of happy omen, peculiar to the East.
It exists on dry bones; never alight$; and it is supposed that every head
i t overshado~vswill, in time, w c u a crown. Sec ATTILA, by the late
G. .'1 R. James, Chap. TI.
God forbicl that the moutlls of affliction be opened on any 0 1 1 ~;
For these mouths, in agony, are the very nloutlls of chagons !
That which, very speedily, levelletll the strong fortress with the plnin,
I s either the cvil mouths of c~mnon,or the inoutlls of cilmity.
Trernblo a t the morcls from a single mouth of thc oppi~esscd,
Tho' d thousancl tongues r n g offer prayers for t h y long lifc.
"When tho blast of the sigli of the woe-begone reachcth them,
I t filleth, with ashes and dust, the mouths of flattery aud deccit.
Whom thc inflnmation of deep-drawn sighs s l d l stlaike,
Thc months of that persoil's wounds shall never, never close.
Have those folks mnde sweet with words those.spea1dng months,
M?lich, to cllnrrn, h w e the p o w r of the mouth of the Mwsidl*'I
FVheil i t rcceiretll thc blow of tho injmfes of the oppressed,
The sonndeut mouth is mol-e useless mnde, than R hole in a mall.
0, vhere arc thosc tongues, so enchanting and bemitclling,
Which mnke the months of denial, in oonfession, to xsseilt !
Now, thou Iinst laid the lmnd of sileilce ~ ~ p thy
o a tong~e,
Since thou, 0 month ! didst feel the Mow of the fist of reply.
The nlorning shall not darn1 upon their night of smrov,
Agaiust whom, eveivymorning, months iunledictiotis ~ittei*.
HMJIDhath thus,torn to pieces the slanderous world,
Like the 1111ug~ydogs; when they place tl1oir mouths to the game
LVIII.
Thou lncltcst mc, every moment, iu a hmiclrccl mays ;
Gut tlion showest not, unto me, the tinge of attachment.
TVlerens, I go about starching every p o r l d nild gateway,
I seck t h e tllresholcl of the door of thy clwelling t o find.
HOW shall I bring mfself befor0 the sword of t h y countenunce,
When t h e mirroi; itself, recoiletl~from t h e edgc of i t ?
Since, t h e '(Night of Power'' of t h y c1u.1~became its portiou,"
What night-vatching is fallcn to t h c good fortnne of t h e comb !
I, l j m i a , twist and twinc myself abont, unnvailingly,
Like nnto a scrpent on tho trensnra of thc faces of the fail8.+
LX.
Lila as tbon art d powerful over me, so is thy gnnirlian ;
For although he is thc dog of thy door, hc is the master of me.
Tllough he may do me a thousaud injwies, I will uot return them-
For thy salie, civility tornards him, is cspedient unto me.
* A carpet and cushion at the upper pait of a room, and nccounted hbe
seet of honour; but it generally refers t o the large cmhio~iw ~ i ~ h k i usit
gs
on ils a throne.
"
Whatever wrongs thy heart desircth, heap them upon my hcnd ;
Since every thing improper of thine, iis mect and proper folsme.
Though thy coIdiiess drew out the very breath from my body,
for it 1
What nmattel; since aolicitnde for t h y love, is a s~~bstitute
At the yearnings of this maclaened heart, I am confouided ;
For I know not, in the least, what thing it desireth from t h e .
Even in association, it weepeth on acoount of separation-
What wonclerfd dignity hath it been the heart's fortune to acqui1-e !
'
NOW,taking thy love into account ; agrh, consiclering its tyranny ;
At one breath the heart is impetuous, nild at another it is repentant.
-
ICIIUSH~HL I ~ X N t110 , renow~ledcl~ieftaiiof the p ~ ~ e rAf&iiu
f ~ ~ l
tribe of fCh:@dc-plike n warrior and tz poet-v-as born in the
year 1032 of the I-Iijrnh (an. 1G13). &%h-b5~zu i i i i , his filthcl-,
having receivccl s womcl in n battle with thc YiisnLTs-ouo of tho
most numerous nnd powerful of all thc Bf&ui tril~es-from tho
effects of which 110 shortly nftcr d i d , Klwshhd, who had nlsu
been severely woulidccl in the head and knee, in t11c mnic
battle, in the yew 11. 1050 ( ~ n 1640), . with the l~nnuimous
consent and appl.ol~ation of his rc1:~tioiis mcl friends, became
chief of his tribe. His ii~thcr'sfief was confirlncd t,o him by the
M u a a l Emperor, &h JJJliin, together ~vitllthe charge of pro-
tecting the royal road from AkJi~li, on the Inclns, t o Pe&%wm ; nnd
other d~rtiesmore e~ltrusteclto hiln by that sovereign, in whose
csti~mtioliKhu&$Q stood high. He aocompanied S ~ ~ l t Mui-id jn
U&&, the son of that mousrch, on his cxpeclition to B n d a f i & ~ t ~
in 1045, and mns dso engagccl in other mars of that period.
On the death of &Lh Jdi%n, Khu&l$il continned t o sewc his
son nncl successor, Aurnngzcb, in the same cnpsoity as formerly ;
bnt nftor some time, through thc nlncliinatioils of his enemies,
among whom was B m i ~a z n , Siibah-dLr, or governor of the
province of K % b d he fell ~ ~ n c l etrh e displcicsure, or rather
snfipioion of the monarch, and wns sent prisoner t o the strong hill
fortress of Gwtlior, in Upper Illdin, where he remained in captivity
about, sevcn years ; and there it mas that mnny of the following
poeus mere vritten. At length, a t the ~ecommeadiltion of
R I n h ~ l ~ hn tL i i , the second of tllnt iinmc, Aurnngzeb rclcascd
~ ~ n & b nlld
d , Sent him, dong wit11 tho just refci~edt o - ~ h
had been lr~telyz~ppointedS i i b ~ h - d of
~ , ~I<gbuL--for thc p"rl)ose of
scttliiig the affairs of the Pe&iwnP district, which htlcl fallen into
n, vary clistracted statc. But the iroll llnd e n t c i d the soul of
- -. and 011 reaching hiR ~ i a t i \ country,
Rhnshhiil, '~ hc kept as retired
ns possible ; ceased to hold nny iiltcrcouuae wit11 the governor of
the pisovince, and othcr subordinate officers ; and cleclinecl rendering
any assist~ncoto the troops of the Emperor.
IZh~~ihhll's t ~ i b e1iad.been long at f w d with many of the othel.
A f & i n ~ moimd Pe&&mr, alllongst mhorn were the Yfmfzis-
fighting qgainst whom, ans bcforc mo~~tioned, his father lost his life-
nild wns generally cilgagecl ia hostilities one or other of them ;
but with thc &%lis, -who irere also powcrfud, the Rhat&tk~main-
tained n close alliailec. Mattcrs, at length, went so far between
the Xhattak cliicftilin and tho Mu&a.l authorities, ns to prodncc
an open rupture. IQu&!id iio~vgirclccl his loins with the swo~cl
of co~urago; and in concert with Ac-md IQtzn, and D w y 8 D P n ,
chiefs of the Afridis, cai~iedon, for seven or eight years, R deter-
mined aid. destructive war with the Mu@a,ls, in 1v11ich the latter
were generally defeatecl.
The whole of the AF&%n tribes from Emla to Jald~bbad,secing
the success of their co~wti-yrnenover the hated Mu@nls, had been
drarm~,by degees, into the confederacy, which now nllned at no lcss
than th'e totnl expulsion ,of the Mng&ls from Af@finistiin. But
the Yiisufzis, who could have s~icleclso cffcctually, held aloof;
and mould render no nssistauce to their countrymen, tbrou~gl~
enmity t o the lQatJal~s, ~~otnTithstailcfing that Khush&l wont in
person, evcn s far as the Sumviit valley, t o cnclc~vou~ to iilstil into
them sonlo of his own and his co~lfederates'patriotic spirit, but
witho~utcffect-they wcm deaf to the voice of thc ohalmer. Thcse
events 110 refers to, in the first of the followkg poems, witten on
thak occnsion.
144 - -.
ICHUSIIFIAL EAN, I(BAfCAIi.
*
M a i r s at Pe&%wa~had assruined srrch a serious aspect, thnt
Aul.mgzcb coasidercd it neaessxry to appear i11 person on the scene ;
and for about two yews he rcmaiued oncnn~peda t At&aIc, snperin-
tending the proseontion of the mar ; and that wily monarch, fincling
force mlavailnble in such a difficdt coulltry, began to try the effect
of gold. In this he met with the success he desired ; and sonle of
the petty clans of the confederacy became fascinated with the gold
of tho Mu&&, aud submitted t o the government ; whilst others
of ~ u s l l & l ' s friends begall cither t o desert him, or to give hiin
came t o doubt their sincerity ; ~xndAe-md a il1 aucl Dnr-ys Q % n ,
1
his nlost poaerft11, am1 most trusty s~~pporters, having previously
been removcd, by death, from tho scene, s ~ ~ can l i effect mas produced
upon the fine spirit of Xhus@& ~s:- the following pages testify-
that 11c became clisgmsted, and sought to fiud peace in retirement.
At length, he resigned the chieftniuship of the tribe, in
hvour of his eldest son A&$ and devoted himself t o books md
literatiwe. On A&-af's becoming chief of the clan, Bahriim, another
son, who appears to have bee11 always regarded mith aversion by liis
father for his degel~ernteacts, sncceeded in gaining over a con-
siderable pwty to his side, :md appeared bcnt npon bringing mis-
fortmie upon his brother. They met in battle several times ; m d on
one occasion, Ba,hi%m nras ttnken prisbner, but succeeded, by liis
wtfulness m d duplicity, in exciting the pity of his iiijtred brother,
~110 set him at liberty. I(h~u&h%l,veil m a r e of t h e dispositioi~
of BahrBm, was highly incensed mith A&aI for dlowing him to
escape so easily, and, as it tunled out, not without reason ; for no
sooner vns Balwiim free, than he again commenced his intrigues
against A d r a f ; and a t Iengtl~,in the year a. 1093 (AD. 1681), he
succeeded in betrlzyiilg him into the hnuds of the Mu&als.
Awangzeb sent him prisone~t o the strong fortress of Bej%pa~-, in
Soutllern India, where, after lingering in captivity for about ten
yeais, he d i d , A further account of this iinfo~ltuilntechieftain, wiIl
he found prefixccl to his poems ; for, like other sons of ~ u & , @ l ,
as well as nnmhers of his descendants, he mas a poet as wclI as
his father.
Afpl B Z u , the young son of A&rf, now took up m n s in his
father's cause, and was installed in tEe chieftaii~hiphy his gmnd-
father, who was still regarded as their natural and rightful chief,
by the mqjority of the tribe ; but the yonth alld inexperience of
Af&-for he was only seventeen years of age-conld not yet cope
with the wily Bahriim, who mas also aidecl and upheld by tho
Muaals. Qu&I$, thcrefore, taking Af@s youth into con-
sideration, and in older t o prevent his clnnsmeil from shedcling' the
blood of each other, interfered between the contei~cliilgparties,
fearing that the tribe might hesitdc to obcy one of such incxpe-
rience, m d allowed B a h r h to enjoy the chieftaii$ip, aclvising
A f p l to bide his time, and not longthen hia ft~ther'scaptivity by
opposition for the present. Afqal, therefore, retirecl with his family
into the friendly count1.y of the Afridis.
Not content with this succcss in all his schemes, Bahriim would
uot allow his aged father to end his days in pcace. Several times
he made attempts upon his life. He once deapatchecl hia soil
~ a m with a body of troops, to endeavour to secure the
M ~ ~ k a ~ iBZn,
old man's person. M1~a1~n1.n went, as directed, against his g r a d -
father; bnt the lwave old chieftain, who had attained his 77th
year, hnvilzg discovered the party fkom the place of his retrel~t,
advanced to meet them with his drawn sword in his hand) at the
same tiino-to quote the words of Afpl a i i n , his grandson, already
alluded to, who subsequently wrote a history of these events-ex-
clniming, ('Whoever are men a~nongstyou, come to the snrord, if
you &re ; but veneration for the aged chieftain was so predominaut
in every one's breast, that no o m would make any attempt to lay
hands on him ;" and Mukarramr ashnmed, retnmed as he went.
Ball1.8m) his father, enragecl nt his son's fdure, ordcred him to
1,
return, with directions to kill lChushl@l v i t h his own hand, if he
sho~ddrefuse t o deliver himself up. 011 Mukarram's retwn, to
carry out this inhuman order of a degenerate son, the old chief
again advnucod from his place of shelter, and talung his stnnd upon
the crest of tho hill, with ps good s m o d in his hancl, again dwed
them to approach ; and in this manner is said to have relnaiued on
t,he match for several days. But no one amollgst the party had
either tlm iuclinntion or the courage t o face him, whom they still
regnrdcd as their natural chief.
Bnhriiq however, thinking the pSeyin lGs toils, had desp?tcl:lled
a lnessnge to tho &h@al governor nt Pe$&iwm, to the effect that
the old lion was at length at bay ; ancl rcquested him t.o send a
saflicicnt e s c ~ r tto take charge of him, aud conduct him to
Pes'&i\vm.. Rhns11h~1,homever, ltaving been warned, as soon as
night set in, nlnde his escape, after two of Bahrzm'~party had lost,
their lives, and by the liest morning succeedecl in reaching the
boundnry of the Afridi tribe-who had always been his friends-
n distance of 00 nlilcs from Alror~t~h, the scene of the occurrences
just rclatod.
l&u&lj%l took up his residence in the Africli country, nitd
rctuncd no more to the home of his fathors, which he lovccl so
well. No died as Be had lived, free, a?otlg the moulltains of his
native laud, in the 78th yem of his age. Before taking his dc-
partwe from amorld, in which he had dnullr so deeply of the bitter
cup of treachery and unft~ithfulness,he particularly charged those
few of his children and friends, mho had remained faitlif~dto hiin
though d l his trials and misfortunes, that they should b u y l!im
where-to use his ornil words-"the dust of the hoofs of the
N u a a l tnvahy might not light upon his grave ;" and that LLthey
should carefully conceal his last resting-place, lest the Mu&als
migllt seek it out, and ii~sult the ashes of him, a t mhose name,
whilst, in life, they quailed ; nud by whose sword, and that of his
clnnsmeu, tlieir best troops llnd bccli scattered like chaff before tllc
gale." A. third request vms, that in case any of his faithful chilcIre11
should succeed, a t any time, in laying hai& UIJOll BahLm the
Maligm~nt, they should clivide his body into two partu, alld
sboulcI b~u.11one half at the head of his g ~ w e and
, the otlicr at the
foot. He was buried, accorclirigly, at n place n,med I-sngaey, n -
small hamlet in tlie mountains, where his tomb mny still
he seen ; and, according to his dying request, his last restingplace
wns kept concealecl, till all clnilger of insult from the Mu&ds hnrl
passed nway.
Qu&$%l was the father of fifty-seven sons, besides scveral
daughters; bnt, with the epxption of four or five of tlie fomler,
they do not q ~ p e a rto h m c bceli particdnrly worthy of tlieir
pment's affection.
Khushh?il, from all accounts, wns a vohmtinous nuthol; and is
said t o have composed nbont t h e e 11uncIred nnd fifty different
woylcs. This, howcver, must be g~c,ztlyexnggerated ; nevertheless,
he is the author of nuineleous worku, which I have myself seen,
both in Persian, and in the Pu&to, or Af@%~l, consisting of Poeti*y,
Meclicine, Ethics, Religious Juriq~rudenoe, Philosophy, Falconry,
etc., togothel- with a n account of the events of his own chequered
life. It is gently to be regretted, howevei; that Lis descendants,
after Ids denth, bnd not tlie opportunity to collect dl his writings
together ; and the upshot is, tlint inally itre known only by izaine.
Amongat those which llave thus been lost or dispersed is, I feal;
the autobiogaphy I have refc~redto.
Some of ~ L I S ~ $ @ ~ ' S effusions, witten cIwing his exile in
pocticnl
India, and whilst strnggling ngaiiist the po~verof Aumngzeb, will,
I think, be considered highly of, cveii in the form of n litornl tmms-
lntion, aud in an English dress, as coming from the pen of an
Af&n chief, cotempomi-y with the times of o w Chwlcs I.,
evincing, ns they do, n spirit of patriotim, and love cif home and
I, 2
count13 not wnal in the Oriental heart, but snch ns mc might
look for in the Scottisli Higlllandel; 01' Swiss mow~tnineer,of
bygone clays, whom tllc hardy Bfg&ins Litrongly resclul~le. A moi8c
extended acco~mtof Qn&h%l's writings, a d those of his de-
scendants, mill be found in the Introdnctory Chapter to my Af&n
Gmmmal; publisked last ycm, togetlier with an acoouut of the
Afg&in~ mld their 1itericttul.e.
Up to the time of Kl~usl~l$l's chieftainship) the bounds of the
I(hat&lc couut1.y mere not well defined ; that is to eqT, ettcll fnrnily
of the tribe had no fixed lands allotted to them. X h n s l ~ l dcortused
c ybe made of all amnilable Iand ; firer1 tho bo~mdaries;
n s u ~ ~ to
entered tlmn in a register ; rind, according to the ilumber of each
mads family, nssigiicd a corresponding quantity of Iand for c ~ ~ l t i -
vation. This ni.miigement is still in force, and hitlmto has not,
that I IRI mvmc of, been devinted from ; and niariy s~nalltomers
of stone, erected to innrk the different bonndnries, still remain. ,
b
THE POEMS
AN ODB TO SPRING.
They dyed red the valley of JChaiba~,wit11 tllc blood of the foe :
On Xarrapdi,t too, they polwed forth mat.'s din and t n m d t .
* The lofty mountain t,o t,he right of the &ai,ibar Pnss, looking from
Pe&iiwar, and giving name to another Pass, leading to J d % I ~ b n d .
Apuynnah 01 hision of the Pe&iiwnT district, lying, as ~ t sname
implies, between two livers, the Limddaep and the ICBhul.
-4town of the Pebiiwar district, on the northern bank of the Eibbul
river.
It moulcl not have onterecl one's head in eighteen guesees,
That such events would e'er have happened in these pwts.
1
FOY five slioit di~ys,the rose of tllc partem will bloom ; ' .
But on tho sixth, it sc~tterethits existcnce to tho winds.
* One of the three great divisions into which the whole Af&k nation
is divided, and in mhich the l&~n&lc tribe is included.
t See the Introductory Chapter, page xix., on the word u A ~ ~ s ~ ~ . "
1-10will be constnut?y plunging illto tho deep soas of injustice,
V'ho renclereth np his h e a t unto the hc:&ravid~ers of these dnys.
What a vile world it is ! what axe its customs ! what its wnys !
It abaidoneth, altogctlle~,tho starving, and giveth invitntion t o
the cloyed !
Punished they amnot be; but m o d d 1could lay hands, as I wish,
on them ;
For 't is those sable loclrs of tlline, that wc cver of hcnrts miking
tlieft.
The tyranny of thy dwlr tresses ifl by no means hidden from view-
The impassioned-one, who may be lmmerfd, soon her tymnny
displayeth.
Thou that givest thyself ~ m t othe tender passion, accept in love
The taunts and reproach:ha~,that tho world, upon lovers, cver cast.
Thy blood-thirsty loclrs have not made me, only, dcsolbte ;
And mmy more, like u t o me, forlorn, will they, even yet, destroy.
s t thiv onc so arrogant of her beauty see, chaw near !
% ~ o ~ d dthou,
Alas ! towards @ u ~ K & , hcr coquetry she openly clisplayetll.
VI.
Thou wast saying, l' Grievc not any more ; fur I am thine, md tllon
art mine :"
Whether thou hast falsely or t~uilyspokci~, thou hnst, indeed,
given me life agnin.
What a lovely calamity thon art ! a charmer, incompwablc, art
thou !
Would that there vere not this defect, that thou hadst not such a,
cruel heart !
Should the whole universe, in every direction, bc mith the lovely
filled ;
Even then, i t would be ~tonishing,if one were fo~uldb e n ~ ~ t i flilic
ul
thec.
With 80 many victims shin, even yet thou s l ~ o w ~110~ pity
t Or
regret: .
But what matter, though the executioner shed blood a h ~ u ~ d r e d
times over P
Since ont of thy garden, or thy partel-re, I beg for n rose from thee,
Shoddst thou but a straw on me bestow, get I, as a rose, receive it.
,
As long as 1may exist, I am, iildecd, the captive of those rhglets,
I n every hair of which, h n n ~ b e d sof healts will evcr be enthralled.
Whethcr old, or whether yo~ulg; a11 are distracted about thee :
There is not a person in the town, tllat is not enamoui~cclof thee.
The cypress-trcc bcliold ! i t v e r j soon censel;h to be looked upon,
When thou, with this stntnre and figure, through the ga~llen
kippost.
The prospect of EIeaven to come, is bliss to both monk and p ~ i e s t ;
But R ~ u s n g hath
i ~ gained Pn~adise,a t once, in meeting thee.
VII.
Again the minstrel's rebeclr toucheth the hewt profo~u~clly
;
For it clisoovemth new and fresh strains of melodious limnony.
Leave the monk in the monastery's nook ! I will to thc garden ;
For the flowers of spring instruct me in i*ightcousness'ways.
Begg~rshave mnch anxiety about filling their bellies ;
And kings should be solicitous regarding dominion and realm. .
VIII.
IX.
Every S ~ C person
~K that iu impatient'with his physician,
Briugeth, if thou but considel; affliction upon hiinself.
The fish existeth in the river ; but should it come out thercof,
Cnn it be comfortable, or at ease, upon the b y land P
Thongh the bat hidet.11 himself from the light of the sun,
In vhvhat manner dot11 the sun sustain injfiy therehom?
'Ti8 the nature of dogs to howl at the sight of the moon ;
Arid thm, by their yelping, bring disgrace on tl~cmselves.
The clung-bcetle is distressed by the flowei*'~pe~fume;
Beca~~seits existouce is sustained by offeiisiveiiws.
That the propl~etsare evil in tho sight of the infidel,
Is, because whatever they do>is with the Devil's ndvice.
Unfortunate, indced, is he, ~ 1 1 0ncteth on his enemy's counsel :
Can icn opponent and nil enemy ever give good advice ?
The heron, on the river's bank, is with thirst pwcl~ed;
For every pan~~rious crcature follometh his om1 avaricious ways.
With the precepts of the 1$11r'h, F:mils is ncquainted :
It pointeth not out the right path to Ba-Llpb, o r t o Uii-Jhd."
* Bii-Uul, and Dii-Jhal, the former the uncle, and the latter the cousin
of EiIul,lammad, were his greatest enemies nud opposcrv in thd propngntion
of his new faith. Bumar, the second Qnlifah after Mul?nmmnd, is
calIed P?.if+, The Distinguisher.
T h e p w i t y of tllc MusnJm~n,0 ICHUAH~LL ! is possible ;
B n t no ablutions, n o pi~rificatiom,csn m&e the ~ n b r % l e a n .
If, for oilec only, shc will s l m v her face froin tlic mil,
She will t'hke thc diploma of b e a ~ ~ frnm
t y t h e sml.
Thc t d i p h a l l borrow I ~ l u u ~fkom
n llcr co~ulteimiice;
The liyaciiitli will grow f~wiousa t t h e sight of her c ~ u ~ l s .
PVlcreforc dot11 the norlct accmc forpule t h u s fnlsclg ?
'T is ahe, t h a t with her eyes, hnth desolated t h e worlcl
Either those nrl~sof hers arc red fi-oin vine's effccts,
Or some one 11,zth ronsccl h e r from slecp, t~~isensoml~ly.
XIII.
Dram near, and behold hiin now, wit11 a clod beneath his hcad,
Who could not sleep npon a bcd) vithout n pillow of fcatliem !
This, \\-hidl they call the transient workl, hath no existence, and
is naught ;
For this reason, 0 foolish n1n11 ! ' t is Iiideoi~sin the sight of the wise.
This world is a scabby sheep-then v h t good is there in
keeping it P
The shepherd, wlioil he fiildetli out its scabbiness, expelleth it fsoin
tho flock.
These darlc waving curls, they are thine, thou clear one, so bearr-
tiful, so gay !
Blncli narcissuses are those eyes of thine, thou denr one, so benu-
t i f ~ d so
, gay !
When thou gavest me a, lrias, I became intoxicated, beyond compu-
tation ;
For like unto red vine are t h y lips, thou deal. one, so beautiful,
SO gay !
Now t h a t I have with mino eyes gazed on this, thy lovely cheek,
I know that i t i~ the tulip, thou dear one, so beautif~d,so gay !
* For an uccount of &nltdiid and his garden of I ~ n m see
, note at
pnge 8 1.
t 1l)id.
f Mir-bzz a s n , a comexion of r;ll~~&Qiil's,
who vas a mors?hipper of
the wenlth of the Mu&alu.
C
They, who inurixnw and complain unto others, of thy tyranny,
h e faithless and inconstant too, thou rleax one, a0 beslutifid, s o g y !
Free of grief, how cau he sleep-in tranquillity how sbnll he be,
Who is separrtted from thee ? thon dear one, so bonutifd, so g:~y!
He ouly mill receive thy Itisscs, on \rhonl thy affectious may be,
Tho' many are enmptwed with thee, thou dear one, so bcautif~~l,
so gay !
Thou weakest injjnstice on me, then say est, "This is not do110 by
me "-
Then whose act is it, if not thine 'l thou dcnr one, 80 beautiful,
so gay I
I
Thou snyest unto KEUSHH~L, '' There are otlws far prettier than I :"
Can there be one, tllan thee inore lovely l thou dew one, so
beantiful, so gay !
XVI.
SIP.
Lilrc uilto the miud, every moment, lifc pnsseth away !
Let then every nlan have the reinembrallce of death ever before him !
Shca the foundation of this life of his, is baaed upon the nil;
Upon existerm such as this, wlvllat relimce can be placed 1
The dust of inan is lenreued with the water of mortnlity,
Uy the l i a d of Omuipotencc lineaded, in the spiice of forty days.*'
* Beferring to the Mnl!:~mmndau account of the c~wtio~i,
for wlvllich see
1Stde's edition of the I$un'i~.
C
* ,
Both snintv t~iiclprophets l ~ ~ v:dike,
c , gone domi into the tonlb-
Tlion mo~~ldst say, forsooth, tlint they llnd m v c r existed at d l .
If tliou considei~sti t well, t h e term of life hero is nothing :
No one lint11 itttainecl in it t h e object of his clesircs and hopes.
~ ~ , seek life e t e m d , then I sny unto thee,
If t l ~ o indeed,
FJTal; for eve5 with t h e infidels of t h e lusts of the flesh.
With beard now grown white, why should I have fear of death ;
When friends, in thcir prime, with bemcls black, ham gone
before me 1
*
Him, under whose sway tho whole of the cnrth's surface mns,
I)r;~wvne:uq, and behold now, in tho surf:l~ccof the earth !
C
KHUSHKKL =AN, KHATTAH. 171
This world's hllrs arc like unto the moving sa~lch,"if thou hut
consider ;
For, in truth, they roll over, and upset each other, in the vcry
same way.
With these eyes of mine, I have beheld thc dmnd f~wnaceof fate-
I QUBHLL, myself, whom, like unto dried up vercliure, it
consumeth.
XXII.
Her sweet face took from me all tlionglits of thc wild white rose :
Her ringlets eradicatcrl all coiisicleratiori'of the m ~ ~ of
s kChina.
The cwls of the pagnu beauty becarno a oord about my neck :f
thanks, that she of my religiorl and faith clivestcd me.
A tl~ons~iid
Nthoutgll the follra offer up pmycrdoi* my patience nilcl resignatioli,
Affection hiuth despoilccl me of the i'Amcn," mlto these supplicatiom.
Save the lips of tlie beloved, I tnlre no other name upon my tongue ;
For love hnth abstraoted from me d l other momory and recollection.
,
My howl, 011 thnt
day became clisgnsted with lay own life,
When the hard-henrted one took it, ontirely, from mo.
By what law, indeed, hruth she deprived me of deep and repose,
That I weep and lament, mid sigh nncl bewail, all the night long Z
Her two cycs iwo a falcon, a d h c ~
waving l o c h are the king-
feathers :
Tlx falcoll pounced on, and cai~iedfrom me the pigeon of my
heal%.
* See note at page 15.
+ A belt, or cord more particuln~ly,worn round the middle by the.
Eastern Christiuns and Jews, and also by the Persiah Magi. I t was
introduced n.n. 8E9, by the mdifiih Mutawalikil, to distiuguish them
f?om Mulymmadans.
At her coming, she uscd t o bring with 11eer comfort and consolatioli ; c
'*This upllertrs t o refel*to some of the poet's wives, who bore him dis-
obedient sons.
.
0 God ! thou liast given me a nlunerons progeny, rind I am
thankfd ;
Bnt lct thc fame of their goodness resound in every city mcl town !
T h e y , who stir up cnmity between b~~othcrs,
nro recrc,zat and nu-
worthy :
W o d d to heaven they had learnt good, or had learnt 11nng1:llt
besides !
Give both thino ears and eyes unto the appenls of I ~ U S _ R I ;I ,
Since B a h a m and &bid* are, both of thcu, deaf nnd clumb !
XXV
Although she quarreleth wit11 me, by word of mouth-that dcar one ;
Yet in her heart, that dear one entertaineth much kiilcli~essfor me.
When, wit11 arms each othelq's necks around, she nccompauieth me,
Vcrily, from my heart she removeth llle nmt-spot-that dem onc.
There is no uecesaity for the sword-her coldness is sufficient,
I€to compass my dcnth sho~ddbe the inteiit of thnt dear one.
t o tho torch of hcr loveliness,
Since she hat11 shorn11 ~ ~ n mc
Upon it, another timc, she mill mnke ine the moth-Lliat dear one.
I am n poor beggar-she is a sovereign; heiicc it is becoming in
hci;
Evcn though she of my affection sl~ouldfoe1 ashamed-that dear
me.
He, who may hnvc tmncd Ma1angJ* rcquiroth but a carpet for
prayer ;
And in the end, too, a Malang will she malte of me-that dew one.
With,cheerfd hem$ she lmgheth and smileth vith every one besides ;
BLI~wit11 me, i~ldeecl,she is rnotuniful nnd sad-that dear one.
N o gem-studded oruament hath she iuserted in her nostriI ;
But with a siiigle black clove she restetli satisfied-that dew om.+
To~vasclsmy opponents, her 1v.m-t is gentle nild soft,as wax itself;
But towxrds ICIIUSHHXL,he lmrdenctl~it like stone-that dear one.
The face of the bcloved is rich, both in moles and 111 ringlets ;
For in the house of the w e ~ l t l ~ overy
y , requirement will be fo~uld.
When their shade over-shndoweth me, I u k h g become ;
For thc sllndow of thy dark orwls is that or the gum%itself.11
Thy cheek is a n eilkincUed flame-what then is thy braided hair !'
It is like uiito the dense blaolr smoke, tllnt from fire asoendeth.
:
" Ilzind of DarwesJ or devotee, who goes about almost nalced.
t It is usud wit11 young i'emaleu to WeaT a clove in the nostril, to lcecp
open the orilicc pierced for the insertion of the uose-jewel, on ninrhage.
A black mole. & See ilote at page 48.
)I See mte at p g e 137.
We hat11 not the coumge to take her name I his to~~gi=--
I ~ U
The poor lover who fear& thc censwes mcl reproaches of the world,
I had givcn up vine, a d llad grow11 quite a penitent, indeed ;
Buut the goblet of the cnpbearer again pnt my co~~tritioll
to fligllt.
He that plnceth foot mitlliii her alley, briugeth destn~ctiouon hiinsclf;
Thcrcforc, O mlfortunnte, into tllixt ricinity do tho^^ entcr not !
Whether it were h c ~coq~uctry,or llcr conceits, I. could have boine
tllelll ;
R u t towards mc sllo mni~ifcstetllexceeding arrog!:nnae al d l times.
The whole power of her lui~lclhnth sllc put forth against him ;
And thercby hath deprived the poor lomr of d l energy nnd control.
When i t may convey no siguificnuce, sponkillg is miprofitxble ;
But tlie Almighty milleth not thkxt .tu&l$ilil's words l ~ vain.
e
Since, on thy accolmt, the b1:rck ppilv of his eyes t ~ w n e d~ d i i t c ,
Welcome unto me, O thou, of KHUSH~XL'X eyes, the light !
XXVII.
I am, indeed, s wine-bibber ; then, wherefore, 0 ~ n o n k! wmmglest
thou with nlc '?
Men's clestiuies are from nll etenlity-would thon couildst like
thyself nmke me !
They, who possessed naught of sense or understnnding, hnvc @llc
t o Hewen ;
Wlilst those, who prided thelnselves upon their wisdom, Jmve go110
t o Hell.
XXVIII.
* A kind of dish made from flesh and rice, to which are added raisins
nnd almonds, etc.
The meanest dave assnmetl~nuthority over his om1 proprietol*;
And the slave-gills are more llonournble tlml the mistress of the
house.
Alas, 0 R R U S E ~! ~
inLthe days of the Emporo~B5lazn-gir1'
The house-born servantsf Iinve all n wretched and contemptible
lot !
XXTX.
* Anra~~llgeeb,
son of thg Emperor &zh Jab.
Literally, house-horn slaves ; but h e ~ ethe term applies to the truaty
chief8 and fallowe's of ShLh .hhsn, who was detll~onadby A~~rug.zeb.
hT 2
Sorrow ancl joy-paiu and pleasure-are, from the beginnin&, linked
together ;
And as much as one may have wept, so much even s h d l he rejoice
again !
Many lofty minarets have I beheld, in theil. gmoeful syrnn~etry
standing ;
But not a soul mentioned their names unto me, nor snid uuto whoin
they belonged. -
The cams and troubles of the wodd me of n thousnnd vmieties and
forms ;
And the summer skylarks trill and warble in a thousand differelit
ways.
They are different, by fal; from the clierishecl sentiments of my
henrt-
The manifold rumours, that t h e folks bslicly from one to the other.
This scroll is not the kind of thing, that it shall ever be brought to
a n end :
It is spread open, and cxnniined into-it is read, and then rolled up
ngain.
Thine own actions are of use t o thee, both in this world and the
next
Verily, the throat of every one is kept moist, by its own saliva.
The humblest fare, though barley-head, unattended by c u e and
trouble,
I will account more dainty than the viands, on the king's table
outspread.
The ears of the reckless mlcl impr~tdentare deaf-they cmnot hear
The blunt, plain-spoken words from KHUSHHXL KHATTAK'S
mouth.
XXX.
Every molnent that a person may be thus in want of employment,
Thnn such, I hold him far better off, who is forced to labour for
nothing,*
T h e sick and infirm, if they do not work, w e to be excusecl ;
B n t wherefore should not the hale man his living oar11 1
Eve11 if thou mayest uot have m y employment of thine own ;
Still, I say unto thcc, sit uot thus useless and uiiemp1oyed.
Every amusement, by wvKich care may be hegniled, is delight;
Whether it be chess, or backgammoli, or the pleaswes of the chauc.
Every hour, and every moment., a. man's state is different :
I n one statc ~ulcl~migenble,
is t h e Creator of the wodd alone.
Neither cloth ally one here seek to nvail liimself of my ahiliticv itnd
experiencc,
N o r w e the capabilities of this comitly's pcopIc of any d v a n t q p
mrto me.+
1~Veconverso togethes in o m tongue-we S I J D ~ <tlia IJu&to li~li-
guage ;
B u t \ye do not,, in the lcnst, mrderstand what we to ouc auotllor my.
* A want of occupation is not rest;
A mind quite vacunt, is s mind distress7d."-Com~nlt.
t Written on the poet's return from SuwLt, where he had gone to
endeavour to induce the TCisufzia to join the co~~federacpagainst
Awangzeb. .
The Snwfttis accouut themselves exceeding wise, whilst they twc
but fools ;
And 't is amongst such ,z set as these, that thc Almighty my lot
hnth cast.
Now that I hnve beheld the Sunr5t valley, I hnve this ~111011dis-
cove]-ed,
That there is no tribe more abject and contemptible t h m the
Ynsufxfs.
Althongh, in their dmcllillgs, they lmve wedth and goods, they arc
lnulgly-eyed ;
And their head-men, thau the rest, me more vilIainons and infinmous
still.
'T is said, tlmt the water-melon dcrivcth its colour from the water-
melon ;
But their wise me11 wd olders are lnorc wvrthluss than the people
themselves.
The rights of the pow mil hclplcss, they malie ont wrong and
uujust,
If they can a single penny obtaiu by may of n preseut, or a bribc.
Since 1havc entered into the world, I have come t o know myself:
I mas a. treas~wyof mysteries; m d of such, a trens~wy,evcn yet,
am I!
When the veil of His face was dsnwli nside, unto me a torch
appeared ;
At that moinent I was s moth thereon-a moth, even get, am I !
The wrowt~of His eyelnshes, they are the misfoi%umeof lny life :
T wns a target for them rnl age ; and their targot, even yet, am I !
Ti1 t h e mme m~⪙ with mine ow1 beloved, without gent 01.
clelcgnte,
As 1, K ~ u s ~ g rused
i ~ , in amity to be, in t ~ h t y evm
, yet, am T !
XXXIV.
Let it not happen that I miss her in a crowd, but in case I shoulcl,
Know, that she is fawn-eyed m d rosy-checked-tlint person.
* Undrr the two namea of I r k a11d TurL~i,fi3om wlience the people n1.e
t m n e d Iriini uml TurRni, Eastern autliors com~~reliend d l the higher
Asia,except China and India. Irzn, which is the Ea3tenl name for the
Pel-sinn Empire, includes nll that immense tract of country, lying*between
the Oxus or BaI;htrus on the uorth, the Arabian sen ou the south, and
the Tigris on the west. The region beyond the Oxus is Turiiu or Scythis,
or Tu~koinanin. Insome instances, IrZni and T ~ ~ a n i i n c l u all
d e mankind,
in the same iuanncr us Greek and Barl~a~im-Jew md Gentile-Arab
and Ajam.
+ All the different tribes hcre mentioned ure not Af&~ns, but are either
loct~tedin Af&%nistkn or border on tlie Af@an country. The PanjEbis
;mil Sikhs not being mentioned, mould indicate that in Uu&l)nl's days
they were not r e c o p l e d as separate people, but includecl amongst
IIindfist%niu.
I am well aaqmdiitud v i t h d~uz~ilgzeb's
justice, and equity-
His orthodoxy in matters of faith-his self-denid :md fasts ;
His own brothers, time t&er tiruc, cruelly put to the sword-
1 3 s father overcome in battle, and into prison throw11 !
Tho' a person clash his head against thc ground a tllouvarid times,
Or by his fastings, s h o d d bring his navel and spine togother ;
Until coupled with tho duke of acting with virtue and goodness,
His t~dor~~tions,
and devotions, are all impositions aud lie^.
The way of whose tongue is one, and the path of his heart anothcis,
Let his v o ~ yvitals be mnngled, and lacerated by the lmife !
Externally, the serpent is handsome, md symnzetricdly formed ;
But interaally, is with nnoleanness ancl with venom filled.
The deeds of men will be many, a i d their words will be few ;
B11t the acts of recreants are few, and t h c i ~boastings many.
Sinoe the arm of ~ U ~ H Xcannot
L roach the tyrant here,
111 the day of doom, may the Almighty have no mercy on him !
XXXVIIL
I am intoxiet~tedwit11 that comitcnc~nco,mhioh J~~t.11
sleepy, \allg'~ud
oycs :
thcm, 1 becornc so out ~ ~ ga~lwcl,
n d thou wouldfit itay, tlioae
eyos sharp swords contnili.
beloved, in ~oveliilessnnd graoc, is incompwable, altd without
oq~inl:
But, than her wholc pcrson, inom splcndicl, and rno1.e 1-atlimtsro
I h a v e seen the fine eyes of very many fair ones, in my lifetime;
But ollly one, here and there, hath lnshes f ~ d aal~d
l long like thine.
Tho' t h e prelate and the priest may admire them a hunclred times,
Can tllc Houri* have brigl~tereyes, than those dark ones of thine 1
Those mai-plots are sitling together, talking abont the poor lover ;
Couseqnently, he keepeth his eyes, to this degree, avcrtcd from thy
face.
Whemsoever thou art, there, and there only, mill my sight l)c
clirected-
Wl~ereverthe heron may be, there the falcon dirccteth his eyes.
There is not, in the wide world-tho' I am con~itantlyin searcli-
One such fair charmer, that may, to day, possess bewitching ejes.
She looketh upon no one-to what degree mill the pride of lier
bekuty go 1
See how long this wayward creature will look so proudly from
her eyes.
'Tis well for thcm, who ,are happy in the society of the belowl of
their h c n r t ~;
For every hour, on the fncc of their dew ones, they chmm their
eyes.
Draw near, if thou mouldat behold KEUSAHKT, in so1'1~0mand grief-
Day and night, from thee aavered, his eyes with team o'e~flom!
XXXIX.
I n this pmterre, a single leaf of thine there mill not be, 0 rose !
Slio~ildutthou become acq~miiltedwith antuunn's dire indenlcncy.
Account as great good fortme, these thy few d q s in thc gwden,
That tho nightingales, for thy sake, beat +their bl-easts and bewail.
XLI.
XLII.
Notwithstanding thon art unto mc a sovereign, aild I n beggar;
Still t u r n not, fmm me thy fnce, for I %inciis~ractedaud distressed.
a
I, who bcnr the brnncl of thy tliraldom and enslavement,
Do not considcl*any one equal with myself; for I am a, king.
The door of my l~cnrtI have closed runto d l extraueons thiugfi-
Associatillg with the wodd, I am filled with nnsioty £01-thee.
If any one is wretched about thee, 1 n u that wretched being :
If any olic is the dust of the solo of thy foot, that dust am I.
Sometimes, I wwite upon paper the words of thy mystery-
At others, t,hrongli grief for thee, I tell, unto nly pen, my state.
The admirel.~of thy prctty fncc, are beyond eompntation ;
But amongst the wholc of them, I am without ooinpre.
Esclude mc not from being ncconutcd nrnoiig the dogs a t thy door,
Allhough I may bo debarred from all benefits, and fLwo~u.s beside.
Shouldst thou love and l~ndnossbastom, of them I am ullworthy-
If thou treat mc with harshness and severity, I rnorit them.
Unto ICEKJSHHXL thou mast saying, " Of nrhat nse art thou?"
If I am of use, or if T tun of no use ; still, still I nm thine !
Silica tllcrein, from hill strcams, the cool element is not to, be llncl,
Defend us from Hind, tho' i t sho~llclt,eem with all the world's
lmnries besides.
Swely, no one v,dl continuo in utter liclplcssness in this wor1rl-
Thc mercy of the Me~cifhlwill be shown unto the forlorn, a t last !
I will not nrrangc tho little ringlc ts, in clnel.crs rouncl lily fxe,
NOYmil1 I recklcii m y lips with t h e betel-le:~f.$ t ~ p i u!
All other mine soever, I have given up to the mol.Id t o drink of;
~ lip is a mine that I will not resign-tor it I die ! 1 die !
B L I her
I ahall not bccome satiated tlierefrom ; for my thirst4 is uii-
q ~ ~ e aable,
ch
i ~ g I should quaff for cveiv! for ever !
Although, such o ~ e ~ f l o w i coups
I, incleed, who on such a p t h as this, still jowriey on iny way,
Used not always to be i11 safety ; for it is the path of lovc ! love !
What aslccst thou me?- " Rlmt was thy state in selsarntionl"
Well-I h e w aotliing else, save tlli~t my hcnrt was bnrning !
bniming !
Pevplc s q ~ m t ome, L'Verily thy colour is become ~;allowv--tIlo~l
art in l o w !"
I do not deny i t : t r ~ d y ,my friends, I am in love ! indced, I am !
With the lover i t is customwy, that in love he should brook
cellsure ;
For this reeason, I, I&LJE~HL,
undergo it-I sufFer it, and endure !
XLVI.
I become q ~ ~ instonislred
te with the people of the wo~ld,
To see what these dogs do, for the sake of the flesh's lusts.
Such acts and proceedings are developed, a d perpetrated by them,
As the Devil wonld never have thought of, and never have uttered.
The I$u1%11 they always place before them, and from it they rend;
Rut, noim of their doings will he in conforinity with the tenets
thereof
.
I
What road ~ l d Il follow in pwsnit of t l m l 'l wlwc ~111~11
1 aeelc l
For, like m t o Alchciny itself, the wise hnvc becomc sc:ircc! indced.
Good men are like rnbies and garnets-they call rurely 11cfound ;
But like unto arly comnou stories, tlic mortllless n l o not a few.
The whole of the deeds of tlic P&Q~s+are better thin1 tllose of the
lvh&ds ;
But they have 110 nnity anio~lgsttlicm, and n grmt pity it is.
XLVIII.
g Bsl'nzid AusZri, mho took the name of Fir Iio&n, as above ~tuted.
For further accounts of this man, see page 31.
11 The red ciunelim cnskets refer to the gums,and the pearls are the
teeth in them.
+*. The eye is cornpaid to the narcissus, nncl white roses to u, c l m
TVitli my l i d on the soft pillow laid, I sleep without sorrow or
care ;
TVhilst those who sl~aredit with me, uro now i11 the cold grave
laid !
Very nmny lloats have suuk in the Iiidus of mortality and death ;
And with them ciigulphed therein, were nlaiiy ~on~panions and
friends !
'1'is past-'tis gone ! his place is Hell, unless God have mercy o n
him ;
POYd o n g with K ~ u s n q l associated,
l~ are both the Devil and the
flesh !
XLIX.
* 1Xsop. t Solomon.
How many lovely-faced o~m-horn many sngcs and princes have
there bee11'I
As they came, so t h y clepi~rted-in the morld, clo eve11 their nanles
roinnin Z
A good nnine mill remnin behind-naugl~t else soever will survive :
Tho wicked for cvil are remembemd-tho good, for thcir virtues,
in the memory live.
Shouldst thou hem of 1-IujIij," thou wilt also hear the nnme of
No&irrniin~-
Foe justice, the unbeliever is venerntecl-for tyimlly, the believer
There will be neither aclvmtslge nois profit, shouldst thou rcgret its
ncglect, in the grave,
The infidel is that man, who ooilstalltly follonvth after thc flesh's
lusts -
Tile truo-believcr is he, who is ever ai~xious bout his roligiori aud
his faith.
There is not the lemt doubt in this, that d l mill fdl victims unto
death ;
B u t in this there is uncertainty, as to who mill obtain x graveyard
to lie in.
Happy, truly happy ahall he be, who may clie vith piety's blessings
attending--
A ~ITIVO in honou1, he obtnineth, ancl over him the blessedbook is rcad.
* ' U u j ~ j the
, Governor of Buritsan under the Hhalihhs of the house of
Omeyah, and s notorious tyrant.
t A Persian monarch, celebrated throughout the East for his justice
and equity, hence he iu known as L L No&irwitn the Just." It mas dul*ing
his ~ t i g nthat $hlpmmad was bonl.
TVcrc tliii~clicnrt n little coinpnssionnte, llo~vgood i t would be !
TVerc n little of thy l o w beston.cd upon me, how kind it w o d d bc !
I, who t h r o ~ g l grief
i fur thee, n-col) aucl l i ~ n l e ~ni t thy thrcshold-
Wcre tlii~icear i~icliuedt o luy uoinplaiilings, how meet i t would be !
LI.
* The rubies signify the lips, and the pearls the teeth.
,
By the illcbcintioli of the iiltusicatcd with wiiic ;
Ailrl by tllc piety c~ndnbstiile~lccof the inoiilr, I vow !
LV.
A \vliite beard is a mark of respectnbility among nlen ;
But the f d i n g ont of the teeth is a discredit m c l rcproncll.
LVI.
W h e n thou severest thyself f r o n ~cupidity with regaid to every om,
i t is sovcreiguty :
If t h o u nnderstnndcst silcnce, it is equal to tho eloquence of Salh%u.T
Mention not n word, rcgarcling witim's liberality a d mnuuificcncc ;I:
For, even in so doing, tllcre arc, indeed, iriclicntions of vennlity.
I-Iow many differeut kincls do t h e attributes of friendship cmbynce ?
fi.iendsllip from the SOLXI.
Lip-frie1~clshil1-1oaf-f~iendsl~i~~-s1i1cI
U p o n t h e altar of sincese frields, make d l t%ings nn oblntion ;
Indeed, for this ulonc, is t h e trm~sitosyworld of any use.
I n t h o troubles nlld trials of t h e wo~lcl,thore is umch @ill;
B u t in t h c gniu of the world's wcalth, there arc m i s e ~ ym~clwoe.
:"lummy-the substance with w11icI1 Egyptian mum~niesme pre-
served, n medicinc hdd in great estimation in Orieutn! couutries for
wounds nncl frnctures.
t A celebratecl. Arabian poet, famous for his eloquence.
$ The name of an Arab, celebratedthrougl~outtheEast for his liberality
;md munificence.
208 RHUSHHAL =AN, ~~HAYJAT~.
The p r i e ~ readeth,
t again a i d again, out of tliousand~of boolcs ;
But if the true faith be his study, the lettcr a l p is cnoug11.
LVIII.
i
Thou mast saying that the kissiilg of tliy lips is likc unto an
elixir-
T stand in need of such : 't is for the mounds of tlie hem1 ; is it iiot ?
Thou drii~lxstmy very heart's blood ; but it is for iioile else
besiclcs-
h'ly Ilcart was forlulcd for thee, thou bwbarous onc ! was it not ?
TRiy mccpest and coniplainest thou about thc dnlk cui-Is of thc
bcloved 1
Thy going before thosc blnclr slmlres," is of thine own accord ; is it
not l
They will thelulselves appear like unto mew wcods in coinpz,nson '
to it-
Then, tlie tulip and tlic 1'080 thou milt bring beforc thy face ; wilt
thou not ?
There is vine, 0 R ~ u s ~ q - X l ;there
! are hnrp and fiute ; thciefore,
with thy bclovccl,
With thy tablcts in thy hai~cl,unto tlie gardell thou ~ i l go t ; wilt
thou not ?
LIX.
* The long curls of the hair of the Af&%n females, often renching
below the mnist, are compared to Msclr sni~kes. See note nt:page 136.
F
Ho aonld never experience any perfidy 01%duplicity, nt any tinlo,
If a 1 ~ a n ' sown intentions mete confornxhlc nnto honcsty nncl
truth.
P o ~ t u n e shometl~not sovority towards the sn1,missivo niul ru-
siguec1.-
Those, who are impatient and unstcnrly, thc pe~sccntioneof destiny
pul'slLe.
Withiu this gnrden, very mauy rosm have passed boforc trtiino eyes ;
But at the side of every ~ O S C ,I perceivccl there mas n thoiv dso.
T h e heart, that nourished the hopc of constn~wyfrom tho 1111-
faithf~d,
W a s unto itself, indced, its own tyrmt, m r l its om11 oppressor too.
Siiice i t henleth not nt all, nlthough ointmont is ilppliecl nnto it,
m a t sort of grief-wouiirl m s tlicte 'die heart of Krrus~qXr~ npon !
LX.
Whoso noquireth wealth, spendel11 it, allcl bestometli it, n ninii is lw :
I Whoso hnth n sword in his possession, the lord of the sword is hc.
A mine of rubies, of garnets, and of othm gems, what is i t after d l ?
That, from which bounty l ~ l ~bclieficencc
d ate o b t a i d , is a mine.
?matsoever thou entest for thc belly's sdce done, is thrown amaj ;
But wliat is eaten, in sociability and companionship, is the fwc.
Whether i t is the power of wealth, of lniids, or of a~~thority,
n-hat
t thcn ?
.
I f nuto any one their power becoineth usofill, thnt is power indeed.
r. 2
212 RHUmI$IiL =AN, KHATTAX.
.1
Throughout the whole night and dny-tllro~~ghout both month and
year,
The time t l u ~ tpnsscth iu the rernernl~rmccof the Ahiighty, is
time truly.
LXI.
They neither say prayers ovcr the clead, nor ministers havc they ;
Nor dms, nor offerings, nor t h e fear of God within their hearts.
LXII.
Evmywherc, throtzghout thc world, I am becomc dishonoured nnd
humiliated-
Home by house, my fissoh~teness,and my yrofligacy, are manifest
grown.
That which 1kept closely covered up, co~icealedwithin my sleeve,+
The pcople of t h c world have come, the spectacle of that gpblet to
behold.
This is no heart a t all, that now entertaineth lrindness towmds me;
B u t that ~tndamanl;inestone, tonmds me, hath somewhat softer grown.
call,
~ e ~ a r a t i from
o ~ ; thorn in dmt11 itself-and mall soon Lwatlisth his
last;
But t h e sooicty of the heart's iclolr;, hat11 a second existence become.
Thongh he putteth his hoart .upon its guard, yct i t will not bo
prudent ;
Hence, & U S H ~ . ~ L is accouunted now, among the crazy, and the mid.
Be content with &ill0 own lot, and do not dmays envy the fortune
of otliers !
Shouldst thou secure both these things, may happiness and
xfflneaae be thine !
The links of existence are bouud together by a single flimsy thread
done :
Leave the world's sorrows : why mourn for otliers ? Weep for thy
' tllysolf!
Whcthcr thine own kith and kin, or strangers, draw thy pen thro' 811 :
It is t h e age of iniquity and depravity ; so be not vain of brothel;
or of son.
r
In whatever direation I mend my may, I perceive such nctv from
them-
Tlie attainment of thcir wishes is on to-clq, and gone is all honcern
for to-moi~om.
Bcllold ! what blasting wind is it, that h ~ t l lb10vn over all the
TTo1.ld i!
The heart mnxeth not Iiind to ally onlo; m d 'the whole wodcl is
deceitful grown !
I wag snying that the hamlet is peoplecl, but, lo ! when I came mar
11iit0it,
hfei-er~~blfrbidl
is lying about-it mas nn uttcrly clesolatc end deserted
nbotlc.
I n whatever direction thou gocst, pass them by ~vith"God preserve
US !'I
LXIV.
Whether it is tho wise man, or the iguorant-thc honest man, or the
robber;
I do not see any one n true collengne uniteel with me in my task.'?
Like unto the ants, directed towards the grain arc the steps
Of thosc who favour mc, with their coming, and tlieir going.
Did not these ants entertain tllc hope of obtnining a store,
They would never make any jo~w~iey in that direction, at all.
Abaucloii not thine own striaken mountain-land, 0 ICnusnqI~,!
Though blood is, a i evesy footstep, mid in cvery direction shed.
LXV.
When the affs~irsof religion, and of the world come before thee;
Eefore worldly matters, first those of thy religion discharge.
111order that the f~fmgrauce
of the musk-1~odbe dissemimtcd,
Show unto me those dark tl-csses nud sable ringlets of thine.
'Tis thc scason of spring ! 0 cupbearer, bring, bring the wine !
And add the delicious dessert of thy lips thereunto.
Do not, to-day, 0 Zealot ! impede the drinking of pure mine ;
IVhen the sl)siilg shall liwe passed awily, theu prohibit it.
Since it is not free, for a moment, from thc fire of love,
llast thou, 0 God ! tho lover's breast a chafing-dish mndc ?
LXVI.
Alld thou, too, that sayest unto me, " LOO^ not uup01.l the filkY'-
Who wi? give ear unto such deadly words ns those thou uttcrcst 1
A single haw of tho head of onc's beloved is more precious than the
giii-i' s*-
What usc is it, then, 0 priest ! to 1a1d the virgins of Paradisc,
unto me 2
Not every crow and kite, but the nightingale appreciateth the
rose'^ value ;
Then a ~ l cnot, 0 fool ! what sort of person hath thus enamo~mdme.
.
" Tile black-eyed virgins of the Muhammadan Paradise.,
Those nre not black eyes, that linm cnrikcl nwny my yeixrlling
hcnrt-
Thou, 0 God !-All-vise, All-~ecing-lmowest they are cnln~nities
greater still.
That is not a mole upon thy chill, nor are those clark dishevelled
tresscs :
They we, if thou canst oomprehend this myin9; i~ mystcry divine.
Whether t h e censurcs of the world, or people's vorst upbraidiugs ;
All thcse, I willingly accept, if thou art but 1-ccoiiciledto me.
I mill light no lamp in my dmolling to-night, that they may not
suspect-
These neighbouru of the Sama'h*-that thou art n p e s t of mine.
I wns saying, I mould tell thee my heart's sorrows, when thou
camest ;
But what griefs shall I mention, d i e n thou, the grief-dispeller,
art n c m 2
Since thou tossest uuto the wind the musk-pods of thy fragrant
tresses,
, well howeth, that thou m-t n deer of IChatji.?
I C H U ~ ~ H Lfull
-
LXX.
Whoso lilrc unto the dust, may not be prostrate at the threshold,
For them, thero will be no approach unto lie,zvcn and to Miss.
The nightingale tliat bewaileth when he approncheth the rose,
Thus saith :-LLAlas, some clay the parterre mill ceaso to bc !"
The rent in my heal* d l , by no means, unite again,
Till i t shall be s c m together, with the t h ~ e a dof thy locks.
The name of thy tresses I will n e ' e ~t&a upon my tongne n g ~ i n;
For the prudent snake-chwmer hat11 naught with black snakes to do.
Be not infwior m t o tho Hindii female, for the honow of thy
beloved ;
For tho blazing f h e r a l pyre will have ao terrors for hor."
E v e ~ ymoruent, that I behold the abject of my love, is a jlibilee
to me :
I ~ha.11then be without a festival, mhen my beloved may not be.
* The Bindii momen boldly nnd fearlessly mount the funeral pyre of
their deceased husbands, for what they consider honour's sake.
1
art of me wilt thou p1;zce n plastci; 0 physicinn !
Up011 what p
When the mound of the eyelashes of the bclovccl may not bc aecn 1
LXXII.
LXXIII.
LXXV.
Like as T. my dcar one love, there will not be allotller so loving :
Like as I am disconsolate for her, tl~orcwill be none other so
wsetclled.
* The poet's ]lame signifies 'happy ;' hence the play upon the word
here, which would lofie by transltltion.
G!
226 R H U ~ H L =AN,
L XHATTAK.
She herself killeth me, indced, nnd then again Eihe mournetli
over me-
ISOWgood a fTieeacl how grcnt her love ! such bc illy cleat11 and
elegy !
Look upon those hes ~rtblelocks, and upon both tliosc lovely
cheeks !
Within the world's parterre arc no such spilcenards, no snch lilies
founc1.t
Shouldst thou a inantle from the rose-leaves nxilcc, cven tbcy
n~ouldirritate :
Tililre unto this delicate body of thine, no one snch mother pos-
sesseth.
If snch tho law, or sncli her custom be, the Ilinrla fenialc's rigllt
is constancy,
That sittctb clown upon her lover's pyre : wliat oihcr mould such
bnrning bear 71:
'T is the reed, mholly dried np, breut-scurecl, nlid void M-ithin,
That giveth nttcraucc to separation's plaiutivc mnils.
LXXVII.
Verily, those hearts must be hard like the stones of tho desert,
That m~,ylook upon thy face, a i d feel not love for thee.
* As before stated, the name of the poet signifies happy ;' hence,
l1 where the heart has become happy,'' is t h e meaning above.
*
The vicious are vicious, while yet in the womb of their mothers ;
And vile and vicious are they, wheu their motl~ersbring them forth.
I n this world, they live and subsist iu wickedness rtud iniquity;
And 1mto.the next, they must, wretched and miserable, go.
* &sk hex signifies ' youth,' wlien the hair is of the colour of musk ;
and camphor, ' old age,' when the hair turns silvery.
%.
Abnrldoii iiot, 0 KRUSHFIL! His footnin~.lru,
Though t h y head, like that of the pcii, slioulcl go."
LXXX.
Certainly this lnnu is, tllro' polish and good breecling, n 11umi~u
bciiig ;
POPhc, who is not pos~esscdof t l m c , is no better than t h e boast of
the field.
They arc not men, who mny not inherit eithcr fhithfnlness 01.
Coilstancy ;
Otherwise the clog, in these mrtttc.~,is f w more estimable t h l
they.
The just and coilscicntious me, unto me, ns the flowers of Paradise's
~ x t e r r;
e
But the false and tyrnllilicd wc, unto me, as t h e fuel of the f i ~ eof
Bell.
When the dog groweth familia~vith m y one, and obtaineth some-
thing to eat,
A t him, he will never balk uor growl q p i n , as long as his life may
last.
He, who is with j u ~ t i c eand equity enclowxl, !lccd have no fear of
Hell ;
And justice, in my sight, is fitr more important than cven piety
itself.
Prom good nature and cpalitics, tlie estimation of n man's worth is
formed ;
For, by disposition, a nlan is either a devil, 01. $11 nngcl-a fiend,
or n fay.
" fieferring to the nib of R pen.
8
'lee speedily from him, ml~o niny possess rieitlicr lewning nor
attainments ;
For the innn, without 1raowledg.e and infoi*rnntiotl,is b u t a straw.
When he cainlot be restrniiied by thy counsels, nor be guiclcd by thy
nd~ice,
Fetters are i~quiredto control him, c ~ ~ ctliough
ii 110 n lion may be.
What, indeed, is either vice or. virtue-right or wrong, atheists
unto 1
According to the creed they follow, the dog's whelp is : ~ ninnoc~nt
lamb.
111 the sunshilie of prosperity, the sincerity of friends callnot bc
tested ;
Bnt they are thy friends, who help thee, in nrhrsity, thy load to
sustnin.
Evciy ascetic, who mithunt ,z spiritual guide, assumeth a life of
:~usterity,
111 the cstimntion of ICEUSH~XL,KHATTAIC, is b u t nu cmpty Imslr.
LXXXII.
* This poem appears to have reference to the colcluess of the poet's con-
federates in the war with the Mu&als, and to the trouble ?&u&&l had
with his sons.
The name of the ancestor of one of the great divisions of the Af&%nns,
including Rome of the western tribes, and also the Pasufzis of the north-
easterli pwts of -4f&auistan, who refused nssistance to Qu&@l und his
confederates, in their mars with Anrangzeb.
f Dam&W is the unme of a small town in Sumst.
I
LXXXV.
I went m d turned anchorite-snch is my cnse, such nly situatiou-
My sole worldly vealth this broken bowl within m y hand, and a
covel-let of mgs.
Behold thc uilfortunate ! see what manner of meretricious acts they
commit !
They all desire prosperity ; b u t prosperity is evnnesceiit, and con-
tinueth not !
I will lscconie a sacrifice u t o him, wJ.-~ohat11 made the modd lli~,
sncrifico ;
But let him be an obhtion ~ u i t ome, who hnth lsecomc an oblation
unto golcl.
There is nothing whatever in it--there is a great bustle in an ompty
shop :
When I clnly considered the matter, I foniid it all mcro fancy-a
phantom-a dream.
One is being laid in t h e cold grave, whilst anotlxr, at home, sitteth
nnconcerned ;
Then there am three days of monrnhg; and on the fourth, the
case is oha~lgecl.
With hands placed t o my ears, I flee $om it, t h a t I may escnpe
therefrom ;
But others grow wetched after it-O God, what a ddrcadfu1 plague
it is !
Wlmt hast thou to do with others ? show resolution for thine 0~111
deliverance ;
~ Lentangled thcreh-alas ! what a iiet
For thou, 0 R I I U R H!~art
R H U a H H L =AN, KHATTAlC.
LXXXVI.
0 rose ! who art, the truc muse of the gnrden's loveliness,
Why condescendcst thou to join, in laughter, with tl~oimsand weeds?
H o w colneth it, that thou art not conscions of thine own dignity t
For thou art the one and only benuteous object ill this parterre.
The songs of the nightingales will not always be made for thee ;
For thou, 0 lovely rose ! art notorious for thy lack of constancy.
Delight, then, the senses of tho nightingale with tllinc own f&rancc,
F o r the few, short days, that thou freshly bloomest, the garden
within.
Should I desire to mention, unto any one, thy injusticc, Y is
unupenls~ble;
Yet with all this heavy auount of wong8, thou art my life still.
But shouldst thou complain, unto any onc, of the injustice of thy
beloved,
lMay d l love's calamities befall thee ; for thon sayest what is false.
0 KRUSHH;~L ! thou that ascende~tunto love and passion's giddy
height-
Consider well, i r ~thy l-gpt, upon whom thon hast thine affections
placed.
LXXXVII.
Of thcm, who nlwnys laced upon their llcads the cap of vanity,
The Llnclc hair hnth now bcco~nc,like unto wvhitc wool, cllanged.
The running stream m d life's career are both one and the salne-
I11 this world, those joyous days am1 nights, mturn to us no mom !
All love, snve that of God, if thou pcrccivest, is, altogethel;
As if one built a bridge of straws LIPO~I thc s ~ r f a c eof the stream.
0
With dl this grace 811d beauty that I see yosscssed by thee,
Whether thou a r t of human mo~dcl,or a fay, I cannot si~y.
That one's blood should be upon one's owl1 henci, is, t1111y, 6 0 1 1 ~ ~
cmse of concerll ;
Still, to think that I still live, ~vhilstmy friends w e in the toml),
is irksome to me.
Since so many plcasant and familiar fhccs are buried bcnoatli this
earth,
When I shall join thorn in the grave, it will be a very paradisc to me.
Is old nge come uipon me 1 am I imbecile grown P or is there aught
else l
For that doth not sncceecl which I set abont ; and yet people and
co~untlyare the same.
Tho' I speak unto fblks ever so liinclly, they taka in bad pzrt what.
I say unto them-
'T is either the good fortmc of the Mu&&, or lily iiitellect hstli
deficicnt bccoine.
No ! 't is not the good fortune of the Mu&als, nor am I in inttdlllect
nrsnting-
'T is, entirely, t l i ~ o ~ ~old
g l l age, that my affairs are all disordered
and conf~merl.
The Blu&als whom 1 now set eyos upon, are not such as zsvere
wont to be :
Tlie day of their ~vorclsis past and gone, nnd but the pcn remaineth
unto thein.
They @in over the ilfg&ns by gold; and by fraucl and docaption
entangle thew :"
Upoii me these things have no effect ; for the favour of God is still
upon mc.
I am lieither a fly nor a crow, that I ~shoulclhover over rottenness
and filth :
Tlie hawk or the falcon ain I, that must my heart, ndli my own
quarry, delight.
* The Emperor Aurnnqzeb, finding that KJu&l$iI and his brother con-
federates could not be subdued with the sword, tried gold and diplomacy,
to which the most of them succumbed. S~P.pnge 144.
Iverc there but others like unto me in this affair, I should rejoice
indeed ;
B L I ~since there are none like me, with distress aud grief I am
O' erwhelmld.
There will not be, henceforth, repose like this for me again,
Since I havi heoome aware, 0 solitude, of thy preciousness !
They, who by thcir own efforts, seek, the world's prosperity to gain,
Tho wisdom of such people is as nothing in my sight.
* See Qu&l$tl,
n
Ppem I., 'An Ode to Spring>'stmiza 17.
R
Froin whom shall I scek to obtain ,z such-like panncen,
That bath Lccn plwposely prcpaiwl, [or the' cure of my peiils P
Since the gem is grown of less value than the Itauri shell"'
There can be no jemclleq clcnr-sighted enougl~to clistiilguish then^.
Secing, that wliercver therc may be beauty, there the hcctrt is,
To what degree shall I KHUSEI$&L'S: self-denial and abliegatioi~
praise !
XCII.
Bnt when the vise man may not possess aught of its wealth,
I n the world's eyes, lie is the sane as n blookhead, or a fool.
Wheu possessed of power and infhence, my words were as pearls ;
But now, I I satisfied if they be, even as corals, recoircd.
Let us see what events will,. liereaftel; sliow their facc ;
Though, in tlie meantime, the world d l prato n dod thereon.
xcm
Wherever thon reclinest, that place a parterre of flowers becoinetli :
When thou i11 the mead mainest, the breast of tho tulip is scarred.
When the sable loclrs about thy fair fnce, tho zephyr disheveleth,
Tlie fi.agraiice of musk and amber is diffused in every brain.
XUIV.
From the lustre of the inteinnl, the exterior is clear and bright ;
B u t by intercoiwse with the bnse, thcro are n li~~iidred
ills.
R a
Like thc name of nlchcmy and of tho phmnix, that me heal- %bout,
m:~nboth of these, sincerity a d fidelity are more r ~ r e l yf011d
From the lips of the despicable tlion hearest a thousand things ;
FOYwhen will they rest satisfied with a single harangue 'l
DO not allow thyself t o be deceived by friends of the present day--
Beforc thy Facc, they arc for thee; but behind thee, back t o back.
XCV.
Love hath not proceeded eithcr from wlmt is true, or what is futile ;
But mailifold are the pilgrillmges made to the idol of its shrine.
XCVI.
A ~ R A &Xx,
F eldest son of Rhush&il &in, the subject of the
preceding notice, mas born in the year IT. 1044 (LD. 1634); and
when thc mar, which had bcen cnwied on by his fathor md other
Af&in chieftains, against the Mu&% Emperol; clicd O L ~ Kh11sh!$1,
,
~vhollyclisgustecl with the world, ~esigneclthe chieftainship of the
lBat&k tribe in favo~u.of AAraf, A.E. 1093 (AD. 1681.) The
ci~cumstances, which brought these mnttcrs about, having been
related at length in the notice preceding &n&hiil's poems, need
not be repeated here.
A&af endeavo~wedfor some time to oaiiy on the government
of his clan, and nlso t o pelform his duties tomads the MLI&~
Govesnmcnt, by aiding tlio P e f i Z v a ~nnthorities in the aclministra-
tion of the affairs of that province; but he was opposed and
thwarted in nll his endeavouss by his brother BalwBin, the same
~vhoendemoured to tnke the life of his fathel; who styles him
" B & r ~ m the Degenerate," and ' l Tho Malignnnt ;"and by whoso
machiiiations, Ashrd mas, at last, bct~ayed into the ,hands of
A~mugzeb,in the year II. 1095 (AD, 1683). m e affairs of the
Dalhan having called for the presence of that mohasch, who con-
tinued in that pnrt of Indin for several yems, tho & t @ a l <chief
was talmn dong with him, as a statc prisoner ; and was subsequently
sent to the strong fortress of Bijlpfir, situated in what is, at present,
tesmed the Southern Mahiirata country, where he conti~i~ml to
Innguish in exile for the remainder of hie life. He died in the year
11. 1105 (AD. lG93), and in thc 60th year of his age.
A&mf used, occisionally, to devote some of his 1cis~u.ctime t o
poetry, before he assumed the goveinmeiit of his clan, iincitcd,
doubtless, by the example of his brwe old father, and his brothers
ABab~l-d-I<Zdirand Sach QBn, who mere also gifted with t h e
cc~coefhes scribencli." D ~ h hisg exile be wote a great mmber
of poems, a d collected the whole, as they now stand, in the form
of n D i m Q or Alphabetical Collection. Acooiding to the usual
oustom among Enstern poets, A d m f sss~umeclthe name of LLThe
Seyercd" or "Exiled ;" and nlany of his poems, written in the most
patlietic style, plainly tell wllero, and under n h t circumstauces,
thoy n-cre cumposed. The ori6ml DimZ11, or Collection, aimuged
P
:~ndwritten by himself, at Bijsptir, is still iu the possession of his
&sccndauts, and from it the following poems were extracted;
indeed, I am not aware that any other copy of his poems exists.
A&raf is regardcd by the Af@ins as a good poet; but his effnsions
are, without reasoil apparently, coixklered difficult and abstnlse.
When Af?d JQ~iiu, his son, became firmly established in the
cllieftninship, he caused the remains of his father to be removed
from Bi$~pfir to Sai9e-where the RhatJnlr ohiefs:llavc been usuelly
intcrrcd-a distance of some fifteen hundred miles.
THE POEMS '
THE promise of the kiss, the beloved ever putteth off for to-
momow ;
Then how can my heart place conficlence in a pledge like this 2
Whoso is vein enough to depend upon the affairs of the f ~ ~ t w e ,
The wise and sagacious mill laugh that foolish man to scorn.
My fricild is not acquainted with the cleceitfihoss of the world;
Yet still she deceiveth, having, in her heart, 11augIit of truthfdness.
Do not presume to this degree, upon the loveliness of tho k c e :
13ehold the autumn ! dot11 it ever, to the rose, any bloom imy~nrt!
Thou, who through wrogance, actefit thus falsely toma~clsme ;
Time vill pay back unto thec the requitd of these dccda of thine.
11.
TVhcn, in t h e shape of n sllield, tllc hair on the forehead is plaitod,J.
The roses wveathed t h e r e i q iml,ay,l.t t h e intrinsic virtues of tho SU~L
F
1 The live-coal-like r n b y in her nose-jcmcl4 is fire itself;
I
And t h e red bd&,ll like u n t o n s p m k of fire, is placed by its side.
* The poet here appears to refer to some chance of release from cap-
tivity.
t BijZpfir, the name of the fortress i n which he was confined.
$ This refers to n custom prevalent amongst all the df&%n tribes in
the days of t h e poet, and still observed by the Ghalizis and other tribes of
Central Af&TmistEn, of plaiting the front hair of young girls, from about
eight y e a r s of age until the day of marriage, in n round plait about, the
size of a small saucer, which is allowed t o hang down in froat, and ofien
reaches to the tip of the nose, but not coveling- the oyes, thus acting the
part of a ma&. On the marringe-day it is opened mcl plnited in tho
ordinary way. A picture containing a gi1.1 wearing the hair in this
manner d l be found in CAPTAINL. W. HART'Swork of " SKETCHESOF
A n a i a Cos~uarn,"lithographed by HAGHE.
8 An ornament worn by momen in the left, nostril.
1) A ~qjng.of gold worn in the cartilage of the nose. ,
Thc chzmlda'i* on her forehead is hence 'ed with her lover's bloocl,
That every jewel tlle~ein,for piercing, is lilie n lancet disposed.
Her eyebrows are a bent bow ; her eyclnshes, ai3rowsndjjustecl :
The onlaments of beauty are sometimes a sword; at others, n
dngger made.
The devotee of n himcbecl years is, with ollc of her glances undone,
When she declicth out her beautcons person, and goeth forth.
when she disposeth her flowing tresses in curls nbont her face,
~d the Ethiop wmy sho acoordeth permission, c$vastation t o make.
T eyes she maketh still more black, by the antimony ;
H ~ dark
And every eyelash she mill mnlre moist in her lover's blood.
Soft and tender tales she telleth, bnt they are nll dissimnldion :
She casteth hcr enchantments ronucl the heart, by pretexts and
peas.
For her lover, Tal-twns and Elysium nre r e d y provided;
Since the sweot Paindise of conjunction, separation twneth to
HcIl.
The shadow of love is, undoubtedly, the philosopher's atone ;
Since upon whomever i t may bo yubbed, his body is t~wnedto gold
The punishment is death, in the cmed of passion's votaries,
For him, mho entereth love's path, nnd feareth its struggles and
strifc.
.
Never let him, fit any time, gaze upon the fnce of the beloved,
Who may bo p d ~ t i dunto life, and for his head may fear.
Wit11 the scar of sorrow, llc mill his own heart afflict,
If, on the morlcl's aF~il's,ally one should reliance place.
*
Do ndt grow vain of its fnvonr; for nll is cleception :
Do not iinagiae, tllat: in reality, i t benevoleilce showctli.
When i t did not nct faithfdly mith thosc that 11mc gone,
Whoever sec1;cth constancy from it to-day, cmeth pently.
The- foundation of dl its acts is oil injustkc based :
Prom the agc hope not for good faith; for it Iwometh it not.
Do not pridc thyself on the fi~enclshipof that fricad,
Who, in the same brcatk, in a thonsand other places smiletli.
I place not a n how's rcliailce on t h e permanence of life :
He is a fool who noarisI~ethgreat hopes of immutddity.
All those splendid cdifices, that t11011, in the morld, beholdeel,
Crncl destiny, a t last, will then1 t o a a d d d e m t tl~rn.
THE SI~AR-~TED, iu the Dalrlian, modd not hnvc a inolncnt &~y.yecl;
13ut when doth fat% ever f~dfdo w wishes and 1,cqnc~ts!
1V.
--
What ahall I say uilto any o m rcgardiiig thc allguish of separdiori Z
Siiice it hat11 not even left within mo thc powel. to cqmplain !
Since every injury she hcapcth up011 mo is right ancl lawful ;
A t least, let the proud onc stand once mith face tomards me.
The gold bracelets upon her wrists make an amnzing displrty :
L e t them ucver become brolren from the clisasters of fatc !
F o r my case, 0 physician ! thou ever showest comrniseration-
Thou sayest,. "by antidotes, thou wilt be from thy aflictions
relieved."
The diseases of the body thou homest, without doubt ;
B u t when is t1.c agony of the hemt laid bare unto thee 'I
Rhattak that, I am, mith exile I am never content;
B u t affection for my friend hat11 from my kin scveved me.
The grief of THESBPARAT~D shall be changed into gladness,
If any one, horn tho tavern, sl~allbring wine unto me.
'
Like as al~sencef+om the beloved liath made day dwli to me,
L e t there never be, unto any one, snch a clark nnd lurid day !
D o not be overjoyed, 0 maiylot ! on account of my disjunction ;
For at last, dark and overcast like this, s h d be thy day !
The day of delight and pleasure bath pssecl, as thc -rind, away-
For how long shall malice on me be vented by trouble's day !
T r ~ ~ l iyt , d l be, nt Inst, like the miid that linth passed nway,
Tliis, that I now bellolcl-soparatioll's long; dreary day !
The grief and joy of fort~nie'scliaiqp shdl not last for nye :
Verily, 0 SEPARATED! it shall reach its end, this oppression's day !
VT.
Their coining, and their going, we more speedy than the dam1 ;"
FOY I have, myself, experienced the heat and the cold of time,
Show thou no hanlcoring for the fare on the board of fortune ;
For t l ~ e r eis not, n morsel thereon, fi-ee from bitterness and woe.
t
* The coining and departure of day is very rapid in the Enst, there
being but little twiliglit.
Turn thy back, 0 SE~ARATED ! mlto evil; thy towards good,
That, on tho Grcat Day off ~ssem11ly,"thou mayest not, wilh fear7
be pale.
VII.
* The resurrection.
t The names Nal and Damnn, Wamik and &a~r3i, Majnnu a ~ l dLaylx,
nre those of loversd celebrated in Eastern poetry.
R
Even a t thy death, T m SEPARATED will not t h y love renounce ;
And f o ~ s ~ o lis
' nho, if, in life, his heart unto thee turn cold !
VIII.
XI.
Whoever dwelletli in this abodc of cnlamity and aBiction,
For cvery one, thcre is trouble, each accordiilg to his cnsc.
I seek after a place of safety, but I am uiiable to find o w ;
The world, t o this degree, is so full of misery and nroc. .
Though fortune may, a tliouaand joys, on thee bestow,
With one z$liction, i t tmmpletli them all.in the dast.
Neithcr is its most propitiow time worthy of rejoicing ;
Nor is its most portentons hour for lanientation befitting.
Be not cast down a t its S O ~ O W Nf, o they
~ do not continue ;
And with its plexs~wesalso, do not thou grom oveljoyecl.
If foytuiie grant nuto thee an interview with n pretty one,
With the sting of seprtration, it speedily pierccth t h g hcart.
l'rospcrity nevcr enteroth within thc preciricts of one's abode,
Until misery a i d arlvcmity its compnions it makcth.
(loocl fortune, by its own words, saith, "I am not lasting,"
If thou shouldst but rcversc the letters of that word:'
' h e pigeon of vitality, it bringetlz q~rioklydbwn from itfl flight,
When the falcon of destiny sprcadeth its pinions to the wind.
It cbaweth, without PI-etest,the drngon from tho cave :
From the river it extrncteth tho fish, weak and paralyecd.
I 1
Iherc is no cause for nnogmce iu life's immutability ;
For it passeth by like the viucl, both month and yem
XII.
* This very pretty idea, of the poet's iy s play upon the Arabio word
JIJIill-bid, sig~~itying, good fortune,' which, if read backwards, beconles
b!Y kF-bultZi, m ~ ~ n i n gwithout
, stability or permanence!
Seeing that the .world showed no constancy to the departed,
How are those who remain, so ardent, to-day, in its pumuit 1
The world is a faithless bride, that destroyeth her hnsband ;
Hence the wise, for this reason, are to her friendship so cold.
The flowers, that every season bloomecl in the garclen so sweetly,
\
Have lilrewise, in the autumn, thus been scattered to the winds.
0 thou, of vain pleasures so proud ! for thy dopnrture prepaye !
Thy cotemporaries have grown wemy in looking out for thee !
Behold these graves ! say, what wilt thon wit11 gardens do ?
Look upon thy dear friends ! observe what they have becomc !
Bend thy looks upon them-comely yonths, and youthful bridcs !
S e p m ~ t efrom each other, in their graves t h y have withered away !
By vhtuons actions, 0 S ~ P A R A!THeaven
~ D is attainable ;
Theu never (followin the way of those who have gone ttstray.
XIII.
&
or' the soul's jouruey, 'the white steed became saddled i11 the heart,
Wheu upon my chin grow white the hair of youthful clays.
When the spring-timo of youth unto thc body bade adieu,
The blnclr hair waxed silvery in the autumn of old age.
Since the miseries of abseuce have not rednced them to ashes ;
What ! have these bones of my body, all, into iron turned?
XIV.
Of the pangs of separation I became deserving that dny,
When, weeping mcl sobbing, from my love I was ~leverecl.
At that time, for my life, in tears of blood I mo~uiled,
When, tunling my back npon Abak, I weeping began,
Horn shall I n o v pinc after the rocks and shnubs of my country 1
For, h ~ v i n gmade my p m t i ~ gsalutation, I bade them farewell.
Embedded in my heart, from Boh" an aiz.onr I brought nway-
I failccl t o bid adieu to my bower, or its sacrifice to become.+
With m ~ l c htoil, in the world I had a garden laid out ;
knd, as yet, I had not smelt a Rowel; when from i t I was torn.
The blue hcsvcils langhecl from delight iultil they grew red,
When facing llod&ey's mountain,$ I t ~ u n e dfrom it away.
There is no magician in the Dalihan that cau charm me ;
For I a m a prisoner become, in a d r ~ g o ncavern
'~ profonud.
XV.
X VI.
The wise, for thiu reason, ~ m t othe world's affairs will be cold ;
That all its griefs aro like thc blast, and like the dust its joys.
7 ~ my sighs ;
Do not, 0 Darwe& ! false accouxt my ~ 0 x 0 nncl
For, at that time, the cyes d l weep, mhen the heart may
aching be.
The hcad of co~rmgemill not bow for thc! sake of throne aiid
crolnl;
When the man, of spirit frce, may know what the world's gifts arc.
That man, who may traffic in pe~fidiousness,and in iniquity,
Will be pale and ghastly, mhen he cnteretli tho assembly of tho jmt.
In the estimation of the vise, even morse than the ox they arc,
Who may be constantly overwhelmed in gluttony's cares.
The revolving heawns aro n mill, and mnn the gmin tl~ercin:
He is no soouer in the world, than he mill into meal bo gromd.
It is ant of tho qnestioll altogether, that in lJu&to any 0 t h ~ ~
bard,
S h d , like Tun S~PARATED,so ~ulrivallcd,in the art poetic bc.
* All ties will then be broken ; for all will be so much occupied with
their own affairs and interests, that they will pny no atteution to otherg
ho~veve~ dear they may have been in this world.
~ ~ ~ D - U L - I S Xh DH I~R, sou of R h ~ s h h a lfikill, n a & a k , and
brother of A&i%f, the subjcct of the preceding notice, was boru ill
thc year rr. 10G3 (A.D. 1G62), and is tlic most eloqnent writer a i d
poet of d l lChns~l$il's sons, several of whom mere poets of no mean
ability. Although his fatlthcr had little rcasou to bo very partial
tornards his souv generally, on account of tllcir rcry m~uatwal
coriduct, arld ~mCaithfulnesstomads hiinself, on too nlauy occa-
sions ; yet, upon the vhole, Babcl-d-I$%clir:Lppears to have been
n fzvourite, and to hnvc shared coliside~ably in his father's
affection.
iEabd-~d-$B&.r was as good at the sword as a t tho pen ; and in
the battle with the Mu&nl troops at Ho&ah, a phce in the vicinity
of t h e P c & i w ~ r d i s t h t , the victory 01the confedcrate kf&811s
was chiefly owing to the skill clisplayed by the poet on that occa-
sion ; m d it was he also who led the assault against that fortress,
which, after three hours of severe fighting, he captumd. He nfter-
wmcls distinguished himself, in like manner, in the war of Bill1pn&,
during dlioh operations he was w~uncled; and thc successes
p i n e d in the mar mere celebrated in his name.
When his !htller abdicated the chieftainship of the tribe (as
rdnted in the notice of Rl~ushI$l nud his writings), and the sons
wcrc cach struggling to su~pplautenoh othoi; and grasp the vacant
nuthority, iEn,Ircl-~~l-I~~cli~ did uot hold b:~cIc. Hc lried very hard
t o g ~ i nthe chieftainship, b u t fortune was unpropitious; and
A&raf, who, as tho eldest son, had certainly the best right, mas
chosen by his father m d the tribe to succeed him. Whcn A&rd
w a s betrayed into ilie hands of the Mu&als, and sent by Anmngzeb
i n t o the Dnlrhan as state p~isonel; ('Bahriim the Malignant," the
brothel; who had betrayed him, seized the chieftainship; but,
sr~bsequently,Afqal miin, the son of Akraf, became chief of the
clan.
To pay obedience to this nephew appears to have been extremely
difficult and bitter for &abd-ul-I!%dir, mlio wished to hold the
authority himself; and although the whole of his brothers, then
living, sidcd with him in his ambitious designs, it was of no avail ;
for the tribe mere unanimous in favour of Ahraf's son Afid, in
w h o m mas the hereditary right, as previously statod. The upshot,
however, was, that Afzal, the nephew, snw 110 other practicable
solution of the difficulty: according to the custom of those days,
t h a n to get rid of all rivals; and, accordingly, LEabd-ul-&%dir,
together with ten of his kyotl~ers,aud a n~unlscrof their sons, more
put to death, at the village of Z n m h '&gaey, in one day, and
buried in one grave; t h s escaping t h e sorrows and troubles of
chieftainship.
The poems of Babd-i-Isiidir, which are deeply imbued with
@a6 mysticism, are thoughl; very highly of by thc Af&iins ; and
his I m p a g e is extremely polished. His chief works, now 1~10~11,
are a Diwiiu or Collection of Odes, from which the following poems
are taken ; n translation of Molawi Jiimi's celebrated poem of Yiisuf
and ZuliIrhi$ from the Persian, which is rendered by the trallslator
i n t o the most difficnlt style of Eastern poetry, and is cousidered
thc most perfect of its kind i n the Af&n language ; the affecti&
l o v e tale of Adam and Dru.&Lna'i-vhich t h e e or four other
authors have written on, both in verse and prose-togetller with
tl-mslations oq &aildl Ssmdi's Gulistiiil m d dostiin, from thc Per-
sian. H e is said, by his clescelldallts of the present day, to h r t ~
been t h e rtuthor of about sixty clifferent morh ; but with t h e
exception of a s m d l volumo on enigmas, cl~arades,nnd verses of
myrrterious meaning, even the names of them are now unknomn.
Specimens of his Odes in t h e original Pu&to, together with a
portion of Yasuf and Zulik&, and t h e firat part of the Gulist511,
will be founcl i n the GUL~AN-I-RoH,"or Selections iu tho Af&F~ll
Language, l~ublishedby me last year.
THE POEMS
&ABD-UL-&~IR
TAK .
I( HAT-
-
With the whole heart sho hnth made away ; but, even yet, bchold
What enchantments, chnrms, deceits, m d spell8 sho employeth stiIl!
The pmgs of sepnratiou fkom her wonld uot have been so great,
Had I, when enjoying her society, constantly lamented and wept.
Like unto the bco, I would have clasped the rose for ever to my
breast,
Had I pcrceived,in it thc fiagranco of constancy and faith.
For this reason, the envious wandereth about fYom door to dool;
Became I have driven him amay dolu the tlweshold of.my abode.
'
Bann-UL-I(LDIR, at that time, everlasting life acquired,
Whon, with thc sword of her glances, she deprived me of l i h
For how long shall this lamp in the gwclen coutinue to b~u-111
One clay, the cold, boistwous blast of destiny shall extinguish it !
IV.
Thou milt either give gome one's dwelling t o the flames, or shed
his blood ;
Seoing that thou hast donned garmeuts of the hg&owh'~n'sred hue,+
* See Introduction, page xi. -f See note at page 111.
T
The fire of love shall come forth from tho earth over Ihe graves
Of all, whose affection for their love, from the ~ o n litself, p-
ceedeth.
I will leavo the malls of the cloistcl; nnd go out unto the tavern;
For themin is to be found safcty from this, and the next wodd's
ills.
The universo lieth under the seal of cqntcnt and rcsipntion :
Shoddst thou draw it on thy fingcr, it is Sdimiin's magic ring.*
The red tears that course ench othcr down thy cheeks, 0 ZABD-UL-
I<HDIR I
Are a sumptuous banquet of rubies for thine o\vn dear friend.
V.
VT.
The falcon, that hirilrcth tho blood of his quarry, dieth full soon :
Restrain thyself, then, my 11eni-t! from such onst~nguincdfood.
* The name of a gold coin cunent in Persia end Arabia, 'a ducat,
Whether rnon&ch, or whether noblcs, thou thysolf shalt outvic
them;
For thou, & ~ . ~ - U L I $ X D I R ! on any one, placest not thy hopes.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
At last, he r i l l depart from it, his heart with anguish seared;
Bootlessly, thcn, the gmlener priclcth himself on this parterra !
They who may havo entered within the tavern of the world,
Shall ,211, in their turn, drinlr out of denth's fatd cup !
He merely gnardeth the portion of others, for they will tako it ;
Wherefore, then, is the rich' man of his wealth so very vain?
Be doth uot revel, like the nigl~tingale,among the roses ;
But h e sitteth perched, l i e a crow, a rotten cnrcms upon.
Sovereigns search about for it, but by beggars it is fomd ;
TVhethcr it be rest, or tranquillity ; or peace, or repose.
The rnclinnce of the lamp cannot be found -within the tomb,
Exccpt thou sho~ddstthe lamp of sighs c a q with thee there.
Thcse are red tears thou seest, by mhappy Mnjniin" shed ;
Par the tulip hath not bloomed, either in ~ ~ p l a nord in mead.
Set out, &LBD-UL-~$~DIR ! upon the path of inexistence ; '
Haply thou mnyest find therein trace of the dear one'y door !
XI.
XII.
XIII.
The flowers of spring have put forth their blossoms in garden and
in mead :
On the house-tops there are flowers, in the lanes, and in the
hedges too.
The stones, the bushes, the thoins, the meeds-all am by flowers
hidden :
Of every blemish and defect the Aowers have the concealers become.
Wherever the eyesight may be directed, all, all are flowers there-
Flowers in front, and flowers bchind-flowers on every side.
B
" According to the Abjad, or an arrangement of the letters of the
XIV.
The folks of the world give us the^ admonitions most unjustly;
For every man pleaset11 hin~selfaccorcling to his o m mind.
W ~ n have
t others to do with us, forsooth, that they restrain us,
If, for the sake of the beloved, me sacrifice life and goods ?
When love, like n mighty river, hath overflowed the heart,
Doth any on0 attempt a darn to raiso on tho faco of the flood 1
By the sevcranco of alI worldly concerns, sanctity is acquired ;
, But not by sacldling oneself with morIdly obligations and ties.
As long, 0 B A B D - U L - !I ~
as~thy
D Istrains
R may be repeated,
From thcm flow so many varying, ancld cdelightfid sweets.
xv.
If the surface of thy face be not soiled, be under no concern;
And the mirror of my heart, too, is not by rust nffeoted.
XVI.
On ascending to the terrace-roof of wealth, show thou no arrogance ;
But dXV~y6have before thine eyes the f e u of falling therefrom I
It hath raisod up many, and dashed them again to the ground :
Fortune's wheel raiscth uppermost, that it may again cast down.
At t h e o~tset,acquire thou tho wings of affcction and love,
If of soaring in the heavens thou the intention nourish.
. They whose hearts beauty's face may not with love inspko,
Theh countenances me not worthy even to be looked upon !
I would say, I should go and consoit with the clogs a t her door ;
But she would not, even then, one day, say to me " Come here !"
Since mine eyes became not blind,* from the absence of my love,
With all my hemt I m now willing they should go out of my
head.
Through contentment, and not t h o u g h gold, is opdence acquired :
The whiteness of the heart is essential, not the whiteness of tho
hair.
Thou hast rendered i t sweeter than Persi'm, BABD-UL-I(XDIR !
Although the Pufito language mas so bittey before.
XVII.
Since the heart is torn fiom it, in the end, in anguish and woe,
Why do people set thek Eearts this fleeting world up011?
Wherever its ravisher may be, there mill the heart bo also ;
For mhen do the heayt-m~ishersin tlmk breasts retain their hcnrtv 7
Why hast Thou, 0 God ! my heart filled with a giddy fair one's
love 1
That, though guiltless of any fault, every moment the 11ewt
aillioteth.
If, by parting vith his head, he might his loved one obtain.
* A celebrated Persian painter, who, about the middle of the third cen-
tui:y of our era, gwe out that he was the promised l~r~~aclete of our Lord ;
and soon established a numerous sect lcnomn as Mhichoenns. He fled
into TBrtary through feu of the Peysian Icing f&qiir (Sapor), where he
amused himself by drawing a number of singular figu1.e~in il, book called
Brtzng ; and, on his return, told his disciples that he had obtained it from
the angels in IIea~en,~ where he pretended to have been during his
retreat.
AHMADSEIE, the founder of tho D~wiinimona~chy,rose fiom
the mere character of a partisan, to a distinguished command in
the servioo of the Persian conqueror, NZiclir &iih. Of the family of
thc Saddoeis, and chief of thc tribe of Ahdiili, the most illustrious
family of the Af&Zn.us, he mas, in his youth, imprisoned in :I
fortress, with his elder brother Zfi-I-filfsr n i i n , by &sain a i i n ,
govcrnor of Il;mdah,hL for thc Ghaleis, which powerful tdbc of
Af&iins, after overrunning the whole of Persia, had, a fern years
previously, trodclen the throne of the Siifis in thc dust, and con-
quered that mighty empire.
A b a d &zh and his brother, whose tribe merc at fcud with the
Ghaleis, owed theii. frecdom to N%c& &iih, who in the year A.U.
1736-37, laid sicgc to I<andahZitr, which ho captured. The brothers,
with a powerful body of their clansmen, followed the fortmes of
the conqueror, and greatly distinguished themselves in thc war.
with the T~u.lis; and were rewarded with the lmds now held by
the Durriini tribe in the vicinity of 1l;andahL.
On the day subsequent to the murder of N d i r &%h, (tho pw-
' ticulars of which, as belonging to Persian history, need not be here
detailed, although one ampng the caasos of it has been attributbcl to
his attach~nentto the Ai'&%n ttroops in his service) a battle ensued
* Durr-i-Durr~tnsignifies, The P e d of t i e Durxiinis," s nume whicll
t' the Abdiilis sc4uired from wearing penrls in their ears.
285 AHNAD B A I T , ABDBL~.
between the Persinns 011 the one side, and the Af&Zns and Uzbaks
on the other; b11t the event does not appear to have decided
any thing. But after this affail; Alpnad &%I1 saw that no time
vas to be lost in looking to the safety of himelf and clansmen, a n ~ l
he accordingly fo~lglitF s may through the greater paFt of KhurL-
sgn with a small force of between 2000 and 3000 horsemen, and
r e p ~ r e d ,by rapid marchcq to Ii;andahZr, which had now become
the head-quarters of the AbdZli tribe, mcl chicf city of s u ~ ~ t h -
western Af&%nist~n. Here he intercepted an immense treasure,
which had been sent from India for the usc of Nad5 &ih, which
&mud appropriated, after compelling the Dlwrznis, who had first
siezed upon it, to give it up.
In October of the same ye% &mad, then but twenty-tluce
years old, assumed the title of &ih or King of Af&~nist~n, and
was crowned at 1i;anclahZl; wit11 great pomp, the different chiefs of
the varioua Af&%n ttlbes, with but few exceptions, and the Rasal-
b%&es, Balii&is, m1d Haz~rahs,assisting ; thus laying the fuunda-
tion of the Durrzni mon~clly. And although the warlike m d
independent people, who now became his subjects, had never becn
accustomed to a sovereign's yoke, save in being cornl~elledto pay
tribnte to a foreign ruler ; yet such were his energy and capacity
f o government,
~ that he mas successfi~lin gaining the affection of
his o m tribe; and with the exception of the Ghalzis, ever a most
turbulent nud unndy sept, he succeeded in instilling among the other
Af&n tribes spirit of attachment to their native monarch ; and
also in others, not Af&Zns, but dwelling in Afg&nistiin. With the
BJa& m d Haziirah tribes, his neighbows, he foilned nn offensive
and defensive diance.
H a ~ n gfirst brought the refractory. Ghalzis into subjection,
m a d &iih began his conquests ; ml such was the ~mintei~upted
tide of his success, that by the summer of 1761 he had concluered
the whole of the countries, extending as far west ax Ni&gPw ill
AHMAD ~ X H ABDALI.
, 289
Also called Pa&iulsin Indin ; but the name, lilce that of Rohilah, if
applicable to Af&iins gene~ally. I
better. known as the Bhom-oonsistcd of about 70,000 IIOYSC, 15,000
i i ~ f ~ n t r ytrainccl
, after the European fashion, and 200 picccs
artille~'y,besides ilun~l~crless 01. zitmh~mlis.
s7~ut~inzdls,
A t length, on the 7th of Jamary 1761, after hoillg each otllcr
for some molltlls, thc Mahiil.a@s, who had beoil blockadcrl ill tllcir
own i~~trenchecl cainp at Piinipatt, n few n~ilesfrom Dilhi, verp,
from t h e ext~emiticsto which thoy wcre put, for vant of food aucl
forage, under the iieoessity of nttncliiag the D u r r ~ n army.i Tllc
clctdls of this grent and iinpoi-tant battle need not bo enlarBcd 011
liere : suEce it to say, that A1;macl &Bh mas completely succossfl~l.
The REahZrnti~swem eiiti~ely defeatcd nild p u t to Bight ; allil
Wimzs Ego, tllo 11cir-apparent of the a t h 5 ~ ~ t aempii9c,and allnost
the ~vlloleof tho army, perished in tho flight or pursuit.
Tho crowning victoy at P h i p t t , which mas fatal to the porcr
of t h o MahZrn~as,laid Hindiist&ii nt the feet of Ahmnd &.ah ; 1,ut
he, seeing thc difticulty of retailling so rcnlote n dominion, aclhc~ctl
to t h o miso plan he had, from thc &st, carved ont, and contented
hilnsclf with that portion of India that had formerly bceii cedctl
to hiln, bestowing thc rest on such native chicfs nq h:d aided hiln
in t h e struggle.
I
In t h o spring of 1161, A l p a d &Lh returned t o IGhibul; and fi.01~
\ that pcriod, 1111 to the spring of 1773, mas actively employed
i against foreign and doincstic foes ; hnt nt that time his he:ilth,
which hnd beon long declining, coiltiilncd to got ~ o r s c awl , p1.e-
I vciltcd his cngngiup in m y foreign espcditions. His coinp1:~int
mas n. onilcer in thc face, which had aflictecl him first in 1164 n~iil
I
in t h e bcginniiig of Jnne 1773, in thc fiftieth gear of his agc.
Tllc conutries n n d c ~his cloiniiiioii extenclccl, nt the time of his
dcath, froin tho mcst of Dnriisiin, to Sirhind on tho J~unnX~ aid
from t h e Oxns to the Inclini~Occnll, dl eithcr secnrcd by t i 3 c a t or
~
in nckud lmm&ioii.
/ u a
The chnracter of Abmnd &all has been so achirably clapicted
b y & l o ~ u t s t w rElldlinstone,?'
t that I shall not hesitate to give it
here in full.
"The character of Ahmad &ah appears to have been admirably
snited to the situation in which hc was placed. His enterpiise
and decision en,zl,led him to profit by the confnsion that followed
the dent11 of Nzdir, and the p r ~ ~ d e n cand e moderation, which he
acquirecl froui his dealings with his o m nation, were no less
necessary to govern a warliko arid independent peoplc, than the
bold i ~ n dcomnancling turn of his own genins.
His militnly coxunge and activity nre spoken of with a c ~ a t i o n ,
both by his o m subjects, and the nations mith whom be was
cngngcd, either in rvars or alliances. He scems to have been
i i a t u d l y disposed to milclness and clemency ; and t h o ~ ~ gitl l is
iulpossible to acquire sovereign power, and perhaps, h Asin, to
lndntain it, without crirncs ; yet the memory of no Eastern Prince
is stained with fewer acts of cruelty ancl injustice.
"In his personal character hc seems to have been clieeifd,
affable, and good-aatured. He maintained considerable ~lignityon
state occasions7 hut a t &ther times his manners mere plain and
familiar ; and vith the Duriinis hc kept u p the same eqnnl and
popular demeanour which was usual mith their B r i m or Chiefs
before they assumed the title of King: He treated Moolldls and
holy men with great respect, both fi.om policy and inclination. He
was himself a divine and an author, and was always nmbitious of
the character of a saint.
"His pulioy towards the clifferent parts of hi3 dominions was to
rely princilxtlly on conciliation with the Af&iiuls and Baladis ;
with this difference betweon the natians, that he applied himself to
the whole peoplc in the first case, and only to the chief in the
other. His possessions in Tarkiutiin hc kept under t y force ; but
left the Tartar chiefs of the country ~uremoved,and used them
mith moderation. The Indian provinces were kept by force alone ;
and in Q u r b S i l hc tiwtecl to the attachment of some chiefs, took
hostages from others, and wne ready to cnrry his aims against any
who dist~wbedhis plans.
The handsomc tomb of Ahmad &%h stands near the palace a t
Il;and&%r. I t is held in great estimation by the D~u~iinis, and i t
respected as a sanctuary, no one vent,u~ingto touch on0 who ha,$
taken refuge there. I t is not uncommon for persons of even the
higlmt rank, to give up the wo~.ld,and ~lpencltheir lives at the
monarch's tomb; and certainly, if ever m Asiatic King clescrved
the gratitude of his cobntry, it mas Ahmad &Q the 'LPenrlof the
Durriinis."
Npnad &ill was the grandfather of the unfortunate &%h-
&fija~-ul-M~dlr, whoin the British re-seated on the throne of the
Durrhis in 1839, which affair terminated so unfortunately for all
concerned.
THE POEMS
" This refers to flies rubbing. theb heads with both fore l e g , which Be
author calls winging their Bands soi~owfullyand in sp#e.
Sillce i t thus, so ruthlessly, its arrows dischargeth,
The abode of the lover only an empty cavern remaineth.
For his poor heart thero mill be no relief save weeping ;
He, like a vidom sigheth, with raiment wet with tears.
Hi grief for the beloved ~:endeththe garment of reserve :
The toyrent of his tears furroweth the channels of his eyes.
Wlxrefore should not the aflictecl henrt weep flesh and blood,
When Ihe tears of bereavement form a lake therein '2
Since sepamtion giveth not to thc lover so much respite,
The blood of his heart gnsheth forth in streams fiorn his eyes.
He will have no hope of finding relief in any direction :
His very frame becometh a loacl of anguish to bear.
If woc shall nEict, and press upon thee, 0 A ~ ~ I &HH AD !
I n RU ~ h c w i t yand love, fleo thou thy God u d o 1
I Forbid that %uchclouds should the face of the sky overcast !'
TT%cii the s i i d ~ ycuurlt3 f d l a11 clishevellcd romid lier h e ,
Srme mint olvu liead, I see iioiie other snitablc pcnnnco to ply.
Siiicc the d;u.lr mole npon hcr cheek is dcstroyecl thercby,
Forbid that &c r&i of tears sliould ever her face sufise !
The couutcnancc of the bclovccl one is like unto the rosc :
Lct not autuunu affect it : be it ever fkesh iu the parterre !
The blast of autumn, that scattereth the lenvcs of tlie rose-
Would to heaven that blast into tlm flames coulcl bc cast !
The mguish.of sepnrtion cousuinetli Agvm S3l1-1'sheart :
O then once inore uiiiie him, thc company of his friends unto !
VI.
IVitll all her tyranny and injustice, I wodd not abandon love,
Were 1, A ~ A &ill,D with the powers ~f cndmaiice prcpwccl.
0 mould that there were not, in the rvorlcl, the pangs of absonce !
That the heart in this ocean of separntion wcre not o'erwhelm'd!
Let not the heart of the beloved be of love and constancy divested,
Though the pains of bereavement may have the lovcr despoiled !
Whorefore may not the heart of the lover be lacerated,
When every moment it is striclcen by soparatioil's sharp smoid ?
Afflictions, like unto black wakes, twist and twine thereon,
When tho flood of bereavement goeth straight unto his heart.
'tVllole ban& from this world dcpart, one following the other ;
For thc ocean of separation hath laid the whole ~miveraewaste.
From this heat the very mount&inswill, like mater, me16
Should the f i e ~ yglow of bereavement m t o them attain.
* lie11 is said to be pwed with stones, which thus make
*
the inferual
fire the mare excessive by the trausmission of heat.
The cypi.ess-like in stature have been laid lorn, &nim @in !
But let not thy body ever bend under absence's load.
IX.
When I mould her lovelincss behold, how could snn 01, moan n4.h
i t compare ?
For l~amlong slmll Agamn &IIIcxtol lm; when all the world
was occupied with her praiso 1
XI.
0 &MAD ! seek thou llclp from the Almighty, bnt rot D.01-n porrq)
and ~ s h i d e 1 d said !
XII.
If I shall say anything of the beloved, mlmt then shall I say 1
Such is in my destiny, then of my h t e , rnl~aislmll I my?
Though the chnrmers are somemlmt softened in heart,
Of fortune's croolred, m n p a ~ dcourse, what sshnll 1 say '!
I do not complain of the sablc loclts of tho beloved ;
Bnt her eyes are blood-shedders : of tho slaughtered, wlmt shnll I
say?
I greatly longed to behold that sweet countenance of hers;
But i t killeth the heart : of such a facc, what shall I say ?
They, who shorn no tenclemess, me rivnls unto tlic~nsel& :
Thy beloved shonld be thy belovod : of a iival, what sshnll I say 7
The moi~ning'sbreeze, that canseth the row to smile,
I s the zcpliyr itself; then of thirno1.q mhat shall I say ?
The thorn which may be with tho I-Use,is also the rose :
Since it belongeth to tlic rose, of the thorn, mhat shall I say?
The harsh words of the dear ones, tho' n load, are still acceptable :
Since lovers we under a load of obligntions, of the load, what
shall I say ?
If the rose be tho heart's bomer, it is tho lamp of tho nighti~lgale's
heart :
Since i t is the lamp of his heart, of tlic lamp, what shall I say 1
The despoiled crieth out, and distracteth others' hemts too :
He remernbereth the depnrted loved one : of the despoiled, mhnt
shall I sny 1 .
0 ~ N A &HH
D ! tho' i t be a stake, i t is a bed of flowxs also :
Since the stake of the beloved is a bowel-, of the stake, what shall
I my? P
IZAZlM WAN, XBATTAK, - -
When, liko unto the gazelle, they will not be familiar with any one,
What sbdl the cffect of collstallcy wit11 those bright eyes do ?
The applinnces of joy and pleasure were useless, uiito the forsaken :
Wit11 tho arrival of the morniug's breeze, what hall the t~wban's
chap1el; do 1''
Since, like unto the dawn of mo~wing,his garment may be rent,+
How can one, as this so infamow, his coiidition conceal
Folly and vanity have mkde thee lighter even than the bulMe :
What shall the foaming of the ocean towards thy weight and
power do ?
By thc violence of its ravages, the whole hat11 I-reeato ruiu brought,
Otherwise, ia the desert, what cloth the litter of its camel do Z
Did hc, likc nnto a falcon, soar in air, then i t might avail;
But what shall the restraint of that net, now, unto AID^ do 1
Tho lowly and htxn?.de ase more powerful than the hanghty and
proud :
In the bonds of ocean, for cvcr confined, mill be the rolling of the
WcLVes.
The obstinate and rcfraotory are by the meek and 111uble s ~ ~ b d ~:l e d
The ground-kisser ~ultothe sea-shore is the tempest of-the v i e s . .
Thou h u t cast loose the dark tresses about that fair face of thine :
i
Thou hast, time &ter time, desolated the world's dwelling-places !
Thou hast not left one unscathed, thc whole land within ;
I
1
With the sword of amorous glances umed, whom now smiteet thou?
Sinoe from the sun of thy beauty, the veil hath been cIrawn aside,
The mart of love, the world within, thon milt with bustle fill again.
Thou liast subdued the whole land with thy beauty m d goodness :
Thy slaves thou wilt make d l the fair ones of Hind.* I
My plxeuzy, 0 phy~ician! will not in the least decrease :
Thine o m rose thon wilt make even spring itseK for me.
S i n c ~upon tho target of the heart they so like straight ones strike,
HOT many wilt thou cause to groan from thine eyelashes' crooked
1
Worthless himself, thon wilt drmv demented @IDA to thy side
again,
Shoddst thou even fill thy skirt with stones e p d to n mountain
in bulk.
!
I
Art thou come again in search of roses, thou seller of flowers !
That not a bird of the partelm oeaseth Iamentatioii to malce I i
i
?
* IIindfis&n.
.
I
KAZIM WAX, =ATTAIL 311
A bubblo of the broad occan is every one of its bells ;'*
The kar-w&n+movcth dong silently, this desert within. ,
-
$ The simile here refers to the long tresses resting upon the shoulder
foranpport.
That heart, which mzly for itself love's ermine acqube,
The vicissitudes of it are changcd into peace nnd repose.
When horn the morsels thereon thc hungry flies are d~iven,
With an invitation to that table, how can I happy be 'l.
VIII.
From the time when my heart became the home of these b~xnettes,
Behold me ! I am, as i t were, a, uem Hhidiistk~ggno~vn!
IX.
The partxidge, for this reason, hath fsom laughing become purple,
That to make him her game, the gr~cefUIone very slowly cometh.
Under the weight of her majesty, the strength of Gulganll mas lost;
Hence that, Scythim"" of graceful mien very slowly oomoth.
* The rent garments yefer to the leaves the roses liave shed.
t See memoir of the poet, at pnge 307.
$ The glances of the sleepy, languid eyes of a mistress.
3 See mte at pnge 129.
11 The nnme of the steed of &irin, the beloved of Farhad.
** See note (\) at page 120.
Give not utterance, O &AIDH, without reflection, to a word ;
For every pwrot, to speaking well, very slowly cometh.
XI.
XII.
* The spots in the sun's disc are compared to brands ; znd it used to be
the cuvtoln with the Af&En tribes to brand the forehead of r child born
in an unfortunate 01, uilluclcy hour, to drive .misfortune away.
-t. The heart is the wayfiirer here, and night the dark hair of the
beloved.
f Its nest is not to be found, neither n pcimnnent home in this world.
ICITZIM a&,RHATTAI:. 3 17
The old in years, like littlc infants sport and play :
This very wonderful speotnde behold, and begone !
XIII.
es~ !
At the desire of the nightingale, thou, f ~ ~ i t l d rose
After a year oomest splendid again ;then oome and sit by me !
,
Like one dying; hom other wounds, I ease obtain :
No napkin do I ask of thee ; then come and sit by me !
XIV
xv.
Thou liast again uilclosecl those lips of thine to speak,
01:the *nrrot hath) for its dole of sugar; come again.
Unto the lot of the clmk-heastcd fnlloth not ecstasy's gem :jC
Where is the lump of steel 1 the burnished mCrror where 1
Like as the pearl-oyster, opcn it at once to bestow,
When the indigent, at thy dcol; may his hand stretch forth.
The rose of thy cheek is, for thy tresses, d l sufficiollt :
Neither for attar, nor for ambei-gris, hath it any necd.
They, of open co~mtenance,manifest no awe of the grcnt ;
For the mirror loolceth even Alexander sLsaight in the fmx.
A11 praise be unto the nakedness of that bare head,
Which hath neither under turban nor diadem bent !
From ~ v a m t h like
) unto quicksilver, she flceth from me :
How, then, shall come to ~ A I D K ' Sarms that impassioned one ?
XVI.
* A state of ecstasy to which the tiifis nre supposed to attain when the
world and all things woiXily vanish. See Introductory Remwlis, page xiii.
t The enstem name of China. Chin in Persian also signifies x wrinkle,
hence the play3upon words.
The blood of my o m heart I nm well pleased to dl-ink ;
For the fly nover approacheth near unto this tray of n h e .
It mould not, with its consent, in the garden stay a moment :
'T is well the thorn seized the rose's gnrment by the hem.
Do hearts then trip along i n the direction of thy c ~ ~ r;l s
Or cloth the caravan of Riime unto India wend its w q ?
How shall those eyes of thine n glance on the humble bestow, .
When thinc eyohshes, thro' arrogance, to the heavcns are upturned ?
In thoso s v o ~ k l dwellin&
l~ of thine, maytall happiness be ;
But wandering &mii is going to the deserts and wilds !
* The people of Riim, or Asia Minor, are ruddy in complexion, nnd the
heart is also red. The people of India are dark, so are the curls of the
beloved. These are the metaphors used by the poet here.
f A festival observed by the ancient Persians and by the Hindfis, which
season, among the latter people, is perfionifiedunder the name of Basanta,
who is said to attend on Ksma, the god of love. I t is usual in the
Pimjzb and vicinity, on this day, for the Hindiis to dress in ssffiqon-
coloured gnrments, called also busunt~,k;1.i&na7sfavourite colour.
$ Bafion, it is sdd, will cause a person to laugh to deatn.
I n the turban of every pilgrim a bouquet it will place,
When niorning's dawn scattereth flowers iiito its own skirt.
Tlie nightingale's heart towards the gandy roso is inclinctl,
Or the n ~ s khnth approachecl the goblet, to pour out its wine.'"
The rain of perspiration s h d l fall through sha~netherefrom,
When the lightuing s l d 1 behold the gorgeous crop of flowers.
I11 the same inamor as tho rose, tho beholders of this spling
* The nightingule sings on account of the rose wliich is red; aid the
xnetaphor here is, that, by itagnlyle, the wine-ff uskis as though singing to
pour forth the s ~ wine.
d
The fissure themin, by the watcrq was not filldccl up again ;
Aud t h e ml~ii*lpool,
like an anvil, lmrc2encd its heart unto pain.
Thou shalt, 0 &AIDH ! for flight, wings and fedllcrs acquire,
If tllou in the nest, lilrc tlm egg, thine heart pnre nucl spo1,less
make.
XIX.
I possess none of the chattcls of timq~~illity,tlle cncninl~ment
within ;
Since 1 have n tent., lilrc tllc bubble, upon the face of the deep.
If thou art not the ovnicr of :x single straw, gricvc not thereat, ;
For then, tile village-consuming fire will in tliy 'tram" cx11jl.e.
1
XXI,
Upon the raft of the bier unto the shore will approach,
The kings who mny have s~u?lrin the throne's troubles and cnrcs.
XXII.
Since, like the sun, thou art the poss~ssorof gold and silver,
Why art thon standing, eveiy morning; at the door of others 1
* The curved shape of the sciinitnr is lilieilcrd uuto the eyelashes of the
fair. *
f The pllf of Persia so called. $ See note at page 287.
As with tho candle, no one for my r e d e q ~ t i o noidenvoureth ;
Aild thou, like the snuffers, art a seeker after lnjr hcnd.
As cloth shadow on the sun's setting, follow the eyes' d;wk ~llnde,
If thou, for a pretty om, with sminy face, a, candiclato a r t !
By the slaughter of whom wilt thou, ol roseate hue, thy garment
dye,
That, to-clay again, thy waist, like the roso-bud's, is girded ?
Like unto mincemeat, mowid aftor wound I receive;
Then, -\dierefore art thou of my state : ~ n dmy case nnawaro 'I
Thou didst depart Iikc the bubble on tho back of the flood :
Than myself, 0 my home ! a greater wanderer a r t thon !
Thou beautiful brunette ! 0 thou of figure so gmcoful !
The straight and verdant pine, of whose grove art thou 'J
If in adversity thou Lendost not thine head unto any one,
I n the loftiness of thy spirit, like n dark beetling mountain art thon.
0 @AIDX ! thou art that parrot with Ilidian disposition endowed, '
That art with the confectio~lof thine own words' roses content.
KHWAJAH MUHAMMAD, BANGAS3
TEE materials for a notice of this poet are extrclnely meagrc.
Little is I m o m about him, except that he livcd in the reign of the
Mu&al Emperor; Auangzeb, t ~ n dbelonged t o the Bangal& or
Bang@ tribe of Af&&, who hold the valley of that nnme, and of
which IiohiiB is t h e chief tomn. The B n n g a a t r i b ~ in
, bygone
clays, made n great fignre in Illdin ; nncl from a peasant of it, tllc
N a ~ m L b sof Farrn&bld, in thnt country, traced their clcscent."
JQmiijah Mnhammad Lived t h e life of a D m & , in povcrty and
religious abstraction, rind follon~edthe tcnets of the Q a s t i sect.
He w,zs 3, disciph of A3abd-1w-Ra@n, who mas a disciple of
Mi%n Panjii, a ccolebi*ated Safi te:tl:he~-,who came originally from
" Littlc did I imagine, whilst stationed in the l'anjiib s fern pears since,
when I wns penning the notes for this short notice of 11 poct of the tribe,
that I should behold t,he lnxt of the NnwwZbs, escorted by a party of my
own regiment, conducted, on foot, wit11 fetters on his I g s , through the
streets of Nassick, in Western India (where I then was stationed in com-
lunnd of a,detachment), on his may to undergo perpetual banishnlent at
RIakkn, for the share he took in the massacre at Farruaiibib-d, during the
'
late rebellion in India. He had been sentmced to death; but his punislr-
ment mas commuted to perpetual exile, in nag place he might select. He
chose'M~ld<a in Arabia, where, I have since heard, he subsists on alms. I
spoke a few words to the wretched man at Nasdcli ; the first he bad heard
i n kindness, he said, for many long days. He ~tppearedto be nny tlring
but what one might expect, fi.orn all that has been. proved agninst him.
5
H e mas r:tther fair, slightly made, and t~boutthirty years of age. To me,
h e appeared very wretched and heart-broken. He mas only an Af@%n
in name : thc centu~iesof admixture of Indian blood, by intermarriage
with the people of the country, had left little of the. A f a a n blood
remuining.
Hiiidfistiiu, and dwelt for many years ill bf&Znist8n. Hc is said
to have traced his closcent from tho i h b devotee, IliIuain-ncl-Din,
the founder of t l x Qasti sect."
F&v&jah Mu!mnrnad appears to have bccn a man of somc
learning ; and passed most of his timc with his teacher or s p i l h a l
guide, already mentioned. It is not known whether he left any
descendants ; for althongh I despntchod a person, specially, into
the Bxnga& country to make inquiry, I cmmot now discover,
with any certainty, either his placo of birth, resiclcnce, or the
britncll of the tdx to which he belonged. Hc is h o w , howcvcl;
to havc pcrfoi.mecl the pilyrimagc to M&ka and Madinah; a'hcl
that, after his ~ e t w nthence, he gave up writing poetry. His
Diwiin, or Collection of Odes, from which tho following poems have
becn aclectecl, is a veiy rare book ;in fact, scarcely procumlrrlc ; fol;
as f w as I can clisoove~;the copy to which I had access is the only
cue kilown.
His writings arc deeply tinged with the mysticisms of the @fit: ;
but occasionally he devotes a poem to the re~ncnlbranceof lost
friends, and laments his bercav~mc11tfi'om them.
The place and time of his dcceake we uncertain ; and tllc where-
abouts of the grave in which he was b~wieclis not now ln~ornl~
~ T I D Rt h e
l,linnSk hath been mito thy white hands applied,
Or t h y have been made red in the blood of thy love^.
I am unable, 0 clear one ! to e n d ~ ~thy
r e g1:lance's fire ;
For I nm ~vedc,and infirll, md powerless, altogether.
Thosc languid eyes of thiue have many in miseiy plmged :
It wodcl be mclI, my beloved ! shoulclst thon their ty~aniiyrestrain.
Thy sti-iclcen ones, witllo~ztunion with thee, revive not agzzin,
Thongh Abii-Sin%+himself to prescribe for them ~11011ld come.
Those sable locks of thine are like ~ u ~ aping's
to Iomoring clouds ;
h d from them shineth out thy countenance, like the sun.
Thy fascinated ones we entang1ecl in the nooso of thy ringlets ;
But the wise bird upon the net can no coiifidence plaoe.
The eqml to thy bcnuty is not in the wide world to be found ;
Whilst m y poor heart brealceth at the afluenco thou enjoyest.
Thou art celebrated tl~~oughont the \vorlcl for thy benevolence too ;
Wherefore, then, g i ~ mthou
t not car luxto Q W X J ~ L I I ' S complainings?
* Among the three huudred and fifty-sir persons who, among the Gufiu,
are accounted holy men, nine only a x deemed qualified t o invest othem '
with authority as teachers : these nine coilsiet of Clie pole of p$es, three
poles, end five props, nnd these nine done can be deemed perfect
teachem or sp;llitual guides. I t i~to his spirituul guide, the pole of mhoin
he was ti disciple, that the poet addresses the lines above.
330 ~ W A J A HMUHAMMAD, B A N G A ~ .
This also, both high and low, grcat ancl sumll, will uuderstand-
Whop dot11 my one, without being ailing, unto the physicinn go 1
The afflictions of the sick they increase : there is no cute for them;
For tl~ciwa i no ~ slrilful physicians renmiuing : t h y have dl left
the land !
Happy are the whole aild the healthy, that ueed not ~ e d i c i n ;
e
For thosc, wit11 this malady a0lictec1, obtain no caw to their pain.
R H ~ A J A E I m ' ~ p a r m n ,umc;a=. 331
" I have meted mlto every ooliu his destiny," so tlm Icur'iin saith :
Who then shall cliange the lot I - l ~uuto &%J\V~JAH MU~AI,INAI)
assigned '2
Love hxth brought dishononr, both in this world and the next,
Upon one RILzjniinyf upon mother Mansiw, Hill%j'sson.$
HOWmuch longer, 0 base ono ! for the woi-lcl's love milt thou
wmclel*?
Quaff of the inebriating cnp of love divino, that both sugw and
honey is ! .
'Wg, Icing of Bushan.
See note at psge 29.
$ The name of a Siifi teucher, who is said to have uttnined the liighe~t
stage of giifi-ism, and who proclaimed, 'lI :bm the truth;" or, in other
wo~ds,"1 am God. l7 The convtant repetition of thiv impious phmse
darmed the orthodox p~iesthood,imd he mas therefore seized and impled.
5 The name of a Pemian king, Cyrus.
)I See note at page 201.
0 thou, its seelre' ! about the world to come, that is eteiilal, be
~ o n ~ e r l!l ~ d
Place not thy affections on the trmsieut world, tho' all its dust
mere gold !
But the cou~i~sel
of moiiitors talreth no effcct whatever upon thce ;
For like unto a breast-worli round t h i ~ l chelea~-t,is the love of the
worlc1!
Happy the inspired, who are Wed with the remembrance of the
beIoved 1
The generd world am uaacquaintecl with the rnl~tnrcsand bliss
thereof!
The Perfect One's prnisc is the embellisher of the mouth, if thou
art wise :
Come, polish the mnkror of thine heart from the tarnivliing d ~ ~ s t
thereon !
0,what rapturc have thosc Iovcrs that drink of the wine of love !
With the beloved, solely occupied, they oro free from all griefs
and woes !
Cast away, 0 QWXJAEI M U B A ~ L A D life mcl goods for it ;
! both
But for a tittle of the perfect saint's pain aiicl aflliction pray !
VI.
VII.
VIII.
* Mu\mm~@ the Prophet is probably meant here; but see note at pago
137.
336 RH?TAJAE MUHAMMAD, BANGASIT.
Tho world slinll embmce thy feet and thy hands with affection,
If thou in& thyself the dust or the feet of holy men.
Thou sludt, at that time, attaid unto the object of thy wishes,
?Then thou shalt make thy lire and goods mi oblation.unto them.
IX.
X.
1
I, JQWXJAH M ~ A M B I AamD , prostrate at thy thmshold,
If thou, 0 iny master ! milt hut. take me by the hand !
XI.
The love of tho morld hxth made thee so insensate,
That thou hast wholly forgotten the duties of religion.
XIV.
XV.
6
XVI.
The whole of my pief is love for thee, love, love for thee ! . ..
My heart is to atoms broken : it hat11 become blood, all blood ! I-\:
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
Many yonths and maiclens have the dark dust's captives become,
The fair faccs of whom aye tlle source of the grief of our hearts !
Place not your hopes npon this transient world, for ' t is n o permn-
nent abode !
The whole of us, each in his o m good time, shall follow after them !
They who were the great men of the land, aud posscsscd t h e menlth
thereof;
Prom the world have riholly disappeared, both name and trace of
thcrn.
They, before whom the poor mere wont in humility to stan$,
In the tomb, on their backs f d e n , have now mouldcred away.
For m~mificenccand for justice their names still remnin,
Though I I S t j n TI-yi+, and No&erwiin+ have .long from tlie world
* See third note at page 207. See second note \t page 201.
i Neithcr by power, nor by entreaty is there m y escapa from den.th :
I Happy the saiictifiecl, who are occupied with eternal things !
My hcart hnth becomc rent to atoms by the diamond* of scpa-
ration ;
Pol; one after the other, d l my dear friends have been severed
from me.
All m~sLhence depmt : for what can & T ~ J A E MUHAMMAD hope,
When holy and venerated prophets hnve unto the dnst gone down P
XXI.
Prnitlessly in the world thy Iifctime thou hast psacd,
Wliether it extended unto sixty, or unto eighty years !
The foitunate h a w carried away andvantago fyom it ;
Btlt thou, save cvil, hast no other result aoqnired !
The friencls of thy acquainttmce llmc all gone from thee ;
And still thou p~~coivest it not, 0 man, with open eycs a a l e e ~! ~
When grief and sorrow man afflict, hc sleepeth not :
Art thou a beast, or a man of h ~ m a nparents born '?
Thy fathers and grandfathers dl ha& death cut off;
And thot~,above all others, milt not done escape !
' Alivc
in the world not one mill remain behind :
No one can have taken on himself thy obligations to fulfil !
Thy beard from age is white, and thy back is bent :
How much longer then cnnst thou expect erect to rclnain ?
Thy sixty yeam haw passod, and thou art old becoma ;
Yet thou accomte~tthyself of the age of fonrtecn still !
L
THE BND.
WORKS LATELY PUBLISHED BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
w w -
I.
In O n e Vot., Imp. tho., pp. 1175, st~ongZyand I~cmdsonzelybozcd.
Price,£4.4~.
A DICTIONARY
OF TEN
I n One Vol., 2)2). 2G6, zm$orm with the above. Price, 21.1s.
A GRBMJIAR
OP T H B
study of Pushto, aud these volumes, the result of those years of patient
toil (compl.ising a Grammar on thr plan of Sir William Jones's Persim
Grammar, a Dictionary, and a large selectio~iof Prose and Poetry) will.
supply the Pu&to student with every facility for mastering the Irm-
page.-Repmt of the Asiatic Sociely oj'Beltgal, to tl~eGover~zment?f
India.
"
Captail1 H. G. Raverty has published two volumes on tlie language
mid literature of the Af&iias, under the titles of ' A Dictionary of the
Af&%n Language ' and ' The Gul&an-i-Roh ;' the latter being selec-
tions, in prose and verse, from pieces in the same tongue. Of the leam-
ing and ability with which the first is compiled, and the latter selected,
the name of Captain Raverty is a sufficient g.~arantee.~~-At?~enaum, Sept.
24th, 1861.
"Tllat within five years of its first publication demand should arise for
n new edition of Captain Ravesty's Af&%n Grammar, and that hc should
be encouraged, by a full subscription'list, to join with the impro~ed
edition of his Gmmmar a substantial Af&6n Dictionary and a Reading
Boolr, we may take to be good evidence of work well done. Captain
Rave~ty,who h : diutinguished
~ himself greatly as an Oriental linguist,
without finding his worldly position as an Indian offices to be in any
degree bettered by his labours, studied the Af&an language for himself,
and made an Af&lin Grammar for himself, when stationed at Pesh$war
with his regiment in the years 1849 and 1880. Only two men had at
that time mastered the language, and of these tmo men, one was a
.
Russian Profes or. . . . I n the excellence of Captain Rave~ty'a own
/
'Garden of Friendship,' we have a substantial faith ; ,while as to that in
t'
b it mllich is open to all eyes, n7e niny 6a.y that the beauty £,I the printing'
ill these volumes malies of them nt any laate a Garden "ype, that
might of itself almost entice a 11lai1 to study Pu~Jto.'~-l. ner, 5'ept.
81h, ISGO.
'<It will llnrdly be believed that before tlle ;year 1866 \here wne no
Grammar to be had in England or in India, from which an English officer
might acquire the rudiments of the language of Af&iiuist811. Nor cnu it
be too often repeated, that, even before the beginning of the Afg&iil wars,
the Xussian Government had appoi~teda Professor of PuGto (the Ian-
g u ~ of e the Af&ans) at St. Peterbburg. There, at St. Petemburg,
young officem imd diplomatistu had to pa& examinations in the dialect of
;he &iGko mountaineers of l%oh; while our geilerals and .~inbussado~~s,
employed on miasioi~sof the highest importsnce in the very heart of that
couutry, hnd to depend for information on the honesty of interpreters.
Af&tiii chiefs were able to tdk treason ill Pu&to befol-c the uoses ofour
gei~cr:rls,mlde assuring them of their fidelity in high-flown ~trninsof
Pel,si:m eloquence. We mould not willingly open that sizd chapter of
llidiiln history if its lcssolls had not d ~ e a d pbeen forgotten. But if we
rend Captain Einerty's Introduction to his Pu&o Grammar, it is the old
story over ng-nin. . . Captain Ravesty hns deserved, by Ilis publications,
the thnnlcs not only of the Indian Government, but dso of all Oriental ,
scholars in Europe. Pu&to is a language of considerable interest in the
literary history of the East, and Captain Ruvertg's works have eaabled
those who take an interest in theoe subjects to form u more correct and
compreliensive view of the literature of that nation than the earlier, but
less complete publicdions of Professor Dorn at St. Petersburg. . . We
claim for Captain Ravertj- public support, and we ore glad indeed to see
that his long, and very vsluable, and laborious undertaking, has already
received an amount of encouragement which argues well for. the fi~ture
success of u work which is, to all intents and pmposes, qutiona1."-Arm?lny
awl Army Gazette, February gth, 1861. ,