On the night of Saturday, 13 Shābān 1006, 11 March 1598, after 9 hours, 1 minute, and 37 seconds, the sun entered Aries, and the old world renewed its youth. The seventh year of the fourth cycle began. For 19 days there was great feasting, and small and great received the material of enjoyment.
On New Year's day the news of the death of the ruler of Tūrān arrived, and many rejoiced. H.M. was indignant* and said that such rejoicing spoke of shortness of vision. He ('Abdullah) always showed himself well-inclined, and never dropped from his hand the thread of management. Even if this had not been the case, rejoicing was unseemly. From the time that H.M. came to the Panjab, his idea was to make an expedition for the conquest of Tūrān. When the ruler of that country had the dexterity to adopt submissiveness, the sovereign who loved to respect honour withheld himself from that purpose. When the tyranny of his son exceeded 739 bounds, for some time the former idea revived, but out of regard to dignity he desired that the expedition should march under the command of the Prince-Royal. That pleasure-loving youth, on account of the foolishness of flatterers, could not wean his heart from India. When the news came of 'Abdullah K.'s death, some leaders were eager for an expedition to Tūrān, but H.M. said, “Now that Tūrān is a seat of turmoil, how does an expedition there agree with our humanity? It is far better that an able ambassador should be sent to offer condolences, and to speak words of counsel. On the 5th Fort Rāhūtara,* a dependency of Daulatābād in the Deccan, was taken. M. 'Alī Beg Akbar Shāhī invested it and after a month the garrison capitulated from want of water,* and delivered up the keys. On the 7th Mukhtār Beg had an audience. He was the Bakhshī of the province of Bihar. When that appointment was given back to Ulugh Beg Kābūlī, he was called to court. On the 14th Mīr Sharīf Āmulī and M. Farīdūn arrived from their fiefs and performed the kornish. On the 25th Sālbāhan was sent to the Deccan. When it became known that Prince Sulān Murād regarded the winning of people's affections an easy matter, and went somewhat aside from propriety, and that the Khānkhānān, owing to the ill-success of his evil wishes, had gone back to his jāgīr, that conscientious servant was sent off to bring the Prince to court, in order that H.M. might send him back again with good counsels. Rūp Khwāṣ was appointed to rebuke the Khānkhānān and to make him return in order that he might take charge of the army and the country until the Prince arrived. On the 31st 'Ibād Ullah, the son of 'Ahdullah K., was released from prison. In the eastern districts he behaved rebelliously, and after that he was captured and placed in the school of the prison of Kālinjar. As Ḥusain, the governor thereof, reported his penitence he was pardoned and treated with favour. On the 10th Ardībihisht, Khwāja Āshraf and S. Ḥusain came from Tūrān and did homage. The ruler thereof was pleased by their coming and by reading the weighty letter of the Shāhinshāh, and regarded their advent as a mark of concord. He sent Mīr Qoresh with them with valuable presents. He ('Abdullah K.) had sent them back on 10 Amardād, 20 July 1597, of the previous year. On hearing of the misbehaviour of his son ('Abdu-l-Mūmīn) they had turned back in the middle of the road. On 29 Shahriyūr, 9 September 1597, they met in with the Khān ('Abdullah) in Qursī, and took* leave to return via Herat and Qandahār. Near Herat they heard of his death. The ambassadors by celerity and courage reached Qandahār, but Mīr Qoresh was not able to accompany them. On 14 Ardībihisht Abū-l-Qāsim, the son of Mīr 'Ādil, and on the 15th Sher K., the son-in-law of the Khān Kilān, died. Their survivors had the balm of princely favours applied to their hearts. On the 27th Rai Patr Dās came to court 740 from Bāndhū, and was exalted by princely kindness. From the time that he took that fort, he strove to develop the country. When the territory was given to Prince Daniel, he returned and performed the prostration. On this day Zain K. Koka came to Āhanposh* and conquered Tīrāh once more. By skill and courage he punished the wicked, and established forts in several places and located soldiers. The Tārīkī tribe retired into the ravines and their leader crept off to Koh Safed. The roads became safe.
One of the occurrences was the increasing of the vision of the writer. His idea was that he held a choice abode in the pleasant land of “Peace with all” and that he would not become agitated by troubles. In his simplicity (khāmkārī, rawness) he gathered pleasure from time to time and the hand of favour was stretched over the head of zeal. By good fortune he was awakened by a heart-lacerating blow and took up anew the task of spiritual amendment. Inasmuch as the world's lord kept him much employed, he was unable to attend to other matters. On this account he was unable to perform fully the outward service of attending upon the Prince-Royal and awkward explanations were not successful. From not fully considering the matter he (Selim) became somewhat angry, and base and envious people had their opportunity. The anger of that hot-tempered one blazed forth, and meetings were held for troubling his heart. Many untrue reports were (sold) as truths.
The painter is bold, for without fear of God
He limns Phoenix in full when he has never seen one.
Owing to the jugglery of the heavens the enlightened Shāhinshāh gave some heed (to these speeches). On 11 Khurdād, 21 May 1598, my soul was vexed by perceiving this and I withdrew my hand from everything and tucked my foot into my shirt. I shut my door in the face of both stranger and acquaintance. What the ancients used to say, viz. that “Service* quickly leads to high dignity, but owing to the triumph of envy even friends* rise up as antagonists” and what has not been said, becomes credited. Whenever he (Akbar) summoned me to court, and endeavoured to make me carry on my former duties I replied, “Since by the wondrous working of fortune, his (Akbar's) mystery-knowing heart has become somewhat loaded by the speeches of my old enemies, it is fitting that he leave me to myself, so that I may be lightened of the weight of life. If he* hold me captive, willing or unwilling, he will obtain (only) formal service. From the beginning of my years of discretion my mind was not turned to the world; it was princely kindness which bound me to it, whether I wished or not. If he look for the old zeal, let the lord of the world sit in judgment. Let him make a thorough inquiry so that my honesty may be made manifest, and the envious be put to shame. If he forget* the enmity of crowds of men and take not into account the old commotion and the new hostility, and base his inquiry upon witnesses, time servers* shall regard telling lies in order to injure me as Divine worship. The proper course is that like Siyāwash* I and my accuser* enter the furnace so that proof's countenance may shine forth. Enviers by profession and the fabricators of stories withdraw from this and set their hearts upon witnesses.* After this 741 discussion, though H.M. came to understand somewhat their wickedness, yet my levity of mind (my folly) increased. Suddenly, the Divine aid cured my internal commotion. The idea was suggested to me (by the Divine influence, apparently): “If there is a place of repose for mortals, and you can always retire there, why are you so much troubled, and why do you cast away the thread of knowledge? The tongues of ill-wishers cannot be stopped. Do you take the right path so far as you know it. Your choice is to do God's work; what matters it about this man or that man.” I came somewhat to myself, and intelligence returned. (But) because my eyes were not opened to my deliverance* and the farsightedness of the world's lord, feeling prevailed over wisdom, and sometimes I meditated my own destruction,* and sometimes I thought of becoming a vagabond. Suddenly* I passed to freedom and enlightenment; my condition changed unconsciously, and I reposed in calm. I said (to myself), “Do not suspect the farsighted sovereign of shortness of view. Your acuteness and steadiness have been impressed on his mind. Win over the hearts of ill-wishers. What are you thinking of that you should go headlong, and trouble yourself unnecessarily. Should you in a dream behold your sovereign and perceive him not to be vexed (with you), accept my (the internal monitor's) statement, and confess your own misunderstanding.” The saying came true that very night, and my mental disturbance diminished. At this time I read in my horoscope: “In this year the world's lord became somewhat alienated owing to the false speeches of cotemporaries, but soon the veil over the face of affairs was removed.” My distress entirely subsided, and when I read* that my sovereign was appreciative, the image of my former desire was erased, I went to court and was cheered by various favours.*