In praise of the king ‘Alā’u’d-Dīn*204.

O heart, how long this play of fantasy? This fancy of dis­playing fantasies?
The fancy of this fancy I will quit: ’tis best my eyes seek not these fantasies.
My aim is four divisions in this range, each one excelling the division, Spring*205:
The first division being praise of God, by whose grace the creation is set up.
The second, on the Prophet a discourse, through whom became this ancient coinage new*206.
The third, prayers for the monarch of the world, (such) prayers as to the mouth being (precious) pearls.
The fourth division, counsel to the king in view of (his) success and victory.
A king to whom the Seven Climes’ domains*207 give revenue that’s due to sovereign state.
By might and power a shining light of rule, in lordship of the world a miracle.
A king, crown-giver, ’stablisher on thrones, pourer of treasure over crown and throne*208.
Support of sovereignty, ‘Alā’u’d-Dīn, guardian and helper of the time and world.
[Taker of regions, King Qizil Arslān; better than Alp Arslān in crown and throne.]
Strengthened by him the Āq Sunqurs’ high race*209; his sire and grandsire glorified through him.
A leader he, this resting-place’s sun*210; his rule the sealing of the latest age*211.
A Rustam*212, great, of greatness giver too by the power of his steed to mount the sky.
[The heavens’ compeer, lavish as the cloud, in body lion, lion too in name*213.]
When that the lock of being found the key*214, the world came into being from a Gem*215.
He is a world which from its hand gives out at each and every moment countless gems*216.
Through kinship of identity in words his face gives redness to the signature*217.
[Without the warning of his entering in, the world gains honour through his signature*218.]
In shreds the heavens’ surface by his strokes*219, the sea’s salt ground perspires before his gifts*220.
Both land and sea are under his command; the denizens of both recite his praise.
A king exalted, of so high a throne; that from its loftiness the mind’s made small*221.
In greatness equal to the angels, he; in loftiness the equal of the sky.
His name’s embellished by “Sublimity”*222, if o’er the sky he rise ’tis only fit.
Though low the sky without sublimity, in this last there is height without the sky*223.
The lightning of his sword burns up the veils upon the bodies of his foes inveiled*224.
His arrow’s point in places where it speeds pierces a heart at times, at times a hair.
Conquest has laid its head upon his foot; the water of his sword sedition’s drowned*225.
His brilliancy excites fire in the mind; his body scents the air with ambergris*226.
In strife with him, where lions e’en lose hope*227, his foe’s steed is upon its head, not hoofs*228.
When in his morning draught he spills the blood of grapes, from frozen water fire he brings*229.
When lance he sharpens for the shock of war, he makes the day the Resurrection Day*230.
When he to bounty’s mine the entrance opes, he gives out treasure, (and) forgives misdeeds.
Sea-like the king nor grudging is nor false; his ebb and flow are in his whip and sword*231.
All that the efforts of his sword draw in he gives, (as some obtain), by crack of whip*232.
Like Jupiter upon the lofty sky with his steed’s hoofs he digs out Saturn’s grave*233.
A lion on a dragon’s seldom seen, and a sun which has drawn a scimitar,
But see the king who in the fight and chase riding a lion burns the dragon fell*234.
His axe beneath the dragon of his flag splits at a stroke the dragon as a snake*235.
The closeness of his aim by arrow forked for raging lions widens out the grave*236.
He wins the game of roughness from the sword*237; roughness like that of bears does he subdue.
A lion-taker, not in drunkenness*238; lions he takes by having dragons’ might.
The fore and hind legs of the tearing wolf by loop of lasso he has pilloried*239.
When fore and hind legs from the wolf he tears the lion’s palsied in forelegs and hind*240.
His bolts, through wolves’ fore legs and leopards’ hind, restrict the plain for the wild ass’s hoofs*241.
His hunting-ground, through blood which sea-like fumes, the wolf’s skin now puts on, and now the pard’s*242.
The boar at which he sharply drives his sword flies (quickly) from the wound that he inflicts.
Exerting strength upon the leathern string, to stag he makes the leathern hide a grave*243.
When to the battle-field he goes the heart of rock he breaks as though it were (but) shell.
With poisoned sword he offers such effect as might the sky’s destruction of the earth*244.
He at the feast and in the fight is famed: by cup and sword he gives life and he takes.
By reason of his sheen the dusky earth is full of lustre by his sovereign sway.
His inner character as artist’s reed has musk in bosom, rubies in its skirt*245.
The realm in every part forms necklaces and perfume from his rubies and his musk*246.
Such wearer of the kingly cap’s attire, suffices for a cap from heaven to earth*247.
The bow of such a holder of the earth has the Nine-handled Bow as smallest bolt*248.
Such greatness is involved in his designs that the Great Bear’s four stars are (as) his throne*249.
His enemies are like uprooted trees to crucifixes fastened at his door*250.
Our faces, from the sun of his renown, bright as the moon; his foemen’s faces black*251.
What wonder that a gold-shod sun has given rock to the mount and rubies to the mine*252?
Subdued by him the jewels of the mine; the mine of jewels (too) his (humble) slave*253.
His onyx food to mount and sea has given—this, named pearl-strewer, ruby-strewer, that*254.
He guards the law in both Abodes: the law of those of God’s Law he administers*255.
God’s favour gives him that which is required; (and) he conveys it to his slaves again.
(Then) since through him the world is prosperous, his portion from the world be happiness!
Of happy omen be each day for him! and may his rule ne’er suffer from decline!
For ever, pearl by pearl, be ranged a line of sons with favouring aspect of the stars!
Through the bright splendour of two fair-faced dawns*256 like the celestial sun may he be bright!
Of lofty throne two princes, seeking, one, the world, and one, the realm of piety*257.
Farīdūn’s learning, intellect, has one*258, the other takes the way of Kai-Khusrau*259.
Adorning crown and throne the power of one*260, Nuṣratu ’d-Dīn Malik Muḥammad Shāh.
The other’s name by observation raised unto the sky*261, his name is Aḥmad (twice)*262.
In two forms from a common source there are the species Aḥmad and Muḥammad too*263.
When at these blessed names you look (’tis seen that) in one circle they both make their place*264.
When out of one two things arise, then how between them can one make a difference?
The one e’er has the key of victory; the other’s famed for conquest of the sky*265.
Conquest’s (engaged) in cherishing the one; the other one is strengthened by the sky*266,
The tripod throne of conquest one has pitched; the other has as fortune’s steed the sky.
Beneath the azure throne*267 by these two (sons) may the eyes of the king be (ever) bright!
Be the course of his rule o’er South and North by these Poles of perfection ordered well*268!
Good fortune be his prey, his prey be fat! Better than day his day*269, his night than night*270!
Veiled by the curtain of his night that one of Aḥmad’s race be light of dawn to him*271!
May the life of Bilqīs be luminous under the shade of Solomon’s control*272!
As the celestial sires be lavish, he! She, of existence’ mothers be the seal*273!
His name be Khiẓr of immortality! Be her equivalence the Stream of Life*274!
The shadow of the king, the fount of light, be from that Rose and Rose-garden not far*275!
“Asylum of the world” has always been his quality; his sway endure for aye*276!