Iskandar-nāmah - The Sikandar Nama,e Bara

THE Reader's attention is invited to the following points in this literal translation of the Sikandar Náma,e bara (the Book of Alexander the Great, relating his adventures as a conqueror by land), by Shaikh Nizámí of Ganja.

(a) The cantos and the couplets are numbered, rendering reference easy.

(b) Each line of the translation agrees with the corresponding line in the original Persian text; the two lines forming a couplet are not run into each other.

(c) A complete table of contents is given.

(d) Alternative renderings of passages and copious notes elucidating difficult and obscure points, make the Student's path as smooth and as easy as it is possible to make it by means of a translation.

The Persian texts of the Sikandar Náma,e bara vary greatly. The Persian text of this translation is that which was brought out at Calcutta, in 1812^0-3 —under the auspices of Lord Minto, Governor-General of India, and under the direction of Dr. Lumsden, Professor of Arabic at Fort William, Calcutta—by Maulaví Badr 'Alí and Maulaví Husayn 'Alí; but assistance has been obtained from several other Persian texts.^0-6

As he reads, the Student should number the couplets of his Persian texts so as to make them accord with those of his translation. Much trouble in making references will thus be saved.

The Sikandar Náma,e bara, as a whole or in part, is required for—

(a) The first examination in Arts at the University of Calcutta.
^0-6a (b) The examination for the Degree of Honour.^0-6b

The work done in this translation consists of seventy-two cantos, aggregating six thousand eight hundred and eighty-six couplets.

2. The original is in verse, but this translation is in prose. To render the Sikandar Náma in verse, one should be a poet at least equal in power to the author. Even then it would be well-nigh impossible to clothe the Persian verse in such an English dress as would truly convey its beauties. Moreover, if such a translation could be prepared—no matter how beautiful it might be in execution—it would be of little value to the Student. In support I would quote the following authors:—

Mr. Sale says:—

I have thought myself obliged to keep somewhat scrupulously close to the text, by which means the language may seem to express the Arabic a little too literally to be elegant English. We must not expect to read a version of so extraordinary a book with the same ease and pleasure as a modern composition.^0-6c

Sir W. Jones says:—

I would recommend a version (of the poem “Lailạ va Majnún,” by 'Abdu-'lláh Hátífí, A.D. 1520) in modulated but unaffected prose in preference to rhymed couplets; and though not a single image or thought should be added by the translator, yet it would be allowable to omit several conceits which would appear unbecoming in European dress. We cannot show less indulgence to a poet of Irán than we do to our immortal countryman, Shakespeare.

In the translation of the following twenty tales by Niẓámí of Ganja, not only every attempt at elegance, but even the idiom of our language and the usual position of words have been designedly sacrificed to a scrupulous fidelity.

Those who understand Persian have no need of any translation; those who are learning it will be assisted by a verbal one, however inelegant; those who neither know nor intend to learn it are at liberty, indeed, to say what they please of the images and sentiments which such a version preserves, but have no right to give an opinion on the original composition.^0-7

Mr. E. H. Palmer says:—

I have translated each sentence as literally as the difference in structure between the two languages would allow, and, when possible I have rendered it word for word. Where a rugged or common-place expression occurs in the Arabic, I have not hesitated to render it by a similar English one, even where a literal rendering may perhaps shock the reader. To preserve this closeness of rendering I have had, in several instances, to make use of English constructions often inelegant.^0-7a

3. Where any attempt has been made to depart from the literal rendering, all connection with the original is lost, all the Oriental imagery, and all hope of giving aid to the Student.

Of Háfiẓ, a passage is rendered by Nott, by Richardson, and by Sádiḳ; and another passage by Sádiḳ, Mooreed, Amator, Shourqueen, and by Gulchín—in such a way that there is similarity neither between one translation and another, nor between any of the translations and that translated.

An old judge says:—“The doings into English of Persian poetry scarcely ever convey the correct sense of the original.”

In proof thereof he produces translations, dissimilar to each other and incorrect as regards the original, of a passage from Khákání, by Jonathan Scott (in Smith's “Persian Múnshí,” p. 222) and by Gilchrist (in the “Oriental Linguist,” p. 159); and annexes the correct rendering.^0-8

In his translation of the Sháh Náma, Mr. Atkinson says:—

Such are, since time began, the ways of Heaven, Such the decree of Fate; sometimes raised up,

And sometimes hunted down by enemies. Men, struggling, pass through this precarious life,

Exalted now to sovereign power; And now steeped in the gulph of poverty and sorrow.

To one is given the affluence of Karun; Another dies in want. How little know we

What hue our future fortune may assume. The world is all deceit; deception all!

The literal rendering is :—

Thus is the usage of the house of deceit (this world); Sometimes in exaltation; sometimes in degradation.

Thus it was as long as the sky revolved; It is sometimes strife and bitterness; sometimes sweetness and love.

This one, Thou bringest forth to the lofty sphere; That one, Thou makest contemptible, and pitiable, and despicable.

This one, Thou bringest from the moon to the pit (of degradation); That one, Thou bringest from the pit to the moon.

This one, Thou bringest forth, and givest (him) sovereignty; That one, Thou givest to the fish in the sea.

Not Thine—love for this one. Not Thine—hate to that one. O World Creator! Thou art the best knower.

Thou art the height and the depth of the world: I know not what Thou art; whatever is—Thou art.

Were it desirable, and did space suffice, many instances might be cited from quite recent Oriental publications, in which the writers have displayed their own powers of verse at the sacrifice of the beautiful imagery and thought of the original.

The translating of Oriental verse into English verse may be deemed impracticable; for, save in a few cases of wonderful success, it must have, to the Reader who knows the original, something of the effect of hearing a song through a telephone.^0-9

4. On the beauty of Oriental literature, I may be allowed to cite the opinion of Sir W. Jones, who says :—

Persia has produced more writers of every kind (chiefly poets) than all Europe together, since their way of life gives them leisure to pursue those arts which cannot be cultivated to advantage without the greatest calmness and serenity of mind.

At Oxford is a manuscript (in Hyper. Bodl. 128) containing the lives of a hundred and twenty-eight of the finest Persian poets; the moderate poets are without number.

The delicacy of their lives and sentiments has affected their language, and rendered it the softest as it is one of the richest in the world. Those authors who are generally esteemed in Persia are neither slavish in their sentiments nor ridiculous in their expressions.

A variety of causes have concurred to obstruct the progress of Eastern literature.

Some have never heard of the Asiatic writings; others will not be convinced that there is anything valuable in them. Some pretend to be busy; others are really idle. Some detest the Persians because they believe in Muhammad; others despise their language because they do not understand it.

We all love to excuse or to conceal our ignorance.

Another reason is the great scarcity of books, necessary to be read before it (Persian) can be perfectly learned. The greater part of them are preserved in the libraries of Europe, where they are shown more as objects of curiosity than as sources of information. Thus, while the writings of Greece and of Rome are studied by every man of liberal education,—the works of the Persians, a nation equally distinguished in ancient history, are either wholly unknown to us, or considered destitute of taste or of invention.

M. de Voltaire, who excels all writers of his age and country in the elegance of his style, acknowledges the beauty of the Persian images and sentiments.

The work of Firdausí remains entire, a glorious monument of Eastern genius and learning, which, if ever it should be generally understood in its original language, will contest the merit of invention with Homer himself, whatever may be thought of its subject or of the arrangement of its incidents.

In no language (ancient Hebrew excepted), are there more pious and sublime addresses to the Being of beings, more splendid enumerations of His attributes, or more beautiful descriptions of His visible works, than in the Ḳurán (Arabic); in the poems of Sa'dí, Niẓámí, and of Firdausí (Persian); in the four Vedas, and in many parts of the Puránas (Sanscrit).

I must request that in bestowing these praises on the writings of Asia I may not be thought to derogate from the merit of Greek and Latin poems, which have justly been admired in every age. Yet I cannot but think that our European poetry has subsisted too long on the perpetual repetition of the same images and incessant allusions to the same fables; and it has been my endeavour for several years to inculcate this truth—that if the principal writings of the Asiatics were printed with notes and illustrations, and if the languages of the Eastern nations were studied in our great seminaries of learning (where every other branch of useful knowledge is taught to perfection)—a new and ample field would be opened for speculation; we should have a more extensive insight into the history of the human mind; we should be furnished with a new set of images and similitudes, and a number of excellent compositions would be brought to light, which future scholars might explain and future poets might imitate.^0-10

5. Sir W. Ouseley says :—

Of the Sikandar Náma,e bara va baḥrí, I made several years ago an abridgement in prose, which shall form part of my future work on the history of Alexander.

It was not unreasonable to expect that some interesting traditions might be preserved among the Persians; and if these traditions differ from the narratives of our historians, we must recollect that the Greeks disagree in reporting even the transactions which they had witnessed, a discordance censured by Strabo (book xv.) and by Arrian (Pro-œmium).

The “History of Alexander,” in Latin, by Julius Valerius, printed at Milan, 1817, translated from the Greek of Æsop, relates in prose of Alexander the same fables that Firdausí uttered six or seven centuries later. Probably, in the first or the second century, the fabulous anecdotes of Alexander passed, in their Eastern dress, from Persia into Egypt, and were thence transmitted to Greece and to Rome.

The fables related by Julius Valerius, Joannes Malala, Cedrennus, and others, are embellishments of ill-understood passages in the classical history of Alexander.^0-11

6. With regard to the difficulties in the way of acquiring a knowledge of Oriental languages, the following is apposite:—

My wonder is that so little has been done in the way of printing correct editions and translations of Oriental books. If students in their European classical education have the aid of accurate translations and commentaries of the Greek and the Roman authors,—is it not unaccountable how they are left without almost any such assistance in acquiring a knowledge of Persian, in which they have not only to encounter the difficulty of learning a language entirely new to them, but also to undergo the nearly insuperable labour of decyphering illegible lithographic editions?

No monthly list of printed books is published, but we have new Latin and new Greek grammars and dictionaries, and the thousandth reprint of a Greek or a Latin author, with notes.

If classical literature, which has been studied in all parts of Europe for five centuries, still stands in need of such assistance,—how much greater must be the need in the case of Oriental literature, which is of much greater difficulty. Few of the standard works are in print; those printed often want heads of chapters, pages, glossaries, indices, tables of contents, division into sentences and paragraphs.

The charge of neglecting to provide such indispensable assistance is especially applicable to this country. On the Continent, Oriental books are printed, and attempts made to make them more easily read and understood.^0-11a

Remembering that Modern Persian is drenched with Arabic, whose daughter it is, the following is noteworthy:—

In Sanscrit and cognate languages the roots of verbs are biliteral, so that the permutation of fifty Indian letters would give 50 x 49=2450 roots.

In Arabic the roots are (with a few exceptions) triliteral, so that the twenty-eight Arabian letters would give 28 x 27 x 26=19656 roots.

Although many of its roots are lost, and some were perhaps never in use, yet if we suppose 10,000 of them (without reckoning quadri-literals) to exist, and each of them to admit only five variations, one with another, in forming derivative nouns,—an Arabic dictionary ought to contain 50,000 words, of which each may receive a multitude of changes by the rules of grammar. No man uninspired was ever a complete master of Arabic; in fact, no man now living in Europe or in Asia can read without study a hundred couplets together in any connection of ancient Arabian poems.

The great author of the Ḳámus (a dictionary) learned by accident from the mouth of a child in a village of Arabia the meaning of three words which he had long sought in vain from grammarians, and from books of the highest reputation.^0-12

7. That encouragement and help will in future be given there is some hope, not only from the evidence afforded by the occasional publication in these days of Oriental works, but also by the Report (November 8, 1871) of the Board of Oriental Studies at Cambridge.

The Board of Oriental Studies are unanimously of opinion that the time has now arrived for assigning to the Oriental languages a more prominent position among the studies of the University…

The Board beg to recommend the establishment of two independent Triposes—(1) the Semitic, (2) the Aryan.

In the Semitic (first) group, Hebrew (with Chaldee), Syriac, and Arabic might be taken as the best representatives.

In the Aryan (second) group, Sanskrit holds the first and foremost place. Persian also possesses an extensive literature of special value for historic and theosophic investigations; it is cultivated by the Muhammadans in India, as well as by those in Persia itself, and might therefore be introduced with advantage into the Tripos.

8. On the Sufí,istic passages scattered throughout this work, the Student may consult:—

Discourses by Sir W. Jones, delivered before the Asiatic Society, vol. ii. pp. 131–150; De Bode's “Bukhárá”; “A History of Muham-madanism,” by Charles Mills, 1818, p. 473; “History of Persia,” by Sir John Malcolm, 1829, art. “Soofees”; Lane's “Modern Egyptians,” vol. i. chap. 3; “Sind,” by Richard Burton, chap. viii.; “Notes on Muhammadanism,” by C. E. Hughes, p. 227; “A Muhammadan brought to Christ,” London, C. Missionary House, 1869, pp. 10-16; “Islám,” by T. Stobart, 1878, p. 201; the Printed Catalogue of Oriental Manuscripts in the British Museum, by Dr. Charles Rieu, 1881, pp. 35-45 (Quaritch & Co.).^0-13a

9. Full well I know that grave defects must have their place in a work so long and so arduous as this. All endea-vours to translate a Persian poem into another language must fall short of their aim when the obligation is imposed of producing a translation that shall be at once literal, idiomatic, and faithful to each thought of the original. Of my faults I am very sensible; but I have no doubt that those who discern them and know the difficulty of the undertaking will give me fair quarter.

Finally, I would mention that the translation was made in a tropical country, in leisure moments, amidst the pressure and the stress of professional duties most arduous and laborious, and under circumstances most harassing and wearing.

H. WILBERFORCE CLARKE.

Calcutta, East India,

April, 1880.

References.^0-15

(a) ◌ “The Fragrant Gales of Sociality,” by Maulaví Núru-'d-Dín 'Abdu-'r-Rahmán Jámí, born A.H. 817, died 898 or 899. Calcutta, A.D. 1858.

(b) ◌ “Biographical Notices of Poets,” by Daulat Sháh bin Alláhu-'d-Daulat bin Bakhtu-'s-Samarḳandí, in A.H. 952.

(c) ◌ “The Bringer of News of those Gone to God,” by Abú 'Abdu-'lláh Muhammad Fáḍil bin Sayyid Ahmad bin Sayyid Hasan, in A.H. 1060. The author, descended from a family that lived at Tirmiz, near Bukhára, lived at Akbár-ábád (Agra), in India. Calcutta, 1833, p. 54.

(d) ◌ “The Fire Temple of Ázar,” by Hájí Luṭf 'Alí Ázar, born A.H. 1134. Calcutta, 1833, p. 318.

(e) ◌ “The Explanations of Doubts with the Names of Works of Sciences,” by Musṭafạ bin 'Abdu-'lláh Kátib-i-Jalábí Hájí, who died A.D. 1199. London, 1842, p. 176.

(f) ◌ “The Friend of Characters, with Narratives of Individuals of Mankind,” by Ghiyásu-'d-Dín; a history from the earliest times up to A.H. 930. Bombay, 1857, p. 112.

(g) ◌ “The Seven Heavens,” or History of the Masnaví of the Persians, being an introduction to Niẓámí's Iḳbál Náma,e Sikandarí (the Sikandar Náma,e bahrí), by Maulaví Ágha Ahmad 'Alí. Bibliotheca Indica, Asiatic Society of Bengal, New Series, No. 294, 1873, p. 26.

(h) The Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts in the British Museum, by Charles Rieu, Ph.D. 1881, vol. ii. pp. 564-567. B. Quaritch & Co., London.

1. Abú Muhammad bin Yusuf bin Mu,ayyid-i-Nizámu-'d-Dín, ^0-16 was born A.H. 535 at Nakrash,^0-16a in the province of Kum; but he spent nearly the whole of his life at Ganja,^0-16b a town of Arrán, the modern Elizabethopol, in Ázarbíján, where he died in great renown and sanctity, A.H. 599.^0-16c After his death the five following works of his were collected, probably by his son, and called the “Khamsah,” the quintuple; or Panj Ganj, the Five Treasures:

(1.) Makhzanu-'l-Asrár (by the Kashfu-'z-Zunún, called the Panj Ganj), or the Magazine of Secrets.

This, the first of his compositions, was completed in A.H. 559, and dedicated to Fakhru-'d-Dín Bahrám Sháh, son of Dá'úd, king of Armenia and Rúm, who gave Niẓámí five thousand dínárs of gold and a camel laden with rich stuffs.

Bahrám Sháh, a grandson of a Saljúkí Amír Mangúchak Ghází, was the hereditary ruler of Arzanján, and a vassal of Kilij Arslán (A.H. 558-578), who had given him a daughter in marriage. He died A.H. 622.

A Persian text was edited by Nathaniel Bland, in London, 1844, and lithographed at Kánpúr, 1869. An English translation in manuscript, by J. H. Hindley, is preserved in the British Museum. The contents are given by Von Hammer.

(2.) Shírín va Khusrau (Shírín, the lady; and Khusrau Parvíz, the king, A.D. 591).

This was completed A.H. 576,^0-17 and dedicated to Shamsu-'d-Dín Abú Ja'far Muhammad.

The Persian text was lithographed at Láhúr, A.H. 1288. For the contents, see Von Hammer's “Schirin ein Persiches Romantisches Gedicht nach Morgen-landischen Quellen.” Leipzig, 1809.

(3.) Laila va Majnún (Laila, the lady; and Majnún, the distraught lover).

This was completed A.H. 584, and dedicated to Jalál-i-Daulatu-'d-Dín Abú-'l-Muẓaffar Ikhtishán, son of Minúchihr.

A Persian text was lithographed at Lakhnau, A.H. 1286, and a translation made by James Atkinson, in London, A.D. 1836.

Of this master-work Niẓámí says:—Five thousand couplets and more were written in less than four months. Had I not been hindered by other occupations, they might have been written in fourteen nights.

(4.) Haft Paikar (the Seven Images).

This was composed at the desire of King 'Ala,u-'d-Dín Karb (?) Arslán, of the line of Aḳsunḳur, and completed A.H. 593. In some copies Alap Arslán, or Ḳizil Arslán (who died A.H. 587), has erroneously been substituted for Karb, or Karba.^0-18

A Persian text was lithographed at Bombay, A.D. 1849, at Lakhnau, A.H. 1290. One of the seven tales was published, with a German translation, by F. Von Erdmann—“Behramgur und die Russiche Fuer Stentochter.” Kasan, 1844.^0-18a

(5.) Sikandar Náma.

This consists of two distinct parts—the Sikandar Náma,e bara and the Sikandar Náma,e bahrí.^0-18b

(a.) The Sikandar Náma,e bara^0-18c (Sharaf Náma,e Khusraván, or Sharaf Náma,e Sikandar), or “Book of Alexander the Great, relating his Adventures as a Conqueror by Land,” written after the Haft Paikar^0-18d (A.H. 593), was completed, according to the Haft Asmán, in A.H. 597, and dedicated to Nașratu-'d-Dín Abú Bakr (son of Jahán Pahlaván Muhammad), who succeeded his uncle, the Atábuk Ḳizil Arslán, in Tabríz, A.H. 587, and died A.H. 607.

There are many lithographed Persian texts.^0-18e Extracts will be found in—Franz Von Erdmann's work, “De Expeditione Russorum Berda am Versus,”^0-18f Kasan, 1838; in Charmoy's “Expedition d'Alexandre contre les Russes,”^0-18g St. Petersburg, 1829; in Spiegel, “Die Alexander sage bei den Orientalen,” Leipzig, 1851, pp. 33-50.

(b.) The Sikandar Náma,e bahrí (Khirad Náma,^0-19 or Iḳbál Náma,e Sikandarí), or “Book of Alexander the Great, relating his Adventures, as a Sage and a Prophet, by Sea,” was dedicated to Malik al Káhir 'Izzu-'d-Dín Mas'úd bin Núru-'d-Dín Arslán, who became the ruler of Mosul in A.H. 607, and died A.H. 615.

The great weight of evidence of an earlier date for Niẓámí's death must throw doubt on the authenticity of this dedication, which is wanting in most of the early copies, as well as in the printed texts, and which is almost entirely transcribed (with the exception of proper names) from canto xi. of the Sikandar Náma,e bara.

In other copies, the dedication is to Nasratu-'d-Dín, and at the end is an epilogue to a king called 'Izzu-'d-Dín, whose proper name, Mas'úd, is given farther on. This king, the son of Kutbu-'d-Dín Maudúd, ascended the throne of Mosul in A.H. 576, and died A.H. 589.

A Persian text was edited by Dr. Sprenger at Calcutta, 1852 and 1869,^0-19a and a lithographed text at Kánpúr, 1878. A short statement of the contents will be found in Erdmann's work, vol. i. p. 24, and an abstract in Dr. Bacher's memoir,^0-19b pp. 101-171. See also Dr. Ethé Alexander's “Zug Zum Lebensquell, Sitzung Sherichte der Bayerischen Akademie,” 1871, pp. 343–405.

2. The Átash Kada,e Azar and the Kashfu-'z-Zanún substitute the Ikbál Náma for Shírín va Khusrau; but they are in error.^0-19c

3. The Makhzanu-'l-Asrár is written in the metre called sarí' (used for philosophical verse); Shírín va Khusrau and Laila va Majnún are in hazaj (used for love verse); Haft Paikar is in khafíf (used for festive verse); and the Sikandar Náma,e bara va bahrí are both in mutakárib (used for war-epics).

Since the time of Nizámí, it has been obligatory for poets to begin Díwáns with the hamd, the praise of God, followed successively by the na't, the praise of the Prophet; the munáját, the prayer for himself; the madh-i-sultán, the praise of the king; the sabab-i-tálíf, the cause of the composing of the book; and the sitáyish-i-sukhan, the praise of speech.

4. In the Tazkirat-i-Daulat Sháh and the Átash Kada,e Azár it is stated that, besides the Khamsah, Nizámí wrote twenty thousand couplets in the form of kasá,id (idyls), ghazaliyát (odes), kitá'át (fragments), and rubá'iyát (tetrastichs),^0-20 which have disappeared.

5. Nizámí's father left him early an orphan; and his mother, who was of distinguished Khurd race, died when he was but a young man. He was married three times, and had, it would seem, only one son.

In the Sikandar Náma,e bara, Nizámí expresses a hope that his tomb at Ganja may become the place of pilgrimage of good men.^0-20a In the Átash Kada it is stated :—

“His tomb full of light is the place of pilgrimage of the great ones of the land.”

6. As it may interest the Reader to have some details of the life of this great poet in the words of the native historians, the following from Daulat Sháh is given :—

The lineage of Shaikh Niẓámí was of the pure soil of the village of Naḳrash, which is reckoned within the district of Kum, in 'Iráḳ-i-'Ajam. His worthy father having gone to Ganja—which, of the towns of A'zar-bíján, is esteemed, and whose water and air are celebrated for agreeableness—Niẓámí was there born, as he himself says in the Iḳbál Náma.

The qualities of this illustrious man are beyond computation. In the science of the way of God (Șúfí,ism),^0-21 his discipleship ended with Kay Furrukh, of the town of Zanjar. They say that, from the first period of youth up to the end of his life, he was not—like other poets, by reason of the overpowering nature of the appetites of lust and concupiscence—impetuous, nor an opposer of Sulṭáns and great ones. Rather, indeed, his threshold was the head-rubbing place (in adoration) of Khusraus of exalted rank, so that King Atábuk Ḳizil Arslán,^0-21a with the desire of proving his worth, went to the Shaikh's retired corner.

By God's power the Shaikh, discovering his intention, displayed to the Sulṭán the dignity of the great ones of the earth.

After a while (the illusion removed) the Sulṭán beheld a weak old man, sitting on a piece of felt-cloth, who had before him the Book (the Ḳurán), an inkstand, a pen, and a staff.

In respect to the sanctity and the sincerity of the Shaikh, complete confidence came to the Sulṭán.

In the ranks of verse the Shaikh is higher than what I write. In the opinion of your humble servant, he is one of the four pillars of the country of verse.^0-21b In the year A.H. 576 the Humá of his purified soul flew to its holv nest.

After his death, the learned and the intelligent collected five books containing the ideas and thoughts of the holy Shaikh, and called the compilation the Khamsah, every book of which was versified at the entreaty of possessors of crown and throne.

Although, by the vicissitudes of Time and the want of connection of the books, not a fifth part has been left correct,—yet it is a pillar of the Panj-Ganj. For the poor of empty purse of the market of verse have, from these treasuries of the jewels of speech, coloured the pocket and the skirt of the heart and the eye, and still do so.

Selecting from the poems of the Khamsah is difficult, for the reason indeed, that if one should write all its lofty verses, they would be beyond the capacity of this book, and there would be need of another book; and if your humble servant should write a few couplets only, it would be unjust to the author. Hence, your hunble servant has left the selecting of selections of the Khamsah to the reader.

They attribute the story of “Vísa va Rámin”—some to Shaikh Niẓámí of Ganja, and some to Niẓámí 'Arúḍa of Samarḳand.^0-22

In the opinion of your humble servant, if the tale be indeed by Shaikh Niẓámí of Ganja,—it must have been written early, when his verse had not reached maturity.

Besides, the tale was certainly dedicated to Sulṭán Mahmúd, son of Mașa'úd and grandson of Malik Sháh Saljúkí; and Niẓámí of Samar-ḳand lived only in the time of Malik Sháh Saljúkí.

For the tale of Shírín va Khusrau, Ḳizil Arslán gave Niẓámí fourteen villages well-built and populous.

In the Nafhatu-'l-Uns, it is said :—

Shaikh Niẓámí had a full portion of knowledge of external sciences and usages; but he withdrew his head from worldly things, and turned his face towards God, Most High and Worthy of Praise.

From beginning to end he passed his long life in contentment, devotion, retirement, and solitude. His five poems, the Khamsah, were written at the entreaty of Sulṭáns of the age, who—hopeful that their names might, by means of his poems, remain on the page of Time— supplicated him to do so. For the most part, the verses are apparently tales, but really the means of revealing truths and of recognizing God.

In the Mukhbaru-'l-Vásilín, it is said :—

Of religion and of the world,—Niẓámí was the Shaikh;

Of the renowned prophets of God,—an example was he:

By the city of Ganja (the city of treasure) was acquired the treasure of religion,

For the sake of the existence of that perfect one.

Of his composition are five poems (the Khamsah);

His composition is higher than the habitation of reason.

The year of his departure (in death) from the world in exaltation and power

Is thus written—◌

“The Ganjaví (the man of Ganja, Niẓámí, is) the rose of Paradise.” The date is thus found :—

Hence, Niẓámí died A.H. 592, or A.D. 1195. The custom of fixing the date of an event by a word, a sentence, a hemistich, or by a whole verse, dates from A.H. 600 (circa).

PRAISE be to God, the Lord of both Worlds; and the Mercy of God and safety,—to the Sayyid (Lord) of Prophets, and to his chaste Offspring, and to his pure Companions!

O God, World-Sovereignty is Thine:
From us (slaves, or creatures) adoration comes; God-head (Lordship) is Thine!

Thou art the shelter of height (the upper world) and of depth (the lower world);
All things are non-existent; whatever is, Thou art:

“Panah” signifies the existence of created beings is dependent or?? God, not on themselves.

“Highth,” see Mason's “English Grammar,” 21st edition, page 125.

“Bulandí” signifies—bulandán-i-súrí va ma'naví.

“Pasti” signifies—pastaī-i-ẓáhirí va báṭaní.

Everything, high (the upper world) and low (the lower world), is created;
Thou art the Creator of whatever exists:

Thou art the teacher of the highest wisdom (the knowledge of God);
With wisdom, Thou hast urged the pen over the tablet of dust (man's body).

When argument as to Thy Godhead (the Causer of Causes) became complete (by the world's creation),
Wisdom (by that argument) gave evidence regarding Thee.

Thou hast made the vision of wisdom luminous (to recognise Thee);
Thou hast lighted up the lamp of guidance (to the road of Salvation).

The affix “nák” in “ámoznák” signifies—khudávind va șáḥib. Thus is “nák” used in the words—ṭarabnák, ghamnák, dardnák.

“Ámoznák” signifies—ámozanda.

After bihtarín dánish, “rá” is understood.

“Lauḥ-i-khák” may signify:—

Takhta,e khák; zamín; tan-i-mardum; or the name of a book of philosophy.

“Hujjat refers to:—

◌

When God Most High, in eternity without beginning, produced by His absolute power and perfect wisdom, all created things from the concealment of non-existence into the plain of evidence; and cast, from the Eternal Court, the words—“Am I not your God?”—into the ear of things possible,—they with perfectness of vision and readiness, gave answer saying:—

“Yes; Thou art our Cherisher; Thou art our Creator from nonexistence:

“Without Thee is no profit.”

See Clarke's literal translation of the “Bustán of Sa'dí,” pages 9 and 176.

O God, besides bestowing the jewel of reason on man, Thou hast sent the Prophets to show the way to us, lost in the desert of error and perplexity.

Thou art He, who up-lifted the sky;
Who made the earth its thoroughfare.

Thou art He, who from a drop of water (the seed of man, or of Adam) created
Jewels (holy men) more resplendent than the sun.

Thou madest manifest the jewel of kindness;
Thou gavest the key (the tongue of kindness) to the jewel-sellers (doers of good deeds, or poets).

Thou givest the jewel (of strange fancies) to the heart of the stone (the Poet);
Thou drawest the colour (of decoration, or of the graces of Wisdom) on the surface of the jewel.

So long as Thou sayst not—rain! the air (the cloud) rains not:
So long as Thou sayst not—produce! the earth produces not.

Since the auspicious and inauspicious aspects of the Heavens, and the splendour of the sun descend from the sky to the earth,—the earth is said to be the thoroughfare to the sky.

O wonderful skill. This Thou createdest quiescent; and to that (the sky) Thou gavest rotatory motion.

“Jauhar” may signify—

Sukhan-i-mauzún va kalám-i-rangín; ma'rifat-i-ḥaḳḳ

“Jauhar faroshan” signifies—

Poets, or bankers of speech; holy men who make the perfecting of those imperfect.

Even as the exalting of the roof of the sky, and the spreading of the carpet of the earth is the order of the earth,—so, in creating, is the quality of kindness in the liberal ones the state of the sons of Ádam. This indeed is evident in mothers of every kind of animal.

Again—Thou producest weighed (versified) speech and beautified language in the hearts of poets, and givest the key of its opening to those subtlety-weighing that they may unloose it from the mine of their own hearts, with the key of the tongue; and bring it into order in the balance of verse.

“Dil-i-sang” signifies—

The mine; the heart of an ignorant one (an infidel); the hearts of poets in which the jewel of strange conceits is produced as the jewel-stone in the mine.

Thou adornedst a world with this beauty (of order),
Without asking for a helper.

Of warmness and coldness; of dryness and wetness,
Thou kneadedst to the (proper) extent of each.

Thou didst draw out (exalt) and paint the picture (create the world) in such a way
That wisdom cannot bring into estimation (a picture) better than it.

The Geometrician seeks much regarding their secret (the mixing of the four elements);
He knows not how Thou didst make their beginning.

From us (imperfect ones) comes only—looking (at thy creation),
Further sleeping; or yet eating.

The freshening of the tongue in confession of Thee,
Not raising the (question of) cause of Thy work.

Note the idiom in the Persian text.

In the opinion of many, things possible (or created) are of four kinds, to wit:—warmness, coldness, dryness, and wetness, of which the results are—blackness, yellowness, bloodiness, and mucilaginousness.

Hence Niẓámí says:—O God, Thou, by the perfection of power, madest the composition of man's body of four elements, contrary to each other in nature; mixedst them in proper proportion in such a way that power of one over the other is impossible; and gavest unity to the four elements, notwithstanding the contrariety of their nature, in such a way that the luminous understanding is astonied!

Thus fire cannot consume air; nor air destroy fire; nor air dry up water; nor water enkindle dust.

Some say that couplet 13 should be read with couplet 14. Then “sarishte” must be read with “yá,e tankír,” or the “yá” of unity,

Of warmness and coldness; of dryness and wetness,

To the proper extent of each, a mixture,

Thou didst exalt and create, in such a way

That wisdom cannot bring into estimation (a mixture) better than it.

O God, Thou madest the different species of created beings in such a way that reason cannot imagine anything better. Then better than what God has created is not within the screen of possibility.

That calculation which passes boyond this is straying from the true path:
Of thy mystery, (our) thought is without knowledge.

Of whatever Thou didst create, or picture Thou didst paint—
Need (is) not Thine—O Thou independent of all!

Thou so createdst the earth, and the Heavens,
—Verily the revolution of the stars and sky,—

That, as much as thought becomes lofty (in effort),
It brings not forth its head from this noose (of effort).

Creation was not. God! Thou wast:
(When), all (creation) is not,—Thou art still in place (existent).

Neither, when creation was not, wast Thou in solitude (ease);

Nor, when it became accomplished, did trouble increase to Thee.

On account of Thy grandeur, before Thee, the existing or the non-existing
Is one;—whether it be, or whether it be not.

Thou establishedst the constellations of the skies;
Thou adornedst the dust (of the world) with man.

Thou art the jewel-preparer of the four elements;
The jewel-threader, in the constitution of the body.

Thou didst loftily up-lift the citadel of the sky;
Thou didst make thought captive within it.

This refers to the statements in couplets 16 and 17.

Creation became existing by command, not by toil.

“Akhshíj” signifies—'anásar-i-arba', the four opposites, or the four elements—water, fire, dust, and air.

“Shahr-band” signifies—a person who is forbidden by the magistrate to leave the city and to disport himself in the plain.

“The citadel of the sky” signifies—the sky.

Thou establishedst this arch of azure hue (the sky) in such a way
That for thought is no ascent beyond it.

Wisdom strives but finds Thee not;
For wisdom's power avails not against Thee.

From the inacessible Presence, Thy existence
Stones to death (admits not) the messenger of thought.

Neither art Thou scattered,—that Thou mayst be collected;
Nor also art Thou increased, that Thou mayst be decreased.

Vision's glance,—without the path to Thy (state);
Thy Court,—far from revolution (of change).

That head—which goes loftily inclining (in religion, or in worldly grandeur),
Falls not from its base by anyone's down-casting.

That one,—whom Thy wrath casts headlong
Becomes not lofty (in rank) by any one's aid.

We are all subject (to fate) and obedient (to Destiny),
Thou art the aid-giver (in our powerfulness); Thou art the hand-seizer (in our helplessness)

Whether it be the foot of the elephant, or the wing of the ant,
Thou gavest to each—feebleness and powerfulness.

Otherwise—

(The lamp of) wisdom is kindled; but by its own light finds Thee not

For wisdom's power cannot endure Thy grạndeur.

O God, in Thy pure state is neither dispersion nor collection; neither decrease nor increase.

As Thy holy court is far from change, so the Court of Destiny is void of turning.

When Thou sendest force (strengthenest)—by pure Fate,
Thou bringest forth the destruction of the great snake by means of the little ant.

When Thou raisest (removest) the smoke (of the darkness of infidelity) from the path (of Islám),
The little gnat devours Nimrúd's brain.

When in the enemy's army Thou bringest departure (death),
By birds, Thou slayest the elephant and the elephant-masters.

When the great snake becomes old, the little ants enter his brain by his nose and so kill him. Further, when the great snake sleeps after eating flesh, the little ants, attracted by the smell of blood, fasten upon him and begin to bite him; and as the snake has no power of repelling them, he falls into agitation, strikes his head on the earth, and so dies.

They relate that:—Nimrúd sate in an iron-closet around which was kindled a fire; and, in fancy, said—“Behold! how will the Angel of Death come here, and take my soul?”

By the power of God, the Omnipotent, a gnat crept into his brain (by the ear), began to bite, and so distressed him that finally, in great torment, he died.

They also relate that:—When Nimrúd put aside his desire for war with his holiness Ibráhím, Ibráhím accepted his submission. On the appointed day, Nimrúd came with a countless army into the plain of battle; but Ibráhím, unattended, stood in front of him. Nimrúd and his army were astounded at the force which Ibráhím displayed, when suddenly, by God's command, a swarm of gnats appeared and began to bite their heads and faces, to such a degree that they all began to retreat.

Nimrúd, becoming confounded, made a smoke from fire-wood, so that, by this device, the gnats might not find a way to his army. By the Divine Decree, a small gnat, having crept into a person's garment, reached his army; bit the lip of the accursed Nimrúd; and, afterwards, entering his brain, took up his residence there.

For a long time, in exceeding pain and torment, he passed his life; and finally took his chattels to Hell.

“Rahíl áwardan” signifies—

Ba harakat áwardan; paidá kardan-i-harakat.

They relate that—In 569-571 A.D., when Abraha, an Abyssinian, Prince of Yaman, saw that, in the season of pilgrimage, men from all directions inclined towards Makka; and knew that their purpose was pilgrimage to the Ka'ba, the essence of his pride was agitated. He resolved that he would build a house equal in purity to the Ka'ba, and cause the faces of pilgrims to turn towards it. At San'-a he built, with great purity, a temple of white stone; adorned its walls with gold and jewels; and caused a great multitude of people to go to it, in pilgrimage.

When this became known to the people of the tribe of Kuraish, one of the family of Baní Kamána, becoming employed as “mujáwir,” one night polluted that idol and fled.

Hearing this Abraha collected an army (of Abyssinians), and proceeded towards Makka, with elephants of mountain-form, for the purpose of destroying the Ka'ba. Taking the elephant Mahmud, that in bulk of body was like a mountain,—he came into the precincts of Makka and plundered the cattle of the tribe of Kuraish. The Chiefs of Makka fled to the mountains.

After the first day, having arranged his army and aroused the elephants he turned his face towards Makka. The elephant Mahmúd turned from Makka and inclined towards the camp; and the elephant-drivers found it impossible to turn his head towards the city. The other elephants also on account of his shunning the building of the Ka'ba advanced not. At this circumstance, Abraha became dejected and the tribe of Kuraish from the mountain-tops beheld his condition.

Suddenly from the sea-side, flocks of black birds (Abábíl) with green necks appeared, and rained stones on that army. In one breath the Abyssinian tribe of Abraha became wholly extirpated.

See—“Islám under the Arabs,” by Osborne, page 78; “A History of Arabia,” by Major Price, 1824, and the Kurán, chapter 105, Suratu-l fíl.

It is believed that Abraha and his host were destroyed by small-pox that raged at that time in Arabia. See canto 36, couplet 53.

Sometimes, Thou bringest forth a friend from an idol temple;
Sometimes, Thou makest an acquaintance of a stranger (the infidel):

Thou bringest forth the friend of Thy friends from the idol temple, or from the place of worship of infidels; and causest him to reach to the honour of Islám—even as Ibráhím, “the Friend of God,” brought forth from the idol temple, was exalted to the summit of prophecy. Sometimes Thou drawest forth the friend, or Mussulmán, from the backbone of an infidel, even as “the Friend of God” came forth from the back-bone of Âzar (his father) the fire-worshipper.

Sometimes, from a seed (of man) Thou givest one of good Fortune;
Sometimes, from a fruit-stone Thou givest a (date) tree:

Sometimes, with (notwithstanding) such a jewel, house-sprung ('Alí),
Thou stonest (to death, in Hell) one like Abú Tálab.

From fear of Thee, to whom boldness to such an extent that
He may open the tongue, save in submission to Thee?

To those powerful of tongue (boasting of the knowledge of God) is no access to Thee;
Because to the treasure (God) is no need of the torch (of the tongue).

Thou takest the tongue from (makest silent) the keepers of Thy mystery (the Prophets),
So that they may not utter the secret of the Sultán (God).

In the dust of (within) such obscure dust (the body), to me,
Thou gavest the mind, luminous (by the light of safety); and the soul, pure (of pollution).

“Gauhar-i-khána-khez” may signify—Muhammad, or (his son-in-law) 'Alí.

Abú Ṭálab was uncle to Muhammad and the father of 'Alí.

Notwithstanding this relationship, Abú Ṭálab, by reason of his infidelity, is in Hell.

Some say that Abú Jahl is meant. See canto 3, couplet 22.

“Zabán áwarán” may signify—

Ifshá kunandagán-i-asrár-i-rabúbiyat; mudd'ayán-i-ma'rifat-i-iláhí Or foolish boasters who give forth the Divine knowledge of others as their own.

Treasure, concealed in a dark or in a desolate place, has no need of a torch.

“Tíra-khák” signifies—jism-i-khákí; badan-i-ẓulmání.

If we be dust-stained (with sin),—is no anxiety;
Because, for road-dust is no occupation save revolving (in the air).

If this dust (the body) had turned its face from (forsaken) sin,
Who would have found the path to Thy forgiveness?

If my sin had not come into computation,
When would have been Thy name—the Pardoner?

Night and day, in the evening and in the morning,
(More) than every thing I have in mind, Thou art in remembrance.

When, in the first part of the night, I resolve to sleep,
In praise of Thy name,—I hasten.

And, if at mid-night, I raise my head from sleep,
I invoke Thee; and shed water (tears) from my eyes.

And, if it be morning, my path is to Thee (in excess of love, and in desire for pardon);
All day until the night, my shelter also is in Thee.

Since, day and night, I desire assistance (in faith) from Thee,
Make me not ashamed in that administration of justice (the Day of Resurrection).

O Ruler, work-performing! keep me (in the world) in such a path (of happiness),
That of these dependent (on the vanishing riches of the world) I may be independent.

“Gird” here signifies—gird kardan va buland shudan.

“Tasbíh” signifies—

Subhán-alláh guftan, uttering (the words) O Holy Creator!

A worshipper, who, by way of adoration (in sincerity of heart),
Performs adoration towards one like Thyself,—

Becomes prosperous, by treasure (of happiness) in this world;
Becomes free from trouble (the torments of Hell), in that world.

Thou art the Displayer of Creation and of the world;
Thou art the Death-Causer, and also Life-Restorer (at the Judgment-day).

Not mine—is an account of deeds of myself in the hand;
Mine, is the reckoning, as much as it is, from Thee.

From Thee, the key of evil and good (conduct) comes:
From Thee, good appears; and from me, evil.

Thou doest (me) good; I have done no evil;
For, I have assigned the evil to myself.

From Thee, is the issuing of the first picture (the beginning of Creation);
To Thee, is the returning of the last letter (of pardon, or of retribution).

O God! as from Thee goodness comes, even so from me goodness appears.

Because, whatever was evil I attributed to myself; and if, in truth, Thou wast the Creator of that evil, that evil of mine becomes changed to good.

Hence, Thou mayst say that evil issued not from me; and that, like Thee, I have done good. In some copies—although I have done evil.

“Awwalín naḳḳash” signifies—

Awwal-i-makhlúkát, the first of created beings, Muhammad; it may mean—raḳam-i-taḳdír

“Ákhirín haraf” signifies—

Ma'ád, the place to which one returns, or the Resurrection.

“Nakkash” and “haraf” may signify—the assigning of evil conduct to himself.

At the first, the issuing of this picture (of imputing evil to myself).

At the last, the returning of this letter (of imputation) to Thee.

This picture (the imputing of evil) although apparently it issues from me, yet in truth it is from Thee who art the Creator of all deeds, good or bad. From me, by Thy decree, this evil having issued, the returning of this letter (haraf) is to Thee, so that on the Judgment Day it may be represented.

From Thee, the teaching me a verse of the Kurán (the uttering of the Name of God);
From me, the stitching up of the eye of the demon (so that he may not behold me).

When Thy name cherishes my soul,
How commits the demon assault upon me (to take my faith)?

“Dev” signifies—shaiṭan, satan; or nafas-i-umára, imperious lust.

“Áyat” signifies—

Lá hawla va lá ḳúwata illá billáh, there is no power nor virtue except in God!

The flying of the demon, on the reciting of the Ḳurán is well known.

If by Thy grace, I had not the power of learning a verse of the Ḳurán, —the causing the demon to fly would not be my work.

A “dev” is a male being not man, not angel, not devil—but a “genius”; the female is called “Parí,” whose race is continued without the intervention of any other class of beings. God created the Devs before Ádam, and gave them the world for 7,000 years. The París succeeded under their king Ján bin Ján, and remained 2,000 years.

On their becoming disobedient, God set over them Eblís, who had been elevated among the angels.

Eblís defeated the Devs and París and became master of this world. Getting proud, he refused to worship Ádam and was therefore driven from God's presence.

Those Devs who remained obedient staid on this earth till the time of Sulaiman.

The “Zand Avesta,” vol. ii., page 234, says:—

“Whoever sits down with the Dev, or the worshipper of Devs; whoever opens his mouth to converse with them teareth himself as a dog doth a wolf.”

This couplet is a parenthesis.

In respect to Thee, I hold it not lawful on my part,
That I should say—(that) “Thou art”; again, I should say that “I am.”

If rested (by practising deeds of holy men) or distressed (by overpowering lust), I live;
As Thou createdst me,—so I live.

My hope of that Court (of God) is such
That, when I go far from this workshop (of the world),

(And), am poured out of the arrangement of the composition of my body;
Am become of another kind from my own order:

(And), the wind makes my dust (in the grave) scattered;
No one beholds my pure soul:

(And) the inquirer into my hidden state
Attributes non-existence to my existence—

I consider it not lawful—that, in comparison with Thy existence,

I should speak of the existence of myself; for, of a truth, I possess the order of passing away.

This couplet savours of pure Sufíism.

The second line may be—

That I should say—Thou art (the Creator of deeds, good and evil); again, I should say I (have an account on my part).

See couplet 59.

I have in respect to myself no control; and, in respect to this matter, no choice.

Here begins another supplication; see couplet 71.

When I die, and the elemental parts of my body become separated.

“Tarkíb” signifies—the collecting several separate things; the conjunction of the limbs of the body.

“Tartíb” signifies—the putting each thing in its proper place.

When I die, and am scattered from the arrangement of the composition of the elements, and changed from my present order; and, when the wind disperses my dust, and no one beholds my pure soul, and the inquirer into my state attributes non-existence to my existence,— then, Thou mayest, by a miracle reveal the matter, that it may be known that though I am hidden, I am in truth existing, for Reason (in the form of the Sikandar-Náma) is alive and existing. As, in the Book of Wisdom, it is written:—

“Especially the Saints and those favoured by God, can, after issuing from the body, perform the work of the body.”

Thou mayst, from the hidden, bring to his hand that token,
That of this hidden one (Nizámí) he may learn that he is existent.

Since, regarding Thy existence, I of weak understanding
Have evoked much argument, heart-exhilarating,

Do Thou also—if my cradle (of the soul, the body) goes into the concealment (of the grave)—
Give information that though the dust (body) sleeps (in death), the soul remains.

Make the purpose of my thought, in respect to Thee, so fervent,
That, when I come to Thee (at Death) I may come joyful of heart.

All (my limbs) are fellow-travellers with me up to the door (of Death);
When I depart (die), these friends are enemies (who report on my deeds).

Whether it be the eye and the ear; or whether the hand and the foot,
Each, in its place, remains behind me.

“Khák khuft” signifies—badan muḍmahill shud.

“Hama” signifies parts of the body. See couplet 76. The couplet may be rendered as follows:—

All are friends with me, up to the door (of death);

When I depart (die), these friends are enemies (who cast me alone into the grave and take my property).

In the blessed Ḳurán, it is written:—the limbs of the body will testify to the deeds done by the man in this world.

Thou art He who art with me as long as I am (existing);
—And at this door (of death) let me not be empty skirted (portionless of thy favour).—

In this long road (the world), in which I strike my humble head (in adoration) at Thy great door,
I strive, in hope of a crown (of pardon and of rank in Heaven).

The head, which I withhold not from this door,—
Best, if Thou give to that head the crown, not the sword (of anger).

By reason of that order, which, in eternity without beginning, Thou hast passed,
The pen turns not from what Thou hast caused to pass (decreed).

But, in conformity with desire, I, order-bearing,
Make my own heart joyful, with these words:—

Thou saidst:—“That whoever, in sorrow and affliction,
“Offers prayer,—I will make him one whose prayer is answered.”

Since I know Thee (to be) the Releaser of the helpless,
How shall I not call upon Thee, in this helplessness?

Yes; Thy work is slave-cherishing;
My work is devotion-performing.

I have become battered,—nay shattered, to such a degree,
That every wind takes my (vigorousness) senses.

The soul is immortal, as the blessed Ḳurán says—

As long as I am, Thou art with me.

In the second line, “sar zadan” signifies—koshish-i-kamál kardan.

The student should observe the force of “yá” in “ráhe” and “sare.”

Compare this with—

Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Bible, Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28.

“Ábádí” signifies—jam'íyat-i-hawass, the collection of the (5) senses.

Thou art He, who givest me release from being shattered,
And if Thou shatter, Thou givest me the preserving substance.

In that midnight (the darkness of the grave), when I seek shelter from Thee,
By the moon-light of Thy grace, illumine my path.

Preserve me from the plunder (of devotion) of the highwayman (carnal lusts or devils);
Make not the heart of the enemy (Shaitán) joyful over me.

That evil (of time) in respect to which I am impatient,
O Thou far from injustice! keep far from me.

Cause me to attain first to thanks, then to wealth (good health);
Give me first patience, then distress (ill-health).

If Thou make me afflicted in affliction,
Give me first patience, then the affliction.

If Thou shatter me, or if Thou place me in the rack,
(And) wish (me) the handful of the (collected) dust,—ask the (scattered) dust of me.

By the dispersion (of my elemental parts) I may fall out of myself (collapse);
(But), I will not fall out of devotion to Thee.

“Mumiyá” signifies—háfiẓu-l-ajsád; 'araḳu-l-jabál.

It is said to be the water of a fountain, like to congealed pitch, found in some of the cities of Persia.

“Khák” signifies—dust in a collected form.

“Gird” signifies—dust in a dispersed form.

In both states (mentioned in couplet 92), I may, by the dispersion of parts, fall out of myself (collapse); but I will not depart from Thy service.

In every state, I will be Thy praise-utterer, and consider Thee my Lord.

The key (of the knowledge of God) became lost to the inquirer (the worldly sage), for the reason,
That he regarded Thee, with his own power (of thought).

The person, who regards Thee by Thy (grace),
Rends in pieces the foolish pages (of philosophy, and disregards them).

Save by Thy (grace), it is not possible to find Thee;
It is necessary to turn the rein from every door (of infidelity).

Thus far, (my) vision is (by Thy grace) the Stage-Recogniser;
When Thou advancest beyond this, terror (at the Majesty of God) comes to the heart.

I have entrusted to Thee, my own capital (of endeavour);
Thou knowest the amount—less, or more.

The sage who, by the light of Reason, desires to find God and with limited comprehension pursues his way,—is in the whirl-pool of straying from the path of safety. If with Thy vision (as is the way of the Prophets, peace be on them!) he had looked at Thee O God! he would have reached Thee.

My gaze is by Thy grace the road-finder; for going aside or transgressing or choosing the path of one's own endeavour is path-losing.

If “biguzarí” be written with “yá,e khiṭáb,” the couplet will read:—

The gaze of the holy traveller is the road-recogniser up to this abode, to which it is not possible to go save by Thy Grace; if thou advance beyond this and go by thy own endeavour, terror at the Majesty of God comes to the heart.

Thou knowest whether the good deeds are in excess, or the bad. Niẓámí here relies on God's mercy.

O great-One! O greatness-Bestower! I am friendless;
Thou art my aid-giver and aid-arriver.

I brought, at first, nothing from the house (the mother's womb);
Thou gavest; all my property (person) is Thy property.

Since Thou madest my lamp (heart) light-possessing (by the Faith of Islám),
Keep far from me the wind (of calamity) of torch-extinguishers (Devils and Jinns).

Thou gavest me (in this world) powerfulness as to sowing (good deeds);
Give me (in the other world) fruitfulness of what I sowed.

The hill (of desire) is lofty, and the torrent (of the vicissitudes of the world) rude;
Twist not my rein from the true path.

“Mash'al kushán” may signify—Lust or Satan. Or it may mean— certain infidels who, casting their daughters' garments into a room in which the torches have been extinguished, bid their suitors enter and bring them out.

Each one taking up a suit becomes the husband of its owner.

The second line may be rendered—

Keep far from me fleshly lust that is the extinguisher of the torch of Faith.

“Ráh-rakht” signifies—ráh-i-rást; síratu-l-mustaḳím; asp.

(The path of the world is difficult); for the hill (of its vicissitudes) is lofty, and the torrent (of its affections) swift.

Turn not the rein (of my steed) from the true path (to the next world).

Again—

From the path where my steed crosses in safety, turn not my rein from Thy grace.

Let me pass over this torrent-place (of the world), in such a way,
That this torrent (the world) may not shatter the bridge for me (in the sea of Sin).

Render not punishment; I came pardon-seeking:
To Thy Court, I came black of face (sinful).

Turn to white (cleanse) my (face) black (through sin);
Turn me not hopeless from Thy Court.

Of my constitution which from dust Thou createdst,
The pure (soul) with the impure (body) Thou mixedst.

If in constitution, I am good; or, if I am bad,—
Thy decree decreed this form (of goodness or of badness) on me.

Thou art our Lord; and, we are slaves (to Destiny);
By Thy power, we are each one alive (as to good or to bad deeds).

To the Beholder (the Seer)—whatever is created
Gives a token of the Creator.

“Pul shikastan” signifies—gharḳ kardan.

O God! my body, which in truth is dust, Thou didst, in this way create; for from the unclean seed of man, Thou didst make the pure man.

My vision (the heart) is the place of beholding Thee:
By it, how may I not behold Thy path (of Lordship).

By whatever is made, I behold Thee;
For, Thou art the Maker; it (is) the thing made.

In the opinion of people of wisdom and judgment,—every form
Is a guide to the Painter (God) of the form.

From me to Thee, many a stage intervenes;
It is not possible to find Thee, save by Thee (by Thy grace).

The foundation (creation) that is in the sky and the earth,
Is at the limit of human thought.

Thought is the guide to the measure (of its own understanding);
It brings not forth its head (proceeds not) beyond the limit of measure.

The hand (of understanding) reaches to every degree as far as
The limit of that degree terminates.

When the limit of created things accepts finality,
Other borders (limits) remain not in the imagination.

God looks at the heart, not at man's outward form.

The heart of the Faithful is the place of God's heart.

“Zamín” signifies—zamí, from zam coldness and ín affinity. The Orientals say that the earth is essentially cold. In couplets 16 to 21, the poet discourses not of ma'rifat-i-'awám, but of má'rifat-i-khwáșș.

In things comprehended, limited, and encompassed,—thought exercises sway; in matters unlimited, it has no power.

Thought reflects not more than this:—
“Thou (O God!) art not related to existence; nay, beyond this!”

O my well-wisher (God)! keep me in that way,
That my path may be towards rectitude, (so that)

I may choose a road that at the end of work (time of departing),
Thou mayst be pleased and I (may be) safe (from sin).

Within creation, not a remedy is mine save this—
That I turn not my head from that written on the forehead (Destiny).

(That) in supplication (to God), I write a line (of my own salvation),
Authenticated by the signature of the Prophet (Muhammad).

The ascent of thought is not beyond this that it should say:—

Thou (O God!) art not of the species of created beings, who are of the stage of change.

Nay! Thou art external to (beyond) this stage; for the qualities of eternity without beginning and eternity without end are inherent in Thy nature.

With a flavour of Sufiism, the poet says:—Thy existence is not in truth:—

Huṣúl va kun—coming forth and making, which is the necessity for the existence of existing things.

Nay Thy existence is—zátí va haḳíḳí—original or essential which is more; for the existence of existing things is full of Thy existence.

The first line may be—Prevail on me, in that matter.

With supplication and importunity, I write a line in praise of God Most High; and that writing is sealed with the Order and the Decree of the Prophet (on him be peace!). In regard to that writing, there is evidence of four persons (see Canto iv., couplet 67); and hence it has complete credence.

(That) I bring up evidence in respect to it from the four friends (of Muhammad)
—A hundred praises be on all four!—

(That) I keep, as my Soul, that writing of beauty (and warrant of Salvation),
Like an amulet (against enchantment) concealed on the arm (of my Soul).

In that judgment-place (of the Resurrection), like a sharp-sword (fearful),
Which is the place both of judging, and also of springing up and rising (from the grave).

When the Writings (of deeds) go flying towards the man (or woman),
(That) I open the fold of that writing (of supplication of mine, sealed by the Prophet),

(That) I show it (to Thee) saying:—“Since Thou truly enforcest command
“Issue the order on (agreeably to) this (my writing); and that other (of justice) is Thy order.

“Dávarí-gáh” is a place of justice. The comparison between it and a sharp sword is, on account of its being the place of separation between the true and the false; or, because the bridge, “Ṣiráṭ,” which is narrow, is there situated.

“Rust-khez” agrees in form with guft-gú, shust-shú; but unlike these the two parts spring not from the same root, though they ultimately have the same meaning.

“Khez” has not its true meaning but that of paidá shudan as—

Fulán shahr husn-khez ast, ?? husn-i-bisiyár az ánjá paidá mí shavad.

The first “rust-khez” may signify—the name of the judgment day or the assembly of souls; and the second, the description of it, or the assembly of corporeal forms.

See couplets 25, 26 and 27.

“My hope is, beyond limit, in Thee;
“Turn me not hopeless from thy door.

“Although, I have urged the steed (of endeavour) beyond my strength,
“I have remained half-way, on the path to Thee.

“Bring down my cradle (body) to Thy own Court,
“Turn (it) not from Thy path (by so much as) a thread.

“On my part, seeking (the path of Safety); on Thy part, road-showing;
“(On my part), the being ready to die (by intensity of endeavour); on Thy part, life-strengthening.

“Since Thou adornedst my market (of external and internal excellences), without my being existent,
—“By that custom and regulation, which Thou desiredst,

“Take not the painting of embellishment, from my splendour;
“Give me a portion, from the treasure of forgiveness.

“What wishest Thou from me, with so weak (dusty) an existence?
“Non-existent, I was at first: even so consider me.

The travelling of the holy traveller is of two kinds:—

a. Sayr ilạ Allah, “travelling up to God,” so that the traveller comes forth from his human affections, and is attached to those Divine.

b. Sayr fí Allah, “travelling in God,” so that the traveller is immersed in the Divine essence.

The first line signifies the completing of (a); and the second the non-completing of (b.)

The second line may otherwise be rendered—

Turn not the cord (of the rein of the steed of endeavour) from Thy path.

Since, without my being existent, Thou adornedst my market; and broughtest me forth from my non-existence to existence; and gavest me splendour …

The first line may otherwise be read—Without my endeavour.

“Since Thou castedst a glance (of favour) on me, drive me not away;
“Since Thou cherishedst (me) strike not the whip (of Thy wrath) upon me.

“Thou gavest me lofty rank (independence),
“Seize Thou my hand (aid me) in this foot-tied place (the world).

“Since Thou gavest me the (spiritual) fame of the renowned ones (of God),
“O Ruler of Rulers! give me justice (that I may be independent of the world).

“The head, on which Thou placedst the Crown (of external and internal excellence),
“Cast not down, at the foot of every mean one of the road (the worldly one).

“The heart, which became Thy secret-keeper, at Thy door,
“Keep from beggary at every door (in this and in the next world).

“Make my deeds good, like Thy own conduct;
“Act not with me as befits my (sinful) conduct.

“In this (Thy) lofty Court, Nizámí
“Brings only Mustafá (the Chosen One, Muhammad) the intercessor.”

The second line means—Make me not disgraced; none strikes Thy cherished one.

In Thy mercy, look; and behold not my sin.

Of just Rulers, God is most just. It is violence, therefore, to seek honour from the Rulers of the World. Ask God.

THE special messenger of the Omnipotent;
The arriver of the “strong-proof” (to the people of the world):

The most precious crown of noble ones (those accepted of God);
More precious than man-born ones:

—Muhammad! (from) eternity without beginning to eternity without end, whatever is
Was designed for the embellishment of his name:

A lamp,—in which is the light of (man's) vision;
In which, is the splendour of all creation!

The Surety-holder of the world,—white to black;
The Intercessor, on the day of fear and hope (the judgment day):

See the translation of the Ḳurán by Sale; and the “Life of Muham-mad,” by Sir William Muir.

“Hujjat-i-ustuwar” signifies—the glorious Ḳurán, the strong argument as to the truth of Islám, the miracle of the revelation of which will last till the judgment day.

The special messenger is mentioned in couplet 3.

“Parwár” here signifies—roshaní; partav-i-núr. In dictionaries this line is quoted as a proof of its being used in this sense.

“Siyáh ta safaid” may signify—Bad and good; night and day; all things, as—siyáh tá sapídí raftam ba tegh.

“Zamán dar” signifies—kafíl; matakaffil.

A tree! (nay) the straight cypress in the garden of Religion;
Earthly, in root; heavenly, in branch:

The place of pilgrimage of those possessing pure-origin Angels and Prophets);
The Lord of Beneficence to the produce-devourers of the dust (men):

A lamp, whose light, so long as it was not kindled,
—Light was far from the eye of the world:

The blackness-giver to (the adorner of) the mole of those of the house of 'Abbás (the Faithful);
The whiteness-remover (by the antimony of Islám) from the eye of Sun-worshippers (the infidels):

The lip, more welling with the water of Immortality than the breath of 'Isa;
The body, more black-clad than the Water-of-Life:

Of Muhammad, the purified body was of dust; the pure soul, of the sky, or of the sublime Universe.

The second line may be—

An earth in root (origin); a heaven, in branch.

Touching a mole with black colour is supposed to increase its beauty.

“Sapídí” signifies—a disease (whiteness) of the eye, which causes blindness.

'Abbás was the son of Muhammad's uncle, and the ancestor of the black-clad 'Abbás-i-khalá,if, who reigned A.D. 749-1258, when the khiláfat came to an end.

Since “khál” signifies cloth of Yaman, the first line may be—

The blackness-giver to the Yaman-raiment of the house of 'Abbas.

“Bád” here signifies—the breath of Jesus, whose intrinsic quality (the Muslims say) was the raising of the dead to life and the curing of disease.

Muhammad is said to be black-clad, by reason of veil and screen.

The Water of Immortality is situated in a dark land called “the Darkness.” See Canto lxix.

The sky his victual-tent pitcher on the earth,
The earth (in boasting) his five prayer utterer to the sky:

The (house-) column from (being) his support became wise,
The moon, by his finger, became finger-shattered:

The Rulers of Rúm and Ray, his tribute-bringers:
Kisra (Khusrau) and Kay sent tribute to him:

“Panj naubat” may signify five things used in the time of joy—

Or it may mean—“namáz-i-panj gána,” the five daily prayers of a Muslim, the uttering of which reverberates from sky to sky.

At the door of the Monarch Sanjar, they used to beat five drums; before his time, four only.

“Chár-ṭák” is a blue coloured tent (in Hindústán called “ráwtí”) with two upright poles and one ridge pole, used as a kitchen.

“Khíma afgandan” signifies—

Khíma farúd áwardan, to lower (strike) a tent.

Khíma bar pá kardan, to set up (pitch) a tent.

In his own masjid, at Madína, Muhammad used to lean against a column and give directions to his “companions.” When, a pulpit being built, he left the column, it began (through pain of separation) to lament. Muhammad, taking it in his arms, consoled and hushed it into silence. This story is related in detail in the book of Prophecy, as one of his miracles, because the lamenting of a stone proves that it became (by Muhammad's blessing) possessed of sense. The spot is now marked by a stone column called “El Mukhallaḳ.” The pulpit was made by one Banu, two cubits long, one cubit broad, with three steps, each one span in height. Muhammad used to sit at the top. See “Burton's Pilgrimage to Makka,” pages 229 and 247.

It is said that, at Makka, Muhammad struck the moon in two halves.

—See Clarke's translation of the “Bustán of Sa'dí,” page 10.

Ray (built by Alexander the Great) is the capital of Persian 'Iráḳ.

“Rúm” is an indefinite name for the region west of the Euphrates as far as the shores of the Euxine and the Mediterranean.

“Kay,” signifying king of kings, was given to four monarchs—

Kay Kubád (Dijoces); Kay Khusrau (Cyrus); Kay-Ká,us (Cyaxares); Kay Luhrasp (Cambyses, or Smerdis the Mage).

An Ocean! what shall I say?—Like the Cloud, the rainer,
In one hand the jewel (of the Kurán); in the other, the sword (of slaughter of infidels).

With the jewel (of the Kurán), the world adorned;
With the sword (of slaughter), justice for the religion (of Islám) sought from the world.

If the Watchman (the King) draw his sword against (anyone's) head,
The point of his sword takes crown and diadem.

When he (Muhammad) presses his foot (is resolute) to take the enemy's head,
He transports to the (person's) head a sword that he drew not against his head.

A coat (made) of two worlds (this, the lining; and the next, the covering) they stitched together;
And from those two (worlds) gathered decoration.

When that resplendent coat became his place (Muhammad's covering),
It was less than his stature by a span.

On his stature, which God has adorned,
Verily He has desired the Divine adornment.

Couplets 16 and 17 form a “kit'a-band.

If the watchman of the kingdom had drawn his sword against anyone's head, he would have cut through crown and diadem. But Muhammad, by purpose alone, without drawing his sword, eut off, from afar, his enemy's head.

“Afrokhtan” is a mistake of the scribe's for “andokhtan.”

“Mulamma'” may signify—two-coloured. The colour of this world is ugly; that of the next, lovely.

“Daste” signifies—shabr; wajab.

The first line may be—

When that resplendent garment became his little coat.

Muhammad's stature was worthy of decoration appertaining to God, rather than of that appertaining to two worlds.

In the beginning of the work (of Creation), he was the key of liberality (of God);
By him, the locks of many citadels (of infidelity) opened.

By him, plenteousness at the scanty feast;
The evidence of the stone as to his miracle.

The Sultán empty of hand (austere), wool-wearing (world adornment—abandoning).
Submission buying, and Royalty selling:

On the night of swift flight,—by his decorated garment,
Embellishment to the skies:

The word “feast” may refer to the feast of Islám. In past times, through the influence of the infidels, few were in the religion of the prophets of Islám. At the time of the embassy of the prophet, the feast of Islám acquired greatness by his auspiciousness.

Or it may refer to this—

One day a person invited Muhammad to a feast at which the victuals ran short. By the blessing of the prophet, the scanty food became abundant to such a degree that all ate to satiety and yet there remained. It is said that one kid (halwán) sufficed for nearly three thousand persons.

The story of the stone is this—

Abú Jahl (on him be curses!), secreting some pebbles in his hand, came before the messenger of God and said:—“If thou knowest what is in my hand, I will become of thy religion, and never again practise infidelity.”

The prophet said:—“If what is in thy hand gives evidence to my prophecying, what wilt thou?”

He replied:—“This will be more wonderful than that.”

The prophet said:—“In thy hand are some pebbles.”

The pebbles shouted saying:—“Muhammad is the true prophet and only messenger!” or they recited the Kalima,e shahádat.

The accursed Abú Jahl, hearing this evidence of the pebbles said:— “Thou art a powerful magician who hast caused stones to speak.”

Muhammad put away the title of king, and took up that of slave to God.

“Pashmína-posh” may signify—the woollen garment, which was the raiment of Ádam, the father of mankind, and of the prophets.

“Shab-i-turk-táz” signifies—the night on which Muhammad ascended to Heaven. See Canto 21, couplet 70.

The Turkomans used to assault on a dark night.

“Mu'arraj” signifies—a decorated garment (not in the dictionary); “Mu'arrij” signifies—a ladder-ascender; “Mu'arrajgar” signifies—a decorator; “Mu'arrajgarán-i-falak” signifies—aflák-i-haftgána.

The (great) Night (earth's shadow) only a shadow of the canopy (of honour) of his ascent;
And the (lofty) sky, only a step of that (his) ladder (in search of propinquity to God).

“Jiráz” signifies—a golden shaft, on which they hang a banner.

The sky itself is both a garment decorated with stars, and also a decorator of its own decoration, by Muhammad's ascent.

On the night of excursion and swift flight (to Heaven) of that Prophet who reached near to God and gave decoration to the heavenly beings, his decorated garment became (by his great exaltation) a golden shafted banner for the Heavens.

“Mu'arrajgarán” may signify—the angels, the stars, the attendants about the throne of God—all of whom are “ascenders.”

The couplet will then be—

On the night of swift flight—by his ascent (to Heaven),

Embellishment to the ladder-workers (angels, stars, attendants) of the sky;

but this rendering is not so appropriate.

A night that made the sky assembly-adorning (resplendent with stars),
The night, through the splendour (of the stars) laid claim to (being) the day:

The canopy (the seventh heaven) of seven kings (the seven planets)—the throne;
The jewel (of the stars) arrayed in (its own) silk of Chín (the azure sky):

As the couplet stands, rá is understood after asmán. Otherwise the first line will be:—

A night,—which the sky made assembly-adorning (with stars).

For a curious account of the “night-journey” see:—Prideaux, “Life of Mahomet,” pp. 41-51; Muir's “Life of Mahomet,” ii., pp. 219-222; D'Herbelot, Art. “Borák”; Lane, “Modern Egyptians,” ii., pp. 225; The Ḳurán, Sura XVII.

Of those green wearing (angels and Húrís) of the garden of Paradise, the chief (Rizván, the porter)
Adorned with verdure the sowing and the sown-field:

(On such a night) Muhammad—who was the Sultan of this cradle (the earth),
(Who) was heir-apparent of so many Khulafā (prophets)—

Opened the mouth of the musk-bladder (of his body) in the temple of Jerusalem;
Placed his head at (went to) the marge (of the sky), from the navel of the earth (Makka):

Gave himself freedom from the bond (affections) of the world;
Became intimate in friendship with the bearers of God's throne:

Bound up his chattels (departed) from this street (the world) of seventy paths (many sects),
Tent pitched at the seventh Heaven:

Heart disengaged from the work of the nine closets (amorous affairs);
To the nine closets of the sky (the nine Heavens) hastened:

He leaped from this dome (lust of the world) of four shackles (elements);
Urged to the lofty seventh sphere his steed!

A Burak—the hastener, lightning-like, beneath him,
His housings, like the sun, bathed in light:

“Sar-i-náfa kushadan” signifies—mu'aṭṭar kardan, to beperfume.

“Sar-i-máfa” may signify—

Muhammad's mouth, which, at Jerusalem, opened in discourses and words of the prophets.

“Náf-i-zamín” signifies properly—Makka or the Ka'ba; but it may here mean Jerusalem.

From Makka, Muhammad went to Jerusalem; he perfumed it with his corporeal odour; and thence went to the skies.

The perfume departed not for three days.

A star, Canopus, in the zenith of Arabia (Makka) shined!
From him (Burak), the perfumed leather of Yaman obtained colour:

A body of silk (soft)! nay, a hoof of pearl (rounded);
A mover (smooth and swift) like pearls on a silken thread:

The star, Suhayl, begins to rise from the south of Yaman, when the sun is in Leo; (the beast) Buráḳ is likened to it. Adhím is a perfumed leather (bulghár) of Yaman which by the rays of Suhayl acquires a red colour and an agreeable perfume. The phrase, perhaps, refers to— The bringing of the faith of Islám to Yaman.

Buráḳ was silken as to body, silvern as to hoof; and to such a degree swift moving that nothing could equal him.

Jalalu-d-dín in his commentaries on the Kurán thus reports from Muhammad's own declarations—

I came riding on Al Buráḳ, an animal of a white colour, greater than an ass and smaller than a mule, with cloven hoofs: and he bore me until I came to the Temple of Jerusalem, where I fastened him to the ring to which the prophets of old fastened him.

The author of the Mu,áriju-l-Nubuwat says:—

Then I beheld an animal standing larger than an ass, but less than a mule; the face resembling that of a man, and the ears those of the elephant; his feet like the horse's and his neck like the camel's; his breast as a mule's, and his tail like a camel's; his legs those of the ox with cloven hoofs. On his thighs he had two wings; when these were expanded they included between them all from east to west, and when he drew them in they fitted close to his side.

When Jibráil (on him be peace) on the night of Muhammad's ascent wished to bring a beautiful and graceful steed from paradise, the Angels refused. Hence for Muhammad's riding he chose Buráḳ, the meanest of all the steeds in Paradise.

Buráḳ said:—Where takest thou me? On hearing Muhammad's name, he became greatly pleased and came forth; but at the time of mounting he delayed and besought a covenant with the prophet, saying:—

In the plain of resurrection be pleased to ride me for the sake of interceding for the people.

The prophet consented.

Some say that Buráḳ refused to let Muhammad mount till he had interceded with God on his behalf.

They say that “lu,lu sham” (a flower beautiful and soft) should be substituted for “lu,lu sum.” The first line will then read:—

A body of silk! nay the (delicate flower) lu,lu sham.

Not a (musk-) deer,—yet a navel, full of musk;
Teeth, deer-like, pearl-studded.

Of more pleasant rein (action) than that which comes into the imagination;
And of more swift motion than that which the arrow has from the bow.

The imagination (of the Sage) loftily moving, the swiftest hastener,
Remained seventy paces behind him (Burak).

For world-subduing, angel-like (in power);
Not a World-Subduer; but, a World-Bearer (Muhammad-Bearer).

That night, why became he intoxicated with his (mean) night-colour (blackness)?
(Because) such a great night-lamp (Muhammad) came, like the moon (swiftly), to his grasp.

“Náfa” here signifies—Náf, há being redundant, as Khána for Khán.

Even as the deer's mouth is full of teeth, Buráḳ's mouth was set with pearls and jewels.

In the Pahlavi language, dandán-i-áhú signifies—Asmán, the sky.

The second line would then read:—

The beast Buráḳ was adorned with pearls, as the sky with stars.

The first line puts a question; the second gives an answer.

“Shab rang” signifies—A black jewel of little value called shaba; a black horse called Kumayt; a flower black and yellow; a thing of little value.

Shab chirágh signifies—A beautiful jewel of great value from the island Bahrayn, which at night kindles like a lamp.

Of all the heavenly bodies, the moon, “the courier of the sky,” is the swiftest mover.

Notwithstanding his night hue, or blackness (which is a mean colour), that Buráḳ became pleased with himself, saying:—“O happy Fortune of mine that on a mean steed like me that Prophet (Muhammad), come (swiftly) like the moon, will sit!”

Again—That Buráḳ of night hue, in the darkness of night became intoxicated (joyous), and had no thought of the darkness and went straight; because the jewel of the lamp (Muhammad) moon-like all luminous came to his hand.

That Buráḳ, notwithstanding being of little value, became, by Muham-mad's riding, joyous and leaped, saying:—Yes; a priceless night jewel, like the shining moon, has come. For when the mean beggar finds a priceless jewel he becomes joyous; and from much joy, his foot comes not to the earth

The first line may be rendered—That night-grazer (Burák) became intoxicated with his night colour.

The couplet may be—

That night,—with his (mean) night-colour, why became intoxicated

That great night-lamp (Buráḳ), come (from Paradise) like the moon (swiftly), to the hand (of Muhammad)?

He so proceeded that, from the impetuosity of his pace,
His being at rest surpassed his being in motion (so that none knew of his going):

He extended his pace to vision's limit (such was his stride)!
Verily he placed his own foot on vision.

The Prophet, on that Khatlan steed, the road-traveller,
Brought forth dust from (trampled) the cystalline sphere (the sky).

Both he (Muhammad), the road-recogniser, and also the steed (Burák), the road-traveller;
O excellent steed! O excellent Rider!

When, from this monastery (of the world) he attempted the door (of the sky),
The sky, by his hand, made fresh its patched garment (of Faith).

For him, the blackness of the sky became a rose-garden,—
For him, the luminous ones (the stars) luminous of eye become.

The fowl so long as its flight reaches not the limit of swiftness, beats its wings; but when it reaches the height of flight, it beats not its wings and shows no motion.

Khatlán is a district in Badakhshán, famous for its breed of horses.

“Gird bar áwardan” here signifies—lakad kob sákhtan, to kick; pá,e mál kardan, to tread under foot.

“Khirḳa rá táza kardan” signifies—

Libás-i-tázagí yáftan; khirka,e khiláfat va naumurídí yáftan. In every sky is a door.

Within that screen, (God) that was free from stain,
It is not proper to go, skirt dust-stained (with sin).

He first came to the Ocean of seven stars (the seven Heavens);
Washed his foot in the seven earthly waters:

Let go his chattels (human qualities) on the stars (the seven planets);
Gave the cradle of sleep (of carelessness) to the moon.

Broke after that the pen on (entrusted writing to) Mercury (the Secretary of the Sky);
—For the one, who can neither read nor write, takes not up the pen—

Gave the smiling (open) countenance of disposition to Venus;
Gave, thankfully, a round cake (orb) to the Sun:

It appears that Muhammad's ascent to the throne of God was in the spirit, not in the body. See couplet 31.

Couplet 25 appears to contradict couplet 24. Niẓámí's custom is first to mention the abstract (khuláșa) of the tales (ḳișaș), by way of summary (ijmál), and afterwards to work out the details.

See Canto xxiii., couplet 18; xxiv. 74.

“Haft-áb-i-khákí” signifies—bahár-i-sab'a-i-iḳálím-i-sab'a, the seven seas of the seven chimes.

Each of the seven Heavens (like to a sea) is the place of one of the seven planets; every star in it is like unto a pearl.

The second line may be—

(a) He washed his dusty foot in seven waters.

(b) He washed the dust of his foot in seven waters.

The first line gives the summary of the details mentioned in couplets 26 to 32.

The moon, in waning and waxing, has in tropical climates the form and the position of a cradle. Hence, Muhammad is said to have given it a cradle.

The effects of the moon in producing sleep are well-known; since it is the “courier of the Sky,” it often sleeps not.

Muslims call Muhammad, who could neither read nor write—Nabíy Ummíy, the Illiterate Prophet.

“Kalam shikastan” signifies—pesh kash kardan; guzashtan-i-șifat-i-kitábat.

“Náhed”=Zuhra=lu,lu,e falak, Venus; or the pearl or the minstrel of the sky.

“Ṭalák ṭabi'at” signifies—

Kushádagí,e ṭab'; imbisáṭ ki muḳtaḍí,e ṭabí'at-i-basharí ast.

Gave the fire of his own wrath to Mars;
—Because, anger went not farther in that path (to God's throne).—

Let loose self-adornment on Jupiter;
Fixed another signet-stone on his ring (of command):

Gave the blackness of the book (of human letters) to Saturn;
Took only the pure jewel (of his own purified Soul) with himself:

Prepared for every stage (constellation) a present (of his corporeal qualities),
To such an extent that, with a heart alone (purged from dross), he remained.

The souls of the Prophets his dust become (followed in his rear);
Each one hand-fixed (in attendance) in his saddle-strap.

He urged—height on height, mountain on mountain;
Caused his steed to leap (from) hill to hill.

Mars is called—turk yá jallád-i-falak, the soldier or the executioner of the sky.

Jupiter, the judge of the sky, is self-adorning and self-fashioning. For a judge it is proper to bind the turban and to display pomp.

The second line may be—

Jupiter fixed another signet-stone on his ring (of command).

To Saturn he gave the arts of reading and writing (external arts).

“Nuzul” may signify—tuhfa, a present. If it be so, couplets 26 to 31 will stand as they are. If it mean—food, etc., provided for a guest, Muhammad must be regarded as the guest, not the host, of the seven planets. The first line of this couplet will then read—

Gave up (abandoned) the gifts (presented to him by the seven planets) at every stage.

In this second rendering there is a difficulty—

“Ba chíze pardákhtan” signifies—to be engaged in a matter.

“Az chíze pardákhtan” signifies—to be disengaged from a matter; to abandon it.

Hence, “ba nuzule pardákhtan” will signify—to be engaged in arranging a present.

“Kamar,” “k??h,” “girewa,” each here signifies—the sky.

Muhammad's ascent was made in such a way, as a lofty hill on another hill climbs. He passed from sky to sky, till he reached the throne of God.

In message-service for him, Khizr and Músa running;
What shall I say? Masíha (the Messiah) running in his suite!

In the limit (of time), in which they express a breath;
Nay; in which they express a single eye-torment (eye-twinkling),—

He passed beyond the roof of the sky;
(And) folded the leaf (page) of earth and Time.

From the speed of his motion,—saw not
Any of those around him, his dust (of flight).

In that excursion, from his arrow (Burák) full of power,
The sky remained behind many bow-shots.

In far observatories (the lofty heavens), his (luminous) body wove
Upon the spirits, bodies (garments) of light.

It is said that—Jesus proceeded on his own ass. Hárún was the eldest brother of Moses.

Three renderings are given—

Na bal chasm-zakhme

Na yak chasm-zakhme

Na dam balki chashme.

“Zakhm-i-chashme” signifies—ásíb-i-chashm, eye-calamity, fatal misfortune.

“Zamán” signifies—the space between earth and heaven, the field of day and night.

When a man runs swiftly on the tips of his toes he raises no dust.

See Canto iii., couplet 24.

“Partab” may signify—a featherless arrow that falls farther than a feathered one; powerful.

The first line may be—

In that excursion from his arrow (body) full of power.

“Rașad” may signify—information-takers, who sit at the head of the road; the place of their sitting; a lofty platform which the sages of past times built with a height of seven hundred yards (gaz) on mountain-tops, whence they viewed the rising and the setting of the stars, and other heavenly actions.

In that road (of excursion) void of the path of wandering,
Both his load (of self) and his steed (Burák) left.

The angel Jibrá,il, by his path, wing-shed (impotent);
The angel Isráfil from that contest (of swift flight) fled.

The abode “Rafraf” (of Israfil), by farsangs passed;
He made rhythmical sounds (in praise and prayer) in that (higher) screen.

From the door of Jibrá,il's abode to the pillar of God's throne,
Step by step, the carpet—his purity cast,

He passed beyond the council place of the bearers of God's throne;
Came to Daraj, and travelled (completed) the stage.

The region of sides (dimensions) reached the limit (ended);
The cutting (ending) reached the compass of Time (God's throne).

The earth-born-one (Muhammad), to the sky hastened,
Earth and sky hurled back;

“Be ráh az áwáragí” may mean—

A road far from confusion or wandering;

A road in which is no path of wandering;

A road which is roadless, or in which travelling is difficult.

“Rafraf” may signify—a valuable couch or a decorated litter, which appeared after Burák was left at the Sudratu-l-Muntahạ (Jibrá,il's abode), and on which Muhammad ascended to God's throne.

One farsang=3 karsh=6 miles.

“'Ușmat” signifies—tanhá,í va tajríd.

The second line may be—

Step by step, the Carpet of Purity, (God) cast.

“Daraj” may mean—a place in Paradise; the splendour of God.

Having travelled all the stages, Muhammad reached the precincts of God's throne.

When Muhammad, beloved of God in eternity without beginning, approached the throne of God, dimensions of space ceased, and the compass of Time terminated; because the sides ended in Heaven's convex surface.

Caused his solitary journeying (free from corporeal affections) to reach to such a place,
That of his existence naught remained with him.

When he became a dancer (traveller), in the path of nonexistence,
He came out from his own existence.

In that circle of revolution of its path,
From (by) his head (-place), appeared his foot-place.

Boldly, he travelled that path (by God's throne) without nadir, or zenith;
—For, in a circle, is neither highth nor depth.—

They (the ministers of Fate and Destiny) uplifted the veil of (God's) majesty;
They made the closet (God's throne) void of strangers (angels and spirits).

In that place, in which thought has seen no place,
Prayer (came) from Muhammad; and acceptance (of prayer) from God.

A voice that proceeded without the agency (of the tongue) he heard,
The countenance of God, fit to be beheld,—he beheld.

The second line means—In observing the majesty of God, he became senseless.

“Nístí” signifies—lá makán; faná fi lláh.

This couplet explains couplet 48.

Couplet 48 describes the passing away of lusts and human qualities; couplet 49, the passing away of possible existence (hastí-i-imkání).

In the first line o refers to dá,ira; in the second it refers in both cases to Muhammad.

When limit remained not, sublimity and profundity [zenith (fauḳ) and nádír (taht)] became one, and difference between the motion of hand and of foot ceased.

When he passed beyond the skies, depth (zer) and height (bálá) became one; and so beginning and end. See couplet 41.

For the use of the word “highth,” see Mason's “English Grammar,” 21st edition, page 125.

Of the Presence possessed of majesty (God)—he beheld so much that
Neither was side on that side, nor (external) form on this side.

His body, all eager like the narcissus become,—
A single thorn (prohibitor) around him wandered not.

In that narcissus-form, which that garden (Muhammad) had,
Perhaps his eyes possessed the collyrium of Mázágh!

He passed by the tray of intimate friendship (with God);
He both enjoyed; and, also, made the gift (of Islam) to us special ones (true Muslims).

His heart took the splendour of God's grace;
Behold the great orphan (Muhammad)—what sovereignty he seized!

Towards the earth, he came face-illumined;
Every science of divine philosophy learned:

Went (to God's throne) and returned, in such a way,
As comes into the imagination of none.

From the impetuosity with which, lightning-like, he measured the road (travelled),
The heat of (arising from) his sleeping departed not from the sleeping-place.

With the eye of the head, not of the heart, Muhammad beheld God's Court, sideless, formless. In the Makhzanu-l-asrár, Niẓámí says—

With the other eye Muhammad gazed;

Nay, he saw by that (eye) which he had in his head.

That side refers to God; this side to Muhammad, whose body was all light.

The narcissus, whose body is all eye, has no thorn.

“Haraf” signifies—ṭaraf.

The blessed Kurán says:—“The Prophet's eye looked not at any other thing and committed not disobedience. All things glanced at the Prophet; but he regarded none save God.

The spirits gazed so much at Muhammad that he became of narcissus-form (all eye).

Of the night—I know not what the state was.
Was it a night; or, indeed, was it a year?

Since it is possible that, in a moment, our (human) souls
Circulate (asleep or awake) around the World,

His body, which is more pure than our souls,
If it went and came (around the World) in a moment,—it is allowable (possible).

Best,—if I offer the jewel of my soul for him,
(And) exercise praise-uttering, in regard to his four friends (“companions”).

The jewel (of praise)-purchasers are four; and the jewels (of praise) four;
To the seller (me, the Praiser), what business with exaggeration?

Although, I am firm of foot, in love for 'Ali,
I am not also void of love for 'Umar.

In this way, in this (my) eye of luminous brain,
Abu Bakr ('Umar) is the (flaming) candle; and 'Usman ('Ali), the (shining) lamp.

In the world are four jewels, Muhammad's four companions—

“Faḍúl” is plural of faḍal, augmentation, excellences; it here means a chatterer.

Couplets 67 and 68 were, apparently, written after the body of the text had been composed.

If one asks:—Why Niẓámí gave not precedence to 'Umar? it may be said that precedence of mention is not a proof of excellence. Otherwise, it would be necessary to prefer 'Umar to Abú Bakr, of whom no mention is made till the 69th couplet.

The contention of the Sunní and the Shí'ah sects of Muslims is in regard to 'Umar and 'Alí.

Couplets 66 and 70 are in praise of the four companions.

“I'shk” and “mihr” signify—religious love, and nothing more.

With these four Sultans of Darvesh name,
Four takbirs (the end) of the empire (of the khiláfat of Islám) became completed.

O excellent Leader of those sent (prophets)!
The Accepter of excuse (for sin) of those fallen (in adoration of God):

The first great standard, in the beginning of Creation;
The last great sign, in the end of Time.

Thou art the Chosen-One of both Worlds;
If anyone be like thee, thou art indeed that one.

Thou art the key of the lock of treasures,
The door of good and of bad made apparent to us.

Night and day, without our covenanting,
The decree struck—“O my Follower! O my Follower!”

Of the meanest of the followers of thy dust (path),—I
Notwithstanding this (my) weakness (in the faith of Islam) —the great prey of thy saddle-strap.

“Takbír,” magnifying God by saying, “Allah akbar” (God is greatest) here signifies—Khátima, kar, the end; namáz-i-janáza, funeral prayer.

“Daulat” signifies—khiláfat-i-dín-i-Muhammad; asbáb-i-dunyaví.

The four sultans of darvesh-form recited the takbír (the funeral prayer) over the empire, thinking it dead. Whatever are the conditions of world-abandonment, performing pilgrimage, fighting against infidels, and making the five benedictions—these four successors of Muhammad performed.

Muhammad was created before all; and will be the first to rise.

“Ganjínahá” here signifies—

Or it may mean—amr-i-haḳḳ-ṭa'álạ; ahkám-i-halál va harám; ṯawáb va 'azáb-i-bandagán.

“Be zimmatí” signifies—be'ahd va paimán búdan, the being without covenant.

“Zimmati” signifies—șáhib-i-zimmat.

They fasten not feeble game with game-cords to the saddle.

Nizami, who became city-bound (captive) in Ganja-city,
Let him not be portionless of thy blessing!

“Shahr-band” signifies—one who, by the magistrate's order, is forbidden to leave the town.

Niẓámí was born at Ganja, a town (on the river Ganja flowing into the Kur or Cyrus), four days distant east of Erivan (near which the Armenians say Noah planted his vineyard), which abounds with vineyards, gardens, and fruit-trees; and has a pleasant climate. Hamd Allah, who died in A.D. 1349 (A.H. 750), in his work “Mizhatu-l-ḳulúb,” relates that this town, founded by Alexander the Great, was rebuilt by Kay Kubád (Dijoces); that it was formerly very great and well-populated; and that remains of some of the buildings are still to be seen.

M. Klaproth in his description of the Russian Provinces between the Caspian and the Black Sea, says:—

“Ganja, a very beautiful city, was long governed by a khan who was vassal to Heracleus, King of Georgia. When the Russians took possession of this kingdom, Javát, the khan, refused to submit, Prince Tzitzianof marched against him at the head of three thousand men.

“On the 15th of January, 1804, he took the town by assault; the khan was shot. The officers obtained much booty, and called the town after the Empress Elizabeth, Elizabetopol.

“This town was once as great as it was beautiful. One may yet behold the ruins of a great number of houses and káraván sárá,es; and, at a distance, a sepulchral edifice in stone, of which the vault is beautifully and artistically constructed.

“The population consists of Turkomans, with a few Armenians.”

Sir John Chardin (circa A.D. 1672) says:—

“The complexion of the Georgians is most beautiful; you can scarce see an ill-favoured person among them; and the women are so exquisitely handsome that it is hardly possible to look upon them and not be in love with them.”

Sikandar appears to have been of the same opinion. See Cantos xxxvii., xxxviii. and xxxix., describing Noshába, the Queen of Burdá, in the vicinity of Ganja.

“Ganja” (compounded of ganj, treasure, and the obscure há) signifies—treasure-place.

Sikandar, on his way to the East, buried the treasure of his army at Ganja and returned by a different route. It must, therefore, be concluded that the treasure still lies buried there.

See Canto xl., couplet 66, 71 and 82.

A night, like the morning, with the jewel (of Divine splendour) adorned;
With so many morning prayers (from God) desired.

From the luminous moon-light, the world shining;
From the Earth's navel musk (darkness of night) poured out (dissipated).

The market of dust (the world) became void of clamour;
The ear reposed from the clamour of the bells (of the Kafila).

The night guardians with sleep intoxicated become;
The true morning head to the water lowered (not dawned).

I,—from the work of the world (sleeping) hand uplifted;
With the chain of thought, foot-bound become:

(In intense thought), heart expanded, but eye stitched;
For keeping the path (of thought), heart kindled,

Morning prayers are especially agreeable to God—so says the glorious Korán.

“Jaras” signifies—zangalah-i-buzurg, a large globular bell, which they fasten to the neck; it is sometimes called—dará.

All the animals had gone to sleep, and the sound of the ḳáfila-bell reached not the ear. Or, the market of the world had become void of the noise of men. Because, in the very early morning, all are in the sweet sleep of carelessness; and even the hour-bell is silent.

In the country, guards fasten to the waist bells, the noise of which serves to keep them alert and vigilant. In Canto xix., couplet 50, we have—

“From his waist the watchman of the sky (Saturn) suspended

“A golden bell, for the guarding of the King.”

“Șubh-i-ṣádiḳ” signifies—the true dawn.

“Șubh-i-kázib” signifies—the false dawn.

“Sar ba áb faro burdan” signifies—ghota zadan; ná padíd shudan. The length of the night was such that it might be said—the true dawn appeared not.

Dil kushádan va dída bastan are necessary for contemplation.

“Ráh dáshtan” signifies—safr kardan va muntaẓir búdan; khașș kardan-i-ráh bará,e ámadan va shudan.

On this account,—How is it proper for me to make a game-receptacle (work of lustrous verse)?
To cast a prey (the subject of verse) into that receptacle?

My head cast (on the knee) like one distraught;
Like the pillow of asses in the ass-picture:

My head found a place on the top of the knee;
Earth (the knee) beneath my head (lowered in thought); sky (the head) beneath my foot (of thought):

(By reason of perturbation) in the pulse of my limbs, ease none;
My head (in intensity of thought) the foot of my chair (of thought) become:

In motion of thought, road travelling to the upper world,
From side to side (the whole body) a round revolver become:

“Matrah” signifies—anything with which they make a prey of animals. Some say it is a large net; others, a bag in which hunters put the birds which they have caught. This word is not given in Johnson-Richardson's Dictionary.

In some cases, sarún occurs in place of saram. It means a horn, but here signifies the buttocks of men or of animals.

“Gorín-nigár” is a picture-gallery, in which they paint the forms of asses and other animals. The custom of sitting of asses is in this wise —When they come from the grazing-place to the sleeping-place, they make a circle. Then one sits down, and another (placing his head on the knee of the first) sleeps; and so for the rest.

In the Gorín-nigár, they paint the picture in this very way. Niẓámí compares his own state to that of the asses in the ass-picture.

The difficulty is that here he places his head on his own knee; whereas, in the ass-picture, the asses place their heads on one another's knees.

It is said that the ass places his head on his own knee, and not on that of another.

“Ásíma” comes from—sám, ásám, ásáma.

Although earth was beneath my head, and by reason of abjectness and lowness apparently the head-pillow,—yet the sky was beneath my foot. I had really brought the lofty world into my possession; then the sky was beneath my head.

By intensity of thought, true moderate motion had gone out of my pulse in such a way that a state of perturbation appeared; and my head had become lowered to such a degree that you may say it was beneath my foot.

“Gírd-gard” signifies—mudawwar-gardanda, a round revolver.

“Gard-gard” signifies—revolving, revolving=much revolving.

So they say: kháṭir-i-dostán bágh-bágh shiguft.

Sometimes, in thought, I was head-on-knee; sometimes, from this side to that side rolling, rolling, (I had) gone.

(Apparently), my body in the corner (of retirement) left;
(Really), to the plain of the Soul (the upper world) road-provision taken up:

Sometimes, example (counsel)-accepting from the unread tablet;
Sometimes, lesson-taking from the books of the ancients.

Like a candle, fire (by intensity of thought) fell into my garden (of the brain);
My (burning) garden (brain) became my fiery mark.

(The brain) the melter, like wax in the sun;
By such a piece of wax (consuming thought, the path of) sleep, closed to my eye.

From me (from seeing my state) the Magicians learned,
Since by their own wax, they stitched up (prevented) the sleep (of men).

In those contemplative paths (of verse),
The pure (whole) brain in my head became perturbed.

Apparently, I had placed my gross body in a corner; really, I had become a traveller to the Upper World, whence, as stated in the traditions, poets bring weighed subtleties.

From the books of unskilful poets that obtained not currency, I took warning, saying:—“Why should I waste time like them in uttering idle tales? I will utter weighed words that shall pierce the soul.”

The unread tablet may signify—the work of a poet devoid of skill, or that of a new poet yet unread, but worthy of being read.

If mom-i-man be read for “mom-i-khud,” the second line (the cause of the first) will be—

Since with my wax (my brain, the melter) they (Fate and Destiny) stitched up (prevented) my sleep …

Magicians close the path of sleep to a man, by making his effigy in wax, sticking it hot into his eye, and uttering an enchantment over it.

When mom-i-khud is read, the second line qualifies the first.

“Andeshnák” signifies—that stage of thought when it reaches far distant places.

From the agitation (sleep) of the brain, came mine a dream;
In that dream, I beheld a beautiful garden (the lustrous verse of the Sikandar Náma),

From which variegated garden I kept plucking the date (of subtlety);
And of it kept giving to whomsoever I saw.

The date-gatherer (Nizami) came (awoke) from sweet sleep:
—A brain, full of fire (verse); a mouth, full of water (haste to write the verse).

At the first prayer (dawn), the mu,azzin exclaimed:
“Pure is the Living-One, who never dies!”

—A sudden cry (on hearing this prayer) issued from me;
For I was full of thought (grief), and void of myself—

When the morning of happiness appeared in proper time,
I became alive (returned to sense) like the wind in the morning time.

I lit up a candle (of the lustrous verse beheld in the dream) night-illuminating;
And, like the candle, burned with the thought (of establishing the verse).

This Sikandar Náma is a maṯnaví, which means—a ballad, a romance or an epic in rhyme, such that each miṯra (line) rhymes with its fellow but the same rhyme runs not through the whole of the poem.

My brain (from the fire of desire) was hot; and my mouth (from envy) full of water—from the dates which I had seen in my dream.

The mu,azzin of the masjid, before morning, in the streets of the city, with a lofty voice, exclaims: ◌ so that morning risers become awake.

In some places, the mu,azzin, from the pulpit of the masjid, with a loud voice, utters: … ◌ so that sleepers, becoming awake, may hear and afterwards recite that glorious prayer of grace.

Those sick for God fall into ecstasy on hearing His name.

“Pagah” is the antithesis of begáh.

My heart engaged with the tongue, in word-cherishing,
—Like (the angel) Harut and (the woman) Zuhra, in sorcery—

Saying: “How is it proper to sit so long without employment?”
Again, I may bring a fresh mode (the versification of this book) to my hand;

May bring a strange (new) note into song;
May give blessing to the souls of former ones (Kings contemporary with Sikandar).

Zuhra was a singer, who, from desire of the great name of God, went in the garment of a harlot, to every Faḳír, and to everyone perfect in the knowledge of God. In the time of David, when the angels accused men of disobedience, God, out of the perfection of sovereignty and compassion, said: “In mankind, passion and lust are the cause of sin; if these possessed you, the same result would follow.”

The angels replied: “This would never be.”

An order was immediately passed for bringing an angel, distinguished for good qualities. They brought the angels, Hárút and Márút. The great Creator, with His perfect power, having occupied Himself with their temperament, and made over to them the decision of the dispute,— dismissed them to the earth and taught them the great name of God.

Those two angels, by the power of that great name, kept coming and going.

Zuhra, on hearing of this circumstance, came to them, and they became enamoured of her. Going to her house, they drank wine; worshipped her idol; slew her husband; and taught her the great name of God.

Zuhra, having washed and changed her garments, recited the great name; and, by its blessing, ascended to the sky, where she mingled her splendour with the star, Venus (Zuhra). The two angels, becoming captives to the wrath of God (on account of their passion for Zuhra), were confined, head downwards, in the pit of the city of Bábil (Babylon), where they taught men sorcery.

According to the maṯnawí of Maulaví Rúm, the two angels said to God: “If we two may go to the earth, we will restrain mankind from iniquity, and prosperity will, assuredly, appear.”

See Genesis vi. 2, 4; “The Loves of the Angels,” by Moore; “Heaven and Earth,” by Byron; “Spanish Ballads,” by Lockhart.

Some say that the second line means—the blessing of a certain king belonging to the race of past kings.

May bring forth a lamp (a book) from a spark (the tale of a past King);
May produce a tree from a grain (the tale of Sikandar).

So that whoever casts down (obtains) the fruit (of pleasure) from this tree (of verse),
May say to the Planter (Nizami): “O fortunate One!”

On the condition that—a mere handful of mean ones (unskilful poets, my contemporaries)
Steal not the household furniture (verses) of their neighbours.

I have assumed—I am chief of those of quick understanding (poets);
(That) I am the great king of those jewel-selling (poets);

(That) all (the poets of my time) are grape-gatherers (cottagers); and I (am) the grain-sower (the wealthy villager);
All, house-deckers (helpers); and I, the house-holder (the master).

In these four sides (the market of retribution, the world) how may I plant my goods (of poetry)?
For I am not safe from the robbers of the road (plagiarists).

In these four sides (the market of the World), who has a shop (of verse),
That has not a breach from many directions?

Like the river, why fear I the robber of a drop (the sun),
When more than that, the cloud (of Divine Bounty) gives me reward?

Niẓámí refers to plagiarists.

“Giriftan” here signifies—farẓ kardan. It is often so used.

“Khána-pardáz” signifies—khadim; khálí kunanda,e khána,e khud; kharáb kunanda,e khána.

In the East, markets are usually so arranged that the streets form a cross; at the place of intersection is an open spot or square for the punishing of malefactors and the issuing of the orders of the Sulṭán. Thus at Kandahar the bázár is called chár-sú.

“Abr” may signify—Niẓámí's genius; the sun.

If thou light up a hundred lamps (of poetry) like the moon,
On them will be the name (mark) of robbery from the sun (Nizami).

It is well known that the moon's light is derived from the sun.

I (have) heard that an insolent fellow, liver-consumed (state-distressed)
Possessed an old gold coin (an ashrafi) newly-gained.

He heard from old men, dinar-understanding (possessors of wealth),
That, in the world, gold brings gold; treasure, treasure.

He went to the market, so that with gold he might draw gold;
Might attract a gold coin with (his own) gold coin.

He reached the shop of a certain jewel-seller,
Than whose gold more he beheld not in one place.

Spilled from a large tight leathern bag,—gold;
Gold filings, with gold filings; and gold, with gold.

Men accept this tale as part of Niẓámí's work, and consider it true; but indeed it is spurious. See the commentary by Muhammad Gulví, page 55 (near the foot).

“Rind” here signifies—mardum-i-muhil be bák va be ḳaid, a knave, fearless and unrestrained. But, in the language of holy travellers, it means—one acquainted with the shara'iyat, ṭaríḳat, haḳíkat and ma'rifat.

The second line may be:—

Might attract the whole wealth of the West with (his own) gold coin.

For durustast durust, read durustá durust.

“Ambán” signifies—a bag made of kid-skin, which Kalandars fasten to the waist, and into which they put their victuals.

“Chust” signifies—khúb, kalán; tang va yakjá muhkam shuda.

In the hope of (drawing) that treasure, wall-built (heaped up).
He cast his dinar from his hand.

When his dinar flew from his hand
He turned his head towards the Banker's treasure.

The man became helpless as to acquiring gold,
Or, as to mixing that one (piece) with a hundred (gold pieces).

With lamentation, he uttered a cry on account of (his own) gold;
He wept, before the man, jewel-selling,

Saying: “From the region of the world, with some delay (a life-time),
“I had brought to my grasp a piece of pure gold.

“Not in sageness (but) in foolishness,—I heard
“That gold attracts gold, when thou placest (both) together.

“I hastened to the treasure of this shop;
“I cast my gold at this treasure.

“Perhaps, that gold (of mine) with this (of thine) may become scattered;
“This gold itself, with that gold, become mixed.”

The Banker, a worthy man, laughed,
And related to him the tale of the mixing of gold,

Saying: “Much comes not to a little;
“A one comes to the hundred, not the hundred to a one.”

Whosoever became a thief of my store-house (of verse),
(For him), this tale of the watchman of my road is sufficient.

Many (an ox-) mill (there is) which is noise-making,
When they inquire, it is the (mere) labourer (under orders) of the official.

There are many poets who have reputation for eloquence. When they examine they often find that their wealth of verse is the capital of others.

“Mazdur-i-díván” signifies—one who makes a show with the goods of others.

—From thieves (plagiarists) recompense sufficient is mine
That they bring not continually against me the shout of— “Thief!”—

The black ones, who plunder the road,
Make, by thieving, the world black (desolate).

They bring not forth (kindle not) hot a fire (of theft) by day;
Because, eye keeps having shame of eye.

Behold! In the white (illumined) day, the writers (of my time)—
How they fashion a pen (of subtelty) from the musk (black) willow (of my lustrous verse).

My secret (lustrous hidden subtlety of verse), which they openly take,
Is from (the town of) Ganja, (even) if they take it to Bukhára.

The household chattels which are secret (stolen) they (the Bukháriots) buy;
For stolen chattels are cheap.

But when the crime (of the theft) becomes exposed,
The heart of (their) friends becomes merciless (as to respecting them).

If the thing stolen raise a cry,
The watchman, thief-seizer, cuts off his hand.

“Siyáhán” signifies—men of Hindústán, who are as notorious for robbery as for blackness of complexion.

They (the black ones, the robbers) cannot by day excite the fire of iniquity; because eye has shame of eye. But the plagiarists, in the luminous day, take away my subtleties of verse. See canto xi. couplet 39.

Couplets 17, 18, 19 and 20 form aḳiṭ'a-band.

“Nafír bar áwardan” signifies—ẓáhir shudan; ẓahúr-yáftan.

Best,—if I let go (the thief of my verse); for Time itself
Is the teacher (of the people) as to every good and bad thing.

The balance (of justice) of the sphere, revolving by design,
Left not, and leaves not anything unweighed (unproved).

Come, Cup-bearer! show me the wine (of senselessness);
And give me of that draught of senseless ones.

By that bitter draught, make me senseless;
Perhaps, I may forget myself.

“Mándan” signifies—guzáshtan.

“Gardan-i-basích” signifies—gardan ba basích.

The sky dispenses to everyone the requital of good and of bad deeds.

For the meaning of sákí, cup-bearer; and of mai, wine—see canto vii. couplets 37, 68; xiv. 47; lxxi. 42.

O Nizami! thou art a great Master of Fame;
Old thou art become, yet art thou fresh (with spiritual power) as before.

Like lions, expand with power thy claw;
Like the fox, stain not thyself with colour (of deceit).

For poetry's sake, the sign of the vocative is, in the original, omitted.

“Sar-panja” signifies—panja,e dast.

The word sar is redundant.

This couplet hints at abandoning retirement, and choosing entertainment.

The second line means—

Display not deceit for the sake of not coming forth from the corner of retirement.

I have heard that, in Russia, the coloured (decorated) fox
Is self-adorning, in the manner of a bride.

When the day is raining, or the wind whirling,
He brings not forth his hair (fur-coat) from the lair (“earth”).

He makes his abode, in a corner, without victuals,
Licks not (anything) save his own leg and foot;

(And) devours his own blood (from hunger) for the sake of his fur coat:
—Everyone cherishes the body; he, his fur-garment.—

In the end, when Death approaches him,
His hair becomes painful to his body.

For the sake of that fur-coat, they attempt his blood:
With ignominy, they pluck it from the body.

Why is it necessary to adorn such a carpet (outward person),
The rising from which (to go to the grave) is unavoidable?

Every animal, that is not self-adorning,
For his injury, avarice has no desire.

Come out of this screen of seven colours (of outward self-decoration) and be content (with God)!
For, the mirror beneath the blight is black (Ethiopian-like).

“'Arús” signifies—a man, or a woman, married not longer than three days and nights.

“Naward” signifies—surákh-i-pechídár, a winding hole.

“Rang” may signify—ṭirz. Rús is said to be a country (Russia) near to the Land of Darkness.

“Wabal” signifies—ná-gawár shudan.

“Múyina,” or “múyína,” is like—zarína, párína. The termination is sometimes redundant, as in—ganjína.

“Ná-guzír” signifies—ḍarúr.

“Zangí” here signifies—habshí. See canto xix. couplets 242, 243; xx. 64.

“Parda,e haft rang” may signify—inconstant time; the world of seven climes; the seven skies, each of which has a different colour; the corner of retirement.

Thou art neither red sulphur, nor white ruby,
That the Seeker should be hopeless of (finding) thee.

Enough—evoking these sorceries (of self-approval and self-adornment)
Not mixing, like the magicians, with persons.

Mingle with men, if thou be a man;
For to a man a man is habituated.

If thou be a mine of treasure, (and) come not to the hand (of men),—
Much treasure there is of this sort (despised) beneath the dust.

When the fruit-possessor (tree) falls (is) far from the fruit-devourer,
Whether the date, or the thorn, be the date-tree's,—what matter?

Youth departed, and (length of) life remained not;
Say to the world: “Remain not, since youth remained not!”

Youth is the beauty of a man;
When beauty departs, how may joyfulness remain?

“Gú-gird” signifies—kibrít.

There are four kinds of sulphur—white, black, red and yellow.

Red sulphur, like the white ruby, is very rare.

Magicians associate not with persons.

Enough—building up charming verse, magic-like, and by them making men desirous of thy society; and, like the magicians, not associating with persons.

“Khú-gar” signifies—ulfat-gíranda. The Sages have said:

“The man who claims intellectuality desires union with others.”

“Mardum” (both singular and plural) is here plural.

If thou choosest retirement, it is nothing to be proud of; much treasure lies buried and despised beneath the soil.

“Ma mán” signifies—ma-básh; níst-shau.

To the child is hope of youth; to the youth, of old age; and to the old man, of nothing.

In youth, the abandoning of retirement and the choosing of society is pleasant; in old age, the issuing from retirement is irksome and difficult.

What treasure (of excellence and skill) is that which is not a portion for me?
Alas! youth. Not mine is youth.

When the nerve (the great vein) became sluggish, and the (back-) bone worn out,
Utter no more the tale of beauty.

When from the hand departed the pride of youthfulness,
Wash thy hand (despair) of joyfulness.

The brightness of the face (aspect) of the flower-garden (of youth) is as long
As the box-tree (a youth) is laughing with the tulip (a damsel).

When the autumnal wind (old age) falls upon the garden (season of youth).
Time gives the place of the nightingale (joyousness) to the crow (sadness).

The leaf (the teeth, or the hair) goes falling from the lofty bough,
The hearts of the gardeners (old men) become sorrowful.

The sweet odours of Basil (joyousness) disappear from the flower-garden;
No one seeks the key of the door of the garden.

O ancient nightingale, years-endured (Nizami)! Bewail,—
That the cheek of the red rose became yellow:

The second line may be:—

Alas! My youth is not (in duration, even) like the smallest division of time.

When the pride of youth, which is like the flashing of an ignited chip, leaves thee, and old age comes,—put aside insolent-bearing; for youth returns not.

Couplets 21, 22, and 23 form a ḳiṭ'a-band.

“Rihá,in” (sing. rihán) signifies—the rare perfume called “Holy Basil.” It is sold by Piesse and Lubin, of London, in bottles at 2s. 6d., 5s. and 10s. each.

Neither desires the old man joyousness, nor shows him anyone joyousness.

Some say that the nightingale's lament is in spring, not in autumn.

(That) the decorated straight cypress became bent;
The gardener (youthfulness), risen from the shade (of the garden of the body), went.

When in years, the date (of life) came to fifty,
The state of the hastener (to the next world) became changed.

The head, through the heavy weight (of old age), came to heaviness (became weak);
The dromedary (of the body) came to distress, on account of the difficult path (of old age).

In regard to demanding wine, my hand remained helpless;
In regard to rising, my foot became heavy.

My body took the hue of lapis-lazuli (blackishness);
My rose (face-complexion) cast its ruddiness, and took yellowness.

The steed (of the body, once) the swift-mover, loitered on the path;
Need of the pillow-place (rest) came to my head.

Verily, the steed (of the body, once) rearing and curveting, wind-footed,
Moves not from his place, with a hundred blows of the chaugán (resolutions of the heart).

The key of joy (wine of youthfulness) in the wine-tavern (of the body) became lost;
The stain of remorse (for youthful deeds) appeared.

“Kadíwar” signifies—kadáwar; kad-áwar; kad-khána; șáhib-i-khána; șáhib-i-tan.

It means—(meta.) bághbán; nisháṭ-i-'umr.

“Ba sang dar ámadan” signifies—'ájiz yá shíkasta shudan.

By reason of coldness and dryness,—softness and ruddiness departed.

“Chaugání” here signifies—quick-moving.

The chaugán is a stick, curved at one end, used in the game of chaugán, the modern “Polo.”

From the mountain (the head) came up the cloud, camphor-raining (white hair);
The nature of the earth (the body) became camphor-devouring (virility-wanting).

Sometimes, the heart inclines to moving;
Sometimes, the head makes praise of sleeping.

he reproach of brides (damsels) came to my ear;
The jar (of the body) became empty (of the wine of prosperity); and the Cup-bearer (youth's vigour), silent.

The head turned from sport (of youthfulness); and the ear from song;
For the time of farewell to the marching-place (this world) became near.

The corner (of retirement),—better than the Karavan-sara,e (the public edifice) at such a time,
When Time widely displays hand-stretching (for plunder of life).

“Káfúr khwar” signifies—very cold.

Sometimes, the temperament desires exercise; but, through feebleness, the body moves not. Sometimes, the head, from complete exhaustion, desires sleep; but, from aridity of brain, sleep comes not.

“Sáḳí” here means—a bride (damsel); or youth's vigour. See couplet 68.

The brides (damsels) reproached; for they considered me not worthy of their society.

If nayáyad be read for dar ámad, the first line will read:

The reproach (cajolery) of damsels came not to my ear (they regarded me not);

For the jar (the body) …

“'Itáb” signifies—náz va andáz.

By reason of old age, the heart turns away from the acceptance of their caresses.

The word gáh in kúch-gáh may signify place or time as—

The world is a place from which it is necessary to march.

“Káj” is the name of a Káraván-sará,e between Kirm and Ray.

“Dast-yází” (from dast yazídan, to stretch out the hand) signifies— dast darází; ghárat-garí. See canto viii. couplet 2; xxii. 116; xxx. 171; xxxi. 129.

Couplets 39, 43 and 48 refer to the invitation given in couplets 13 and 14.

Of the moth, the spectacle (sight) is as long as
The candle, night-illuminating, is laughing (burning).

When thou makest the house, void of the candle (of youthfulness),
Thou seest not again the painting (form) of the moth (of gladsomeness).

In the day of youthfulness, and of being newly born (freshness),
I boasted of old age and decrepitude.

Now, in grief (weakness of body), when may I exhibit joyousness?
With the reverent head (of old age), youthfulness how may I display,

(Who am) like a rotten stick (bark stripped), which, in the garden-corner,
Is at night an illuminator, like a candle?

If I had beheld, in myself, an increase (of life),
I would have sought, in myself, a place of repose:

Would have made Life anew, in comfortableness;
Would have pledged the world for joyfulness.

When the day of youth arrived at an end,
The white dawn (white hair) appeared from the east (head and face).

The time of man's joy is as long as youth remains.

In this state of old age, I am like a rotten stick, bark-stripped, whose naked body appears, at night, like a burning coal; or which (like a firefly, night illuminating), gives a soft light.

Illumination to such an extent only is left to me; the effulgence of youth, like the resplendent sun, has departed.

If a person seized the world and gave joyousness in place of it,—I would choose the joy.

This is in astonishment. Because, when the white day is ended, black night appears; but here there is no night, yet the white morning of another day appears.

In thought of that, I am—how I may place my head (in devotion to God);
How I may put my foot out of (abandon) the work of the world.

That head (person) that is worthy of the crown,—
Its chin must be musk (black), not ivory (white).

Before that these seven swift compasses (the seven skies around the world)
Rend the (straight) line of my life,

I will bring my hand (of power) to every musical plectrum (of lustrous verse);
Will preserve (in verse) the fame of my own existence:

Will practise sorcery with every counter (of the subtlety of verse);
Will apply a remedy (lustrous speech), for the purpose of remaining (in men's recollection).

When my Gilan-steed (swift-moving life) leaves this bridge (the clayey body),
I have not the desire of returning to Gilan (the world).

“Sar nihádan” signifies—ṭá'at va safr kardan; khwáb va ásá,ish kardan; dar káre shághil shudan.

I am in thought how I may depart from this world; come forth from its cares; and prepare myself for the future world. This being so, how may I seek for the joyousness of youth.

Otherwise—

How I may choose a work which may remain a token of me; and, by the accomplishing of which I may remain at rest.

“Sarín gáh” signifies—sarún gáh; nishast-gáh-i-sar; baná gosh; bálá,e gosh; mú,e ḳafá zanakh dán.

The man fit for empire must be young (black haired), not old (grey haired).

“Muhr” signifies—muhra,e falak; ṭuraḳ-i-saná'í va badá'í,e shá'irí.

Since the sky desires to efface me without leaving trace or name, I will do a work (the Sikandar-Náma) by which I shall have an existence that may be called—eternal life.

On this path (of life), are many sleepers (dead-men) like me;
No one brings to mind that anyone is here.

O fresh mountain-partridge (vigorous youth)! bring me to mind,
So that, when thou passest over the head (tomb-stone) of my dust;

Seest—the herbage spring up from my dust;
The hips disintegrated; the pillow (of my composition) scattered;

All the dust of my couch (the grave) wind-carried;
Of me, none of my time recollection taken;—

Thou mayst place thy hand on the grave-stone of my dust,
Mayst remember (in prayer for my welfare) my pure jewel (body)!

Shouldst thou shed over me a tear (of prayer) on account of my being far (concealed from thee),
I will shed on thee, from the sky, the light of Divine grace.

As quickly as possible, on thy prayer,
I will put—Ámín! so that, it may be accepted (of God).

Shouldst thou cause a prayer to reach me, I will cause a prayer (for forgiveness) to reach thee:
Shouldst thou come, I will descend from the vault of Heaven.

If sar be read for sarín in the second line, we have—

The decomposed head of the scattered pillow (back-bone).

According to Muhammad, the whole of a man's body is consumed save the al ajb (os coccygis) which, as it was the first formed, will remain uncorrupted till the last day as a seed, whence the whole is to be renewed by a forty days' rain, resembling sperma hominis, coming from the living water under God's throne, covering the earth to a depth of twelve cubits.

“Dárúd” signifies—

See canto xxxix, couplet 53.

Consider me alive, like thyself;
I will come in the soul, if thou come in the body.

Think me not free from (thy) society;
I behold thee, though thou behold me not.

Make not the lip (of prayer) silent, regarding the few sleeping ones (holy dead men);
(Nay), forget not (at all) the sleeping-ones (all dead men).

When here (at my tomb) thou arrivest, first cast wine (of senselessness) into the cup (of thy body);
(Then) move proudly to the sleeping-place (the tomb) of Nizami!

O Khizr of auspicious foot! think not
That, by reason of wine, the desire for wine is mine.

From that wine, I sought all senselessness;
With that senselessness, I adorned the assembly (of my Time).

For me, the Cup-Bearer is the Divine Promise (of beholding God's majesty);
The morning-draught (especially intoxicating) is rapture; wine, senselessness.

See canto x. and lxix.

Niẓámí here calls himself Khizr; because, like Khizr, who drank the Water-of-Life and became immortal,—he will (by this Book) become immortal.

“Mai” here signifies—be khudí, ecstasy, or senselessness, the state in which a person considers himself non-existent, on beholding the majesty of God.

“Kharábí” signifies—a state in which a person makes himself enraptured (kharáb), or perfectly senseless, in the knowledge of God.

Kharábí va be khudí is the state (described in couplets 67 and 68) of the true lovers of God, Most High.

Note that—

The words are so used throughout this work.

“Sáḳí” occasionally means—murshid; mabda,a e fiyáz.

Otherwise, by God! as long as I have been (existent),
I have not stained the skirt of my lip with wine.

If ever, with wine, I became stained of palate (lip),
Be the lawful (to myself in the sight) of God unlawful to Nizami!

Come Cup-Bearer! put the sleep (of carelessness) out of my head;
Give pure wine (of senselessness) to the pure Lover (of God).

The wine which came like limpid water,
Has become lawful in every sect (of Islam).

Halál refers to the blessed verse of the Ḳurán—

“Their Lord will cause them to drink pure wine.”

In some copies, bahar chár mazhab occurs.

This reading is probably erroneous; for there are seventy-two sects (firḳat), not four, in the faith of Islám.

O (my) heart! so long as thou acquirest not greatness,
It is not fit to sit in the place of great ones (people-counselling).

Is greatness necessary to thee? In this power of (magic speech),
Bring forth thy soul, in memory of (past) great ones.

“Dast-ras” signifies—isti'dád-i-sukhanwarí; tawángarí; jamí'at; sámán.

See canto vii. couplet 39; xxii. 116; xxx. 121; xxxi. 171.

The recollecting of men is the cause of the descending of mercy.

So long as they (men of the time) ask not for speech, keep the lip closed;
If thou mayst not break the jewel; keep quiet the mattock (tongue).

Whoever uttered speech unasked,
Placed on the wind (squandered) every word of his own.

One cannot show the lamp (of speech) to the sightless one (non-desirous of verse);
For, only the heart of the seeing one wishes for the garden (of speech).

It is profitable to utter speech, at that time,
When, from the uttering of it,—reputation becomes lofty.

When an answer suitable to the speaker (the questioner) comes not,
To utter foolish words—proper is not.

Stitching up the tongue with an iron nail;
And consuming that uttered—better than speaking.

O non-hearing man (ignorant of my purpose)! What say I?
Thy ear (is) intent on the tale of sleeping and of eating.

What knowest thou what knowledge I myself express?
I will strike the drum (of call) at my own door.

I have much goods of great value;
I bring them not forth, so long as no one desires them.

“Gawhar shikastan” here signifies—ná pursída sukhan guftan.

“Lafta” signifies—gufta.

“Nayushanda” or “Shinvanda” signifies—a title applied to those careless of the path of delight of speech, in the way of exciting desire.

“Duhul zadan” signifies—awázdádán. By this speech, I call the seekers of speech to myself.

In some copies, after this couplet, the following occurs:—

Let not valuable jewels be dull (in price) in the market;

Or, if they be, let it only be the defect of (attributed by) the enemy.

The pearl-purchaser (the seeker of my pure speech), oysterlike, stitched up his eye:
In this dulness (of market), it is not proper to sell pearls.

With such valuable jewels (of verse),—mine,
The need of one, jewel-appreciating, constantly arises.

From (the companions of my) Time, I desire a hearer,
To whom I may utter the mystery of the Teacher (God).

I will dig diamonds (of lustrous verse) from my own mine (the heart);
I will place with his (the hearer's) soul the package (of Divine mysteries) of my own soul.

Time gives many trades like this;
One takes a pearl; the other gives a pearl.

Where, a heart, which is without a soul-scratcher (sorrow)?
(Where), a noose, which is without a noose-remover?

“Durr” signifies—marwáríd-i-ṣadaf; ghiláf-i-marwáríd. Without the desire of one, eloquence-appreciating, I cannot reveal the capacity of my ability.

The teacher may mean—God; Niẓámí's heart; the tale of past kings; the seekers of verse.

In the second line, his refers to the one jewel appreciating in couplet 13.

“Ján-i-khud ba ján-i-dígare bastan” signifies—making another acquainted with one's own affairs.

“Bar” in the first line, and “dar” in the second, may be redundant. In the text they are rendered as “pur” and “durr.” The second line may be—This one takes; that one gives.

“Dúr-básh” signifies—a sort of two-pronged spear, shaft ornamented with gold and jewels, used by kings, before whom it is carried. If anyone casts a noose at the king, they repel it by means of the dúr-básh (lit: be far!). People seeing it leave the road clear. See canto xxiv. couplet 67.

This couplet, a complaint against Time for the consolation of Ni-ẓámí's heart, describes his own good nature and others' bad nature.

Perhaps, on this account, the snake (the ill-natured poet) sate above the treasure (of lustrous verse),
So that the jewel-stone may not, without labour, come to the hand (of the seeker).

One can keep the road-watch by the watchman;
Maintain the fire with ash.

If the date-tree be not lofty,
It receives injury from the plundering of every child.

By reason of this pleasant disposition, which is my nature,
Many are the breaches in my sowing and sown-fields (works).

Other road travellers (poets), who have bound their loins for this (versification),
Have, through ill-naturedness, escaped from the highwaymen (time-wasters).

For the reason that the children of the road may fly,
Why is it necessary to become black, like an Ethiopian?

Perhaps “dar kunj” should be read for “bar ganj.” If so:—

Perhaps, for this reason, the snake sate in the corner,

So that its jewel head-stone may not, without labour, come to the hand.

See canto xi. couplet 72.

Through my good nature, all my time is wasted. Everyone who troubles me with speech (of laudation) I cannot drive away and not do his business.

The explanation—criticisms on and thefts of my poems are many—is wrong.

At the expense of metre the first line may be:—

Other road travellers have bound the loins of malice.

“Badán tá” signifies—bará,e ánki.

Foolish jesters, blackening the face, wearing long teeth, and assuming a frightful appearance, used to go in the streets at night and frighten children.

On that road (to the next world) on which I wish to go chattel-drawer (a traveller),
My road-provision (present), the good disposition is enough.

My jewel (of self) adorned with a pleasant temperament, —best.
For this, I lived; also in this I shall pass away.

When for everyone's sake pearl-piercing (versifying his history) is necessary,
For my own sake also, song-uttering (of my history) is necessary.

Of so many eloquent ones (ancient poets)—remember (this my) speech:
“I am the remembrancer of (their) speech in the world.”

When, by me, speech assumed integrity (lustrousness and correctness),
By me, it will display stability till the judgment-day.

I am—the cypress-pruner (gardener) of the garden of speech;
Like the cypress-tree, in attendance, loin-girt (erect).

“Rakht kash” signifies—musáfir.

“Ráh-áward” signifies—ṭááma ki hamráh-i-musáfir báshad.

The second line is from the “Sháh-Náma” (begun A.D. 980, finished A.D. 1009), by Firdausí, who says:—

I am the praise utterer of Muhammad and Haydar ('Alí);

For this, I lived; and in this I shall pass away.

The “Sikandar-Náma,” by Niẓámí, was written A.D. 1200, according to the “Royal Treasury,” by Mír Ghulám 'Alí Azád.

At the expense of metre the first line may be:—

Of so many eloquent ones, speech-remembering.

“Sarv-pírá” signifies—píráyanda,e sarv.

“Árástan” signifies—adding, so as to increase beauty. As applying collyrium and putting on splendid raiment.

“Pírástan” signifies—taking away, so as to increase beauty. As reducing the verbiage of a commentator, and clipping the hair of the head.

Like the sky—far from the deriding of all;
The chief; yet (through humility) the foot-kisser of all (poets);

Like Jupiter—for battle with every ill-thinker,
I possess the bow; but (through clemency) raise not the bow (for striking).

Like Venus,—I place dirams (sparkling speech) in the balance (of judgment),
But, when I give—I give without weighing.

Like the lightning,—I laugh not at anyone's affliction,
Lest that from (my laughing like) the lightning, sparks should fall on me.

Like the (perfume of the) rose, I express a cordial invitation to every thorn (injurer);
Like the reed, I express a great cry of joy to every wounder (slanderer).

“Fusos” signifies—be ráh kardan; bígár; kár giriftan be muzd; daregh; istihzá; sakhríyat.

“Dur az fusos hama” may be a parenthesis.

As much as the sky is lofty (bálá), just so is it profound (zer); for it embraces and comprehends the world. Hence, it is the foot-kisser.

Like the sky, my excellence is such that I am far removed from the state of doing the work (of versification) without the reward (of fame). I am the chief of poets; the violence of plagiarists affects me not. As none can reach the sky, so none can attain unto my skill.

Barjís (Jupiter) has two constellations—Ḳaus (Saggitarius) and Hút (Pisces). Jupiter's bow is his mansion (Saggitarius); Niẓámí's, his inward power. Niẓámí compares himself to Jupiter (living in Ḳaus) in not waging battle, though bow-possessing.

The first line signifies:—

Mine is the wealth of the world, not poverty.

Of the devotees of God, wealth is in the grasp.

Venus has two mansions—Mízan (Libra) and Ṯaur (Taurus).

Like Venus, I utter weighed speech, but I give it unweighed.

“Dar tarázú nihádan” signifies—háșil dáshtan, to acquire.

The lightning laughs at the weeping cloud; but, in the end, in retribution it consumes and disappears.

“Șalá,e” signifies—a kind invitation.

“Șalá,e gul” signifies—the pleasant perfume that the rose gives. In poetry, they liken the pleasant disposition to the pleasant perfume of the rose.

“Nawá” signifies—a cry of joy, such as that which rises from the reed.

“Khár” signifies—the injurious man.

“Gul” signifies—the beneficent man.

Whoever injures me I come before him joyfully and not in pursuit of vengeance. I make the evil speaker ashamed by my pleasant disposition; and express a salutation of honour to the injurer.

Verily, this scorched (grief-stricken) heart is fire,
Which from thorn devouring (calamity suffering) became enkindled.

Like the river, I became the defect-washer of the enemy;
Not like the mirror, the defect-seeker of the friend.

To those asking (the beggars), I give of my property and treasure (of verse),
That, by treasure-giving, I may not come to affliction.

I display barley; but, I put wheat in its place;
Not like those barley-sellers, wheat-displaying.

My rear and front are alike, sun-like;
My effulgence (purity of heart) is great; deceit, little.

Behind anyone's back, I so pass not by,
That, before his face, I should bear shame.

The ill-spoken word of the evil-speaker, I conceal (from him);
By the return of goodness I make (him) penitent.

I utter not evil of the enemy even,
Lest that, from that uttered, I should be my own enemy.

By ill speaking, I become deserving of the torment of hell.

By reason of this goodness, they (the men of the world) bring me—from the desert and the river bed,
From the good (holy men) and those renowned (kings)— blessing.

And, if also I wander from this state (of life of the world),
I may become the place of pilgrimage of good men.

On my own diram-scatterer (Benefactor), I become gold-scatterer;
But, with arrogant-ones, I display arrogance.

From being without a tool (of excellence), I remain not in the corner (of retirement);
The world, wind; and the orange (the lamp) fears the (strong) wind.

Of the kings of (past) time in this deep pit (the world that has devoured the dead),
To whom was there a rare companion (of excellence) like me (to keep their memory living)?

Who has beheld (singing) over a coloured rose (Nasratu-d-din)
A nightingale (a poet) of more lofty voice than me?

On every kind of knowledge, a book prepared;
For (the explanation of) every subtlety, a pen desired.

Niẓámí's tomb is a place of pilgrimage. See the “Life of Niẓámí.”

The orange, a large fruit, is easily cast down by the wind. Both the orange and the lamp may signify—the rich man, who, by the wind of calamity, may be overthrown.

In the solving of one difficulty, I have written so much that (the first pen being worn out) I asked for another pen for the explaining of another subtle point.

Otherwise:—

I am—like the book, adorned with every kind of knowledge;

Like the reed (pen) adorned with every kind of subtlety.

From every science, understanding (in lustrous verse) taken,
Separately, in every science, a scientist.

I know how to excite sugar (sweet laughter) from every lip;
To pour rose-water (bitter-tears), from every eye.

The one, whom (by burning words) I bring to wee??ping, like water,
Him, I cause to smile again like the sun.

From Fortune of pleasant (concordant) rein, in my hand,
White sugar (sweet laughing) became like this; and the red willow (blood-weeping), like that.

I am able—to stitch up the door of (abandon) abstinence;
To come to the banquet, to illumine the assembly.

But, my tree (of existence) sprang from a corner;
If I move from my (corner) place, the root (of abstinence) may become languid.

When the (periods of) forty days (chilla) became forty (in number); and (times of) retirement (khilwat) a thousand,
It is far from the work (of the hermit) to come to the banquet.

Otherwise:—

Taken—from every science, luminousness;

Separately from every art, artfulness.

Couplets 49 and 50 may qualify the nightingale (Niẓámí).

Rose-water is bitter of taste.

In the first line, “dar” is redundant.

The sweet laughter became like this, that I make the hearer joyous by my joy-exciting words; and the weeping like that, that I cause him again to fall to weeping from my terrible words.

Since I have become—“one sitting in a corner,” and “one choosing retirement”—it is possible that, if I come out, the root of my austerity may become languid.

In Súfí,ism, “khilwat” signifies—a retirement of three days' duration.

At the time of the torrent (of weakness through austerity) being evident,
It is not proper (though short the distance) to go from Ray to Bukhara.

With such a stormy wind (vicissitudes of Time),—verily, best,
That I bring not forth, like the rose, my chattels (body) from the corner (of retirement).

I seldom become the people's guide to myself;
The (bird) Huma, from being seldom seen, is auspicious.

My head turns from sleeping and rising;
I know not again how to make a remedy (in old age).

Save that, with speech, I should chaunt the rose (utter a modulated melody);
Should express, over that rose, a (joyous) cry like a nightingale.

If I had seen a rose-tree (an ancient or a contemporary poet) better than myself,
I would have plucked from it the red or the yellow rose (of profit and subtlety).

Since, it is necessary to eat roast meat of my own thigh (to undertake trouble),
Why should I wander in beggary (around other authors) like the sun (around the world)?

The Humá, descending at night, snatches rotten bones from the desert. He on whom its shadow falls becomes auspicious.

In the first line, “gul” may signify—naghma,e rangín.

To the ancient poets, verse heart-expanding and ease-giving was altogether pleasure. For they used to bring into verse the jewel of speech regarding God's mysteries.

Since by my own endeavour I can acquire anything—why should I beg of authors?

In the “Nakhzan,” Niẓámí says:—

I have not taken a loan from any;

What my heart said, verily I have uttered.

Vexation (on account of my old age) took (the people of) Time from me;
I took ease in the corner of the garden of Iram (Paradise).

Like the Simurgh (of pleasing cry) I sit in a corner;
I give from the mouth, treasure (magic words) to the ear.

Like the lofty sky, on the door of the house,
I fixed the lock against the world, and the bolt against myself.

I know not how time goes—
Whether, in the world, it moves well or ill.

I am (as) one dead proceeding by manliness (lofty resolution);
Neither of the men of the Karavan, nor of the goods of the Karavan (the World).

For a description of the garden of Írám, made by Shudád, see Ouseley's “Persian Collections,” vol. iii. No. 1, p. 32; and Sale's Kurán, c. 88 and the P. discourse.

“Malálat” refers to what the philosophers have said:—

When a person chooses retirement it is necessary to think—Since the people are vexed with my wickedness, I will sit in the corner, and men shall escape from my wickedness and I from theirs.

Thus far, the poet describes his wish for the corner of retirement. Now, he speaks of the acquisition of his desire.

Some put couplet 64 after couplet 65.

The Símurgh, or 'Anḳa, a bird equal to thirty birds, endowed with reason, existed many revolutions of ages and of beings before Ádam; it lives in the mountains of Ḳáf (Caucasus); eats daily forty elephants; and has a mournful but delightful cry. See the “History of Kaharman.”

In musical modes, the note 'Anḳa is considered the best.

So that there might come—neither the people to me, nor I to the people.

The sky is supposed to shut its own door against the world, so that its mystery may not be known.

In some copies—zadam az jahán kufl va az khulḳ band—occurs. The second line will then be:—

I fixed the lock on account of the world; and the bolt, on account of the people.

“Káraván” (compounded of kár raván) signifies—the goods of a kárávan.

“Káravání” signifies—șáhib-i-káraván; one of a ḳáfila.

I am neither of the men of the world, nor of the goods of the world (káraván). Nay, I am free from every breath, and am come truly into the recollection of God Most High. I am neither a follower of any, nor followed by any.

With a hundred toils of the heart, I express a breath (of verse);
So that by it I may not sleep (lost to fame), I strike the bell (of verse).

I know no one who, with soul and body (inwardly and outwardly)
Loves me more than his own body.

I turned away my face from the love of persons;
I found myself the friend of myself.

Although, in the opinion of lovers (of the world) I may be bad,
Verily best—that I myself be the beloved of myself (and abandon their love).

Against the people, the door of need closed,—best;
From beggary at every door, escaped—best.

If from the love of persons, daily food be not mine,
God is the Provider, victuals causing to arrive.

Would that mine were that power,
Which would permit to man no need of man.

In this dusty stage (of the world), from fear of blood-shed (my being slain),
I am unable to bring my head beyond the line (of retirement).

The state—behold what it is—of the stage-wanderer,
Who is the captive of the stage of blood-shed (the world)!

The second line may be:—

So that by it I may not sleep (careless of God), I strike this bell (of verse).

“Khaṭṭ” may signify—an enchanter's circle; or God's order.

I have clay-plastered the door of (against) the people,
In this path (of the world) I have rested in this empire (of retirement).

Forty days, I seized the rein of myself (rested);
For the perfumed leather (of Yaman) becomes perfect (bulghar) after forty days (a little time).

When in the four cushions (the four elements) I experienced no repose,
I sate down within these four confined walls (of retirement).

For every grain (morsel of food) that I cast into the ass-mill (of my body),
I gave back a great pearl (of lustrous verse) to the jewel-recogniser (the poet).

A thousand praises on the speech-cherisher (Nizami),
Who fashions a jewel out of every grain!

These my tears (from desire of God), and (this my) cheek (lean from austerity),—the wet and the dry,
Have plastered my walls (body) with the mud-plaster (of austerity).

Here (this world), the body with barley-meal prepared;
There (the next world), the heart with the treasure (of God's mystery) adorned.

I passed not my time in sport,
For business is other than sleeping and eating.

“Zimám” is the rein attached to the camel's nose-stick.

“Chila” refers to the period of forty days of holy travellers.

In some copies, in the first line, “az” (of description) in place of “ín” occurs; then:—

The wet and dry, descriptive of my tears and my cheek.

“Ínjá” may signify—the body, or outward state.

“Ánjá” may signify—the heart, or inward state.

“Ganjína” may signify—the jewel of speech.

I slept not a single night, joyful on a couch,
On which night I opened not a door of knowledge.

My mind (in drawing forth verse) is not woman (in need of the husband) but the fire-striker (steel),
Which, like Miriam, is virgin (yet) pregnant (with strange subtleties).

To it (my mind), how may come the wish for that husband (speech),
That may come to it from the stone and iron (the mind of other poets)?

Virgin (lustrous) words with this heart-enchantingness,
One can only with difficulty bring forth by the path of thought.

In both lines “ash” refers to átash zan; the second line qualifies shúe, the husband; “sang va áhan” signify—the fire striker.

Explanation:—

(a) Since my mind is itself husband and not woman, how may it (the mind) desire that husband that is of the same nature? One fire striker desires not another fire striker, both being of the same nature and independent in producing fire.

(b) My mind is not less powerful than the minds of other poets that it should take profit from those of its own nature.

(c) How may come to it (the fire striker) the desire of that husband that comes forth from stone and iron (the fire striker itself)?

Again, in both lines, “ash” may refer to—ḍamír, the mind.

(d) My mind is not woman (zan) who derives profit from the husband. Nay, it is a fire striker (átash-zan) in which fire (its child) is produced without marriage. For it is like Miriam (the Virgin Mary).

(e) My mind is not woman (zan), but fire (átash-zan), which nominally is (zan); for, like Miriam, it is both virgin and fecund.

(f) How can the desire come to my mind for that husband (words which issue from the stone and iron of the temperament of other poets)? and how can my mind be desirous of union (marriage) with other poets? Fire takes no profit from fire; but the female from the male.

Again:—

“Átash” (átash-zana) may signify—the Ḳaḳnus, a bird of which there is but one representative in the world. This bird cohabits not; has a bill with three hundred and sixty orifices, or organ-pipes; lives a thousand years; collects, at the time of dying, all matter as fuel; seats itself on the funeral pile; sings a melodious air through the three hundred and sixty organ pipes; and, by God's power, through the flapping of its wings, kindles a fire and consumes the pile and itself. From the ashes it springs into existence again.

To utter virgin (lustrous) words is to pierce the soul,—
Not everyone is fit to utter (virgin) speech.

Neither consider the pearl of earthenware (base-utterance) pierced (uttered);
Nor consider an (unpleasant) song in the hot bath place uttered.

Think of those wide deserts (of lofty speech),
Where the throat (of eloquence) becomes rent, rent by (delivering) the voice.

Virgin words and fresh significations are not as the pearl of earthenware (base utterance), and the song (of no grace) in the hot bath place, that are produced with ease.

In fancy, pierce not the pearl of earthenware (base utterance), for it is no great matter; and if thou canst sing the base song in the hot bath place, sing it not. For no credit attaches to the performance, since in the hot bath the voice graceless and toneless appears agreeable.

In the desert (where is difficulty of producing a sufficiency of sound) the lovely and the ugly voice become apparent.

If ba durre be read for na durre, we have:—

Grant—a (piece of) earthenware threaded with a pearl—what then?

Grant an (unpleasant) song uttered in the hot bath—what then?

These two are easy; for when they thread the piece of earthenware on the jewel-cord, by the decoration of the cord, it appears beautiful. Even so the unpleasant song appears pleasant in the hot bath, by reason of the reverberation that arises from the walls.

If thou display fancy for those lofty modes of speech, think well; for the contemplative power of a poet, by the gathering of such ideas and bringing of them into verse, becomes broken.

Consider how much abstinence it is necessary to endure, so that the voice of song may, in the wide desert, display sufficiency. In the wide plain, by raising high the voice, the throat becomes rent.

“Gulú-shákh” refers to—the reciting of histories in a loud voice in the midst of assemblies so that all may hear.

When thou strikest the gold (of thy speech) on the King's die (of eloquence),
So strike that if it (the gold of thy speech) shatter, thou shatter not (the die).

“Zar rá bar sikka,e sháh zadan” signifies—displaying the gold.

“Sikka,e sháh” signifies—the iron die, or stamp, on which is the king's image, with which they stamp on the pieces of money so that they may become current and legal tender.

If thou give publicity to the gold of thy speech, so give it that if the gold (through its defect) shatter—thou shatter not (become not ashamed).

A Jew (by way of deceit) gold plated a piece of copper;
The profit on it he made—the plundering of his shop (by those deceived).

Neither becomes the fig (the poet) the name of every fruit (sweet verse),
Nor is every widow like Zubaida.

The couplet refers to the shattering of the base gold of speech.

Harúnu-r-rashíd, or Aaron the Well-advised, was the fifth Khalífa of the house of 'Abbas, A.D. 786-809. In the “Arabian Nights' Entertainments,” one reads a good deal of him. Zubaida, his wife, was celebrated for her liberality, the marks of which are still to be seen at Madína.

A writer in the new “Quarterly Magazine,” January, 1879, page 161, says:—

“Harunu-r-rashíd seems to have been a compound of the worst characteristics of such despots as Philip II. of Spain, Francis I. and Henry VIII., combining with the superstitious bigotry of the first the insatiable rapacity of the second and the ferocious sensuality of the third, a blood-thirsty savagery peculiarly his own, and the sensitiveness to music, poetry, and wit that distinguishes the Arab.”

Zubaid was as fanatically pious, superstitious, cruel, and cultivated as Harúnu-r-rashíd.

Two Hindus (poets) came forth from Hindustan;
One may be the thief (of the verse of others), the other the watchman (of his own verse).

From the water of this shining silver (of my polished verse),—I
Separated the stains of the dust (of unworthiness).

I let loose the bird (my own speech) from this form (the sweet fruit of the tongue) at that time,
When, like the lofty palm, it (the speech) is matured.

When thou reachest the unripe fruit (the book yet unpurged),
If thou shake it (from the tree) thou art a raw person.

By pressing, the unripe fig becomes soft (and apparently ripe);
But, shouldst thou eat (it), blood issues from thy palate.

The blossom which, out of season, (quickly) laughs (blossoms) on the bough,—
Produces it much fruit on the tree?

That land which possesses defective soil,
One cannot truly establish in it a foundation.

“Hindú” signifies—a man of Hind; a watchman; a thief. The Hindú is black through the overpowering effects of Saturn.

So long as I mature not, amend not, and complete not my speech—I display it to none.

Otherwise:—

From this picture (of the Sikandar-Náma), I uplift the sheet (veil) at that time,

When, like the lofty palm, it (the Sikandar-Náma) is matured.

In the opinion of the sages, the eating of the unripe fig fissures the throat and causes blood to flow.

If thou take this Sikandar-Náma (yet unpurged of defect),—like the fig finger-pressed, or the apple house-ripened, it will not gain thy acceptance.

The blossom that appears in the early spring produces little fruit; that which blossoms tardily, much.

“Bar” signifies—zamín-i-nákáshta.

“Búm” signifies—zamín-i-káshta.

“Bar o búm” signifies—zamín-i-khushk va ná-ránda.

If the fig-eating birds (plagiarists) had been many,
There would not have remained a single fig (hidden subtlety of verse) on any bough (of my book).

With splendour (of excellence), I can execute this work (of the Sikandar-Nama);
With want of splendour, work issues not from man.

When, in respect to the grain, there is hope of profit,
The husbandman enters the harvest-field.

When the corn becomes dull and low in price,
The seed-scatterer abandons working.

Those music-understanding, melody-hearers,
Took their ear (off) from (listened not to) the melody of the singer (Firdausi).

It became necessary—to make this employment (of versifying);
To prepare a delightful book (the Sikandar-Nama), in such a way

That when, in writings, it becomes place-occupying,
To the scribe, may be no help as to using it.

With such decoration that the great cypress (the Shah-Nama) is small,
I displayed pre-eminence by this tale (of the Sikandar-Nama).

The fig (enclosed and concealed in its leaves) has a viscid juice, which renders it difficult for a bird to eat it, for the juice glues together the jaws of the beak. When the crow (the only bird that can eat it) devours it he cleans his jaws against a stone or in a stream.

The poets contemporary to Niẓámí are compared to the crow; Niẓámí's verses (on account of their lusciousness), to the sweetness of the fruit of the fig.

This couplet is sometimes placed as couplet 3.

Like the sowers of the world, I desire profit for my verse,—not like the ignoble, who, without being asked by kings, proffer their works and obtain scanty reward.

In the Sháh-Náma, by Firdausí, are tales of many infidel kings; in the Sikandar-Náma, by Niẓámí, those only of the prophet Sikandar.

More than this pleasing acquaintance (the Sikandar-Nama), no tale
Is approved by the true ones (the sages).

Other books (of Sikandar) first (prepared) which thou mayst search,
Are not correct, according to the crowd of (professors of) the religion of Islam.

A (true) book like this is not falsehood-raising,
Written with so many sharp pens (trustworthy histories).

With the power of the point of such (sharp) pens,
This (the Sikandar-Náma) has honour above other books.

On account of that royal wine (tale of Sikandar), which is in its cup,
Its name is—“Sharaf-Náma,e Khusraván!”

The former poet, the sage of Tus (Firdausi),—
Who (with verse) adorned the face of speech, like the bride,

In that book (the Sháh-Náma) in which he urged pierced jewels (previously uttered subtleties of verse),
Fit to be uttered (of Sikandar),—much that he left unuttered.

And if whatever they (the moderns) had said of the ancients,
He (Firdausi) had uttered, the tale (of the Sharaf-Náma) would have been long.

“Tazwír-khez” signifies—anything produced by falsehood.

“Mai-i-khusraví” signifies—a wine of 'iráḳ, greatly exhilarating, and may here mean Sikandar's fashion of world-seizing and peasant-cherishing.

This title signifies—“The Exalted Book of Kings,” a title of the Sikandar-Náma.

In the Sháh-Náma the number of couplets is variously stated at 60,000. See Clarke's translation.

Whatever was not pleasing to him, he uttered not;
Of which no help was his—verily (that only) he uttered.

The rest for friends (us future poets) he placed (as) remnants;
For alone it is not fit to eat sweetmeats.

Nizami, who drew jewels (of speech) on the thread (of verse),
Drew his pen on (rejected) the pen-seen tales (of Fir-dausi).

With an unpierced pearl (unuttered subtlety), which he found in the treasure (of genius),
The word-weigher found his own balance (tongue).

He (Nizámi) made “the Sharaf-Náma,” wide of renown;
In it, he made the old tale (of Sikandar) fresh.

Come Cup-Bearer, that ruddy wine (of senselessness on beholding God's majesty),
Give me, that, intoxicated, I may become abandoned (drowned in the love of God).

Perhaps, by reason of that rapture, I may express a song;
(And) give an invitation (to myself) to the tavern-haunters.

The tales that Niẓámí found in the Sháh-Náma, he wrote not in the Sharaf-Náma,e Khusraván, or Sikandar-Náma.

“Kharábí” signifies—one who stays in a tavern.

“Kharábát” may be—the plural of kharába.

“Kharábátiyán” signifies—those altogether senseless on beholding God's majesty.

In Muhammadan countries, through fear of the true Muslims, the tavern is often situated in ruined or abandoned spots.

The second line may mean:—

And call (to myself) the tavern-haunters (those senseless from beholding God's majesty), so that they may obtain a portion of my senselessness.

THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE PROPHET KHIZR (ON HIM BE PEACE!) TO THE POET NIZAMI, REGARDING THE WRITING OF THE “SHARAF-NAMA,E KHUSRAVAN,” OR “SIKANDAR-NAMA.”

Last night, Khizr was my instructor,
—With a secret, which came acceptably to my ear,—

Saying:—“O victual (wage)-devourer of my design (of instruction)!
“O taster of the cup of my speech (of instruction)!

“O one, lily-like, head turned from the service (of God's creatures to God Himself)!
“O one, moisture-gathered from the fountain of Life (the love of God)!

“Speech (verse) may cause thee to arrive (at renown) in the world;
“Read thou the writing of it (the Sharaf-Náma) to the sages.

Khizr (confounded with the prophet Elias), the general of the monarch Zu-l-Ḳarnain, was Abraham's nephew, and the guide to Moses and the children of Israel in their passage of the Red Sea and the desert. Having drunk of the water of life, he is not to die until the Day of Judgment. It is said that wherever he planted his foot the spot became green. Hence his name, Khizr.

“Jáma” signifies—musháhira; sáliyána.

“Jámagí-khwár” signifies—rozí yabanda.

“Chashní-gír” signifies—bahrí giranda.

Khizr's address extends from couplet 2 to couplet 32.

They call the lily, whose leaves are shaped like the tongue—noble, free.

“Be not the accepter of the unacceptable (the false history);
“For people find not harmony in the false note.

“Exercise choiceness, that thou mayst be precious,
“(That) the approved ones (sages) may also approve of thee.

“Without delay—the swallowing of (being swallowed by) the dragon;
“The stuffing (being stuffed) into the crocodile's mouth,

“Is to the world-experienced one more pleasant than that,
“He should behold (speech) altogether unacceptable.

“(Of the tale of Sikandar) what the ancient sage (Fir-dausi) said, utter not;
“For it is not proper to pierce two holes (in) one pearl (of speech),

“Save in parts, thought-seizing (necessary to explanation),
“Of repeating which there is no help.

“In this trade (of versifying), since thou art a new leader,
“Follow not those who have become old.

“When the power of virgin-attempting (unused poetical image) is thine,
“Stain not thy hand with every widow (used poetical image).

“Pesh-báz” signifies—pesh-wáz; istiḳbál kunanda; ḳabúl kunanda. Báz is redundant.

“Ambáshtan” signifies—properly, púrkardan, but here, púr shudan; faro raftan.

If a dragon carried the world-experienced one down his throat, or if a crocodile stuffed him into his own throat—it would not be so unpleasant to him as the beholding of an abhorrent deed.

It is said that a dragon swallows a man at once in a lump, and that afterwards he twists himself about a tree so that the man's bones may be broken and digested.

In some copies, in the second line, ba daryá shudan occurs:—

In haste, to become the swallowing (morsel) of the dragon;

In the river, to go into the mouth of the crocodile.

The poet compares the using of phrases already uttered by other poets to taking a widow to wife.

“Grieve not for the prey (the tale of Sikandar), which thou hast not (yet) made;
“For whatever (is) uneaten is a food-store.

“With difficulty the jewel comes (is produced in) to the stone,
“(Then), how mayst thou easily acquire it from the stone?

“If thou little by little (minutely) examinest,—everything
“Issues with difficulty from the difficult place.

“One cannot with ease pierce the jewel (of speech);
“Refining is necessary to the virgin silver.

“That one who suffers toil on sea and land,
“Finds dirams from the fish (by fishing), and treasure from the ox (by ploughing).

“Thou desirest the silvern jar and the golden basin (emblems of wealth)?
“—It is not proper for thee to abandon (in impatience) the dust of Irak (thy native land).

“Yakhní” signifies—zakhíra, a store for the time of need.

Orientals say that jewels are produced from stone after a lapse of six thousand years.

Fishes devour drowned men, whose gold and silver thus enters their bellies. If a person catches them, he will certainly obtain the gold and silver.

“Az gáv ganj yáftan” refers on the following tale:—

A villager, on giving his field some water, beheld a hole into which the water passed, and from which a terrible voice came to his ear. The villager told his tale to Bahrám-Gor, by whose order they dug into the ground and found a building sixty yards in height. The sages said:— “Within this house are two buffaloes, of which the eyes are rubies and the bellies full of jewels. On their foreheads is written the title—‘The Treasure of Jamshíd.’ Around them are birds and animals, like the lion, the wild ass, and the peacock, whose eyes and breasts are rubies and pearls.”

On hearing this, Bahrám-Gor ordered that they should sell the jewels and distribute the proceeds to the deserving.

'Iráḳ is the place of appreciation of verse, and of abundance of gold.

If for case of wealth thou goest to other cities, thou wilt not find it.

See canto xxxi. couplet 87, and the Sháh-Náma, by Firdausí.

“From Ray to Dahistan and Khwárazm and Jand,
“Thou wilt not behold (even) a cauldron (cover off) save the torrent-channel.

“The people of Bukhára, and Khazrán, and Gílán, and Gurd,—
“All four (people) are feeble for a fragment of bread.

“Of Mazandaran sprouts not the grass,
“In which thou seest not a hundred spear-points.

“From Mazandaran come only two things—
“One, the demon-man; the other, even the demon.

“Precious be 'Irak (of 'Ajam) heart-illuminating,
“Of which the fame of excellence became lofty.

Ray is the capital of Persian 'Iráḳ; Dahistan is in Tabarístán; Khwárazm lies along the bank of the Oxus (Jíhún), and extends to the Caspian. It is said to have received its name from the great Cyrus, who, with little loss, defeating a large army of the natives, exclaimed:— “Khwár razm (an easy victory)!” Jand (Khujand) is a town in Turkistán.

Thou wilt behold neither wealth nor comfort. The men of these regions are so poor that they have not even a cauldron or a platter,— unless, indeed, thou imaginest the holes in their land to be cauldrons, cover taken off.

Bukhárá, beyond the Oxus, is surrounded by a wall comprehending fifteen towns in a radius of twelve miles.

On the southern shores of the Caspian, lie the two Persian provinces of Gilan and Mazandarán, that offer the only easy and fertile belt of territory in all Persia through which an army could be marched from west to east, between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, and, therefore, the only road to India from Russia on the west. For there lies— to the north, the Caspian, so shallow and stormy as to be useless; and to the south, the great impassable salt desert. At this moment (1880) an excellent road runs from St. Petersburg to Hirát en route to Delhi, viâ Odessa, Batum and Meshed, broken only by the want of these two provinces.

All the men are man-injuring to such a degree that if grass spring up,—thou wilt find a hundred spears in the midst for the injuring of travellers.

So hard is the country of Mazandarán that grass (the softest of vegetation) is hard to such a degree that its head is spear-point possessing— then imagine the country.

“That rose which keeps its perfume,—
“Its perfume-scatterer is in 'Irák alone.

“Thou—that also, best—O man of high descent (like an angel)!
“That thou wander not, like the wind (in restlessness), around the earth.

“For jewel-digging (lustrous spiritual verse) make sharp the mattock (of thought);
“Practise sugar-scattering on the bride of speech.

“Thou, the jewel-digger from the Sikandrian mine—
“Sikandar himself may come jewel-purchasing!

“A world-possessor may come thy purchaser,
“Thy work may with celerity rise to the sky (in the favour of the people).

“When the purchaser brings the price to the door,
“It is not fit to abandon the path of trade.

“'Araḳ-i-gul” signifies—guláb, rose water; it is against idiom to use it in the sense of 'araḳ-i-jabín, the sweat of the forehead (of shame).

“'Araḳ-rez” signifies—guláb rekhta; 'araḳ áranda; rekhtan-i-'araḳ. That rose, from the perfume of which the brain of men of excellence becomes fresh,—its rose-water is in 'Iráḳ alone.

Again—The rose-water drawer of every rose of fresh perfume is in 'Iráḳ alone.

Again—The phrases and thoughts that expand the sense and understanding are in 'Iráḳ alone.

Again—In 'Iráḳ, the people are of such excellence that if the sages of Time there come they become ashamed. This rendering is contrary to idiom.

'Iráḳ is celebrated for its rose-water, for the understanding of its people, and for the birth-place (Ganja) of Niẓámí.

“Shakar-rez” signifies—a substance (sugar and sweetmeat) that, on the nuptial day, they scatter on the bride and the bridegroom. See canto xxxiii. couplet 123.

Some commentators think that Sikandar (couplet 26) and the world-possessor (couplet 27) each signify—Sikandar.

“When the sea purchases (snatches) the jewel of the narrow mine,
“It gives the boat-load of pearls for the (mere) stone fragment.

“From his sea (the purchasing of that king) conceal not the treasure of the jewel;
“Take a pearl (of justice from the king) and sell a jewel (of thy lustrous verse).

“By true judgment, be the impartial one, in such a way,
“That both the spit and the roast meat may be in place.”

When the consolation of (the prophet) Khizr came to my ear,
Sense made my brain more fresh.

The word (of counsel) was accepted; it became place-seizing;
The speech which comes from the heart is heart-pleasing.

When this counselling took hold on (affected) me,
I opened my tongue with a pearl of the Dari language.

The second line means:—

Then thou mayst truly relate the tale of Sikandar, and also not fall into error.

This couplet has no connection with couplets 31 and 33.

Niẓámí is a mediator between the creatures of God and the prophet Khizr.

O impartial one! so act that both the praise and the beauty of poetry may remain; and also that the customs of religion may not leave thy hand. Like other poets, who have practised exaggeration in praise, and ended in infidelity—speak not.

Some say that Niẓámí, making himself the person addressed, says:— “In this way I speak that both the heart of the king (by excess or deficiency of praise) may not be distressed; and also that respect for the Darvesh and for the splendour of the market of verse may not leave thy hand.”

A commentator (Khán Arzú) says that the latter explanation is wrong, as up to this point the advice of Khizr extends. But Khán Arzú is wrong, if it be supposed that Khizr is written for—dil, the heart.

In some copies—the sense of my brain became more fresh.

The Persian tongue is of seven kinds:—

(1) Hiriví, the speech of the people of Hirát.

(2) Sikrí, the speech of the people of a mountain in Zábulistán (Sístán), between Kích and Makrán.

(3) Zaválí, the speech of the people of Zábul, in Zábulistán.

(4) Sughdarí, the speech of the people of a district of Samarḳand.

(5) Pársí, the language of Eastern Persia, the speech of the people of Párs, of which the metropolis was Isṭrakh or Istakhar, Persepolis. It was spoken up to A.D. 1000.

(6) Pahlaví, the language of Western Persia, the speech of the people of Pahlú, the language of Sipáhán, Hamadan, Nihávand, and its dependencies, was spoken during A.D. 226-651.

(7) Darí, the speech of the people of Darah,e jabál (the pass of the mountains).

The first four tongues are obsolete, the last three current. Darí being the most eloquent, Niẓámí selected it for the writing of this work; it was first spoken in the time (B.C. 465) of Bahman-dirázdast (Ardshír or Artaxerxes Longimanus), son of Isfandiyár, of brazen-body (Xerxes). See Clarke's translation of the Sháh-Náma.

Párs was the name of the son of Halú, son of Sám, son of Núh (Noah).

All that stretch of country, from the bank of the Jíhún to that of the Farát (Euphrates), that was in his sway was Párs.

From Bábu-l-Abwáb (Darband, on the west shore of the Caspian, Șadd-i-Iskandar, Sadd-i-Yajúj va Májúj) to the shore of the sea of 'Umán; and (after the lapse of time) Istakhar (Persepolis) and all its dependencies became Párs. See canto xiii. couplet 47.

The rest of the country east of Istakhar became Khurásán (meaning east); and the country of Ispahán and the towns of Kohistán (by reason of the wholesomeness of the water and the agreeableness of the air) known as 'Iráḳ-i-'Arab and 'Iráḳ-i-'Ajam.

The Darí was not a distinct language, but only a refined dialect of the national language spoken at Court; it differed from the rustic dialects just as the language of good society and literature differs from that of the peasantry.

The word Darí is derived from dar, a door; for it was the usage of the Persians, as it is of the Ottoman Porte, to name what approaches royalty from the gate, while we name it from the court within the gate.

The dialect of Bactria, after it had been established at Court by Bahrám Gor, (Varahrán the Fifth of Roman history, A.D. 420), was called Darí.

I established a great crowd of every subtlety (of verse),
Perhaps, in speech, I may make a new book.

In that place of perturbation, without helpers,
I cast a lot, in respect to the names of renowned ones (past kings).

By lot, Niẓámí chose the king whose history he should relate.

“Hairát” refers to—the perturbation into which, by Khizr's visit, Niẓámí was last night thrown; or, to this world, the place of perturbation.

Every mirror which from (by means of) the heart I burnished,
In it, to me, Sikandar's form shined.

Glance not lightly at that monarch,
Who was both sword-striker and crown-possessor.

A multitude call him Throne-Possessor,
Territory (of Iran)-Seizer, nay, World-Seizer.

A crowd of his ministers and councillors
Have written his decree for wisdom.

A crowd, by reason of his purity and love of the religion (of Islam),
Became accepters of him as a prophet.

From all three grains which the sage (the ancient wise historian) scattered,
I will plant a fruitful tree (a book full of profit).

Will first knock at the door of sovereignty,
Will speak of the work of territory-conquering:

Will then of his wisdom arrange my words,
Will make fresh old histories (of his philosophy).

Will then strike the door, in respect to his prophecying;
For God has also called him prophet.

“Táftan” signifies—properly, roshan shudan; but here, roshan kardan.

“Díván” may signify—daftar; dawárí-gáh.

“Dastúr” may signify—vazír; nuskha,e daftar.

Aristotle and others called Sikandar—“the Wise One.”

Sikandar's ancestor, Ibráhím, the Friend of God, was, they say, of the faith of Islám.

The Sharaf-Náma consists of two parts:—

(1) The Sikandar-Náma,e bará, or Sharaf-Náma,e Sikandarí.

(2) The Sikandar-Náma,e bahrí, or Aḳhál-Náma,e Sikandarí.

The first describes Sikandar's sovereignty (sulṭanat), or exploits by land; the second, his philosophy (hikmat) and prophecying (paighambarí). These two parts, forming three volumes, may be called three grains—sulṭanat, hikmat, and paighambarí.

Three pearls (three histories) I prepared; each one pearl (book) the mine of treasure;
Toil endured, separately, for each one pearl.

With those three rivers (histories, or books); with these three pearls (three kinds of lustrous verse);
I make the world's skirt full of treasure;

I raise in the world a new decoration (a book),
Which demands a present from every country.

Pity comes mine that this illuminated scroll (of lustrous verse)
Should be the captive of the dust, in the waste-book (of ancient histories).

Where is the door of the wealthy one (Nasratu-d-din) that of this handiwork (the Sharaf-Nama)
The picture, I may affix to his wall?

(That I) may make a piece of silk (the Sikandar-Nama) like this his life-keeper;
May make him free from earth's dust (the grave).

By this renowned book slow-moving (long enduring)—
By it—I may keep long his name:

May make of this throne (the Sikandar-Náma) its sitting-place,
On which (throne) it may perpetually be place-occupier:

Niẓámí was sixty years old when he completed this work.

Here begins the praise of Nașratu-d-din, the king, the patron.

“Dast kár” signifies—an embroidered cloth that they used, for show, to hang at the door and on the walls of the king's palace.

If parda wár be read for zinda dár:—

(That I) may make a silk (the Sikandar-Náma) like this his (door) screen;

May make it (the silk) free from earth's dust.

In both lines, “it” it refers to the name of Nașratu-d-dín mentioned in couplet 53.

May prove by a word (of lustrous verse) his name (worthy of honour),
That its ease may be (remain) in this motion (the ever-changing world):

Not a word, that the world may take from its memory (forget),—
Neither will the rain wash (efface) it; nor, the wind take it away:

On the condition that—when, in this splendour-place (of the world), I
Cause his head to reach the sun and moon,

To me, from him, also a great degree of rank may arrive;
A crown, worthy of my head, may arrive.

From the luminous sun (Nasratu-d-din) one can seek light;
But of shade! shade (the nobles) is far from this work (of light-giving).

To the kites (the nobles), what business with the pigeon (the Sharaf-Nama)?
For the king's falcon (Nasratu-d-din), this prey is required.

Nizami, whose work is versifying in Dari,
Threading a pearl (of verse) is fit for him.

He so prays for this charming book (the Sharaf-Nama)
That the reading of it may illumine (not vex) the brain.

By it,—may light be to the heart of friends!
And from it,—may the animadversion of enemies be far!

Melody—(even) if it be the melody of the (joy-exciting) Chagawak (Lark),
When the enemy touches the chord, it is the arrow (of abhorrence) swiftly flying.

In that circle (earth's surface), in which I have urged this speech (the Sikandar-Nama),
I have invoked my own heart-cherisher (God),

That He may make this charming book famous;
May make its precious maker (its reverencer) precious:

May expand (in lofty flight) its feathers and wings (leaves) in such a way
That good fortune may arise from its omen,

(That it) may bring joy to the readers;
May cause exhilaration to reach the learned ones:

May bring hearts withered (in lust, not scorched with the love of God) to the work (of the love of God);
May be the consoler of those grief-stricken (of God).

May cherish the broken-hearted;
May give the solution of concealed (difficult) matter:

If one unable (to read) desire it,
May God make him strong for reading!

And, if one hopeless take it in the hand,
May God bring to his hand every hope that is!

Whatever of this sort I asked from God,
God gave; and for that given I offered thanks.

This banquet-place became (auspicious), like the Huma, on that account that
It became especially prosperous in the king's banquet.

Come Cup-Bearer! that water,—ruby-like,
Cast into the cup, ruby-shedding (full of red wine).

The meaning may be—Although all the requests that I made to God are auspicious, yet it is more auspicious that this Sikandar-Náma became especially prosperous at the banquet of the King Nașratu-d-dín.

“Humáyún” is composed of—humá, a fabulous, auspicious bird; and yún, like.

The banquet place refers to—the Sikandar-Náma, the place of ease for the holy men of the time, and of joy for the learned ones.

The cup ruby-shedding signifies—Niẓámí's body, that through love to God keeps shedding tears of blood.

A cup of earthenware (man's body) of which wine is t?? life,—
The earthenware of the earth (the whole of the earth) ?? the dust (source) of its odoriferous herb (man's soul).

O lofty sun! draw forth the standard (from Aries);
O cloud of black silk! be proudly moving:

O heart of thunder! like the monarch's drum, roar;
O lip of lightning! like the morning-time, laugh (flash):

O air! rain (shed) the pure drop;
O oyster! seize, (and) make that drop the pearl:

O pearl! come forth from the bottom of thy own sea;
Make thy abode in the crown of the king's head.

That king, who is desirous of its ascent (the pearl ?? speech),
His ground kiss is its (poetry's) royal pearl.

In all matters of the royal splendour of Sikandar, one??
To whom the pomp of Sikandar returned.

Ra'd is the angel who drives the cloud.

In Aries, the sun's power is greatest.

As much labour is required to produce the pearl worthy of ?? king's crown—so much effort to prepare the pearl of verse worthy of ?? king's praise.

Otherwise—

That king who is desirous of his (Nașratu-d-dín's) lofty rank,—

His ground kiss (before Nașratu-d-dín) is his (own) royal pearl.

Earth, alive-keeper (by justice); sky, alive-maker (by the worship of God);
World-seizer and enemy-overthrower;

The Prince of the West in manliness,
The Kadr-Khan of the East in learnedness—

Nasratu-d-din! world-champion, who is
Conqueror, like the sky, over his enemies.

The enemy late-thinking (unwise); but he foreseeing (wise);
The enemy, of little love; but he, of great hate.

Lord of the sword, and the throne, and the crown;
The three-time striker, and the five-time shelterer (of Islam).

With manliness,—he urged his (chosen) steed,
Both throne-adorner, and also crown-bestower.

By the custom, which was the regulation of kings,—
The key was of iron; the treasure, of gold.

Nașratu-d-dín kept living—the earth, by justice and liberality; and the sky, by devotion to God.

The deeds of holy men take slaves to the sky; hence, the sky becomes prosperous and populous.

Ḳadr-Khán was the title of the King of Samarḳand and of Chin.

Famed are the people—of the west for manliness, and of the east for learnedness.

In past times they used to strike the drum three times (in the morning, at noon, and in the evening) at the king's door.

“Panj-naubat” signifies—the five loud calls to prayer that are the pillows of the Islám faith. See canto iii. couplet 11.

“Si naubat” may signify—the three seasons of boyhood, youth, and old age.

The second line may then mean:—

Sovereignty is preserved to him (Nașratu-d-dín) from boyhood to old age.

“Rustam-rikábí” signifies—mardánagí.

“Rikábí” signifies—sawárí.

Except him (Nasratu-d-din),—who illumines (polishes) the iron of the sword;
Who makes the key of gold, and the treasure of iron (the sword).

Like the water of the Euphrates, openly favouring (the friend);
Like the fountain-head of the Nile, secretly consuming (the enemy);

If he cast his shadow (of anger) on the sun (the enemy),
He casts water on (quenches) that fire-fountain (the sun).

And if he give a portion to the new moon (the friend),
He gives complete freedom from the deficiency (of light) of her perfection.

If a person should reckon up his rewards,
—In order that he may offer thanks for much bounty,

By his (the person's) thanks, that favour becomes greater;
How may a benefactor be greater than this (Nasratu-d-dín)?

Like the sky,—against whomsoever he binds his loin (for battle),
He hurls, like the earth, his (the opponent's) shield on the water.

In (at the time of) confusion (of battle) like the cloud (filling the air and rising), he scatters
The mountain-peak with his sword-point.

The king gives gold to the warriors, and keeps iron weapons of war in the treasury.

The water of the Euphrates is so clear that anything at the bottom may be seen.

The water of the Nile, in which Fara'un and his host were drowned without a trace being left, is said to consume secretly.

“Badán tá” signifies—bará,e án.

“Sipar-i-kase bar áb afgandan” signifies—subduing a person.

Whatever (dexterity) he displayed at the time of battle,
Neither Rustan nor Isfandiyar displayed.

The peace of the world appeared that night,
When from his birth the true morning (of prosperity) blossomed.

Wherever his decorated grey horse planted his hoof,
The earth obtained verdure from his pace (of justice).

In every circle (enceinte of the fortress of infidelity) against which he made assault
He loosed (subdued) the heart (citadel) of its compass-line (the enceinte of the fortress).

At that dwelling, to which he urged his steed,
The earth cast up the treasure of Kárún (on account of his liberality).

On that fort, where he raised his standard,
He suspended the commandant's head from the fort.

If others (kings of the world),—whose origin is human,—
Are altogether men, he is altogether manliness (generosity).

For an account of Rustam and Isfandiyar (Xerxes ?), son of Gushtasp (Darius Hystaspis, B.C. 521), see Clarke's translation of the Sháh-Náma, by Firdausí; also Mirkhond's history of the early kings of Persia.

“Khing” signifies—white. When a white horse inclines to:—

“Dá,íra” signifies—mahúṭa,e hiṣár, or the enceinte of a fort.

“Purkár” signifies—a compass, or the curved line made by the compass.

“Purkár khaṭṭ” signifies—the compass-line, or the enceinte of a fort.

“Gira” signifies—the metal stud (centre) on which one leg of the compass firmly stands while the other revolves; or the heart (citadel) of of the enceinte.

Say some that Ḳárún was the son of the sister of Múșạ (Moses); others that he was the son of the uncle of Múșạ. He had forty treasure-houses.

Any great treasure is called—ganj-i-kárún or ganj-i-raván.

I know none of the men, (my) acquaintances,
On whom, on account of that manliness, (the obligation of) thanks is not.

On account of the great favour and grace which they (the men of the world) have derived from him,
They have called him—“the Benefactor of the World!”

If a corpse raise its head from the grave,
Commotion will seize all the city and market.

From the king's justice thousands of hearts dead (through injustice)
Become alive; but the enemy appears not in the road (of obedience).

Like 'Isa (Jesus), he made many dead (through injustice) alive;
He enslaved the people by such a nature (of justice).

The world—like the ruined (worked out) jewel-mine,
Fell, by this sun (Nasratu-d-dín), into prosperity (became full of jewels).

Earth was a hell (scorched) without sowing or sown-field,
It became by such a (rain-bearing) cloud (Nasratu-d-din) green, like Paradise.

Of every favour (God-given) that comes anew to him,
He gives, grain by grain, the share (according to the need) of the askers.

Since wisdom takes up the trace of (pursues) every goodness,
How may the (people of the) world take away his good memory from the world?

“Rú-shinás” signifies—ashná; ma'rúf.

Produced is—the jewel in the mine by the sun's rays; and the joyousness of the earth by the rain-cloud.

Otherwise:—

Like wisdom, he takes up the trace of (pursues) every goodness;

How may the people of the world take away from the world the memory of the good (man)?

I say not—thou art like the ocean, one of great shadow (pomp),
For, verily, thou art like the mine of great value (never empty).

Bravo! a court that, like the sun,
Causes the tent ropes to reach from east to west.

Of the ocean by reason of its depth,—the waters are unmoved.

In this book are two couplets very similar to those by Firdausí.

The couplets by Niẓámí are:—

Zahe bárgáhe ki chún áftáb!
Az mashriḳ ba maghrib rasánad ṭanáb.—Canto xi. couplet 39.

Panáh-i-bulandí va pasti tú,í
Hama nístand ánchi hastí tú,í.—Canto i. couplet 2.

The couplets by Firdausí are:—

Yake khaima,e dásht afrásíyáb
Az mashriḳ ba maghrib kashída ṭanáb.

Jahán rá bulandí va pastí tú,í
Na dánam chi harchi hastí tú,í.

The verses by Niẓámí exceed in eloquence those by Firdausí.

Taki Ouhdí and Daulat Sháh both relate the following anecdote:—

Shaikh Abú-l-Kásim Gúrgání refused to say prayers at the tomb of Firdausí, because in his Sháh-Náma he had praised and celebrated the infidel worshippers and the Magians. On the same night, in a vision, he saw the poet, seated on one of the highest stations in Paradise, attended by angels, jinns, and húrís.

Abú-l-Kásim asked by what means he had obtained such an exalted destiny. He replied—by virtue of one couplet in the Sháh-Náma in praise of the Unity of God.

◌ The height and the depth of the world Thou art;

◌ I know not what Thou art—whatever is, Thou art.

The next morning the holy man rose, repaired to Firdausí's tomb, and, shedding tears of repentance, uttered prayers with earnest zeal before the assembled inhabitants of the city (Ṭús).

The couplet just quoted has been referred to by almost all Firdausí's biographers, including Captain Turner Macan, in whose Persian text of the Sháh-Náma it does not, however, occur.

Sir Gore Ouseley, in his “Notices of Persian Poets,” (page 94), considers it to be an interpolation.

Out of seven copies of the Sháh-Náma examined in the council-room of the Shá?? of Persia by Sir Gore Ouseley and the ministers of the Sháh, only one copy, written about A.D. 1817 by Farju-llah Khán, contained the passage in the Tauhíd (the Praise of the Unity of God).

If from the Tuba tree (in Paradise) arrives
In every palace a branch of amber-nature,

East to west, by his beneficence arrives
Bounty to every house from his tray.

His name fell fitly to (befitted) a Kay Khusrau,
His mothers' lineage traced direct to a Kay Kubad!

In every valley to which he turned his rein,
The hyssop (through his liberality) found dirams in its skirt.

Through his treasure (of liberality), the earth stitched up (filled) a purse (of gold);
The jessamine collected silver; and the sunflower gold.

In it, a groat—where a treasure place,
In which is not something from his treasure?

Since by his crown the country became lofty,
By that crown may his head be victorious!

Bravo! the Khizr and the Sikandar of created beings;
For thou hast both territory and also the water of life!

In the chronicles, it is stated—that in Paradise a branch of amber, native of the great Ṭúba tree, whose root is in the abode of the prophet Muhammad,—reaches to every dwelling, so that the inhabitants of Paradise delight themselves with it. The branches are laden with pomegranates, dates, grapes and other fruits unknown to mortals. If a man desire any kind of fruit it will immediately be presented to him; or, if he choose flesh, birds ready dressed will be set before him. So great is the extent of the tree that a wind-fleet steed could not gallop from one end of its shade to the other in a hundred years. Beneath it are two fountains of Salsabíl (pure water) and of Kausar.

On account of Nașratu-d-dín's liberality, you may call him Kay-Khusrau (Cyrus, B.C. 558) the Second, or the renowned son of Kay Ḳubád. See the Sháh-Náma.

“Dirmana” signifies—a bitter grass whose flower is like round white dirams. In Khurásán it is the forage of horses.

Sikandar possessed empire; Khizr, the water of life.

Naṣratu-d-dín, through his liberality, made alive hearts dead through injustice.

Thou art like Sikandar, the king, a territory-conquerer;
Thou art like Khizr, a guide to those fallen from the path (of religion);

Thou hast all things that are needful;
One thing thou hast not—and that is, thy equal!

When thou castest thy reckoning (desire) towards the hunting of lions,
With a single arrow (Mercury), thou overthrowest two forms (Gemini).

When, in the strife of elephants, thou loosenest the noose,
Thou makest captive the King of Kannauj (the master of elephants).

If the lion, at the time of rage, overthrow the wild ass,
Thou overthrowest the lion,—nay, (even) Bahram Gor (the lion overthrower).

What fortune,—that is not in the shackle of thy work (the servant of the work of thy house)?
What purpose,—that is not in thy bosom (acquired)?

Many a stiff neck of shagreen (grained) leather (ass-hide)
That became (by thy sword) soft like thy stirrup-leather.

“Píl-band” is a chess-term, meaning checkmate to the king—by the bishop (píl) and two pawns (piyáda). See canto xix. couplet 153.

The town of Ḳannauj is on the banks of the Ganges, fifty miles from Cawnpúr. The King of Kannauj was Porus (Fúr), who, in the battle of the Hydaspes, B.C. 327, with Sikandar, used two hundred war-elephants.

Bahrám Gor, (Varahrán the Fifth of Roman history, A.D. 420) was one of the best monarchs who ever ruled Persia.

In a vale between Shíráz and Isfahán, called “the Vale of Horses,” from having been from the earliest times the hunting ground of the nobles of Persia, Bahrám, while pursuing the wild ass (gor), leaped with his horse into a pool, and (in spite of all search) was never seen again.

In A.D. 1810, encamped near the springs of this valley, Sir John Malcolm lost a trooper of the 16th Dragoons, a good swimmer, who was drowned in the spring supposed to be that in which Bahrám was lost. The body of the trooper, being near the edge, was recovered.

Bahrám, firing at a lion that had made a wild ass its prey, the arrow passed through the back of the lion and of the ass, and entered the earth. He was afterwards called Bahrám Gor.

When thou enterest upon wrath—from thee are safe two persons—
One, the soft neck (the submissive one); the other, the pierced ear (the slave).

The enemy, by apology, takes his own life (in safety) from thee;
Thy judgment, in this manner, enjoys the world.

When Time revolved around the world (passed),
Six tokens of six kings remained—

From Kayumars, universe-seizing,—the crown;
From Jamshid, the sword; from Firidun, the throne:

From Kay-Khusrau, that cup (the future state of the) world-displaying,
In which the judgment of the stars found a place:

The lustrous (iron) mirror, the illuminator;
The exemplar of the history (time) of Sikandar:

Verily the seal-ring, ruby studded (having a ruby seal-stone),
Illuminated with the seal of Sulaimán.

Six kings, in this manner, are in thy sway;
Thy name of six letters is (my) evidence of the matter.

Kayumars, the first of the offspring of Ádam, is considered the first king of the Pesh-dádian dynasty. See the Sháh-Náma.

Gív-murs (ancient), Kayumars (modern) signifies—the living word; for gív means—goyá; and murs means—Zinda.

The Zínatu-l-tawárikh says that, in Syriac, the word signifies—hayy náṭiḳ, the living word.

The cup giving intelligence of the future state of the world, by which they viewed the mystery of the seven skies, and learned the judgment of the stars.

Sikandar's mirrors were of three kinds:—

The mirror of the stars; the mirror of the seasons; the Sikandriya mirror that gave intelligence of the coming of the Europeans.

Ikhtisán may be the name of Nașratu-d-dín, of his father, or of his grandfather, as (at the end of this book) Niẓámí says.

In the name Nașratu-d-dín the letters pronounced are six in number (since ◌ are not pronounced). Taking the first letters of the six endowments, couplets 58-62, we have:—

If the last letter were ◌, not ◌, these six letters would form the word:—◌, Ikhtisán.

Besides this I also behold six qualities of thine;
From which mayst thou, month and year, (continually) be prosperous!

One—that, from prepared treasure,
Thou givest wishes, unasked:

The second,—showing generosity beyond computation;
Not seeking back a return from the grateful one:

The third—with compassion adorning (comforting) the heart (of the one tyranny-stricken);
Seeking the heart-justice (revenge) of the one tyranny-stricken:

The fourth,—planting the standard on the Pleiades,
Army alone striking, like the sun (against the army of the darkness of night):

The fifth,—verily, of the offender, forgiveness-seeking,
Pardoning the crime by way of clemency:

The sixth,—preserving compact and agreement,
And not putting fidelity from memory:

May the six sides (of the world) never be without splendour from thee!
May separation never be from these six qualities!

For the flight of (thy) fortune, two falcons of use,—
One, in the treasury; the other, in the hunting-field:

Two snakes, for thy sake, treasure-weighing,—
One, the snake of (possessing) the stone (in its head); the other, the snake (-guardian) of the treasure.

Come cup-bearer! that cup of harmless wine,
That gives tidings of grace to the heart,

Give me, that one moment I may be merry of head;
By this austerity how long shall I be distressed?

“Sháhín” signifies—a royal white falcon (bahrí); the beam of a pair of scales; and one of the two stars of the constellation of the eagle.

One sháhín (scale) is required to weigh treasure to beggars; another sháhín (falcon) to pursue birds in the field, so that lawful and pure food may be provided thee.

“Már-i-muhra” signifies—a deadly snake, in whose head is found a precious shining stone, green or ashey in colour, an antidote to poison. The phrase means—auspicious fortune; for the acquisition of the stone is highly auspicious.

“Már-i-ganj” signifies—perfect wisdom; the sword. Over every treasure, for the preserving of it, dwells a deadly black snake—so that men may not easily obtain the treasure.

O world Khusrau! beneath the seven skies
Thou art, without doubt, the fifth prince.

The seven climes of the world are subject to the seven planets of the Heavens.

There had passed away four kings, of whom two (Nimrúd and Bakhtun-nașr, or the father of Belshazzar) were infidels, and two (Sikandar and Sulaimán) of true faith. Hence, the poet calls both the king Nașratu-d-dín and the planet Mars, whose mansion is in the fifth Heaven—the fifth Prince.

Bakhtu-n-nașr is said to have been the title of Gúdarz—a Persian chief in the time of Luhrasp, the successor of Kay-Khusrau (Cyrus, B.C. 558)—who is supposed to be Nabu-kudur-uzur (Nebuchadnezzar). But, this is doubtful.

Mars (like the king, Nașratu-d-dín) is called—“The Lord of Turki-stán.” It is said that, through the effects of Mars (whose name is Bahrám), they called Nașratu-d-dín, whose justice made all Turkistán prosperous—Bahrám.

With (notwithstanding) the order of (over) so many cities (the six remaining climes)—for the world,
The pillar of thy door (court) is the master of pillars (the garden of Iram).

All night the moon,—that makes (her) circuit of the sphere,
Increases (replenishes as a servant) the oil of thy lamp (of life).

All day the sun with the collar of gold
Binds his loins (as a servant) at the foot of thy throne.

The Entruster of Royalty to thee (God)
Entrusted to thee whatever of the world thou desirest.

“Zátu-l-'Umád” (signifying—Șáhib-i-banáhá,e buland) here means —the garden of Iram made by Shadád, the son of 'A'd, as related in the Ḳurán. Of this garden God said:—

“Iram is possessed of pillars, like to which nothing was made in cities.”

See canto viii. couplet 64.

The meaning of the passage is:—

Notwithstanding that they behold the lordship and justice of the kings of the six remaining regions of the world (exclusive of Turki-stán)—for the people of the world, the pillar of thy door (court) is Paradise.

The moon is impetuous in thy service; she is oil-caster and light-maker for thee.

This work, which the poet invites the sensible king to peruse—is the rule for sovereignty, conquest, and administration.

He gave thee country for that reason that thou mightest exercise sovereignty (world-guarding),
When thou becomest ruler, thou mightest exercise justice-seeking (of the oppressed).

Neither displays a hawk violence against a gnat;
Nor plants an elephant (the oppressor) his foot on the back of the ant (the oppressed one).

Thanks to the Lord, World-Shelter (God),
That the king's justice is more than this (my) precept (of guidance to justice).

I have an eye to (I hope for) the king's justice,
That he may, a little while, look into this tale (of the Sikandar-Náma).

If he consider the tale far from the path (of reason),
Let him cast on it neither shadow nor splendour.

But, if he behold in it wave on wave of pearl (of verse),
He may bring the head of the chaunter to the zenith!

In this treasure-book of the (world's) mystery,
I have concealed the key of much treasure (of philosophy).

That one who brings to his hand the key of gold (of philosophy),
Knows how to shatter the tilism of many a treasure (so that he may acquire it).

“Ṭilism” (talisman) was a form placed over buried treasure for the purpose of guarding it.

See the following works in Persian, printed at the press of Munshí Newul Kishor, Lucknow, East India:—

(1) “Majmú 'at-i-ṭilism-i-Iskandar zú-l-ḳarnin mushtamil bar fanúni-panjgána,” by Maulaví Muhammad 'Usman Sháhid.

(2) “Suráju-r-raml,” by Maulaví Roshan 'Alí.

(3) “Misdáḳu-r-raml,” by Muhammad 'Iṭṭár Mál Lahúrí.

Also “Lilly's Astrology,” Bohn's series, 1729.

And if he bring not forth (acquire not) the hidden treasure (of mysteries),
He becomes joyous, in the end, with the golden key (of knowledge).

Thou knowest—this jewel (the Sikandar-Náma) half-pierced (unfinished),
What (keys of) treasures (of subtleties) it has in concealment.

My jewel-piercing (versifying) has joy from (praise of) thee,
My praise-uttering is worthy of thee.

Wisdom—that makes the sky, earth—
Utters praise on this my praise (of thee).

When from the monarch came the command like this:—
“In (to) my name, depict (dedicate) this picture (of the Sikandar-Náma)!”

I will make my brain fresh (concentrate thought) by the king's word;
I will remain silent (thought-collecting) by the people's word:

“Gauhar” relates to—the Sikandar-Náma,e bara'. At this time Niẓámí had not written the Sikandar-Náma,e bahrí; hence, the jewel is said to be half-pierced.

Wisdom, whose head is on the sky, obtains power over the mysteries of the sky, and utters praise on my praise; because I have chosen the praising of a king like thyself.

“Maghz dar sar kardan” signifies—be parwâ-í va ighmáz búdan; khámosh shudan.

Having folded up other speech, I will make my brain fresh with the memory of the king.

The second line should precede the first, which the poet, out of respect for the king has put first.

By the word of men, who have brought the king's command, I collect together the power of speech-uttering and the force of my brain; and, by the king's order, I make my brain fresh.

The second line will read, if az guft be written for ba guft:—

I will remain silent as to speech (praise) of the people.

I will send to that banquet a bride (the Sikandar-Náma),
By whom the king's banquet may become eye-illumined (joyous).

May such a bride be the king's slave!
May the male of the world (the king) be happy with her!

To the degree that near (quickly, in the present), and far (slowly, in the future)
Light is (belongs) to the lamp, world-illuminating (the sun),

May the rose of the king's garden be world-illuminating (with its blossom)!
May the lamp of his night be the torch of the day (the sun)!

His slanderer,—mouth rent (gaping) like the crow!
His enemy,—tongue burnt (silent) like the lamp!

Nizami—like wealth (ever existing) in his palace—
May he be night and day his praise-utterer!

Come cup-bearer! that ease-exciter of the soul (wine)
Give, so that in the morning-time I may take a precious morning draught.

A morning draught (of senselessness), that from the stream of Kausar I drink,
Is lawful, (even) if till the day of assembling I drink.

“Fahl” signifies—a male of perfect body.

“Kausar” is the name of a nectar-flowing river in Paradise; it here means—joy on beholding God's majesty.

The world (Time) is (engaged) in cherishing the bad and the good;
Many good and evil deeds are on its neck.

Night and day, from this screen of azure colour (the sky),
It brings forth (magician like) much lively pastime.

If a play (of verse) heart-pleasing issue from me,—
Take it even as a pastime of the sphere, the revolver.

(Since) from the sorcery of this screen of ancient years (the sky),
I became an image-maker,—how may I not produce (from myself) an image (conceit it speech)?

I am intent that I may make void (escape from) this screen (the sky),
May make a magician's image in this screen (the Sikandar-Náma);

In some copies the title is:—

“The reciting of the whole of the tale in an abridged form.”

“Khiyálí” signifies—bází-gar; șáhib-i-khiyál.

“Parda,e derína sál” may signify—a musical note. The couplet may then be rendered:—

From the sorcery of this strange note (given by the sky)

I became master of song,—how then may I not produce the trill (of this poem)?

“Khiyálí” signifies—mard-i-khiyál-band; sarod-goe.

“Khiyál” signifies—the trill of a song.

When from beholding the sky's sorcery,—I come forth, retire, and become engaged with my own work,—I will display sorcery in the screen of this book.

The first parda may signify—Niẓámí's heart; the second—the sky.

May from a form (the Sikandar-Náma), make a (beautiful) image,
Such as no sorcerer brings forth.

First, I made the beginning (of the form) in such a way
That the melody of its music (verse) might produce the burning (of grief).

Of whatever I considered wonderful I spoke in such a way
That the heart took the path of believing.

That image (conceit in speech) which was very far from wisdom,—
To it I made not speech foot-bound (captive).

Having collected a grain (of information) from every door (of history),
I adorned (the Sikandar-Náma) like an idol-house.

First, I placed the foundation on a basis,
So that the wall of that house (the Sikandar-Náma) might be true (safe from ruin).

Carp not against me for giving precedence and keeping back (chronologically),
For no help is the narrator's on that account.

In the painting of this picture (the Sikandar-Náma) of Chinese silk (smooth paper),
The pen (the reed) was bound against Mání.

“Paikar” signifies—a form, witb or without soul.

The couplet may refer to—the praise of God, prayers, or to the praise of the prophet.

Some think that it refers to grief at the departing of youth, or at the injury inflicted by men of the world.

“Dúr dast” signifies—bisiyár dúr. See canto xxxi. couplet 129.

“Hisáb” signifies—khiyal mentioned in the foregoing couplets.

In this book, I brought into verse tales from trustworthy histories so that there is no fear of the criticism of criticizers (i'tiráḍ-i-mu'tariḍ).

In the third century Mání proclaimed himself the comforter promised by Christ, and established the sect of Manicheans.

He fled from Shahpúr I. (A.D. 240), King of Persia, in Eastern Tartary, where he painted a number of singular figures in a book called the Artang, pretending that he had received them from angels, and returned to Persia in the reign of Bahrám (Varahrán I., A.D. 274), who put him and his followers to death.

Some say—artang signifies the house in which Mání painted, but here it means the painting. See canto xxviii. couplet 158.

Some say that bast is written for bastam, when the second line would read:—

I bound (rendered motionless) the pen against (of) Mání, the painter.

When I was preparing this work (the Sikandar-Nama),
Speech was straight-moving (fluent) but the road (of information) ambient.

The traces (deeds) of that monarch, world-wandering,
I saw not written in one book.

Speeches (subtleties) that were like stuffed treasure
Were scattered in every work.

I took up materials from every book;
I bound on them the ornaments of verse.

More than (besides) new histories,—
—Jewish, Christian, and Pahlavi (histories)—

It is observed that this couplet is false. For, in this book, we have words chiefly in Persian and Arabic; a few in Greek and Russian; and none in the Jewish and Christian tongues.

The meaning of couplets 18 and 19 may be:—

From the three histories, Jewish, Christian, and Pahlavi—nay, besides from other histories in the language of fire-worshippers and such like— from every history I took out the truth.

Couplet 18 may be read:—

More than (besides) new histories,—(I read)
Jewish, Christian, and Pahlaví (histories).

Pahlaví was the language of Western Persia; it was spoken at Isfahán, Hamadan (the capital of Media), and in A'ẓarbíjan. See canto x. couplet 33.

In the Bombay transactions, vol. ii. page 298, Mr. Erskine says—he has never heard of any Pahlaví work written to the east of the great desert of Persia.

When the Parthians made Ctesiphon and Hamadan their capitals, and under most of the Sassanidæ (A.D. 226-641), who resided chiefly at Susa and almost exclusively in the west, the Pahlaví became the principal dialect in which the works existing at the time of the Muhammadan conquest (A.D. 641) were written.

So complete, however, was the destruction—first by the fanatical zeal of the invaders, and secondly by indifference about the originals, after everything valuable had been sucked out of them—that, besides a few inscriptions and legends of medals, and some portions of the Zand-Avesta (the living word of Zoroaster), and treatises connected therewith, scarcely any specimens of the Pahlaví have been found.

Chardin says—that Abbás the Great made (circa A.D. 1603) every possible search after manuscripts in the Pahlaví, and that he put one of the priests of the Gabrs to death in consequence of his disappointment. The collection made by Abbás amounted to twenty-six volumes, lodged in the Royal Library, Iṣfahán. A Gabr read to him (Chardin) for three months out of a book relating to their usages, written in the time of Yazdijird (A.D. 632-651).

The fanatical Arabian of the era of Muhammad knew and wished to know no book but the Ḳurán; for if it contained only what was in the Ḳurán it was useless; if it contained anything different it was wrong and injurious. The Persian priests (Majús) were considered as sorcerers. In the popular tales of Arabia every act of wickedness or of witchcraft is the deed of a Gabr, a word throughout the Muhammadan world synonymous with Gaur, or infidel.

Ibn Chaldun says:—

When the Islamites conquered Persia and had found many books, Sa'd bin Makas wrote to 'Umar requesting permission to preserve them and have them translated for the use of the faithful. 'Umar, however, commanded him to throw them into the water or into the fire. Thus perished all the knowledge of Persia.

It would be important could we ascertain the fate of those ancient national records—“the books of the chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia,”—referred to in the book of Esther, by Herodotus (viii. 85), and by Thucydides (i. 129), which Ktesias affirms he used, saying that the Persians had their deeds recorded on skins.

Moses of Chorene, the Armenian chronicler of the fifth century, relates that—when Valarsakes was set over Armenia by his brother Arsakes (B.C. 250), the founder of the Parthian dynasty, he sent a learned man to Nineveh to examine the royal library, and that this envoy found a volume translated by order of Sikandar from the Chaldaic into the Greek tongue, containing a true and genuine history from the earliest times. (Liber i., cap. 7 and 8.)

It is scarcely conceivable that some narratives of ancient Persian history should not have survived till the time of the Sassanidæ, when they would have formed the basis of the various Sháh-Námas, especially of the Bastán-Náma, the national history compiled under the reign of Yazdijird, and subsequently translated from the Pahlaví into Persian under the Sammani princes of Khurásán.

This Bastán-Náma is the book of which Firdausí speaks in the beginning of his Sháh-Náma, completed at the age of eighty years, A.D. 1020.

Maṣudí, the Arabian writer, who lived about A.H. 350 (A.D. 961), besides quoting an ancient Sháh-Náma, mentions having seen a history of the Persian kings, compiled in A.H. 113 (A.D. 731) from the original documents preserved in the treasury of Iṣṭakhar.

No long period after the destruction of the Persian empire (A.D. 641) can have elapsed before the fragments of its ancient records were collected and translated into Persian and Arabic. The poet Dakíkí, who was employed to versify them, after composing a thousand couplets, was assassinated by a slave.

Mahmúd of Ghuzní, A.H. 387 (A.D. 997), feeling the advantage of teaching his subjects to contemplate those periods when their ancestors were wont to be the masters of Asia, urged his court-poets, Ansarí and Essedí, to accomplish what Dakíkí had begun; but they declined it, being unequal to so boundless an undertaking.

The achievement was reserved for Firdausí, who, in his Sháh-Náma— the loftiest flight of the Persian muse and the noblest monument of Eastern genius—has related all that the Persians know of their ancient history, from Ḳayumars to the downfall of the second empire under Yazdigird, who began to reign A.D. 632 and died A.D. 651. Of the documents on which the Sháh-Náma was founded no trace has been discovered. The original Pahlaví records and the Persian translations from them appear to have perished together. If the Bastán-Náma be still extant, it has eluded every search.

Could it be brought to light, we should be able to distinguish that due to Firdausí's imagination from the national records which he received. The manuscripts were probably deposited in the royal archives at Ghuzní, and must have perished when it was burned and sacked by the Afgháns of Ghúr

I chose from every book its charm (excellence);
Took out from every husk (book) its brain (pith):

Gathered treasure (the Sikandar-Náma)—speech within speech (boundless);
And prepared from that total (of varied tongues) the sum total (the Sikandar-Náma).

Whosoever is acquainted with every language (in which the tale of Sikandar is related),
His tongue is short of criticism (on this work).

In that screen of history from which I found truth,
I twisted (arranged) the tip of the curl of (lustrous) speech.

And, if thou desirest truth;—true words,
It is not fit to seek in the ornament of verse.

If of it (speech) I diminish the decoration of verse,
I may put it together in couplets of little value (few and void of lustre).

Everything done by the king (Sikandar) world proudly traversing,
I may bring together complete in this single page of paper.

Sikandar, who was king, world-wandering,
Was provision-provided (prepared) for the work of travelling.

He wandered and beheld all four limits of the world;
For one cannot purchase a country without four limits.

On every throne-place (capital) on which he planted his foot,
He preserved the regulations of the great kings of Kay.

Couplets 25 to 74 give the deeds of Sikandar.

In the Ionian language Iskandar, or Sikandar, signifies—Akshíd Rús, or Fílusúf (fílá, love; súfá, wisdom)—or the lover of wisdom.

Sikandar (Alexander the Great), bore the title of Zú-l-Ḳarnain the less, in contradistinction to Sikandar Zú-l-Karnain the greater (the contemporary of Abraham, or King Asa'b ibnu-r-rayesh of the first race of Persian kings).

Kay refers to the title of the second dynasty of the Persian kings. Kay Ḳubád (Dijoces, B.C. 696), Kay Ḳá,us (Cyaxares, B.C. 634), Kay Khusrau (Cyrus, B.C. 558), and his successor, Kay Luhrasp.

“Zar dusht” may be spelled—zar dust, zar tusht, zár tusht, zár husht, zára dusht.

Zar dusht, called Ibráhím, or the Sage Zoroaster, of the city of Balkh, the pupil of Afládus, the disciple of Físaghoras, of the lineage of Mínu-chihr (B.C. 730), laid claim, in the time of Gushtasp (Darius Hystaspis, B.C. 521), to being a prophet.

He presented three books, said to be of heavenly origin—the 'Usta, the Zand, and its commentary, Pázand. The Magians call him a prophet. Firdausí, of the lineage of Ibráhím, believed in him.

Some say that Zar dusht is, in Syriac, the name of Ibráhím.

Professor Haug carries Zoroaster to B.C. 1200. Zoroaster signifies the office of the priest, not the priest. The real name is Spitáma, a fire-priest in Bactria, in B.C. 1200. According to Haug, he attempted to refine on the primitive elementary worship, and to teach the unity of God; but in attempting to solve the difficulty how evil, physical and moral, came into existence, he introduced the doctrine of the two principles, in consequence of which his followers, confounding his religion with his philosophy, believed that he taught the duality of God.

Spitáma is the reputed author of the teaching embodied in the Zand-Avesta, originally consisting of twenty-one distinct compositions; unhappily only one of these, the Vandidad (Vidaé-vadáta), “the law against demons,” with fragments of others, is extant.

Sometimes, as the mubid (priest) engages in adoration of fire (or light, its emblem), he raises to his nose a branch or a bundle of twigs, called in Zand, barsum. Thus Ezekiel, chapter viii. verses 15-17, says:—

“Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence and have returned to provoke me to anger; and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.”

The previous verses being read, the combination of sun-worship with the putting of a branch to the nose shows that it was Zoroastrian worship that Ezekiel saw.

Herodotus represents the Magí first as a people of Media, and (after the Persian conquest) as a priestly caste.

He says:—“It is said that the corpse of every Persian, before interment, is torn of birds or of dogs. This practice is, I certainly know observed by the Magi, for it is done openly.”

Strabo says:—“The Magi keep upon the altar a quantity of ashes and an immortal fire; and, going there daily for an hour, repeat their prayers, holding a bundle of twigs before the fire.”

This proves that the Magi (whatever they might originally have been) had become priests of the fire-temple and Zoroastrians.

Consider—the mention of Rab-Mag (chief of the Magi) in the train of Nebuchadnezzar, B.C. 603 (Jeremiah xxxix. 3, 13); the visit of the wise men (Magoi) to Christ's cradle, and the doings of Simon Magus.

Not long after Muhammadanism arose, the Muslims fell with fury on Persia. The contest began with the battle of Kadesia, A.D. 636, and ended with the overthrow of Yazdagird, the last of the Sassanian kings, A.D. 641.

The Persian empire that then fell was devotedly Zoroastrian. Numbers, feeling the Muhammadan yoke intolerable, fled to Khurasán, and there remained a hundred years. The mass of the refugees then went to Ormus, in the Persian Gulf, where they remained fifteen years, thence to Div, an island south-west of Gujarát, and thence to Sanjan.

At present, Bombay and Surat are their chief seats. The fragments of the Zand Avesta or Avesta u Zand (text and commentary) that we have are not older than A.D. 226, when Ardashír founded the Sassanian empire in Persia.

See “Essays” by Dr. Haug, Bombay, 1862; the “Acad. des Inscript.” tom. 37, an extract from which is given (p. 274) in Shea's translations of Mirkhond's “History of the Early Kings of Persia”; Malcolm's “History of Persia,” vol. i. p. 494; the list of Zand and Pahlaví books by Trübner & Co.; two articles by Monier Williams, in “the Nineteenth Century,” 1881—“the Religion of Zoroaster” (January), and “The Parsís” (March); “Modern India,” by Monier Williams, pp. 56, 169, 202; Hammer's “History of Persian Literature,” and his “Encyclopedic View of the Sciences of the East.”

Save the rites of Zar-dusht, the fire-worshipper,—
Other customs he surrendered not.

He was the first person who established (the use of) decoration;
(Who), in Rum established gold-coining.

By his order the goldsmith of cunning hand
Fixed leaves of gold on the surface of virgin silver.

The books of wisdom, from the Darí language,
He clothed in the Greek tongue.

Verily the drum of the watch, in the morning and evening,
Brought forth (proclaimed) his name from the watch-place (the court).

He became the guide of the people to the mirror,
Brought forth the jewel (the lustrous mirror) from the darkness (of iron):

Severed the tumult of the men of Zang from the world;
Took crown and throne from Dárá:

From this couplet it may be inferred that formerly in Rúm certain customs were not in use, such as—gold-coining (sikka,e zar); handshaking (mușáfaha); hand-kissing (dast-bosí).

“Ṭilá” here signifies—awráḳ-i-ṭilá, leaves of gold, with which they plate articles.

Some say that Sikandar, after translating all these Persian books, burned them.

This couplet may refer to the precious jewel that Sikandar brought forth from the darkness. See cantos lxviii. and lxix.

Zang. See canto xix.

Of the blackness (of boasting) of Hindústán and of the yellowness (of plundering) of Russia,
Washed down (purified) the world, like the house of a bride.

His order became the mirror (model) of the men of Chín;
His place the throne of Kay-Khusrau (Cyrus, B.C. 558).

When his age urged (turned) a leaf over twenty years,
It (his age) smote, in royalty, the leather strap on the drum.

Secondly, when he added seven to twenty years,
He bound up his chattels for prophesying (regarding God) and set out.

From that day, when he went a-prophesying,
They wrote the date (era) of Sikandar.

“Baitu-l-'arús” signifies—the whitened house of a man or a woman newly married. When a death occurs the house is blackened.

The men of Hindústán are very black; of Russia, whitish yellow.

Sikandar at the age of twenty, having subdued the monarchs of the East, returned to Rúm and sat on the throne. This was his first excursion. See canto lxxi.

“Dawal,” meaning a drum-stick, here signifies—tasma, a thong of undressed hide.

The firstly occurs in couplet 38.

They call him in the Greek tongue—Muhibb-i-hikmat, the friend of philosophy. Some call him—Zú-l-ḳarnain-i-așghar; because both sides of his forehead projected like two horns.

In the Burhán-i-ḳáṭi', it is written that Dárab's wife, the daughter of Philip of Makedon, being afflicted with a foul breath, was sent back to her father. After a physician, Iskandarús, had cured her, a son, whom doubtless they called Iskandar, was born. See canto xv., couplet 30.

The son of Sikandar and Roshanak (Dárá's daughter) was called Iskan-darús, which, in Rúm, signifies—a shield. See canto xxxv., couplet 83.

They wrote history before Sikandar's mission from a certain date; after his mission from his date; and now from the date of Christ, or of Muhammad.

Before Muhammad's time Persian histories have no era.

When he became the teacher of wisdom, in regard to the true religion (of Islám),
He became, like (auspicious) fortune, joyous to the world:

Stirred up much proof (by miracle) as to the pure religion (of Islám);
Erected many buildings on the surface of the dust (of the earth):

In every revolution round the compass of time (the seven climes),
Founded many wealthy cities:

From Hindústán to the confines of Rúm,
Raised a city in every land and clime.

Gave adornment even to Samarkand;
—Not one Samarkand, but to many (a city) like it:

Founded a city like the city Hirí (Hirát);
Like to which another seldom makes a city.

The door and wall that Darband first obtained,
It obtained, by the wisdom of that wise one (Sikandar).

They say that Sikandar was of the faith of Ibráhím (the prophet), and consequently mu,mín (orthodox); and that Adam was the first Muslim.

“Marz” signifies—zamín-i-ránda va ábád.

“Búm” signifies—zamín-i-ná ránda va kharab.

The “Journal” of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1834, vol. iii. p. 9, says:—Luhrasp began and Sikandar completed the building of Hirát.

“Darband” (dar signifying door, and band, fortress) has several names—

Darband (ancient Albania), the capital of Daghistan, was a fortress on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus, near Shirván. Some remains of the thick and extensive wall of Gog and Magog, running in a western direction over high and almost inaccessible mountains, built by Sikandar Zu-l-Ḳarnain the greater (to check the incursions of Hyperborean savages) are still to be seen.

Many believe that Sikandar (Alexander the Great) is the prophet Sikandar Zu-l-Ḳarnain the greater, mentioned in Sale's Ḳurán, chap. xviii.; and that he built the rampart which confines Ya,júj (Gog) and Ma,júj (Magog). These evil demons, according to the Persians, dwell in Mount Káf, the centre of the world; and their progeny, who are of all sizes and shapes, used to plunder and lay waste the neighbouring countries, till the inhabitants complained to Sikandar, who built his wall to confine them. They scratch it almost through with their claws every day and go home, expecting that they will easily destroy in the morning the little that is left; but in the morning they find the wall rebuilt.

The reason of their failure is their never saying—“Inshalla” (God willing), and they will never destroy this wall till one of their children is named Inshalla, when, on retiring, they will call the boy:—“Come along, Inshalla; we shall finish to-morrow.”

By the accidental use of this expression they will succeed in destroying it, and their consequent ravages will be a sign of the dissolution of the Universe. See Malcolm's “History of Persia,” vol. i. p. 62; and the “Asiatic Journal,” vol. x., January-April, 1833.

In the word Samarḳand, samar is a king's name, and ḳand (in the language of the region this side of the Oxus) signifies—a city.

“Ba sharṭ” signifies—ba muḳtaẓạ.

Pass beyond Bulghár, which is of his work;
Its true site is his Bunghár (chattel-place).

Verily, the barrier of (the tribe of) Ya,juj became lofty by him:
—Who thus established a barrier on the mountain?

When Sikandar, in search of the water of life, came to the “Darkness” (canto lxix), he made in its vicinity a dwelling place (bungáh), or store-place for his chattels, in Bunghár (a place of many caves); and when he came thence and marched into the “Darkness,”—a crowd of people from the neighbouring districts and the men of his army who were wearied of marching assembled and established a great city. The true site of that Bulghár is Bunghár.

“Bunágáh” signifies—bungáh.

In the Rashídí the meaning of Bulghar (Bunghár) is—bisiyar ghár (for bul signifies—bisiyár). The Ḳámus says:—The word is properly Bulghar, but that the people call it Bulghár, which is pure Arabic.

The second line may be rendered:—

Its true foundation is its cave's foundation.

See canto lxviii. couplet 45; lxi. 10.

Near the Caspian, between two mountains, for a length of one hundred farsangs, Sikandar built a wall of brick, iron, tin and lead,—that the two tribes, Ya,júj (Gog) and Ma,júj (Magog), the offspring of Yafar, the son of Nuh (on him be peace!), might not intrude. Sale's Ḳurán, chap. xviii.

See couplets 47 and 59; the second book of this work (the Sikandar-Náma,e bahrí); and the Sháh-Náma, by Firdausí.

Besides this, he also established many foundations (cities);
But one cannot mention about him more than this.

When to that pure body (Sikandar of pure religion) the purpose came,
That he should apportion the form of the dust (of the world).

He drew out a cross-line (wandered far and wide) in the world,
Before that the cross-bearer (the Christian) appeared.

With that celestial line of four angles (for earth-measuring),
He set up the computation of geometry:

Upreared a great tent of four bounds (corners),
That beat five drums against (exulted over) the ninth heaven.

Its one peg in the northern pole,
Its other peg in the southern amplitude.

He drew the tent-rope from this side to the east;
From it another tent-rope reached to the west.

In the plain of Khafcháḳ, between two mountains, Sikandar set up another barrier against robbers.

“Khaṭṭ-i-șalíbí” signifies—khaṭṭ-i-aṭlasí, or khaṭṭ-i-chahár gosha, the cutting of an equatorial with an axial line—the former from east to west, the latter from north to south; or an instrument for measuring the earth.

Sikandar, a world-wanderer, described a cross on the earth—that is, he travelled east, west, north, and south, and discovered the dimensions of the earth.

“Salíbí” here signifies—a cross-bearer, wearing a cross of silver, copper, or wood, attached to his girdle. Many Christians have the cross embroidered on pieces of satin which they wear.

Within this workshop (of the world) as regards (measuring) this length and breadth (of the world);
To whom other (than he) was such power?

When he began the design of world-wandering
For applying the (measuring) line, he prepared lines

Of farsang, and of mile, and of halting-place,—
Of the earth, to the extent of one span, he left not.

He had surveyors, measure-taking;
A hundred scribes appointed to that work (of earth-measuring).

The measuring-line fixed, the dimension became evident;
The limits of the stage became conspicuous.

On dry-land, wherever he pitched his tent,
From stage to stage he measured the way.

Another time (to travel) on the surface of the sea was his lot.
The method of measuring was ready to him.

Two boats were fastened together;
Between the two boats the measuring cord was tied.

“Rishta zadan” here signifies—paimúdan, to measure.

“Rishta sákhtan” signifies—ráhhá sákhtan, to make roads.

See “Ancient Geography of India,” by General A. Cunningham, page 3, plate II.:—

“The close agreement of these dimensions given by Sikandar's informants with the actual size of the country is very remarkable.”

According to Strabo, Sikandar caused the whole of the country to be described by men well acquainted with it.

“Yala” here signifies—rihá.

At the end of each farsang they set up “a mile-stone” called farsang-sár.

Having bound a measuring cord to two boats, he urged one forward until he obtained the desired distance; then, moving the first boat, he kept the other in its place.

He left one (boat) at its anchor-place,
Urged the other forward to the limit of the measuring cord:

Gave the next time the foot (of motion) to this the fastened one (for weighing anchor);
Gave a place in (of) rest to the hastener (the other boat):

Would prepare the (measuring) cord sometimes for that; sometimes for this (boat),
—Consider the majesty of him (Sikandar) who thus would play (with) the rope!—

With this subtlety, the measurer, the stage-recogniser,
Used to take measurement from shore to shore.

The world,—which he drew from grief into ease,—
By this geometry, he drew into measurement (surveyed).

To wit—of the earth, how much there is; and of the road to where it is (goes);
He made straight (evident) the balance of design (of measurement).

Verily the inhabited quarter of the world became by him conspicuous;
—To that stage (of exaltation) which of us will arrive?—

To every cultivated and uncultivated land to which he urged his steed,
To that land he gave the portion of prosperity.

He exercised every design (of city-founding) on mountain and plain,
When death came, he became remediless as to death.

“Pá,e dádan” here signifies—pá,e raftár dá??an; rawán kardan.

In some copies, in place of bákhte (an active verb), the following occurs:—bafte; táfte; sákhte.

“Rassan báz” signifies—one who dances on a rope.

One-fourth of the world—twenty-six thousand farsangs—is inhabited, the other three-fourths are desolate.

Of the history (time) of that Khusrau (Sikandar), crown-possessing,
This is useful (true) which has come into use (in this my abstract).

Except this (written), whatever the pen brings into scratching (writes),
More or less has light weight (is untrustworthy).

Since verse-making was road-taking (pleasing),
The mistaking of the path (of truth) was unavoidable.

Mine is work with beautiful uttering;
All my work, indeed, is (lies) in falsifying.

Yes, whatever of it I found unworthy of belief,
I turned away my face from giving it place (in the “Sharaf-Náma.”)

I made its representation in (my own) mind, in such a way
That to readers there might be no help for it.

To circulate much about a wonderful matter
Draws the rein of speech into foolish talking.

In the second line, the first ba kár ámad signifies—rást va muwáfiḳ-i-nafsu-l-amr; the second ba kár ámad signifies—nawishtá shud.

The circumstances of Sikandar, to the extent of which I have written, are true; the rest is falsehood.

When it is necessary to versify the tale of the contests and banquets of Sikandar, the mistaking of the road (the uttering of falsehood) is unavoidable; for without a mixture of falsehood the tale cannot be versified. In couplet 77 the author goes further and says:—

Since my work consists of beautiful speeches (nughz-guftárí), all my labour is falsifying (ghalat-kárí); because, in choosing deeds of brilliancy (khúb-kár) falsifying is necessary.

The sages have said:—

Of writers, the falsest poem is that most inciting to wonder

And if thou should utter speech without some wonder (the subtlety of verse),
The old books (void of the imagery of verse) would have no freshness.

Of speech, keep watch to this extent,
That in imagination one can believe it.

Although speech (verse) produces (in the orator's opinion) the splendour of the jewel,
When it is not believed it seems the lie.

That falsehood that is like to truth,
Better than the truth, that (in man's sight) is apart from truth.

O Nizami! be light (free from worldly affections); friends have departed (died);
Thou hast remained, and grief; the grief-soothers have departed.

Sikandar, the monarch of seven climes, remained not (died);
None may remain (in the world), since Sikandar remained not.

Drink not wine alone (think not of thyself) on this side the stream (of verse);
Seek out (remember) the former companions (who have died).

Shaikh Sa'dí, in the Gulistán, chap. i. says:—

That falsehood fraught with good advice is better than the truth tending to strife.

Couplets 80-84 apologise for uttering the untrue.

Be not proud of this power of versifying, for the world's power is the cause of permanence of none.

By the side of streams they drink wine; the passage refers to versifying.

If they (the former companions) be present (to thy mind) may the wine be to thee the water of immortality,
And if not, may the reckoning (of thy wine-drinking) be forgotten!

Come, cup-bearer! from the jar of the old villager,
Pour wine (a portion of senselessness) into the goblet, like honey and milk:

Not that wine which is unlawful to religion,—
(But), the wine by which the true religion became complete.

In some copies, ziyádah occurs in place of hisábat, that (some think) here means—joy at the time of speech.

Like honey and milk in sweetness and wholesomeness.

The viewing of God's majesty they call the old villager (the fire-worshipper, the wine-drinker); because it gives the rapture of senselessness to the lovers of God.

In some copies, this couplet is omitted.

ON DISPLAYING DESIRE FOR THE JOYOUSNESS OF THIS TALE; AND ON INCLINING TOWARDS THE GARDEN AND THE PARTERRE.

Come gardener! display joyousness!
The rose has come; open the door of the garden.

In the Persian text of Muhammad Gulví, pages 124 to 136, many poetical and Súfí,istical explanations of couplets 2 to 29 are given. In this translation those of couplets 2 to 18 only are given, as space cannot be spared.

At the time of revision, Niẓámí put this tale here as a variegated garden.

Nizami has come from the city wall to the garden!
Adorn the garden with painted silk.

To the lip of the rose-bud (the child) to which the smell of milk comes,
Blow by desire of the red rose (its mother) pleasant perfume.

Draw out widely (increase) the stature of the straight cypress;
Give news to the turtle-dove (the lover of the cypress) that the bough is green.

To the nightingale take secretly a piece of glad tidings,
That the cradle of the rose (the branch) has come back to the wine-tavern.

In some copies bustán faráz occurs in place of mai-khána, which in Pehlaví signifies—gulzar, a rose bed.

Give secretly to the nightingale the glad tidings that the rose (its beloved) has blossomed to such an extent that its branches have reached the wine-tavern (in the desolate place). O nightingale! why art thou careless, when thy beloved has gone from her abode to the dwelling of another.

Wash down the dust from the forehead (surface) of the verdure;
For lapis-lazuli becomes luminous by washing.

The tulip's heart that with blood is agitated,—
Smooth down (comfort) and cover its great blood with a little dust.

To the head of the narcissus, with its white hair,
Give blackness with the shade of the musk-willow.

Lapis lazuli, that has been well washed, is used as a colour.

“Faro mál” signifies—faro rez; berún kun; ișláh kun.

The couplet may mean:—

Decorate the tulip and permit it not to lie in the dust.

If ma posh be read for bi posh, the second line will be:—

Rub blood on it, and cover it not up with dust.

When vicious blood in a man's veins brings forth overpowering lustfulness and upsets the equilibrium of the temperament—by bleeding, they pour the blood out of the body and cover it with dust.

In the case of the third (last) meaning the following remark is necessary.

God forbid that his passionate desire (of uttering God's mystery) should become manifest, and that he should be slain with the sword of punishment.

The flower of the narcissus is white; of the musk-willow red. The meanings are:—

To the head of the narcissus with white hair (the ancient history of Sikandar),

Give blackness with the shade of the musk-willow (the colouring of varied verse).

The old man, by dyeing his hair, makes youths incline towards him in pleasure.

In the midst of the trees of the garden, all youths of rose-cheek,—the flower of narcissus with the hue of old age appears ugly. Dye it with the shade of the musk-willow that it may appear ruddy and young.

In the case of the third (last) rendering the following remark is necessary.

Lest the holy traveller should be effaced; for, in this world, the beholding of God's majesty is difficult to man.

Make wine-stained (ruddy) the lip of the pomegranate;
Make the earth gold-encrusted (adorned) with safflower.

From the red arghaván give a salutation to the lily of the valley;
Despatch water to the rose-bush.

Look towards the newly risen ones (plants) of the parterre (needing nurture);
Draw not a line on (efface not) that delicate plot.

“Khiṭṭa” signifies—a piece of ground on which they draw lines of fencing so that none may there alight; it now means—a prosperous city.

The meanings are—

(a) Yet look at the newly risen ones (freshly uttered verses) of the parterre (of verse);

Draw not a line on (efface not) this newly prosperous city (of verse).

(b) Yet look at the newly risen ones (portions of thin clouds) of the parterre (of the air);

Draw not the line (of carelessness) as regards those newly sprung regions (of cloud).

(c) Yet look at the newly risen ones of the parterre (of the world);

Draw not the line (of oblivion) as regards that delicate region (the sons of A'dam).

From the love of persons like myself—with freshness,
Cause much salutation to reach every green thing (in the garden).

Temperate is the air; heart-alluring, the garden;
For that reason, the desire of the heart of friends is happy.

The trees blossomed by the border of the garden;
Each flower, lamp-like, lit up.

To the bird (nightingale) tongue-bound (on account of autumn) give voice,
Saying:—Renew the flight (of song) of the past year.

Make the wail of the harp the speaker;
Bring forth this (my) sorrowful heart to dancing.

The meanings are—

(a) From the love of persons like myself (matured poets), with freshness, Cause much salutation to reach to every green thing (portions of the sky or the cloud).

Note.—Poets love the morning slightly clouded.

(b) From the love of persons like myself (holy travellers), with freshness,

Cause much salutation to reach to every green thing (the perfections of the holy traveller).

Note.—For we are desirous of God. Come and cause us to reach the stage.

Temperate is the air (the Divine bounty has descended); heart alluring, the garden (of verse);

The desire of the heart of friends is happy by it.

To the bird tongue-tied (the seeker of Divine mystery) give voice,

Saying:—Prepare the past song, and read this book, delight-giving,

If murgh-i-zabán basta (in couplet 15) signify—the setting sun, the first line will be:—

Make the wail of the harp the speaker (the rays of the sun prolonged like the note of the harp).

If murgh-i-zabán basta (in couplet 15) signify—the holy traveller, possessing internal grace, the first line will be:—

Make the wail of the harp the speaker (shake the chain of desire),

Make a collar of (twist) the ringlet-tip of the beloved one;
(Then) cast the collar on this neck (of mine).

Bind a handful of odoriferous herbs (as a bouquet);
Scatter (them) on the stature of the (flowerless) lofty cypress.

With that silver-like (white) coin of the fresh spring (the white rose newly blossomed),
Scatter coin at the fountain head of the stream (the Sikandar-Náma).

About the lake (the Sikandar-Náma), water (verse) containing,
Cast a carpet of silk from the water lily (of lustrous verse).

“Ṭauḳ sákhtan-i-sar-i-zulf” signifies—twisting the ringlet-tip, or adorning speech with the twist and turn of varied meanings.

“Gardan-i-ṭauḳ-báz” signifies—the neck, collar-playing (wearing), or the obedient neck (person); for servants wear the neck-collar of service.

Make a collar (of rare imagery) of the ringlet-tip of the beloved (the bride of verse).

Cast it on this my neck, collar-playing (obedient).

“Ma'shuḳ” may signify—God Most High, Who, in the form of a painter, sometimes ravishes the heart.

“Dasta” may signify—a bouquet.

“Dasta band” may signify—collect and versify.

The meanings are:—

(a) Bind (bring into verse) a handful of odoriferous flowers (lustrous poetical images);

Scatter them on the stature of the lofty cypress (the Sikandar-Náma).

(b) Gather (collect) the succulent herbs (portions of moist morning cloud);

Scatter them on the lofty cypress (the long cloud).

(c) Gather the succulent herbs (the splendours gained by the austere holy traveller);

Scatter them on the lofty cypress (the stage of the knowledge of God attained by the holy traveller).

See footnote, couplet 1.

Move proudly in that kingly banquet (of Nasratu-d-dín);
Cast the royal wine (the Sikandar-Náma) into the cup (of preparation).

Give (it) to me; for I have learned wine-drinking (tale-uttering of past kings);
Especially when I am parched with thirst (the desire of relating),—I drink

To the memory of friends (past poets, or holy travellers) journey-taking (to the next world),
Of whom I behold none in his place.

In a season so joyful and concordant,
I went towards the lofty cypress (Nasratu-d-dín) in the garden (the Sikandar-Náma).

Through the perfume of the rose (the nature of Nasratu-d-dín), and the shade of the cypress tree (his perfect justice),
The joy of singing came to the nightingale (Nizámí).

For rose-plucking (hidden inspiration taking) came into the garden (of the lofty world, the poet's own) a bride (the luminous mind of Nizámí),
Resplendent of face, like the luminous lamp.

It is the custom to drink to absent friends.

“Mai” (wine) and “tushnagí” (thirst) may each signify—senselessness.

The season may signify—

(a) The time of the blessing of hidden inspiration in Niẓámí's heart.

(b) The time of the sun's rising at the moment of appearance of the ruddy cloud-portions.

(c) The time of the descending of Divine thoughts.

'Arús” may signify—the sun; or hidden circumstances from the hidden world.

“Gul” may signify—scattered cloud portions; or inward purity.

“Bágh” may signify—the time of morn that, with varied clouds, is as a rose-bud; or the heart of the holy traveller.

“Ba gul chídau” may signify—for the sake of plucking away (putting far) the rose (scattered cloud-portions). For, when they pluck the rose, it becomes far from its place.

Drawing the (long) ringlet-tip (lustrous verse) into the fold of her skirt (the completed chain of decorated speech),
Scattering roses (subtleties), from her face; sugar (pleasantries), from her laughter.

A face—ruddy like the rose; and on the rose sweat (freshness or bashfulness) expressed;
She gave me a cup (of verse) full of milk (sweetness) and wine (joyousness),

Saying:—In memory of the World King (God), drink!
Save this, whatever thou hast (in mind) forget.

I habitually sate with the world-experienced ones (the historians);
Of the approved ones (past kings), stories I uttered.

Of some tales, beautiful and strange,
That I sifted from the fountain of blood of the brain,

My tongue is not yet wearied of uttering;
When the arm (power of verse) is,—no fear of the sword (of the critic) is.

I prepared many old treasures (tales of former kings);
Cast into them new subtleties of verse:

Summoned resolve first towards “the Makhzanu-l-Asrár.”
In which work (of subtlety), I displayed no idleness at all.

Niẓámí's poetical nature gave to his corporeal nature a cup of milk and wine.

“Jám púr az shír va mai” may signify—the mouth and lip of a mistress; the wine of paradise; the stream Kausar. But these meanings are inapplicable.

The couplet may mean:—

A face (the sun) like the rose (ruddy), and on the rose freshness expressed,

Gave to me a cup of milk and wine (its orb, whose whiteness and ruddiness—joy-exciting—are like milk and wine).

In couplets 34 to 38 Niẓámí names the five books forming his work, called “the Khamsah.”

And than that (Makhzan), evoked (a work) more lustrus and pleasing;
I saturated (my soul) with (the tale of) Shírín (the lady) and Khusrau Parvíz (the king).

And out thence, I pitched the screen (completed the tale);
Knocked at the door of the love of Lailá and Majnún.

When I completed that tale,
I urged the steed (of eloquence) towards “the Haft Paikar.”

Now, on the carpet of eloquence,
I beat the drum of the fortune (sovereignty) of Sikandar!

Urge speech regarding his pomp (of sovereignty) and skill (in knowledge);
Exalt his crown and throne.

(Of Sikandar's life) many the events that formerly (long ago) passed,—
Them, I make living by my own water of life (lustrous verse).

Sikandar,—who took the path of truth (spirituality),
Tracked out the fountain of life (the water of immortality):

Wandered, so that by the path of good-fortune,
He might, by the fountain of life, become living:

Sought the road to the fountain of life (Nizámí's lustrous verse),
—Found now that fountain, which then he (vainly) sought.

If bar angekhtan be read for tar angekhtan, the couplet will read:—

From it (the Makhzan) I arose, complacent (of temper) and sweet (of tongue);

I engaged in (the tale of) Shírín (the lady), and Khusrau Parvíz (the king).

Khusrau Parvíz (A.D. 591) married Irene (Shírín), the daughter of Emperor Maurice.

The author proceeds to summarize the tale of Sikandar.

Although Sikandar was disappointed as to apparent life, he is not as to real life. For until the Day of Judgment, they will read his history from this book.

Arrian (A.D. 100) says:—

“Alexander pronounced Achilles happy in having Homer to herald forth his praise. And, in truth, Achilles might in this light be justly pronounced happy by Alexander, as he himself did not experience his general good fortune in this respect. Neither have his deeds been worthily blazoned among men, either in prose or in heroic verse; nor has he been sung in lyric strains like Gelo, Theron, Hiero, and others not to be compared to him. Thus his exploits are far less known than the most trifling ancient deeds. Even the ascent of the ten thousand that aided Cyrus against Artaxerxes; the sufferings of Klearkhus, and of the generals captured with him; and the retreat under Xenophon's command are, through Xenophon's own writings, far more renowned among men than the achievements of Alexander, who stands unrivalled among Greeks and barbarians, both for the multitude and for the magnitude of his splendid actions. This was the reason that induced me to undertake this history, as I regard myself not unworthy to spread among men the renown of Alexander's deeds.”

The king of speakers (Muhammad) expressed a saying such as this—
Namely:—“Seekers are finders.”

O Nizámí! when thou drinkest wine (of lustrous verse) with (to the memory of) Sikandar,
Preserve respect, so that thou mayst enjoy benefit of thyself (thy mention of him).

When thou art sitting at the same table with the prophet Khizr on this side of the stream (of verse of the Sikandar-Náma),
Wash (carefully) thy lip with seventy and seven waters.

Niẓámí here apologizes for couplet 43, in which he has attributed Sikandar's fame to the immortality of his own verse.

Since in this tale thouart fellow-sitter with Khizr (Sikandar's obedient servant), utter the name of each with respect.

O Niẓámí! thou art of the same rank as Khizr. For even as he had honour with Sikandar, thou also before Nașratu-d-dín (like Sikandar in disposition) art like Khizr. Then wash with caution thy lip in speaking of Nașratu-d-dín.

Khizr. See canto x. couplet 1, and Sale's “Ḳurán,” chap. xviii.

Come, cup-bearer! that water of immortality, pleasant tasting (pleasant speech),
Entrust to the glory-reciter of Sikandar (Nizámí).

So that fortune may give the kiss on his (Nizámí's) head,—
He (Nizámí) gives wine to Sikandar's inheritance-enjoyer (Nasratu-d-dín).

The second line may be:—

Give to the palace of Sikandar.

See canto vii. couplet 68.

At the time of giving the cup, the cup-bearer kneels, kisses the lip of the cup, and then presents it to the king. See canto lxiv. couplet 211.

The inheritance-enjoyer may be Niẓámí, who extols Sikandar.

In the text “tá” signifies—cause; if it mean condition, the couplet will be:—

That when fortune gives the kiss on his (Niẓámí's) head,

He (Niẓámí) may give wine to Sikandar's heir (Nașratu-d-dín.)

The relater (Nizámí) of the book of royalty (the Sikandar-Náma)
Gave freshness to the verse of the story, thus,

Saying,—Of all the crown-possessors of Rúm,
There was one, of that land and clime, favoured by fortune.

A renowned king,—his name Faylikús (Philip of Macedon),
Rúm and Rúss accepters of his command.

“Jawán-daulat” signifies—jawán-bakht; șáhib-i-iḳbál; or, he for whom fortune is happy, or on the increase.

See canto xvi. couplet 35; xix. 29.

“Pazíra” signifies—pazíranda.

The word ◌ is said to be composed of—◌, army, and ◌, chief, and may be spelled—◌; ◌; ◌.

Philippus became Fílibbús; Fílifús; Fílikús

His abode was in the Greek-land;
His place (dominion) more particularly in Makedonia.

He was the best of the kings of the world;
Was the maternal uncle-born one of 'Iys (Esau), son of Ishák (Isaac):

Was such a dispenser of justice that, by his own justice,
He bound the (powerful) wolf's tail to the (weak) sheep's foot.

He crushed the neck of tyranny in such a way
That Dárá bore envy in regard to that sway (of neck-crushing).

Dárá surpassed him in sword and crown (sovereignty);
He sent a messenger, that he (Faylikús) should remit tribute.

The King of Rúm (Faylikús) possessed true judgment;
He sought concord; and with him (Dárá) sought not strife.

The one (King of Rúm) whom fortune assists,
—Who is there who is able to exercise sway over him?

He (Faylikús) sent to him treasure and property to such a degree,
That the enmity of the malicious one (Dárá) went far from him.

The King of Rúm became pleased (at giving) that tribute;
He preserved the wax (his own body) from the fire, the burner (Dárá).

“Nau-á,in” signifies—árásta, pírásta; nau padíd ámada.

“Niya” signifies—the mother's brother, the paternal or the maternal grandfather.

The second line may be:—

Was of the offspring of …

“Kase” may signify—either Fayliḳús, or Dárá, to whom Fayliḳús was submissive.

As the passage is written, it is uttered by Niẓámí.

When Sikandar's victory came into action (occurred),
Time's revolution became of another kind.

He left—not sovereignty, nor the world, nor Dárá;
—He caused the spear-head to pass through the hard stone.—

In this tale (of Sikandar's birth) are many disputes:
My ear is intent on everyone's speech (to discover the true historian).

From the sages (historians) of Rúm thus it came
That of that land and clime (Rúm), the wife of a devotee

Became helpless on the day of bringing forth;
She became a wanderer from her city and husband.

When her time of burden-casting came near,
The pang of delivery became strong upon her.

She deposited her burden in a desolate place, and died;
She suffered grief for the child and resigned her life (to God),

(Saying:—) “I know not who will cherish thee;
“What wild beast will devour thee.”

“Guzáshtan” signifies—guzarídan.

The second line is uttered by Niẓámí.

In the second line, záhid-zane may signify—a devotee-woman.

As to Sikandar's birth, see—Malcolm's “History of Persia,” vol. i. p. 55 (Zínatu-l-tawáríkh); Shea's translation of the Early Kings of Persia, by Mírkhond, pp. 360, 369, and 378; Plutarch's Lives, by Langhorne, 1879, p. 459; the Sháh-Náma, by Firdausí; “The Life of Alexander the Great,” by Archdeacon John Williams, 1829; and an Ancient History, by Philip Smith, 1868, vol. ii. pp. 10-88.

Alexander, the twenty-second in descent from Caranus, who made himself master of Makedonia, B.C. 794, was thirty-eighth in descent from Hercules. His father was Philip of Makedon; and mother, Olympias, the daughter of Neoptolemus and sister to Arymbas. He was born in July, B.C. 354, on the day on which the temple of Diana at Ephesus was burned. Thus he traced his descent from Jupiter by the three different lines of Perseus, Achilles, and Peleus.

—Of this, news none hers,—how the Omnipotent
Would cherish him (Sikandar) in His bosom:

What treasures He would draw within his load;
What fortune He would draw into his bosom.—

When the woman died, that child remained friendless;
The person of the friendless ones (God) caused him to arrive at such a place,

That, by wisdom and judgment, King of the World—
He became; from Káf to Káf, territory-conqueror!

From the enjoyment of the plain, King Faylikús
Advanced, game-overthrowing, towards that woman.

He beheld a woman dead in that pathway:
At her feet a child, head uplifted.

From want of (the mother's) milk, the child sucked its own finger,
(And) bit its own thumb (in grief) for its mother.

He ordered,—so that the servants hastened;
They accomplished the task (of burial) of the dead woman.

He took up the child from the dust of the road;
He remained astounded at the sport of that day.

He took, reared, and cherished the child;
He made him, after himself, his own heir-apparent.

“Ash” refers to the devotee-woman.

Couplets 21 and 22 form a remark by Niẓámí.

It is the habit of babes, wanting (the mother's) milk, to suck the finger; and of Orientals, expressing grief or surprise, to bite the finger.

Here ends the first account of Sikandar's birth.

It is said that—Fayliḳús, having fought with Dárá Akbar (Darius Nothus, B.C. 425), the son of Bahman Daráz-dast (Artaxerxes Longi-manus, B.C. 465), and suffered defeat, took shelter in a fort, and sought quarter from Dárá. According to agreement Dárá (binding him to send yearly to his treasury 40,000 misḳals of gold), gave him the country of Rúm, and married his daughter Náhíd; but finding her foul of breath, he sent her back pregnant to her father. As a remedy she took the seed of garlic (sír), which the people of Rúm call Iskandarús, and became fresh of breath. Hence they called her son, Iskandar. See canto xiii. couplets 25, 39.

The villager, the fire-worshipper (historian), in another way
Makes his descent go back to Dárá.

When I took thought of (these) histories,
Also of the history of the man, God-knowing (Firdausí),

In those two accounts, was no credence;
In foolish speech, was no correctness.

From the language of every country it became true (certain)
That that monarch (Sikandar) was descended from Fay-likús.

When other sayings had not the proof-mark (of truth),
The orator (Nizámí) attached no credit to them.

That old man of ancient years (Firdausí) thus relates
The tale from the history of former kings:—

That, in the private pavilion of King Faylikús
Was an idol (a lovely woman), a delicate new bride:

In appearance, auspicious; in stature, tall;
Drawing, with the eye-brow, the bow; with the ringlet, the noose:

Like a cypress that in the parterre displays—
Violet from the ringlet, jessamine from the cheek.

The two accounts refer to Sikandar's birth—by a devotee-woman, or by the daughter of Fayliḳús.

The second line may be rendered:—

From the history of kings of former time.

“Pákíza” is compounded of—pákí and zah (contracted from záda).

They plant the rose and the jessamine near to the cypress and box trees.

A beauty, as the sun in mid-day;
The narcissus (the eye) half-asleep, glance-making:

Curling like the black snake, the ringlet-tip;
By it, the king's seraglio became musk-scented.

Towards that sun-lord (the lady of beauty as the sun), the king, so loving—
That save (the word of) recollection of her, naught came to his tongue.

One night, in love the king took her in (his) embrace;
The date-tree (the lovely one) reaped fruit from the date (seed) of the king.

“Nargis-i-ním-khwáb” signifies—the eye of the mistress intoxicated.

“Mushkú” signifies—but-khána; haram-khána,e mulúk.

The word “seraglio” is derived from—sará, a palace or house; and ahl, family.

In the first “mihrbán,” the word mihr signifies sun, and refers to the 42 lovely one of sun-like beauty.

“Bar giriftan” signifies—bárwar shudan.

The impregnating of the female date-tree is effected by inserting the flowers of the male date-tree into those of the female. The male flowers resemble ears of corn, of which one or two are sufficient to impregnate the female tree. The dates of the male tree are worthless; and so, those of the female tree, unless impregnated.

By mixing the species, different sorts of dates are produced. The Balúchís prefer the pullen of the wild male date-tree, growing at a distance from any grove, as the produce is finer.

The date-trees of Madína are celebrated. They have lofty columnar stems, unmutilated fronds, and clusters weighing eighty pounds, hanging by a bright yellow stem as thick as a man's ankle.

The Arabs reckon a hundred and thirty-nine varieties, of which sixty-seven are well-known, each distinguished by its peculiar name.

The best kind is El Shelebi, packed either in skins or in flat round boxes covered with paper. The tree is rare, and not so productive as the other species. The fruit, two inches in length, has an aromatic flavour and smell; its value is from two to ten piastres per pound.

The Ajwah date is eaten but not sold, a tradition of the prophet declaring that whoso breaketh his fast every day with six or seven of these fruits need fear neither poison nor magic.

The El Halwah derives its name from its exceeding sweetness; of this, the Muslims say that the prophet planted a stone, which in a few minutes sprang up and bore fruit.

The El Birní date “causeth sickness to depart, and there is no sickness in it.”

The Wahshí made salutation to Muhammad as he ate of its fruit, hence even now its lofty tuft turns earthwards.

The Sayhani (Crier), when the prophet, holding 'Alí's hand, passed beneath it, cried:—“This is Muhammad, the Prince of Prophets, and this is 'Alí, the Prince of the Pious, and the progenitor of the immaculate Imáms!”

The people eat dates as medicine as well as for food.

In January and February the date-gardener (Nakhwalí) opens the female flower in each cluster, inserts the inverted male blossom, and binds them together. The fruit ripens in May.

The date-tree can live in dry and barren spots, but it loves the beds of streams and moist places. The trees depending on rain-water produce fruit inferior and less in quantity.

The oyster (the lovely one) became fruit-possessing from the April-cloud (Faylikús);
A royal pearl appeared.

When nine months were accomplished in pregnancy,
The vein of escape (parturition) came into motion.

At the time of birth, the king ordered
That the sage (astronomer) should look towards the star (of nativity):

Should give to him a trace of the concealed mystery (of fortune):
And give ease to his soul, as to (by) that motion (of the natal star).

Those acquainted with astronomy took up their instruments (astrolabes);
Sought out the mystery from the revolution of the heavens.

The second line may be rendered:—

And give ease to his soul as to that motion (of parturition).

The Așṭrolabe (Arabic, Usṭarláb; Hindí, Gantra Raj) consists of a dial, on the back of which is a movable copper tube, attached to a flat narrow plate, each end pointed.

The border is divided into three hundred and sixty degrees, and subdivided into fourths by a vertical and a transverse line, which intersect each other at the centre of the dial.

In the front (anterior) side of the dial the border is divided into sixty “ghárís,” each equal to twenty-four minutes, and subdivided into four minutes. A moveable brass circle, attached by a pin to the centre of the dial, bears on its border the twelve signs of the zodiac, each sign being divided into fifteen degrees.

To use the instrument—Raise the tube so that the sun's rays may pass through it; mark the position of the tube with reference to the degrees on the border, counting from the transverse line; ascertain from the Kalendar in what sign of the zodiac the sun is, and its degree; bring both the sign and the degree to bear both on the inner circle on the anterior side, and on the transverse line; mark the degree opposite to the projection of the inner circle. The degree marked on the posterior side of the dial should be traced on the flat plate on the anterior side.

Bring both the sign and the degree of the upper circle upon the plate, and mark again the degree opposite to the projection of the circle.

The “gharís” contained between the two marks opposite the projection will be the time of day. See the treatise on the Așṭrolabe, by Chaucer, in A.D. 1390; and the “Journal” of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. ii. July-Dec. 18??2, p. 720, and “Journal,” No. 118.

Assembled for the (investigation of the) wandering of the heavens;
Raised the balance (astrolabe) of the stars.

Leo, the Lord of Force, was rising,
By which the eyes of enemies became blind (with envy):

The sun, honour obtained from Aries,
An incliner from theory to practice.

Mercury hastened to the Gemini;
The Moon and Venus in the mansion of the Bull consorted:

Leo, the most powerful of the constellations, is the sun's mansion.

The first line may be:—

Leo was the natal constellation of the Lord of Force (Sikandar).

Aries is the sun's place of honour in which it gathers force or light. Every star in its own house thus gathers power.

The second line may signify:—

The sun, after theory (in the winter), began (in the summer) wandering among the villas and gardens (stars).

They call Aries (ninth house from Leo) the house of theory ('ilm), and Taurus (tenth house from Leo) the house of practice ('amal).

Practice ('amal) is the fruit of theory ('ilm).

He who is born in Aries is a theorist possessed of practice.

They call the Gemini the third constellation, or Mercury's place of honour; and Taurus (in which conjunction between the Moon and Venus takes place) the second constellation, or the place of honour of the Moon and Venus.

Hence, their being there was auspicious. The Moon and Venus are regarded as the two beneficent planets of the heavens.

Jupiter adorned Saggitarius;
Saturn (was) as a sporter in Libra:

Mars (the soldier of the sky) made the sixth mansion (Capricorn) his dwelling;
Like servants, service-rendering become.

Such a horoscope, with which that son (Sikandar) came!
What shall I say? Bravo! Far, from him the evil eye.

When that precious one with such an omen was born,
The garden (the father and mother) became illuminated by such a plant (Sikandar).

When they engaged in the establishing of the horoscope,
They established his name—Sikandar, the king!

In the judgments of the seven stars it appeared
That the world desires the key (of fortune) given to him.

Of that prosperity—the man, star-understanding,
Gave news; so that the Khusrau (Faylikús) offered thanks.

These two positions are auspicious, each planet being in his own house.

Since Saturn is called—Hindú,e falak, the poet calls his action— bázígarí, because the bázígar (the sporter, or spectacle-maker) comes from Hind (India).

Capricorn is the sixth house from Leo.

See Bentley's “Astronomy of the Hindús”; the “Calcutta Review,” No. 1, p. 257, Astronomy of the Hindús; and No. 13, p. 65, Astronomy of the Orientals; Lilly's “Astrology,” Bohn's Series (circa 1729); the “Journal” of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. xiii. July-Dec. 1844, p. 632; and Kazvin's 'Ajá,ibu-l-Makhlúḳát.

The latter part of the second line is not a prayer but an assertion of God's power.

If az be read in place of ba, the first line will be:—

When they finished the Kalendar.

If dád be read for dáda, the second line will be:—

That the world will give …

From love of the boy of victorious fortune, the king
Opened the door of the treasury and ascended the throne:

Turned to joy from grief and sorrow;
Gave much treasure to the beggars:

In triumph for that moon, musk-scented (Sikandar),
Poured wine and musk (both joy-exciting) by the marge of the stream.

When that cypress-branch (Sikandar), delicately nurtured,
Became the proud-mover, like the strutting-partridge,

He brought his foot from the cradle to the steed;
Went from the bondage of the cradle, plain (of battle) seeking:

Desired the bow from the wet-nurse; and the arrow from the quiver;
His butt was sometimes paper, sometimes silk (not hard material).

When he became further grown, he practised sword-contest:
After lion-overthrowing (with a weapon), he made contest (with the hand) with the lion.

And after that, he took pleasure in horsemanship;
He pursued royalty and sovereignty.

Come, cup-bearer! that wine mixed with odorous herbs (the sight of God's majesty)
Give to me, for Paradise has come much to my memory.

Perhaps, by that wine I may become one whose bark is well (over-) freighted,
And if I become drowned (in God's splendour), I shall be a dweller in Paradise.

The partridge is the lover of the cypress.

If chúba gír be read for—az ju'ba-tír, the first line will be:—

Desired from the wet-nurse the bow and the arrow-taker (the quiver).

Since the over-freightedness of a vessel is sometimes the cause of its foundering, the poet says:—If I founder I shall go to Paradise.

“Kishtí” may signify—a cup, in the form of a boat.

“A'bád kishtí” may signify—one whose bark is over-freighted; the filler of the wine-cup.

O happy indeed the time that a person has,
Whose market of avarice is not brisk!

To the extent of sufficiency, opulence (of mind) is his;
He performs the work (of religion) if he be a man (capable) of work:

Causes the world (time) to pass by living well (in contentment);
Keeps within limit the gallop of the steed (of expenditure).

Neither profuseness (in alms), that brings a deluge upon wealth;
Nor niggardliness, that brings hardship to the state (of the body).

Every hardship is consequent on tightness (of resource);
When thou breakest the door (squanderest), the house is full of fuel (void of wealth).

So live that from that living
May be—profit to thee, loss to none.

The narrator (Nizámí) of the folded record, folded (and written) by the villager (the historian),
Made mention of the past ones (Faylikús and Sikandar) thus,

The terminal alif signifies—in kushá, excess; and in rosgárá, praise.

“Basand” signifies—kifáyat.

“Yasar” signifies—sarwat.

This may be rendered:—

When thou breakest the door, the house is full of the fuel of the wood of that broken door.

“Guzárandagán” may signify—sharh-kunándagán; ráwiyán.

“Dihḳán-naward” signifies—nawardída, edihkán mu,arrikh.

Saying:—When the King of Greece, King Faylikús,
Adorned the country of the world like a bride,

He became exalted by the wise son (Sikandar):
For the precious jewel is auspicious.

When (from the horoscope) he found his son wise,
He became happy that he had found the worthy son.

—The father has nothing more worthy,
More deserving (precious) than the deserving son.—

He placed him for learning;
For the (black) stone by the kindling (of the sun) becomes the jewel.

Lukúmájish (Lysimachus), who was wise,
Whose son was Aristo,

Took pains with him in teaching;
Taught him what one cannot reckon:—

Kingly manners; wonderful arts,
That are the strength of the heart and the light of the brain.

With every knowledge—which is in the imagination,
And from which reflection becomes truth-recognising,—

He adorned that pure jewel,
As the stars that adorn the heavens.

He gave him information of whatever was hidden (mysterious),
—One has seldom reared such a son.—

Every year the prince of quick understanding
Used to admit to his ear science only (far from sport and play).

This couplet is uttered by Niẓámí.

“Lukúmájish” signifies—Naḳumájish; Laḳúmáj.

When he hastened to a subtle matter,
He would discover (display) subtle words.

Aristo, who was the prince's fellow-student,
Had given his heart in service to him.

Whatever capital (of wisdom) he used to gather from his father,
He would, explanation-making, teach him.

When the wise teacher (Lukúmájish),—by (his own) skill and judgment,
Beheld the prince foot on the (master of) treasure,

He endured greater trial in instructing him;
For treasure-guarding makes the man happy of heart.

When he related before him (Sikandar) the decree of his fortune,
He inscribed within it the lettering (the fortune) of his own son.

In that day, when fortune was the accepter (of deeds and words),
(And) the seal-ring of speech was the seal-accepter (became decorated).

He consigned the son (Aristotle) to the prince (Sikandar);
He added an oath to the agreement,

Saying:—“When thou bringest forth thy head (in exaltation) to the lofty sphere;
“Causest the dun steed (of empire) to leap from the school to the plain (of battle);

When Sikandar was eight years of age, Lysimachus (an Acarnanian) was his tutor; and, at the age of fifteen years (B.C. 342), Aristotle, who left him not till the invasion of Asia (B.C. 334) occurred.

“Manshúr-i-iḳbál” here signifies—zaycha, a horoscope.

When, before Sikandar, Lukúmájish read the horoscope of his fortune, he wrote in it the name of his own son (Aristotle), with the title of— Sikandar's Attendant, Counsellor, and Minister.

“Bringest the head of enemies to the earth;
“Bringest the world (in submission) beneath the seal of the seal-ring;

“Makest the throne auspicious beneath thy crown,
“(And) they send thee tribute from the seven climes (of the world);

“Exercisest sovereignty over the horizons (of the world);
“Displayest world within world (mighty) royal sway,—

“(Then) thou wilt bring to mind this (my) teaching and instructing;
“Wilt not adore gold and silver (as is the wont of the kings of the time);

“Wilt not withhold thy regard from my son (Aristotle);
“Wilt perform the right due to my son;

“Wilt become, by his ministership, experienced in affairs;
“—For the wise minister is better than property (the Amír's) and treasure (the official's).

“Thine ally is fortune; his, skill:
“The skilful one is necessary for the master of fortune.

“Wherever skill found its full value,
“It brought forth renown for the lord of wealth.

“Verily, the lord of wealth, who realised preciousness,
“Obtained loftiness from the judgment of the lofty ones.

“When thou wishest that thou mayst cause thy throne to reach the moon,
“Of this ladder (Aristotle's aid), no help is thine.”

“Paiwand” signifies—nisbat.

See canto xv. couplet 2.

“Daulat-khudá,í” signifies—mard-i-daulatí.

Skill and wealth are helpers of each other.

The prince (Sikandar) gave his hand to him:
In accepting he bound a compact with him,

Saying:—“When royalty makes work straight for me,
“He shall be my minister. God is witness against me.

“Neither will I turn my head from his judgment or order;
“Nor will I gird my loins, save at his command.”

In the end, when fortune assisted,
The king displayed firmness as to that compact.

When the teacher (Lukúmájish) knew that that wise child
Would take away the ball (of superiority) from the arrogant ones (potentates),

He drew a diagram of that arithmetical character (the Abjad),
In which the conquered and the conqueror appeared.

“Paḍíraftgárí” signifies—paziraftan.

Whoever calls God witness to a lie becomes an infidel. In the opinion of the sect of the Șanaví (the two principles), I'zd is the creator of lightness and goodness; and Ahriman of darkness and badness.

This couplet is a parenthesis.

They make a diagram (as below) in four compartments, which they fill with the letters of the Abjad. Beneath every letter of the names of the two persons whose lot is thus to be decided they write the numbers of those letters of the Abjad, and from the total reject the nines (this seems unintelligible); then victory will be as follows:—

Masnaví—

With one similar (both odd or even), it is pleasant to be less;

With one diverse (one odd, the other even), it is pleasant to be great.

If in reckoning both be equal,

He whose age is less is conqueror.

On this subject see “Suráju-r-raml,” by Maulaví Roshan 'Alí; “Mișdáḳu-r-raml,” by Muhammad 'Iṭṭár Mál Láhúrí, in Persian, which can be obtained from Munshí Newul Kishore, Lucknow, East India.

“Haraf-i-hindisí” signifies—the writing of numbers according to the Abjad.

And gave it to him, saying:—“At the time of action (battle) this letter (the reckoning of the conquered and the conqueror)
“Calculate in the name of thyself and of thy enemy.

“If thy name be the conqueror of the circle (the diagram of the Abjad),
“The reckoning of victory is within thy accomplishment.

“And if of this (thou knowest) that thou art not conqueror in the reckoning (of the Abjad),
“Fear (be cautious of) the conqueror greater than thyself.”

The king (Sikandar) took that diagram from the old wise man;
That judging (of the conquered and the conqueror) became in his opinion heart-pleasing.

When, at times, he used to inscribe that diagram,
He used to gather intelligence of his own triumph.

In this way he continued living possessed of judgment and sense,
A cauldron of every art brought to boiling (ready for use).

He both possessed the spirit, keenly reflecting;
And also kept before himself the reflection of the wise (his followers).

He acted according to the order of those acquainted with affairs,
And by this intelligence made fortune vigilant.

With his own name and the name of his adversary.

By the boiling of the cauldron they know that the food within is cooked and ready to be eaten.

Of the teacher (Lukúmájish) the skiiful son (Aristotle)
—Who was fellow-student and equal of age—

Was wonderfully (very) kind to the Lord of the Marches (Sikandar);
And the heart of the Lord of the Marches was gracious to him.

He (Sikandar) used not to put on the roasting spit (of action) even a bird (a light matter),
In respect to which Aristo used not to be opinion-expresser (counsellor).

He sought not distance (separation) from his (Aristotle's) judgment;
He sought leave from him for everything.

When from over mountain and plain, the compass of the sphere
Wandered some time on this circle (of revolution of the sky),

King Faylikús took his chattels from the world (died);
He entrusted the world to the new monarch (Sikandar).

What is the world? Pass beyond its sorcery;
Bring within thy grasp escape from its enchantment.

It (the world) is a tree of six sides (of great bole) and of four roots (of firm foundation);
Some persons (in the bond of its lust) bound to four pegs (at its root).

“Bán” signifies—

This couplet is uttered by Niẓámí.

This answers couplet 59.

“Chár-mekh” signifies—a cross or gallows; and also a form of torture (used in the time of Pharaoh) in which the hands and feet of the victim (cast on his face) were fastened to four pegs widely apart.

The second line may mean:—

Some persons (leaves) bound in four pegs (firmly).

One by one our leaves from this tree
Fall beneath it when the wind (of vicissitude) is strong.

Thou beholdest none resident in this garden (of the world);
Each one sports (for the space of) one breath.

Every moment a fruit (one newly born) arrives afresh within it (the garden);
One departs, another arrives.

Willingly or unwillingly, thou wilt resign the world;
Why is it necessary to press the foot (urge) in self-interestedness?

Within these four directions (the world) is no crowd,
Where the man purse-cutting (death) is not self-seeking.

Thou, by reason of its loan (worldly affections) art in the world's snare;
Give back its loan. Thou mayst escape from its snare.

One night,—a shoe-fastener (farrier) and a pack-saddler
Demanded their rights (the shoes and saddle) from an ass.

The ass, from his foot distressed (with the shoe) and back (galled with the saddle),
Cast before them the shoes and pack-saddle.

When the ass became free from the borrowing (of the shoes and saddle),
He rested and became pleased with himself (forgetting his sore foot and galled back).

“Khud-kámagí” signifies—khud gharází.

“Char sú” signifies—the market-place (the intersection of four streets) where the punishment of malefactors is carried out.

O one dusty become (care-stained) with the (vile) dust (of the body)! do thou also
Give (back) the loan (of worldly affections); and leap out of the snare of the dust (of the world).

Come, cup-bearer! give me release from myself (senselessness and rapturous delight at beholding God's majesty);
Give me luminosity (of brain) from the gleaming wine (of senselessness).

That wine which gives release from the trouble (of the world),
Gives to those wearied the preserving substance (the soundness of state of the lovers of God).

The first line may mean:—

O one dusty become (in the world's contempt) with the (vile) dust (of wife, and son, and worldly goods)!

Self-worshipping (cherishing) is darkness; the wine of senselessness is the bestower of lightness.

A speech-weigher (a poet) came, the balance (of verse) in hand,
He continued shattering the coin (of verse) gold-encrusted (base-uttered).

In Niẓámí's time a poet (a master of verse) came from some place, and according to the rules (scale) of verse assayed the poetry of poets; corrected the inflation and exaggeration; and discriminated between the base and the pure.

I interfered not in regard to that coin (of verse);
For I knew of that silver (of defect) within the gold (of my own verse).

If my finger make criticism,
I know no one who will do the work of a scribe (before me).

But when my back (reliance on outward and inward excellence) became strong,
My finger became not the criticiser of any.

With malevolence I look at none (of my calumniators);
For I also have many enemies.

My path (of life) is all poison-drinking (calumny-enduring);
Skill-seeking, and defect-concealing.

On that road (of holy travellers) which I first made for myself,
I kept my foot true to the end.

(Through austerity) I gave to this leather (the skin of my body) such a tanning (dressing of purity),
That it should turn away (from me) the rage and the love (of men).

From the pure Omnipotent I desire to that degree,
That at the last I may not wander from the path.

The representer (Nizámí) of the picture (the Sikandar-Náma), representation-receiving (written),
—For, as regards redelineation, the picture has no help—

This alludes to Niẓámí's good disposition in not revealing the defects of others.

If he had interfered (criticised), the defect of the coin (of speech) would have become known.

From my being acquainted with the rules of verse, none will be able (through fear) to take up the pen to write.

The second line means—that, in all conditions, Niẓámí was contented.

The path is described in couplet 6.

The second line is a parenthesis.

Delineates the picture in this way, that when the King of Rúm (Sikandar)
Expressed the picture (of dominion) like wax on the country of the world,

The country became full of renown by his justice;
The crown and throne of his father became fresh by him.

Of his father, every custom that he had witnessed,
—Whatever was acceptable to his judgment,—he practised.

Verily, he kept in place (preserved) the old treaty;
Kept on foot (confirmed) former works (of the peasantry).

Gave that very treasure and gold to Dárá;
Pressed his foot on (remained firm to) that ancient treaty (of sending tribute).

Of the order-bearers (attendants) of King Faylikús,
None in that administration (of sovereignty) were refractory with him.

For than his father, he was a greater befriender of the friend;
For enemy-slaying,—his sword, sharper.

Of such sort he became that in force his arm
Weighed none (of the warriors of the world) in its balance (of equality).

When he used to twist his limbs in strife,
He would fix a knot on the lion's ear (overpower him).

Of the sphere (the powerful) bow he used to make the weak (practising) bow,
In every circling used to cast (fire) the arrow:

An impression on soft wax is truly impressed. Sikandar stamped his will on the world as though it were wax.

“Dost angez” signifies—sarfaráz kunánda,e dost.

It is difficult to fire an arrow when circling on horseback, hence the mention.

“Charkh kamán” signifies—a powerful bow, such as is used on a rampart; the mansion of Saggitarius; a bow having rings, that, without a chain, cannot be strung.

The first line means:—

Sikandar drew with ease the powerful bow.

If Kushádan be read for kabáda in the first line:—

(Without the chain) Sikandar used to draw the bow having rings.

If kushtaní be read for gashtaní in the second line:—

At every object worthy of being slain he used to cast (fire) the arrow.

Used to hunt the lion in the wild-beast place,
Of the wild ass and stag (slain by him) reckoning used to be his:

Snatched superiority from the bold ones;
Became, by superior wisdom, chief of the wise ones.

When his beard drove the pen (wrote) on the sun (the cheek),
And raised a marginal line of pure musk:

The sky (the world's work-shop) on account of that (newly) up-reared encircling (black) beard,
Poured the sweat (of envy) of the blackness of Ethiopia.

He brought (into consideration) before himself the calculation of world-conquering;
Considered the world weak in his hand.

Both sense of heart was his and also force of arm:
With (the aid of) these two, one may sit on the throne.

In every work in which he sought reputation,
As to it, the sky also gave him power.

By that cypress (Sikandar), newly-risen, all Rúm
Became adorned with the odoriferous herbs of the freshness (of justice).

Of his justice,—in every house (of Rúm) a great picture fixed;
A tale to every country reached.

In every house, in honour of Sikandar (not for worship, as in the time of Pharaoh), they wrote books and painted pictures.

Otherwise:—

Of his justice in every house (of Rúm) a picture (a laudatory song) established.

Sometimes he laid (his newly-found) mystery (of philosophy) before the assembly (of sages);
Sometimes unfolded the knot (of difficulty) by the mystery (aspect) of the stars:

Took wine in the assembly with the young men (of his own age and station);
Sought in private those knowing (holy) affairs (holy men).

Through liberality he did to the men (of Rum) not that
Which enters into man's idea.

He delivered not judgment for the harassing of a person;
Planted not his foot beyond the line of justice:

Surrendered the tribute to the merchants;
Sought not the tax from the citizen-residents:

Took away the fear (of tyranny) from the villager's place of administration;
Took off (surrendered) the dirham (of taxation) in respect to those without property:

Kept building cities, and scattering gold;
Plucking up every thorn (of tyranny) and planting the rose (of justice):

The fame of his renown reached to every quarter;
The perfume of his garden (of sovereignty) reached to Egypt and Ethiopia.

Like the flashing lightning, his two hands out-stretched;
One became the sword-striker; the other, the crown-bestower.

In Sikandar's time wine-drinking was lawful.

In some copies, between couplets 37 and 38, the following couplet occurs:—

He appointed a vice-regent in every territory;
He exercised sovereign sway in every region.

“Nám-dágh” is like—alif-dágh; la'l-dágh; khanjar-dágh.

Best indeed that balance that has two extremes (scalepans);
One the place of the weight (the iron sword); the other, the place of the gold (reward).

In every matter which is necessary for fortune
He was like iron (hard) with iron (one of hard face); like gold (soft) with gold (one of laughing face).

He became an administrator of justice in such a way that (the men of) every land and clime
Used to utter this speech:—“O happy land of Rúm!”

Aristo—who was the minister of the court,
Was in every good and bad matter the king's confidant.

By the deliberation of the wise minister, Sikandar
Became in a short time world-seizer.

A minister like this! A monarch like that!
How may not the world take ease like that!

Every deed of kings world-seeking
Acquires grandeur by the judgment of the ministers.

Malik-Sháh, and Mahmúd, and Naushiraván (all just monarchs)
—Who took the ball (of superiority) from all Khusraus—

Were accepters of the counsel of ministers
(So) that they became of the number of world-seizers.

Malik Sháh (who died A.D. 1092, at the age of 38 years) was the father of Sinjar, King of Khurásán.

Mahmúd (A.D. 997) was the son of Sabuktagín (A.D. 976), who was in Khurásán just like Naushíraván the Just.

Naushíraván (A.D. 561), in whose time the prophet Muhammad was born (A.D. 570), was the son of Ḳubád, King of Irán. See the Sháh-Náma.

Our king (Nasratu-d-dín), who shattered the malevolent one.
Took the ball from (conquered) the world by the counsel of the ministers.

Though the foot—mine and thine—becomes sluggish,
It is necessary that the king's person should remain perfect.

God forbid that foot-stumbling (error) should reach the king;
That the (people of the) country should become distraught of brain (harassed)!

When the evil eye (misfortune) sports with (fascinates) the king,
The demon makes partnership with calamity (of Time).

The world is justice-seeker; and the king, hand-seizer (helper);
For the world is no help as regards the justice-bringer (ruler).

May light be, by the master of the world (the king), for the world!
May the evil eye be far in that sovereignty!

Come, cup-bearer! that wine, soul-refreshing,
Give me; for I have sorrow, soul-gnawing.

Perhaps, when by that draught I gather joy,
I may roll up the carpet of some grief.

From not listening to the counsel of the ministers.

“Dáwan” signifies—dád-áwár.

When the true dawn struck forth its tongue from the wolf's tail (the false dawn)
Dog and watchman went to sleep:

The sleeping cock beat down (flapped) his wings (awoke);
The drum-striker struck the leather strap (the drum-stick) on the drum (of slender waist):

I arose, rested from sleep;
I prepared my soul for jewel-drawing forth (of verse).

The jewel-seeker who digs the precious mine (of verse)
Digs out his precious life (severely toils) in the fancy of hope.

Who, with a torrent of blood (strenuous effort), brings a ruby to his grasp,
Makes contest with the heart of the hard stone (the mountain-mine).

“Dum-i-gurg” signifies—zanabu-s-sarhán, the wolf's tail. But here it means—the false dawn, during which the spreading of light resembles (in whiteness and blackness, and in the upward extending of rays) a wolf's tail. The true dawn appears broad and low on the horizon of the earth. See the “Journal” of the Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, New Series, vol. x. part 3, July 1878, page 344.

In Ouseley's Oriental Collections, 1797, vol. ii. No. 3, p. 302, it is said:—

“Zang is bordered on the north by Yaman; on the south, by deserts; on the east, by Nubia; on the west, by Habsh.

“The inhabitants are never sorrowful, the cause being that Suhayl (Canopus) rises over them. The men of Zang are descended from Zangí, son of Kush, son of Kana'an, son of Ham; and are called man-devourers, because they devour the enemy whom they slay. See couplet 59.

“They are supposed to be the Troglodytes of the ancients.”

When the cock crows he lowers and shakes his wings.

Otherwise:—

For a red ruby,—that he may bring (it) to his grasp,

He contends with the heart of the hard stone (the mine).

O man, idle listener! What thinkest thou?—
That it is easy to fill the ear with pearls (of eloquence)?

If the fig-eating birds had been many
There would not have remained a single fig on any branch.

The representer (historian) of the form (accusation of tyranny) of this silk (Sikandar)
Made representation to the picture-painter (Nizámí) thus,

Saying:—When in the morning the lamp of heaven
Illumined the face of the beauty of the world,

The sun brought forth his hand in splendour,
(And) sate bride-like on the chair of gold (crepuscule of dawn).

Sikandar, according to the regulations of former kings,
Prepared a banquet in his own hall;

Slaves, rose-faced and heart-ravishing,
On foot, girdle on the waist, before the Khusrau.

Sometimes he drank wine in memory of Kay (former kings);
Sometimes he scattered treasure on music (the minstrel) and wine (the cup-bearer).

Thus seated like the fountain of light (the sun),
When a cry for justice came from the far road.

O man! art thou careless of the torrents of blood which they devour who bring the ruby (of delight) to thy hand.

“Aśán niyosh” signifies—one who has no power of hearing and understanding subtle speech; or one who has not perfect understanding in verse.

This couplet, probably inserted by the copyist without connection with the other couplets, will be found in canto ix. couplet 10.

The sun is both masculine and feminine.

“Kamar bar kamar” may signify—crowded together; or belt (fúṭa) on the waist (kamar).

Since Sikandar was tribute-payer to Dárá (of the lineage of Kay) the word Kay is here mentioned.

The news-master took the news to the king,
Saying:—“A handful of men, tyranny-experienced, justice-seeking,

“Are tyranny-complainers to the King of Rúm,
“Saying:—Land and clime have become narrow for (void of ease to) the Egyptians:

“The black men of Zang have arrived to such a degree,
“That the thoroughfare in the (Egyptian) desert has become strait:

“They have rolled up the environs of the world (Egypt) in such a way
“That blackness (from their numbers) has come on that mountain and plain:

“Desert-ones, like black pitch,
“More in number than the (blades of) grass in the desert.

“Like one with little beard, all old and childish;
“Though they are ugly, they go in joyousness.

About the cities of Egypt, of which the air is agreeable, were gardens and villas. Hence they call Egypt—sawád-i-jahán; just as they call Samarḳand—bihisht-i-jahán, the Paradise of the world.

According to Sir H. Rawlinson, Eden was the region of Ganduni (Kardunias), in Babylonia. In the inscriptions of Tiglath Pileser II. (B.C. 745-727) it is stated that four rivers—the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Ukni, and the Surappi—watered this land. See the Bible, Genesis ii. 8, 17.

Eden ('Adn) signifies—a settled abode, delight, tranquillity.

“Saudá” may signify—a brain disease. Anyone afflicted with it was put in a dark place, in the belief that darkness was pleasing to him.

Otherwise:—

By reason of the black army of Zang, the outskirts of Egypt became so strait and dark that you might say—an affection of the brain has befallen Egypt, so that it is in the midst of the darkness (of the men of Zang, black in colour).

“Ḳaṭran” (katrán, katírán) signifies—pitch; or a gum (very hot, black, and readily taking fire) of the mountain cypress (ubhul; 'ar'ar); they rub the sore back of the camel with it.

A man of scanty beard is considered ugly.

The first line may read:—

Like one of little beard, all old of childish nature;

Like one of little beard, all old but joyous;

See couplet 59.

“Among them,—not a face that displays shame;
“Among them,—not love nor reverence towards any.

“All—man-devouring and man-injuring;
“Egypt, in this matter, has no foot (of resistance).

“If the monarch come with assistance,—(well);
“But, if not, that country (Egypt) will pass away in rapine.

“Nor Egypt, nor Afranja, nor Rúm remains;
“They melt like wax by reason of that stove of fire (the army of black men).

“From such a multitude (of the people of Zang) we are heart-distressed;
“The rest,—Command is the king's; we are slaves.”

The king, administrator of justice, just ruler, religion-shelterer,
When he knew that the people of Zang had brought an army,

Became affrighted at the countless array,
—It is not proper that a wise man should be fearless.—

He summoned Aristo, vigilant of heart,
And urged much speech with him on this matter.

The wise minister of victorious (true) judgment
Became a guide to the king's victory.

Saying:—Arise and once display fortune-essaying;
“Make destruction of such a great dragon (Zang).

A commentator observes:—“Afranja is the name of a city, made prosperous by Naushíraván, on the banks of the river of Egypt (the Nile); of the country of Zang; and of the land in the West (Europe).” See canto xxi. couplet 20.

His fearfulness was better than fearlessness, for it was from knowledge.

“Perhaps from the king's hand may issue a deed,
“That may make the king's power more powerful.

“Egypt and that territory (of Zang) may become subject to thee;
“Thy name may come forth (renowned) for manliness.

“And if thou bring the enemy (men of Zang) to the dust,
“The friend becomes victorious, and the enemy (the rest of the world) infamous (ruined).”

Sikandar, by the counselling of the guide,
Carried the standard out of Makedonia.

He raised an army—that with helmet and sword
Its flashing lightning ascended to the cloud.

Sikandar exercised judgment from the river (Nile) to the dry land;
His guide (Aristo) became the path-displayer to Egypt.

All the Egyptians—citizens and soldiers,—
Went to meet him ceremoniously on account of his good fortune.

The king ordered that—from the bank of the River Nile
His army should march towards the desert.

For contest the men of Zang went hastening;
Two horses apiece, they went towards the desert.

The army resembled the thunder-cloud by the black helmets; and the lightning by the sword-sheen.

“Pazíra” signifies—paziranda; istiḳbál kunanda.

See canto xxii. couplet 11.

The Turkomans, divided into many tribes (the chief being the Yamuts, the Goklans, and the Tekès), inhabit the county between Khíva, the Oxus, and the north Persian frontier.

The Yamuts (forty thousand tents) occupy the shores of the Caspian; the Goklans (twelve thousand tents) the Upper Gourgan, the Attrek, and Simbur; the Akhal Tekès (thirty thousand tents) at Tajand, and on the northern slopes of the Keven Dágh mountains; and the Marv Tekès (thirty thousand tents) the oasis of Marv and the banks of the Murgháb river.

The Turkomans are of the Sunní sect of the faith of Islám; live in a Republican manner, tribal feeling being the leading sentiment; have rarely more than one wife; subsist on milk and millet; are rough, but brave and hospitable; and understand not suffering, however terrible, being merciless to the last degree.

The Turkoman horse is probably descended from the Arab, which (as well as the English thoroughbred) he now excels in height, speed, and endurance.

He is fed in spring time on green food, and at other times on barley, chopped straw, and clover hay. He is carefully clothed with hoods and rugs of thick felt, enveloping the whole of the body; the clothing is carried by a baggage-horse.

Every horse is carefully tested by being raced over long distances of forty or fifty miles, and over shorter distances of five or six miles.

A good horse may be purchased for £20, and one of high class for £500. A horse that will not gallop 50 miles without stopping the Turkomans consider not worth having.

At Sháh-rúd Valentine Baker saw a horse that had (they said) been ridden from Meshed to Tahran (five hundred and fifty miles) in four days.

When a chief is intent on a foray, he plants his lance in front of his tent, while a crier invites the people to range themselves under his banner and join in the raid against the Persians (Shiahs).

Those who have confidence in the chief strike their lances into the ground near his. When the chief thinks he has a sufficient following, he names that day month as the day of departure.

During this month the daily forage consists of six pounds of hay, three pounds of barley or a pound and a half of corn. This diet decreases the flesh of the horse, but increases his speed. The horse is then daily put to full speed for half an hour, and is not fed for some time after he comes in; very little water is given.

Thirty days having elapsed, the Turkomans take the field, each with two horses; one the charger, the other the sumpter, that follows without saddle and bridle, and that never strays from the party.

The marches are—first day, 3 parasangs=13.5 miles; second day, 4 parasangs=18.0 miles; third day, 5 parasangs=22.5 miles; fourth day, 6 parasangs=27.0 miles.

The daily forage, given in balls, then consists of—four pounds and a quarter of barley-flour, two pounds of maize, and two pounds of raw fat of a sheep's tail chopped fine, all well mixed.

The horses thrive on this diet, on which, after four days, they can endure the longest forced march. Then their masters mount them to pillage.

After assaulting a village they fly with their booty thirty or forty parasangs (a hundred and eighty miles) without drawing bit; and in an incredibly short space of time reach their encampment. Thus trained, their horses are not knocked up. “Clouds in the East,” by V. Baker.

In his “Ride to Khíva,” page 150, Burnaby says:—“A Kirghiz chief galloped with a Cossack escort (two horses per man) two hundred miles in twenty-four hours.

Plutarch says that, after the battle of Arbela (B.C. 329), Alexander marched three thousand three hundred furlongs in eleven days, or forty miles per day. This is nothing compared with Hannibal's march along the African coast.

The warriors dragged their chattels to (halted in) the desert.
For fighting the men of Zang, waist-belt made tight.

When the men of Zang obtained intelligence that the army (of Sikandar) had come,
The world became black to the eye of the men of Zang.

The two armies became arranged opposite (to each other);
All compassionate feelings, risen to go, departed.

From the steel-nail hoof of the war-steeds;
From the agitation,—earth's foundations fell.

From much shouting, which came forth from the ambush,
The (glass of the) sky (cracked and) fell upon the earth.

From the mace, heavy of weight, of the warriors,—
The head of the fish and of the ox became heavy.

The tumult of the cry of the soldiers is likened to the crashing of the (glass of the) sky, (unable to endure loud reports) upon the earth.

By Muslims it is supposed that God first created water and supported the eternal throne upon it. From the water there arose vapour, out of which He formed the sky and the earth, which He divided into seven parts.

God then created a fish. Then there was supported—the earth by the fish; the fish by blocks of stone; the stone by an angel; the angel by a rock; and the rock by the wind. The movements of the fish causing the earth to be violently agitated, God fixed mountains as pegs to keep it steady.

The heavens are seven in number. That nearest to the earth, or the first, is formed of emerald; the second of silver; the third of ruby; the fourth of pearl; the fifth of gold; the sixth of topaz; and the seventh of fire, where the angels chaunt:—“There is no God but God, the Lord of the glorious throne!”

Around the earth is the circumambient ocean; around the ocean the mountains of Káf, formed of green chrysolite, inhabited by Jinns. Before the creation of Ádam the Jinns dwelt on earth; but for quarrelling with each other and shedding the blood of animals, God sent troops of angels against them, who killed some and confined others in the mountains of Káf. See canto xix. couplet 15; and Sale's Ḳurán, art. “Earth.”

From the clamouring of noise, like the Resurrection Day,
Flight came upon the beasts of the desert.

When their weapons were prepared for battle,
The demon, on account of their uproar became a flee-er.

They accepted the battle-place in such a place
That the heat brought forth dust from (distressed) the men.

A land,—more waterless than red sulphur;
An atmosphere,—more liver-scorching than hell.

Neither in it cold water,—save pure poison (hot water, bitter and deadly);
Nor in it warm affection,—save the sun.

By reason of large serpents (swords) the caves (wounds) came into commotion;
In them (the caves) the day (of splendour) of markets as regards tumult (of bloodshed).

“Zuhr-i-náb” here signifies—áb-i-talkh; ábhá,e shor.

“Mihr” signifies—love short of muhabbat.

“Tanín” signifies—a large serpent; a constellation, one extremity of which they call rás, and the other zanab; a white serpent in the sky, whose body is in the sixth mansion and tail in the seventh.

The journeying of Sikandar was like that of a wandering star.

In that land the caves, by the coming and going of serpents (dragons) came into commotion; and in those caves there was the splendour of commotion and tumult by reason of bloodshed and slaughter.

In that place of ghúls (the battle-field, void of water) they (the men of Rúm) made their abode (for embassy-sending);
They (the champions on both sides) galloped like ghúls in every direction (for man-slaying, camp-guarding, and supply-bringing).

When the ox of the earth swallowed his own hump (half of the sun),
The black lion (night) leaped forth from ambush (appeared).

The Bull of the celestial sphere (Taurus) went boldly to (appeared on) the horizon;
The stars, like lions' teeth, came forth (fearful).

Night displayed from its own navel something like musk (darkness);
The world laid aside the jewel of light.

The officer of the advanced guard (of the army), enemy-recognising, went forth;
The watchman bound his loins on the guard-place (about Sikandar's tent).

A ghúl is said to be a monster (male and female), half flesh, half spirit, tangible yet ever changing form, endowed with speech and reason for evil only; hating man and ever seeking his harm; mortal, but, when killed, disappears or appears only as a piece of burned leather.

In Arab records the ghul disappears and is replaced by the Jinn and the 'Ifríṭ. The ghúl appears fearful to man, whom, leading astray at night, he destroys. See Sale's Ḳurán under the head of Devils and Genii.

When the sun reaches the horizon it assumes the form of the hump of the ox.

The ox, earth-supporting, swallowed the hump (half of the sun at the time of the sun's setting).

“Koha” signifies—earthly shade.

When the ox of the earth swallowed its own hump (earth-shade from the eastern horizon).

The ha in “koha” is by way of affinity, as án in “kohán.”

“Sá” signifies—mánind, like.

They rub (sáyand) musk in a shell that its perfume may be increased.

The first line may mean:—

The enemy-recogniser (Sikandar) advanced guard-holding,—went forth.

The stars began shining (in the pure air);
The men rested from moving.

(Separately) in one place (the men) both of Rúm and also of Zang;
The men of Rúm and of Zang listless as to action (of battle).

Come, cup-bearer! that wine (of senselessness) that is like the men of Rúm (red and white)
Give me; for my temperament is happy like the (temperament of the) men of Zang.

Perhaps with (opposed to) me this fearless panther (the traitor, Time)
May not be of two colours (deceitful) like the men of Rúm and of Zang.

The meaning may be:—

Wonderful it is that the armies of Rúm and Zang are in one place and that they do not fight!

The two armies are not in one place. Nay, they are encamped far from each other. That is, Rúm had encamped in one place and Zang in another.

When the orders of Muhammad the prophet, regarding the accepting of the Islám faith, reached the seven climes, the men of Zang listened with the ear of acceptance. On hearing this Muhammad prayed that the Zang nation might always be joyous. For this reason it is that the people are of laughing face.

This far-road (the world) is a deceiver-road;
Because one beholds its light on the seventh heaven (exceedingly distant).

The light by which one travels on this road is in the seventh heaven; anything which is so lofty and distant appears not to the sight.

On this path (of the world) the angel (the pure man) will depart from the path (to the stage of God);
If one demon (the man of demon nature) come, ten will depart.

For the assaying (of gold) of these four directions (the world), a wayfarer
Weighs not two grains (of property) so long as he steals not one grain.

First, particle by particle, he (the wayfarer) takes;
When it becomes the coin (a dinar) they (greater rogues) take it away from him.

To the extent of a grain, he (the amir's lieutenant) takes from the (poor) old villager;
To the extent of a “man,” he sends to the court of the amir.

May the chattels (society) of these (bad) fellow-travellers (the people of the world) be far from me!
May my tongue, as to this matter (of complaining of the world), be excused!

In this place the good becomes bad, and the bad worse.

This couplet describes the deceitfulness of Time. If an angel, whose work is entirely good, were to come to this world, he would leave the path of safety and become lost. And if a demon, whose acts are entirely evil, were to come, ten would go away, or his ill-doing would be increased ten-fold.

The people of the world are traitors and thieves.

The gold dínar, weighing 1 1/2 miṯḳál, passed for 20 to 25 silver dirams, marked A.H. 78.

The silver dirams were of the following value, when the pound of silver is coined into 62 shillings:—

The medium value of the gold dínar would be =10s. 7 1/2d.

The medium value of the silver diram would be = 0s. 5 3/4d.

One “man”=82 2/7 lbs. according to the regulations of the present Government of India. It varies in different places. See canto xxi. couplet 55, and the tables of measures in Clarke's “Persian Manual.”

In extreme misery words of anguish issue from the tongue.

Of these friends of alien temperament (who love not God),
Behold the one of double face (of hypocrisy); seek not (spiritual) union.

Like the fox, deceit-practising,—two holes:—
One towards lust; the other towards avarice;

But, like the Scorpion at the time of rage,—
Neither the aperture of the eye, nor the aperture of the ear.

The representation-maker of hidden mysteries
Of the history of the villager (the historian, the fire-worshipper) spoke thus,

Saying:—When the King of China (the sun) placed his saddle on the dapple grey steed (dawn),
The sky placed the hoof of darkness (the sun) into the fire.

“Do rú,e” signifies—nifáḳ.

“Yak zabání” signifies—ittihád; yagánagí.

The fox has two holes to his earth.

Lust signifies—khurdan va poshídan va jimá' kardan.

Avarice signifies—the acquiring of unlawful property and the seeking of worldly dignity.

It is said that the scorpion has power neither of seeing nor of hearing.

The sun is called King of China because in the East he appears to rise out of China.

When they wish to make a person ill at ease,—they put his name on a horse-shoe, breathe on it some enchantment, and cast it into the fire. See Sale's Ḳurán, chap. cxiv.

Before the sun rises the sky is dappled with stars.

“Na'l” signifies—the foot (or hoof) of the sun.

At night the na'l (under the earth) is the foot of night; in the ruddy morning the na'l is in the fire.

Otherwise—In the morning the men of Zang were restless, saying:— Behold Sikandar has mounted and will do battle with us!

The sky caused the die (of the sun) to leap from ambush (of the horizon);
The stars cast their dice (of night) from the hand, saying —We have lost!

Of warriors, army-shattering,—the world (the battle-place)
Drew up many an assembly like the stars.

From the steel-mirrors (or the bells) of the elephants and bells of camels,
In place of the pearl of the oyster a worthless black stone escaped.

From the moving (of elephants or of camels) that on earth pressed the foot,
The bones in the limbs of the ox (earth-supporting) became shattered.

The King of Rúm renewed the custom of great kings;
Made the world full of clamour with the drum:

“Muhra az kaf berún afgandan” signifies—to lose at dice.

When they find a rival's play much superior, they cast the dice from the hand, saying:—“We have lost!” So the stars, on the rising of the sun, threw up the game.

Bakhtan, to play, to lose a game; burdan to win a game.

From the shining of the sun on so many polished steel plates and burnished bells the atmosphere became so hot that the pearl concealed in the oyster became a black stone, worthless and mean.

It is said—that the drop of the April cloud, that in the oyster-shell has become a pearl, sometimes (from the crash of thunder) changes, and (its essence being poured out) appears as a black stone.

“Púya” signifies—

(a) A motion betweed jaulán-i-maidán and áhistá raftan.

(b) The causing horses to move in a challenging manner in the midst of the army before engaging with the enemy. The agent to the verb (pressed) will then be púya. But the time for doing this had not arrived as they had not risen up to battle.

(c) Moderate motion, caused by bringing elephants and camels for water and forage, some time before engaging with the enemy. The agent to the verb (pressed) will then be the elephants and camels mentioned in couplet 14. At the time of battle they kept these animals steady, not in motion.

See canto xviii. couplet 45.

Arranged the army according to the regulations of Rúm,
Like the decoration of a picture on a wax-seal.

There was one of the army of Rúm, very courteous (respected);
An orator (bold of tongue) acquainted with every language.

Bold and speech-uttering, and knowledge-worshipping;
Dexterous with arrow and sword.

An orator,—his name, Tútiyá-Nosh;
His (fascinating) breath (speech) drew parrots to the snare.—

By sweet words man-fascinating,
The patience of hearers ravished.

Sikandar's companion, out of season (evening) and in season (morning),
As to the laws of sun and moon a mathematician (astrologer).

Sikandar,—for the sake of message-bearing (embassage),
Called him to himself, on account of his reputation.

He ordered,—that he should use no delay;
Should go hastening towards the chief of Zang.

Should cause the fear of the king's sword to reach him;
—Perhaps he may listen; may turn back from the road.—

Should in the Zang language exercise guidance,
Saying:—“Iron (men of Zang) in the fire (men of Rúm) displays softness.”

“Gustákh-dast” signifies—chábuk-dast.

In some places the lines of this couplet are transposed.

See couplet 32.

The brave man, rose-faced, cypress-tree,
Caused this speech from the man of Rúm (Sikandar) to reach him (the King of Zang),

Saying:—“The holder of crown, and sword, and throne
“Has, by fortune's power, advanced the standard.

“He is prosperous (in fortune) and very impetuous;
“He is the burner like fire at the time of anger.

“When he draws (the bowstring of) the wild ass-hide (fixed) upon the deer-antler (bow-shaped),
“He stitches (with the arrow) the head of the ant to the foot of the ant.

“Thus best, that to him ye should display courtesy;
“Should bewail, and offer apology.

“It is not proper that that fire (Sikandar) should come to flaming;
“Because then with a sea of water it will not be extinguished.

“The world, which tried him in peace and war,
“Experienced loss in war with him, and profit in peace.

“It is proper to prepare the soul for love towards him;
“It would not be auspicious to seek revenge from him.”

See canto xv. couplet 2; xvi. 35.

In some copies, in place of sar-i-mor bar páe mor, the following readings occur:—

Sar-i-mar bar páe mor, the snake's head to the ant's foot.

Sar-i-mor bá par-i-mor, the ant's head with a (kind of) arrow.

“Nishastan” here signifies—iṭifá pazíraftan, to be extinguished.

At that time, when Sikandar's fire of anger is aroused, apology is ineffectual.

The King of Zang, when he gave ear to this speech,
Writhed on himself like the old snake.

From heat (of passion) his brain began to boil;
He raised a shout like rumbling thunder.

He ordered—that Tútiyá-Nosh
They should withdraw, and take sense out of his body (by slaying him).

Those demon-like ones took him away from the place before the king,
Like the stone (amber), straw-attracting,—the grass-blade.

They cut off his head; in a golden basin
His delicate form became bathed in blood.

When that basin became full of blood—what did the man of Zang do?
He drank it (the blood) like (simple) water, but drank not (simple) water!

Those persons who were with him (Tútiyá-Nosh) on the road
Went before Sikandar, water in the eye (weeping).

The King of Zang is likened to a snake on account of his contortions, blackness, and injuriousness.

Ṭúṭiyá-Nosh has been described as a man of sense; hence the Zang king ordered them to take away his sense.

“Dev sár” here signifies—kalán sar, the alif in sár being redundant.

Observe—kardigár, kardigar; sangsár, sangsar; gurgsár, gurgsar.

Casting some sand in front and bringing a basin, they used to cut off the victim's head so that no drops of blood fell on the king's carpet.

“Áb-khurdan” signifies—

(a) The subsiding of anger; because the drinking of water tends to quench anger.

(b) Making haste.

Notwithstanding that Palangar drank the blood of Ṭúṭiyá-Nosh, his wrath subsided not.

They represented, saying:—“That man of Rúm of beautiful countenance (Tútiyá-Nosh),
“How much ill he experienced from that man of Zang of cold (little) love.”

The king on account of that box-tree-like cypress,
Burned as the poplar from the heat of the fire.

By the (Zang) blood-shedding, his heart became aroused;
(And) on account of the blood spilt of such an innocent one.

The colour went wholly from (the face of) the men of Rum
When they saw (heard of) blood-devouring of that kind.

By that deed, the black men of Zang—white of teeth (full of laughter);
The lip of the men of Rúm,—hopeless of laughter.

That night best that is teeth-concealed (starless);
For that moment it expires when it laughs (is star-lit).

Sikandar, with deliberation one or two days,
Put out of his head anger, thought-consuming.

When the night stuck up (its) smoke (darkness) from the mountain (of Káf),
The bird (the owl) on the resolution of nightfall, uttered a plaintive tale.

The men of Rúm paled at the thought of being devoured by the men of Zang.

“Dandán-i-safaid” here signifies—khúsh-hál wa khandán; ṣubh.

This couplet is dependent on the first line of couplet 46.

Their joy is the cause of decline; just as the night, which expires when it displays its teeth (stars) and assumes an appearance of cheerfulness.

Anger that renders a man void of reason is said to be—“thought consuming.”

(a) When night brought forth smoke (darkness) from the mountain, or from the skirt of the sky, the birds, on the resolution of night, began to sing.

(b) “Áhang” signifies—the dog star called “sháb-kash,” that appears at the end of night.

“Koh-i-dúd” signifies—the sky.

When the constellations of night appeared in the sky, the birds, at the resolution of night (falling), began to sing.

(c) When night at the manifestation of darkness (twilight) uttered a cry, the evening bird (the woodcock and others) began to utter a tale at the night's cry.

As a minstrel utters the voice of melody, and another minstrel, in consonance with it, strikes up.

“Koh-i-dúd” signifies—the darkness (twilight) at the coming of night.

When the Hindú of the sky (Saturn) hung from his waist
Bells of gold (stars) for watch-keeping over the king.

The king's messenger, bell-striking (standing in attendance), spoke,
Saying:—“May the king be worthy of crown and the enemy ruined!”

The advanced guard went for road-holding;
The picket for drum-place guarding.

The next day when the sphere displayed haste,
The sun stuck forth its head from the shoulder of the mountain (of Káf).

The drum a?? the monarch's door roared;
The world, like the clamour of bells, became restless.

This describes the shining of the stars, as couplet 49 the singing of the birds.

The Hindú of the sky may here mean—the azure sky.

“Ba harúní jaras bastan” here signifies—istáda búdan ba khidmat.

Messengers used to fasten bells to their bodies. See canto v. couplet 38.

As the sky in revolving shakes the stars, so the guards clash the bells on the waist and pray for the king.

“Jalájal” is a small bell giving a pleasant sound.

“Ṭalí'at” signifies—ṭiláyat.

The drum-striker, with the throbbing of the raw hide (on the drum),
Cast the nose-strap into the throat of night.

The breath (voice) of the ox-tail (Rúmish trumpet) began to shriek;
The raw hide of the brazen drum began to clap its hands.

The balance (spear) of those steel-weighing (the warriors) by inclining downwards,
Urged a torrent (of blood) from one scale-pan to another (both armies).

The spear-point of the javelin, khaftán-piercing,
Passed through the fleshy part of the back (surface) of the navel.

From the short sword and the spear and the arrow of willow-leaf form
Armour and helmet became rent.

“Labísha” signifies—labása, labásha, labáshan, lawísha. It consists of—a cord passing through a curved, or a perforated piece of wood, or a stag's horn, which they attach to the upper lip of a restive horse. On giving it a twist the horse becomes helpless.

From the violence of noise of the drum the night thought—Behold, this is the rising of the sun; I must go to my place!

The nose-strap was applied to night (the restive horse), so that, being overpowered, it departed and day came.

“Khumbuk zadan” signifies—dast bar dast zadan; do dast barham zadan.

“Dam” may signify—the mouth.

When one pan of a balance is heavy and the other light,—they say that the balance is má,il (inclined).

“Fulaka” signifies—pára,e zamín; chirkha,e rísmán; pára,e gosht; gird-toda.

It means here the wooden, or the leathern, disc through which a tent-pole passes, and on which the canvas of the tent-roof is supported; or the leathern disc at the end of a spindle.

“Pusht-i-náf” signifies—rú,e náf, as “pusht-i-chaman” signifies— rú,e chaman.

That is—the spear passed through the back of a man, as the tent-pole passes through the disc supporting the tent-roof.

“Ḳuwárat” literally means—a slice; a strip (of cloth).

From fear of the assault, (and) from the flash of the sword,
The water in the heart of the stern thunder-cloud (the two armies) became blood.

When army to army turned its face,
The warrior came forth from both sides.

Much they grappled with each other;
Much the blood which they shed of each other.

The (army of) Zang prevailed over the army of Rúm;
Like the panther over the wild ass, limbs out-stretched in flight.

Note the difference between-hurrá, fear; and harrá, splendour. These two may each mean—a terrible sound.

Zang and Habsh are two distinct districts.

See canto xx. couplet 64; xix. couplet 242.

The Special Correspondent of the “Daily News,” dating his letter Tchekislar (engagement of the Russians with the Teke Turkomans), 25th September, 1879, says:—

“I saw a wild ass of the desert run down and surrounded by a party of irregular horse. Its height is that of a small donkey; its head, but slightly larger in proportion to the body than that of the horse; its hoofs are not larger than those of a small fallow deer; the back and sides, of a reddish cream colour; the belly and under part of the neck, white; the eyes, large and dark (see couplet 279); the ears, much smaller than those of the English donkey, and delicately edged with black. The captured wild ass bit and kicked at everyone that approached.”

In 1879 Sir William Merewether presented a pair of wild asses from Sind (a province in the west of India, bordering on Balúchistán) to the Zoological Gardens of Calcutta.

The male ass died soon after arriving; the female killed itself by dashing its head against the iron rails of the paddock. A post mortem examination showed that the animal had been in perfect health. Mr. Jamrach ascribes the death to hippomania. This breed is now very scarce.

In his book, “Clouds in the East,” Valentine Baker says:—

“In Persia, wild asses abound in the desert of Abivard, in the plains of Muhammadábád, in the open vales of the Attrek river, in the plains six miles south of Sanghos, and in the reedy banks of the stream between Sanghos and Jah Jarm (thirty-two miles). The wild ass is of a yellow dun colour, with a black stripe down its back; as large as a small mule, and pleasant to eat.”

The Khurds, describing the swiftness of a good horse, will say:—“He can run down the wild ass.”

Between Sanghos and Jah Jarm, Valentine Baker, Capt. Gill, R.E., and the Persian escort, coming to within a third of a mile of a herd of fourteen wild asses, gave chase. Baker got within two hundred yards of the herd; but by that time his horse was done, as was also Capt. Gill's and the escort was nowhere.

The Bible, Psalm civ. 2, says:—They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst.

Of wild ass hide, which is stronger than other hides, they make bowstrings.

The man of Zang brought destruction to Rúm;
The owl (the filthy bird!) from every desolate land uttered its cry (of desolation),

Saying:—“The men of Rúm feared the previous repast (the relish of blood-drinking).”
Saying:—“What did the man of Zang with Tútiyá-Nosh?

“He (the man of Zang) cast the blood of the hero into the goblet;
“He, from wrong-headedness, drank that raw (pure) blood.”

When the men of Zang displayed such great dexterity,
Cowardly rein-urging (to the rear) came not from the men of Rúm (they stood their ground).

The chief, army-understanding (Sikandar), knew
That fear of the men of Zang had come to the men of Rúm.

When the army becomes timid as to fight,
It reflects not, save as to flight.

He (Sikandar) summoned before him the wise minister (Aristo);
He gave him information of his own concealed secret,

Saying:—“This valiant army has become faint-hearted;
“Of the sword-wound unsuffered it has become sated.

“Nesh khurdan” signifies—suffering injury.

“Pesh khurdan” signifies—taking a relish before meals.

Both armies remained on the field of battle.

“With an army, one can urge this contest;
“Alone, what may issue from a single horse-soldier (myself)?

“Of the blood-devouring of Tútiyá-Nosh, the hero,
“The whole of the army will die of fear.

“Each one displays the form of fear;
“No work comes from timid ones.

“Since this army, battle-seeking, has become fainthearted,
“Bring water, and wash the hands of valour.

“All the men of Zang display boldness;
“Display recklessness (of desperation) like raging elephants.

“What artifice can one bring to the hand (use)
“By which defeat may come to the men of Zang?

“Deliver that opinion that may render assistance
“And may give me deliverance from this dread.”

The world-experienced minister, grievance-redresser,
With knowledge of affairs, expressed breath,

Saying:—“O king! may wisdom be thy guide!
“May victory be thy friend; and thy enemy weak!

“The World-Ruler (God), Creation-Shelterer,
“—O king, world-seizer,—may He be thy shelter!

“In every place, from mountain and plain (difficult matter), to which thou turnest thy face,
“May thy prosperity be from the sphere, victorious in revolution!

“Tanhá” here signifies—tan-i-tanhá. It relates to Sikandar.

“Áshufta” signifies—baham bar ámada; pareshán-hál.

“Nafas kushádan” signifies—sukhan guftan; ba sukhan ámadan.

In some copies bádá is written for bád in the second line. The final á signifies much, as in basá, khúshá.

“The black men, who are snakes, man-striking,
“Are not men; but verily Ahrimán (the evil principle).

“If the army of Rúm hesitate as to conflict with the army of Zang,—
“It is not wonderful; for this (the man of Rúm) is a fish (little injuring), and that a crocodile (man devouring).

“Of man-slaying is much fear;
“Of man-devouring,—how may one not fear?

“If we ask for peace from these stone-hearts,
“The wise will not call us wise.

“And if we make the place void of (forego) contest,
“They will at once bring forth the dust (of destruction) from the world.

“Yes; if they had possessed fear of us,
“The (coming of the) mediator (Tútiyá-Nosh) would have placed obligation upon them (and they would have considered his coming gain).

“Of what use is the coming of a mediator, when they are very senseless?
“And,—if thou desirest truth—are mediator-slayers!

“It is proper to employ one remedy;
“To counterfeit by artifice man-devouring.

“To capture some of the men of Zang on the path;
“To confine (them) in this court.

“For thee,—to sit silent and angry;
“To cast down the men of Zang on the dust:

Read otherwise:—

Of a man slayer …

Of a man devourer …

“Chara bar andákhtan” chára ba 'amal áwardan.

“Sákhtan” here signifies—muwáfiḳat kardan.

“To cut off, with torture, the head of one from his body;
“To send it to the cook for the purpose of eating:

“To say in the Zang tongue:—Wash this;
“Cook it, that the Khusrau, name-seeking, may eat it.

“Order that the cook secretly
“May place a sheep's head; and make it dust-sleeping (in the grave).

“May boil (half cook) the head of a black sheep;
“May bring it boneless to the king:

“The king—that leather, uncooked, half-raw,—
“Will rend, and with great avidity eat it:

“Will order that they bring also his (the Zangí's) brain,
“Saying:—No one has eaten anything better than this.

“If at first I had known, in the least,
“That such food would keep me healthy,

“I would not have cherished the captives taken by the warriors of Rúm;
“I would have devoured every man of Zang, pleasant of taste.

“When that pitiful man-devourer (Palangar) obtains news
“That there is a terrible man-devourer (Sikandar) worse than he,

“He will, by reason of this fear, abandon that hot malice;
“For one can make iron soft by iron.

“Lafcha” signifies—pára,e gosht be ustukhwán; sar-i-biriyán; but here it signifies—chafta, a sheep's head.

“Joshídan” signifies—to half cook.

The head was to be half-cooked, so that in rending and gnawing it sufficient time might pass for the men of Zang to witness the spectacle. Half-cooked flesh is less readily eaten than that fully cooked. See couplet 97.

“Hech” has two meanings—one is a general negation (salb-i-kully) the other a small quantity (miḳdár-i-kam).

“Khúsh-namak” signifies—khúsh-zá,iḳa.

“If we accomplish this remedial measure,
“We may bring defeat upon those bold ones,

“From wolves (the men of Zang) we can escape by wolfishness (the rending of flesh half raw);
“For only (the action of) ignorance (wolfishness) can bring defeat upon (flight to) ignorance.”

The king ordered—that the warriors of Rúm
Should display endeavour in that land and clime:

Should lay an ambush in the way of the men of Zang;
Should seize some of the men of Zang.

Those warriors, order-accepting, went;
They took captive some of the men of Zang:

Conducted them to the king's drum-place,
And consigned them to the officer of the guard.

The king's watch-keeper brought them
The back of the head red (with blows), blood-like, and a great face, black.

The king—with fury, like the roaring lion,
That brings low the heavy stag,—

Ordered so that—of one of that number of the men of Zang
They cut off the head, like a mountain-fragment;

Gave it to the cook, saying:—“Take it;
“Prepare whatever is fit for the king.”

Quatrain:—

When an ignorant one comes, it is proper to turn the face towards ignorance;

It is necessary to let down the veil upon the face of speech.

To one non-understanding why expressest thou the boast of intellectuality?

To a child it is proper to speak childishly.

“Sarhang-i-naubat” signifies—piyádagán-i-bár-gáh ki ba naubat-gáh háḍir báshand.

“Naubatí-dár” signifies—kase ki muháfiẓ-i-naubatí bashad; or kase ki kárash nigáh bání,e ashkháș báshad.

He (Sikandar), on the other hand, uttered the secret to the cook—
How it was proper to prepare for him this repast.

On foot before the Khusrau the other men of Zang
Were at that custom and usage helplessly astonied.

When the Khusrau ordered that they should bring the tray;
Should lay the victual (table) -cloth.

The intelligent person (the cook) brought the tray,
On it boneless pieces of meat (a sheep's head).

That food,—the king rent in pieces with force,
Like a lion that rends the hide of the wild ass.

He ate with satisfaction, and wagged his head,
Saying:—“I have never seen better food than this.

“Since a man of Zang is in eating so heart-attracting,
“To eat any other roast-meat to me is not agreeable.

“Always I will devour the leg of a Zangí with wine;
“For I may not obtain roast-meat of better flavour than this.”

The king, elephant-binder (powerful), in thought of the black men,
Continued eating of that counterfeited sheep's head.

When he made them fearers of the dragon (himself),
He released them, like snakes in the desert.

Those black men went to the King of Zang;
They unfolded the news of that sorrowful day.

Saying:—“This one, dragon in disposition, man in fashion,
“Is a crocodile that has brought loss upon us.

“He devours the men of Zang raw,
“As men of Zang eat the almond-kernel.

“When he brings into bonds the heads of the men of Zang,
“He eats them like the head and boneless pieces of flesh of a sheep.”

Terror came into the heart of the men of Zang,
Because the coarse canvas (harshness) brought forth its head from the painted silk (delicateness).

Their fire (of battle) -exciter (the army-leader, Palangar) became pale;
His fierce fire (of wrath) from the ardency (which it had) settled down.

The next day, when the cock (the sun) expanded its wings (arose in flight),
The brain of heaven (the sky) became void of fancy (stars).

The (white) cock (the sun) uttered a shout (crowed) at the black ghúl (night);
The sound of the drum began to throb.

The clamour of the trumpet of shrill sound,
(Was) like the trumpet (tumult-exciting) of (the angel) Iráfil on the Resurrection Day.

On account of the clamour-bringing forth of the ox-tail (the Rúmish trumpet),
The power of Taurus (alarmed) became lost from the sky.

A demon is afraid of the crowing of a cock; because it utters the call to prayer. In the traditions it is stated:—

“The white bird sends blessings upon me.”

Whenever the (white) cock of the ninth heaven begins to crow, the cocks of the earth also crow; and in the early morning, when the earthly cock, on beholding the world, utters a crow, you may make prayers, which will be answered.

In the crowing of a cock are many excellencies, the foremost of which is—that assuredly devils, on hearing it, will flee. For this reason it is customary to keep a cock in the house.

The second line may mean:—

Venus (the minstrel of the sky) became lost (went forth) from Taurus (her house).

Drums of wolfish hide, by reason of tumult,
Brought to boiling the brain of the world.

From the screaming of the clarion, wound-scattering,
The brain of the sphere (became) pierced by the sharp wound.

In that hold and seize (tumult) the heart of the warriors (of Rúm)
Brought forth (encouraged) with the scream of the Turkí reed.

The earth-shaking (sounding) of the whip (the mace)—in the brain (of warriors),
Produced a fiery whip (a flame, wick-brain consuming) like the lamp.

The arrow, steel-gnawing (weapon-shattering, kept), proceeding
Through the limbs of lions (warriors) steel-devouring.

The lustre of the surface of the sword so gleamed
As the star from the dark cloud at night.

Again the two armies arose:
They arranged their ranks in another form.

Two clouds from two directions began to shout;
Two seas of fire came into agitation.

“Tumbuk” signifies—a small drum that conjurors play.

“Ṭumbuk” signifies—a clarion.

“Dár o gír” signifies—hold and seize. They give the order sometimes for holding (arresting) the criminal; sometimes for seizing and slaying.

Since on suffering a severe blow something like a flash of lightning (“stars”) is fancied, they say in Persia:—

“Chirágh az chashm jastan,” the leaping of the lamp from the eye.

“Palárak” signifies—jawhar-i-shamsher; áhan-jawhar-dár. The arrow, steel-filing, went into the bodies of men, steel-biting, and passed through.

“Rau árau zadan” signifies—rawán gardídan, coming and going successively without delay, so as to cause the sound of—fasháfash; just as the crashing of the sword-blow causes—chaḳáchaḳ.

The armies of Rúm and Zang commingled;
White and black (hostile), like the boar of two colours.

The hoof of horses, wind-fleet, steel-shod,
Made the earth red with the blood of warriors.

The twang (of the strings) of the bows, arm-breaking,
Snatched from themselves (made senseless) many individuals.

The flashing of the sword, mirror-shining,
More gleaming than the fountain of the sun.

The army of Rúm planted high the standard;
The earth (hidden) in the bow; the sky in the noose!

Within the centre of the army Sikandar, (son) of Faylikús,
Drew up a wing, like a bride (in splendour).

The chief of the army of the men of Zang, of pitch colour,
Brought forward a wing of an army like the mountain Besitún (hard).

The ranks of terrible elephants, in one place a crowd;
Like the circumference of a declivity (and like) the loins (flanks) of a mountain.

Eye-lashes, spear-like (sharp); eyes cornelian-like (red);
From trunk to tail immersed (clad) in iron.

The boar is very pugnacious.

“Tarang” means—the twang of a bow-string; the crash of a mace-blow; and the crackle of glass breaking.

The earth was concealed with the number of bows; and the sky with the number of nooses attached to lofty spears, bound—nay, lost so that it could not be seen.

Possibly,—the earth was bound to the bow; and the sky to the noose.

Be-sitún is a mountain, one league from the town of Kirmansháhan, on the road from Hamadan to Bághdád. According to Diodorus, the sculptures were hewn by the order of Semiramis; according to the Persians, of Khusrau Parvíz, A.D. 591. See supplemental volumes to the works of Sir W. Jones, 1801, vol. ii. p. 763; and Sir W. Ouseley's “Travels in the East,” vol. iii. p. 333.

On each elephant, an ivory throne of a different kind;
On it, a man of Zang becapped with a musk (black)-crown,

When he (the man of Zang) used to shout at the headstrong elephant,
If he (the Zangí), had shouted at fire, he would have consumed (destroyed) the fire.

By reason of the many elephants which came forth for contest,
The earth, from the elephants' feet, became of blue colour (black).

He (Sikandar) sent the footman (the pawn at chess) for the elephant (bishop) manœuvre (chess-move).
In every corner (of his army) a hundred elephants secured (for battle, unable to run away).

When the order of battle was prepared,
The nature (of the combatants) was disengaged from love.

A tyrant, a black one, by name Zarácha,
Moved from the army-place of the men of Zang.

Elephant-like (screaming) he came, in hand a (crocodile's back-) bone,
By which he was wont to break the elephant's bones:

A great black snake,—wolfish enchantment, his;
From head-largeness (conceitedness), head-swellingness, his:

On every elephant he spread a throne of different fashion, and on it sate an Ethiopian, black of head.

If that man of Zang had shouted at his refractory elephant, he would have consumed him (the elephant) with his terrible voice. Why speak of the elephant?—If he had shouted against (consuming) fire, he would have consumed the fire.

The second line may be:—

From the elephants' feet the earth became (full of waves) like the river Nile.

See couplet 168 and canto xi. couplet 51.

“Afsún gurgí” signifies—an enchantment that they utter on the warrior who first approaches. The enchanter appears in the sight of others as a wolf; and the others appear in his sight as sheep. When the enchanter utters this on himself, no weapon is effective against him.

A mouth,—large and black like the cauldron,
From which the eye of the beholder became white (senseless);

(His head) a jar—evoked from a reddish black stone,
With jars of foul fluid over it poured:

A great shoulder and chest like the steel shield (expanded and hardened);
Ask not in truth the tale of the robustness of that one.

Thou hast seen a standard, (the black) tassel at its head?
He (Zarácha) differed not from its form a hair.

If there (at the standard's head) there were a small inverted cup,
In his head were two eyes like the cup (full) of blood.

When senseless, the blackness of the eye is concealed, and the whiteness revealed. The eye becomes dazed at beholding anything exceedingly black, and gladdened at anything fresh and green.

“Sirka áhan” (sikáhan) signifies—

(a) By the dictionary—a tincture of pomegranates and vinegar.

(b) According to a commentator—a stinking black fluid of iron and vinegar, used for dveing cloths and leather (black). See canto xxvi. couplet 43.

“Khamáhan” signifies—

(a) According to the dictionary—a black shell, inclining to redness.

(b) According to a commentator—a black, hard stone, inclining to redness, of which they make seal-stones.

“Zarácha” is likened—as to form, to a jar (khum); as to colour, to the blackness of khamáhan; and as to odour, to the stench of sikáhan.

His head was a great jar made of black stone, over which many jars of foul fluid were poured.

His head was black, covered with black, foul hair.

The second line may be:—

His form differed not from it a hair.

In former times the shaft of the royal standard used to be fifty arash in length.

Zarácha was—in stature, like the standard; and in blackness of face, like the tassel at its head.

They used to attach the tassel to an inverted cup at the head of the spear-shaft.

In the Zang language he praised himself much,
Saying:—“Than the (consuming) fire beneath the smoke, I am more consuming (beneath my blackness)!

“I am Zarácha, the elephant, steel-devouring (greatly intoxicated with lust),
“Who, on elephants' backs, drag my (ponderous) píl-pá (mace).

“When I put wine into the píl-pá cup,
“(Intoxicated), I sever the elephant's tendon with a píl-pá (war-weapon).

“When in the battle-field I draw forth the sharp sword,
“I make the mountain, by the assault (of my sword-point), stone-shedding.

“If the lion (of gentle nature) come before me, or if the lion (of savage nature),
“Like the rumbling thunder-cloud I pour on him a torrent (of blows).

“My ebullition (wrath) casts down the horse (of ebullition) of the Nile;
“My face (the mighty mountain bird, the roc) makes the (mighty) elephant the (feeble) footman.

Zarácha compares himself to fire beneath smoke; for he possessed both the colour of blackness, and the fire of audaciousness.

“Píl-pá” signifies—an Ethiopian war-weapon; or a large long-necked flask like an elephant's foot.

I am Zarácha—the elephant, steel-devouring,

On the back of (such) elephants I drink the píl-pá (goblet).

In some copies:—

When I put wine from the píl-pá into the cup.

At the present time in Africa it is common, before slaying a wild elephant, to ham-string him.

Otherwise:—Like the rumbling thunder-cloud I pour on him a torrent (of blood from his wounds and thus slay him).

“Faras afgandan” signifies—to overcome.

“Rukh” signifies—the great mountain bird, the roc, which carries off the elephant and the rhinoceros; and in the form of which the rukh (the castle at chess) is made. See Lane's charming translation of the “Arabian Nights' Entertainments.”

The meanings may be:—

In “Dissertations Relating to the History and Antiquities of Asia,” 1793, p. 258, Sir W. Jones says:—“The game of chess, invented by the Hindús, seems to have been immemorially known in Hindústán by the name of Chaturanga, or the four members (elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers) of an army. This word became in Persian, Chatrang; in Arabic, Shatrang (the king's distress). Thus, the Sanscrit name has by successive changes given birth to—axedrez, sacchi, echecs, chess, check, exchequer. It was probably carried into Persia from Cányacubja by Borzúieh, the favourite physician of Naushiraván, in A.D. 560. The Castle.—The name comes from rath (Hindí), a chariot; rukh (Persian), a hero; roc (old French), a fortress. The English, French, Spaniards, and Italians retain the form of the castle (without the elephant); the Danes, Germans, and Indians—the elephant (without the castle); and the Russians—the boat. The Queen.—Farz, farzín (Persian), a minister; fierce, fierges, feers (old French). The Knight.—Asp (Persian), the steed. The Bishop.—Fíl, píl (Persian), an elephant; alfyn, awfyn, alfin (old English); aufin, fol (old French); alfin (Spanish). Checkmate.—Sháh-mát (Persian), ‘the king is dead.’ When playing with their sovereign, they say:—Sháham, ‘O my king!’ A king of Persia ordered that instead of saying this, they should exclaim:—Nafs mát, ‘the person is dead.’”

“Weapons (the hand and foot) like the male lion from my body spring;
“Besides, I have the weapon of steel (the sword).

“Like the diamond (the steel sword) and iron (the mail armour)—my veins and body!
“Of diamond and iron—mine, what need?

“When in neck-extending (arrogance) I extend my neck,
“I fear neither the watery (the pitiless crocodile) nor the fiery (the merciless demon):

“I rend with the sword the loins of heroes;
“Devour pitilessly the kidnies of brave ones:

Then man made of dust is as nothing before me.

The natal constellation of Dáráwas watery—Pisces; and of Sikandar, fiery—Leo, the sun's mansion. See canto xv. couplet 50.

“Am of dragon-form for man-slaying;
“Am not man-slayer, but man-devourer!

“Shame of none in the world—is mine;
“Contention is great; and peace is not.

“Softness keeps the striver languid (as regards his opponent);
“The (refractory ass) comes forth proper (obedient) from beneath the housings of labour.

“At that time, when a Zangí like me is laughing,
“He is (you may say) a black lion of diamond teeth.”

This he said, and cast on his eye-brows a fold;
Like a snake that, from passion for the treasure, casts itself in folds.

From the army of Rúm a horseman, powerful and skilful,
First cast himself against that fire (Zarácha).

He displayed bravery for fire-quenching (Zang-slaying);
Like a moth whose blood comes into agitation (at the sight of a candle).

The man of Zang, war-tried, came against him;
He (the Zangí) snatched his head with one blow from his body.

In the second line is the cause of the first. If they put not the packsaddle on the ass and employ him not on work, he becomes lazy. Even so the man of war, if he practise not prey-seizing (muzáwalat), becomes soft and languid.

“Gardan,” signifying—neck, makes in the plural—gardanhá

“Gardan,” signifying—warrior, makes in the plural—gardanán

“Sar,” signifying—head, makes in the plural—sarhá

“Sar,” signifying—chief makes in the plural—sarán

How terrible must he then be in rage!

“Gosh malídan,” usually signifying chastising, here means—displaying bravery and skilfulness.

Otherwise:—

Like a moth whose (time of) being slain comes near.

“Jang-súd” signifies—

(1) Kase ki súd-i-khudrá dar jang dída báshad.

(2) Kase ki súda yá farsúda,-i-jang báshad.

But here—kár-azmúda; jang-dída.

Another man of Rúm went like the fierce wind:
While he winked his eye he laid down his head (in death).

Another revenge-seeking one (of Rúm) came to battle;
The sky brought his foot also to the stone (dust).

Thus,—to the number of seventy men,
Of the men of Rúm, in conflict, came to the sword (of slaughter).

The wish came to no other warrior
That he should go battle-making with that one of hell (Zarácha).

The heart of the army of Rúm departed from its place (became perturbed),
As (the heart of) wax from the fiery stove.

When that one of hell made the army (of Rúm) weak (from fear),
No one come forth for battle with him.

The chief of warriors, the king (Sikandar), sphere-inclining (of lofty ambition),
Made (his own) place void in the body of his choice troops.

He resolved upon battle with the man of Zang (Zarácha);
Gave the spear a twist for Zangí-slaying:

“Pá,e ba sang ámadan” signifies—falling; for when a person's foot “comes against a stone,” he stumbles and falls.

“Zabání” signifies—

(a) (If derived from zabána,e átash, a fire-flame)—of or belonging to hell; or the angel guardian of hell.

(b) (If derived from zabán, the tongue)—an eloquent one, or a boaster. See couplet 163.

If zamání be read for zabání, the second line will be:—

That he should go battling with him (Zarácha), even for a little while.

Zarácha, an infidel, was, according to the Ḳurán, hellish.

The jewel-studded belt girded on the waist;
The Indian steel (sword) drawn forth by the hilt:

On his graceful body a sky-coloured (azure) coat of mail;
Like the twisted locks of the men of Zang, knot within knot:

A Yaman sword, with poison-water boiling,
Suspended, sword-belt-like, from his shoulder-side:

(And) a noose, curved like the eye-brow of the people of Tughmách,
In curvature like the bow-corner (bow-horn) of the men of Chách:

He cast a (padded) cloth over the back of his bay horse;
(And) that warrior of elephant-strength came to the saddle:

Entrusted the rein of his swift bay steed to fortune;
Displayed superiority over that one of strong hand (Zarácha, fortuneless).

How descends the black eagle upon the mountain-partridge?
How leaps the sun (at rising) upon the earth?

Swifter than that,—the Khusrau, stout of body,
Attacked with fierceness that Ahriman (Zarácha).

He shouted at him, saying:—“O old crow (black of body, great of age)!
“A young eagle has come, rest-taking.

“If thou turn not the rein from the path,
“I will make the world black to thee like thy face.

“Marghúl” signifies—mú,e pechída.

The people of these two towns in Turkistán are very handsome.

Zarácha trusted not to fortune, but to his own valour.

The crow on seeing the eagle is, through terror, unable to fly, an?? becomes a prey.

“For the reason that thou art black of face (confounded), —from the sharp sword,
“Thou shalt flee in this battle-field.

“Go not, until I make thy (black) face red with blood;
“Until I make thee more interlocked (in death's throes) than thy hair-lock.

“Rust falls on the mirror-like sword,—
“I am that mirror (lustrous sword); for from me (by continuous warfare) rust has fallen.

“Rúmish white lead takes away eye-pain (and eye-redness);
‘My sword takes through fear redness (ruddiness) from the yellow (black) face.

“Why boastest thou, saying,—I am the demon, man-devouring?
“Devour me, who am greater than the demon-man.

“Thou knowest not the strife of the sword and the mace?—
“I will with a strong arm teach thee.

“If thou come from the (terrible) place (Zang)—guard thy place;
“Otherwise, I will put thy head beneath my foot.

“I am that chief of Rúm, of Arab (keen) sense,
“Who, like the morning-dagger (the true dawn), am Zang-slayer (darkness of night destroyer).

Rust falls not on the sword of him who is perpetually engaged in warfare.

In the idiom of the Persians, yellow is synonymous with black.

“Dev-mardum” may signify—a masnás, a man having only one leg and one arm, moving by leaps.

Why boastest thou—I devour the masnás?

Devour me, who am greater than the masnás.

“When I strike the Indian steel (the sword) against the head of the huge elephant,
“The elephant-driver casts his garments into the jar of indigo (in mourning over the slain elephant).

“When with iron (sword) I make a hole within the stone (and make the mountain-stone slave to my sword),
“The sense of the chief of Zang (Palangar) goes to Zang.”

When he (Sikandar) uttered this speech he stood in the stirrup,
Raised the arm; loosed the rein (gave rein to the steed):

Assaulted him like the raging lion,
A mace (the head) of lion form in his hand.

From the severity with which he struck the mace on his (Zarácha's) head,
Fever-trembling fell upon the mountain Alburz (Zarácha).

With one wound (blow) of that mace of hard steel
He took the life of that ebony-tree.

Head, and neck, and chest, and foot, and hand,
He shattered to pieces, from head to foot.

When the work of (slaying) Zarácha reached a conclusion,
Another toil (of combat) appeared.

The Indian steel may signify—the two-edged sword, invented by the people of India.

(a) So long as here, fear-stricken of me, he goes not to (his country) Zang, he will remain stupified and senseless.

(b) When with the iron (spear) I make a hole in the mountain-stone (and cause a mournful sound to issue from the mountain), the chief of Zang (living) in Zang (far distant) goes (becomes) senseless. See couplet 274.

“Alburz” signifies—

(a) A mountain in Mazandarán.

(b) The name of a hero of great stature.

See couplet 160.

A black, in form the lofty date-tree,
—The eye of the gardener trembling at it,—

Attacked the Khusrau like a savage dragon,
Delivered against him a sword-wound (blow) like fire.

Against the king's armour the sword was not effective:
The man of Zang growled (with vexation) like the black thunder-cloud.

When the Dárá of Rúm (Sikandar) beheld that black,
He drew forth the black crocodile (the sword) from the scabbard.

He struck such a blow with his sword at that date-tree,
—Like the ravening lion at the old stag,—

That the head of the man of Zang fell from the lofty date-tree,
Like the Zang-man who fell from the date-tree.

Another man of Zang went to battle;
He opened his tongue with a handful of boasting,

Saying:—“The black cloud has come from the mountain (army) of Zang;
“It rains not, save dragons and crocodiles (sword-blows):

“I am Siya Gúla of hero-arm (powerful);
“Am equal in the balance to the ponderous mountain:

“Pluck up the elephant's neck from the body;
“Drink in a breath the fountain of the Nile (render it dry).

“For that one, whose life I pluck with iron-weapon,
“I stain many garments in the foul fluid (black colour).”

No gardener had seen such a lofty date-tree.

“Gúla” (gulúla) may mean—a musket-ball; a large ball thrown from an engine; the name of the Zang warrior.

I cause many to wear garments of mourning. See couplet 159.

When that world-seeker (Sikandar) saw that that foolish speaker
Made his own navel (person) musk-smelling (odoriferous) with (his own dried) blood.

He raised the sword-point against his (Siya Gúla's) neck;
And cast down his head from that foolish talking.

A powerful black, more terrible than that one,
Urged his rein for battle against the Khusrau.

He (Sikandar) struck against him the sword, poison-water drunk, in such a way
That the man of Zang came, from wandering (in battle), to the dust.

Another black placed the saddle on the black horse;
Sikandar, with another wound, laid his eyes together (slew him).

Again, until the night,—of the renowned ones of Zang,
To none desire of battle came,

The world-possessor, in possession of victory, became consoled;
He turned in the time of evening to the place of rest.

When (at the time of setting) the form of the sun of the hue of pomegranate flowers (ruddy)
Took blueness (darkness) from the jar of pure indigo (night),

The second line means:—

He displays what is wanting in himself.

As long as the blood of the deer's navel is raw, the navel (musk-containing) gives no perfume. When it dries and the colour of the blood departs, it gives forth the fragrance of musk.

“Tegh-i-zingár-khurd” may signify—

(a) A sword, rust-eaten or old.

(b) A sword, zingár-coloured.

(c) A sword, constantly moist with blood, for cleansing which there is no leisure.

It is said that this is an erroneous reading, and that “zuhráb” should be read for “zingár.” See couplet 191.

The care-keeper (the sky) of the standard (Draco) of snake form (night)
Plastered gold (the stars) on its painted silk of blue colour (dark night).

The guards (pickets) of the army, according to the regulations of watching,
More vigilant than the man star-recognising (the astronomer)—

Put not away from the eye guard-keeping;
(But) kept the watch-keeping that is the custom.

When in the morning-time, with happy star, came
The red rose (the sun) on the arch of the water-lily (the sky).

Sikandar came forth from his sleeping-place;
He arrayed the army for conflict with the enemy:

Urged the steed, rein-turning (obedient);
Urged that water (the steed) like fire:

Pressed his foot (remained firm) within the centre of the army;
Entrusted a section (of the army) to every warrior-hero.

Established the left and the right (wing) with (out of) the iron-fortress (the army armour-wearing),
Carried down its strong foundations like the mountain.

Verily the army of Zang and the tribe of Abyssinia
Became in every corner sword-drawing.

“Nigahbán” may signify—God.

“Durafshidan” signifies—larzídan, quivering (in the breeze).

The first line may mean:—

The keeper of the standard of snake-form (the standard-bearer).

The form of a snake used to be embroidered on the silken banner.

“Pá fishurdan” signifies—pá muhkam kardan dar já,e.

The first pahlú means—pahlaván; and the second—ṭaraf.

From couplets 242 and 243, Habsh and Zang are two different countries. The people of Habsh (Abyssinia) are said to be a tribe of the men of Zang, desert-dwelling. See canto xviii. couplet 1.

See canto xx. couplet 64; xix. 63.

On the right flank the men of Abyssinia; on the left the men of Barbary;
n the centre the man of Zang (the chief) demon-like.

When the king's drummer beat the drum of battle,
The Zangí bell-holder shook the bell (of battle).

The black cloud (the army iron-clad) began to roar;
The heat (flash) of the sword went from the fish (beneath the earth) to the moon.

The shout burst from both armies in such a way
That from terror of it the demon's brain became distracted.

The dust fastened a lump on (choked) the throats (of warriors);
Their limbs from sleeplessness (during the past night) became yellow (and powerless).

On account of the mace of heavy weight and the sharp sword,
The mediator sought the path of flight.

From much screaming of the (Rúmish) clarion (and) Zangí brazen bowl,
Fear came to the revolving sphere.

From (terror) of the trumpet, empty of brain,
Earth cast out of its head its brain,—the mountain!

From the brazen fortress (body) of the drum of thunder noise,
Tumult fell upon the brazen (strong) fortress.

The second line may be:—

The sound of the drawing of the sword went from the fish-like scabbard to the moon.

Such was the conflict that the mediator (to whom no loss could occur) sought flight.

“Miyánjí” signifies—mutawassiṭ; risálat-pesha.

The drum of brass is likened to a brazen fortress.

From reed blowing in far (high) note
Suspicion was that the trumpet of (the angel) Saráfíl had come.

From much striking of the mace and the sword on the earth
Dust came forth from every corner to the cloud.

From the steel point of the flying arrow,
Blood (the jewel-essence) clotted in the heart of the hard stone (the jewel-mine).

The bow of arched eye-brow (bow-notch) with eye-lash arrow,
Brought forth milk (blood) from the breast (bosses) of the cuirass.

The noose knotted, whorl within whorl,
Returned not at all, save around the neck (of an enemy).

Like the Indian juggler, swiftly rising (in the dance),—
The brandishing of the Indian sharp sword.

From the rythm of the spear-thrusts
The steed, under the subjection of the rein, began to dance.

By the point of the arrow of wasp-sting
The surface of iron and stone became rent.

The arched eye-brow (the bow), eye-lash (arrow) shooting, was so beautiful that milk (through love of it) issued from the breast (bosses) of the cuirass.

Through love for children, whom she may have cherished,—milk, even in a woman's breast, is often so agitated that it may be seen pouring from the breast. The cuirass is regarded as the mother of the bow and the arrow.

The sword is likened to the Indian juggler.

“Mu'allaḳ zadan” signifies—charkh zadan, to brandish.

“Mu'allaḳ zanán” signifies—a class of jugglers, who move head below, feet above, and spin in a reverse direction.

The second line may be:—

The master of the sharp sword (the warrior active as the juggler) springing (in the air).

“Zambúra” signifies:—An arrow (or a weapon) with a sharp head.

The earth, stained (or distracted) with the blood of those cleft asunder (with the sword),
The air bound by the sighs of those wounded.

The king drew up his army for conflict;
Like a mountain that is of lapis luzuli (beautiful in appearance).

That same swordsman of Zang (the chief, Palangar), strenuous in exertion,
Raised a cry like the Russian bell:

Heart-split, foam gathered on the lips;
Mouth wide open, like the back of a tortoise (seamed and serrated).

When a horseman from both sides went forth,
The heart of both armies became strong (comforted).

They displayed much manliness;
Also skilfulness; also recklessness.

The army of Zang brought forth destruction from the army of Rúm;
For this was feeble, and that terrible.

The king (Sikandar) thought of his delicate army;
For conflict comes not from delicate ones.

To his heart, he said:—“That best—that I should display lionishness;
“That towards these fearful ones (of Zang) I should discover boldness.

“Kafída” signifies—shigáfta; tarkída.

The first line should properly be:—

Lip gaping (like the crow) …

The second line may be:—

Mouth wide open like the back (bed) of the river Kashaf.

“When the army becomes sluggish as to their assaulting,
“It is necessary to wage this contest by myself (alone).”

Again he went forth like the sun,
That hastens the blood-shedding (annihilating) of night.

Some individuals of that hard, black race
He killed like a dog with one blow (of his sword).

The one who beheld such power as his (Sikandar's),
Shunned his (Sikandar's) steel.

When the warlike army-chief (Sikandar) remained unassailed,
He urged his steed against the army of Zang.

Palangar, who was chief of Zang,
Knew that the crocodile (Sikandar) had come from (his shelter of) the river (the Rúmish army).

To his companions he spoke, saying:—“This raw prey army abandoning),
“Where takes he his soul when he enters my net (the Zang army)?”

He arranged his king-like weapons;
Adjusted his sword on the armour:

Put on a khaftán of rhinoceros hide,
—From sleeve to body encrusted with gold:

This describes—the rising of morn, and the departing of night.

Like the sun—see canto xx. couplet 9; and couplets 189 and 270 of this canto.

“Pahlú tahí kardan” signifies—kinara kardan; gurekhtan; durí guzídan; ek sú shudan.

“Palangar” may signify—one possessed of panther (palang) force.

For the meaning of Sikandar (Iskandar) see canto xv. couplet 20.

The shelter of the crocodile is the river.

The khaftán (ḳazagand) is a leathern coat padded with silk or cotton.

According to the sect of Abú Hanífa (may God be satisfied with him!) the eating of rhinoceros-flesh is lawful.

A helmet of steel of mirror hue (burnished),
Like pure silver, he placed on his head:

A sword—flashing like the eye of the wild ass,
Damascene diffused over it, like the (trace of the) ant's foot—

He (Palangar) drew; and came against the fierce lion (Sikandar).
—It is not proper to go boldly towards lions.—

To the king he spoke, saying:—“O lion, prey-experienced (war-tried)!
“Be patient (hopeless) as regards thy own life; display patience (as to its departing).

“Go not, so that I may display the contest of warriors,
“So that I may show in this battle-field the rage of lions.

“We shall see to which of us is superiority;
“To which in this matter is victory.”

At the raging of the man of Zang, inexperienced in action,
The blood in the monarch's heart raged.

When the ill-wisher brings into action (reveals) his malice,
He brings the striver's (his enemy's) blood into agitation (and seeks his own destruction).

Sikandar said to him:—“Boast not so much;
“Utter not foolish boasting before men:

The first line may be:—

A sword flashing like silk pictured with the eyes of the wild ass.

The second line is uttered by Niẓámí.

Otherwise:—

Be patient; stand; display patience as to thy life; and delay in hastening to battle.

“Express not so much boast of manliness;
“Tremble at thy own shadow.

“Though thou be a lion,—fear the lion-overthrower;
“Exercise not boldness with the overthrower of the bold.

“The body (of thy opponent), that thou canst not remove from its place,
“In conflict with it,—why is it necessary to press the foot (to contend)?

“Stretch forth thy hand to the lion's flank (grapple) at that time,
“When thou hast great power in lion-overthrowing.

“Thou fightest for the plunder (destruction) of thyself,
“For thou art the sparrow; yet thou actest as the hawk.

“Come, that we may grapple; the place is fit:
“We shall see which of us is the hardship-endurer.

“Boast not as to opponent-overthrowing;
“Thou wilt be taken if thou boast.”

The man of Zang (Palangar) was enraged at the king's speech;
He entered into contest (twisting) like black smoke.

He delivered a sword-blow at the king's helmet,
—From the lightning (the sword), when reaches injury the cloud (the black helmet)?

At that one of hideous visage the king (Sikandar) was enraged;
The hair of his body raised its head, sword-like.

This couplet has two meanings:—

(a) Whomsoever thou renderest subject,—fear; for God is powerful, and may make him ruler over thee.

(b) Thou art such a cowardly one that thou fleest from thy own shadow.

Thy boasting is the cause of greater wrath on my part.

With force he struck a sword-blow at his body;
The blow was not effective against his (Palangar's) cuirass.

They made many assaults on each other;
They delivered not one deadly wound.

In this way, until night came overhead,
The blows of neither were effective.

When the man of Zang (Palangar) became distressed by the king's blows,
He said to him:—“The sun has gone towards the mountain (is setting):

“Night has come; it is proper to abandon blood (shedding) at night;
“By the promise of coming to-morrow, it is fit to make the engagement (of combat).

“When the night of dark action (darkness-spreading) becomes chattel-burner (departs),
“The fire (the sun) bursts forth from the revolving of day (after night).

If “pakhta soz” he read, the first line will be:—

When the night of dark action became the consumer of white cotton (the white dawn).

The first line of couplet 303 refers to:—

Thieves of dark action, who keep the cotton (pakhta) appertaining to the fire steel (tinder, sokhta), and by means of it light a fire for cooking. Sometimes the fire spreads to the forest and turns night into day.

Sa'dí says:—

One night fire fell on some tinder;

In a moment a world was consumed.

In some copies there occurs the phrase—pukhta-soz, which signifies:—

(a) One who causes loss. Thus, in the morning the darkness of night is diminished, and the beauty of the stars quenched.

(b) Meat very much cooked, called Muharrá, thus prepared:—One misḳál of must of wine, with the flesh of a fat lamb and condiments, in a linen bag, they put into a pot and boil on the fire till it becomes well cooked. When this stage is reached they draw forth the fire from beneath the pot.

The bringing forth of the sun from the screen of night (that is, the pukhta-soz) is likened to the coming forth of fire from beneath the pot.

You may say—the sun beneath the night is a fire that, after the night being cooked, is drawn forth.

“In this conflict I will execute against thee such a deed
“That thou shalt fly into the snake's hole.

“On the condition that, when the army (the whiteness) of the morning urges,
“I see thee also in the morning time like the morning.”

This he said, and turned from contest with the king;
To this matter the king consented.

With the respite of the night they came excuse-seeking;
From the battle-field they came to the sleeping-place.

Come, cup-bearer! of the wine (of senselessness) of last night from the jar,
That has remained left of Ká, us and Kay,

Give; so that (my) temperament may be (joyous) like the black race (of Zang);
From drinking the cup the head becomes joyous.

In some copies the second line is:—

When it (my temperament, i.e. Niẓámí) drinks awhile, the head becomes joyous.

At this time Sikandar was prosperous, like the past kings; hence Sujawush does not mean—Sujawush of distraught fortune, the son of Kay Kaus (Cyaxares) and the father of Kay Khusrau (Cyrus, B.C. 558), —but black (like the Zang race).

Ká,us and Kay here signifies—those perfectly senseless, who, having drunk the wine of senselessness and departed,—have left to those on earth a portion of that wine of senselessness in the jar of Divine bounty.

The next day, when the fountain of the sun
Kindled fire from the sea of water (the sky, called the revolving water or crystal),

The two armies drew up the drums (on the backs of elephants);
(Opposed) like the pieces of chess—of ivory and of ebony.

The partridges of Rúm and the crows of Zang
Became (like) the hawk's breast, that is—two (parti-) coloured.

The blacks like the night (of great darkness); the men of Rúm like the lamp (of little luminousness),
Small and great,—like the crow and like the eye of the crow.

A cloud (the army of Zang) of rust-coloured appeared;
It poured down a river of blood from its (red) eye.

In that torrent (of blood) that passed from foot to head,
This one (the army of Zang) became injured; the other (the army of Rúm), drowned.

It is said that kos bar kashídan is contrary to Persian idiom. It here signifies—kos zadan; saff-i-mardumán árástan; muḳábila kardan.

The hawk's breast is partly white, partly black.

The crow's eye is red of colour and small.

The men of Rúm, in shortness of stature, were like the crow's eye; and the men of Zang, in tallness and blackness, like the crow itself.

The men of Rúm, small in stature, were drowned; the men of Zang, tall, were only injured in the torrent of blood.

The World-Khusrau (Sikandar) resolved on battle;
—The evil eye (through the pride of the might of his army) did (evil) work against the enemy (Palangar).—

Drew up the market of contest;
Excited dust with the running water (his steed).

A coat, silk-stuffed, (adorned) with (pictured) eyes of the wild ass,
He put on, and became free from (the danger of) the sword and the arrow:

A suit of flashing armour, ring-possessing (mail),
Which, like the fountain (of the sun), comes not (by reason of splendour) into the eye:

The second line is uttered by Niẓámí.

Observe the force of—Kár-kard.

At the age of twenty-two (B.C. 334), Sikandar, in complete armour, leaped on Asiatic soil, on the shores of the Hellespont, and ascended to the storm-exposed city of Priam; worshipped in the temple of the Ilian Minerva; and hung his own arms as a votive offering on the walls. In exchange he took down a suit of armour said to have been worn by one of the Homeric heroes. The shield of great size and strength—borne in all his after fields before him—might have graced the arm of the Tela-monian Ajax.

At the age of twenty-five (B.C. 331), at the battle of Arbela, Sikandar (according to Plutarch) was thus habited:—His short tunic of the Sicilian fashion, girt close about him, was covered with a quilted linen breast-plate; his polished steel helmet, surmounted by a white plume, the work of Theodectes; his steel gorget, set with precious stones; his sword, his favourite weapon, not to be excelled for lightness and temper, —a present from a Cyprian king; his belt, deeply embossed with massive figures, on which Helicon, at an advanced age, had executed all his skill to render it worthy of acceptance,—a gift from the Rhodians. With shield, lance, and greaves,—behold the warrior! See canto xix. couplets 189, 270.

“Harír-i-gor chashm” is a silken cloth, on which they paint the eyes of the wild ass.

“Chashm-dár” may signify—halḳa-dár, each ring (halḳa) being equal in size to a man's eye.

Otherwise:—

A suit of flashing armour bestarred,

Which, in the eyes of men, shone like the star.

A spear of thirty yards, point-bearing,
Found nutriment (or shelter) in the water of the liver (of warriors):

As a sword-belt, an Indian sword like water (in moving or in cutting);
In lustre, greater than the sun's fountain:

On his head was such a cap of steel of Chín,
That the jewel of the mine became envious of its sheen.

A small spear, poison-possessing, suspended;
At the time of striking like the poison of the snake.

He bestrode a steed, mountain-like;
In being seen (in appearance) auspicious; in motion, pleasant.

At the time of meeting (early in the morning) he despatched a choice body of troops
To see when the enemy might come to the road (to meet him).

Palangar came not, for he was dis-spirited;
He was anchor-plunged (immersed) in reflection (of grief, or of stratagem).

Another man of Zang, like the intoxicated 'Ifrít,
He sent that he might acquire the jewel (of Sikandar's life).

“Arsh” is equal to the length from the elbow to the tip of the finger.

“Sinán-kash” may signify—point-uplifted; a fine point; or sinán kih ash.

In the last case the first line will be:—

A spear of thirty yards, whose point …

Himá,il. See canto xix. couplet 191; xxxi. 58.

“Azbar” (the word az is superfluous) signifies—bálá; az bálá; az sabab.

By one (thrust of the) king's spear that reached him
The vein of life severed (its connection) with the man of Zang.

Like the mountain-fragment (in hardness) came another demon (a Zangí),
On seeing (the blackness of) whom the eye of beholders became sorrowful.

He suffered the same as that other inexperienced one.
In this way the dust of the grave scratched (stroked) the heads of several.

One of demon form, more black of face than that one,
Came into action like the wriggling (angry) snake.

The king against him also quickly drove his spear;
He immediately brought forth smoke (life) from him also.

Another black,—a more villainous tyrant than that one,—
Came into battle,—a more cruel blood-devourer than the lion!

The draught (of death) of his former friend verily he drank;
Fate performed the same foregone work.

The agent to the verb (severed) may be—the vein; Sikandar; or the spear.

The first has been shown in the text. The second will be:—

When the king reached him,—with one (thrust of his) spear,

He severed the vein of life of the man of Zang.

The third will be:—

The king's spear, with one (thrust) that reached him,

Severed the vein of life of the man of Zang.

“Kharídan-i-sar” signifies—dast bar sar nihádan; shafḳat namúdan; tasallí kardan-i-khák.

The dust compassioned them; placed them under its protection; scratched (stroked) their heads, and passed over them.

The dust (with a view to swallowing them) produced an itching (kharáshí) in the head, the repelling of which lay in dying by Sikandar's spear.

Couplets 18 to 25 describe the four men of Zang whose heads the dust scratched (stroked).

No other bold one (warrior) came to the field (of battle);
For they were afraid of that savage lion (Sikandar).

The Khusrau gave the rein (to his steed) towards the tribe (army) of Zang;
He called forth his own enemy (Palangar) to battle.

When Palangar witnessed such superiority,
His limbs, from wounds unsuffered, went to pieces.

Whether he wished or not, he caused his horse to leap,
Urged his horse involuntarily towards the battle-place:

Cast the rein against (assaulted) the king, battle-displaying;
—(His) fortune lamenting (over his destruction) with much lamentation.—

Struck, with fortune's aid, many blows;
They were not effective against the lord of the throne (Sikandar).

The king of lion-boldness against that one of elephant-strength (Palangar)
Raged like the lion over the hunting of the wild ass:

Called first to mind the Shelter-giver (God);
Resolved on thorough success:

Made assaulting for battle with the Zangí.
—For the compass (Time) contracted towards the (black) point (Palangar)—

Urged his steed in warlike action against him;
Expressed laughter, lightning-like, at the black cloud:

Drove against him the spear (of thirty yards) of nine joints, in such a way
That both his (Palangar's) body and his coat of mail were pierced.

“Ṭaríd” comes from—torídan, to make tumult or assault.

With a breath (of wind) the bark (body) of the enemy became wrecked;
Palangar died; the army was helpless.

The king ordered that on horse-back
The army should at once move (against the men of Zang).

The army on both sides stirred up motion;
They mixed night (men of Zang) and day (men of Rúm).

From fear of the whirring noise which came from (the flight of) arrows,
The silk garment beneath the cuirass of the (cuirass-wearers) became the shroud.

The noise of the flashing swords
Brought forth the cloud (smoke) from the (bosses of the) shields (of the warriors).

The cuirass-like armour, from the sun's heating,
In ardency like an oven in heat.

From the raging of the head in acute phrenzy,
The world fled from light (became dark to the warrior's eye).

In some copies the second line will be:—

The anchor (weapon by which he remained firm in contest) became weak; Palangar died.

“Chaḳáchak” signifies—the clashing of swords; the whizzing of arrows; and the crashing of maces.

The silk garment signifies—the ḳajágand, or padded coat.

“Tarang” signifies—tárak-i-sar, the crown of the head.

“Tarang á tarang” signifies—sarhá va tárakhá,e bisiyár, many heads and crowns of heads.

The couplet may then otherwise be rendered:—

The points of the sword gleaming and drawn forth (that from the blows of the two armies had become lofty) produced a white cloud from the leathern dresses (scales) of the fish.

“Máh-waraḳ” signifies—the boss of a shield.

Black is the moon's body, and also the shield.

The phrase may mean—an iron shield, by burnishing, like a resplendent lamp.

In sar sám, a brain disease, in which, by reason of a swelling, some of the convolutions of the brain come to view,—light is unpleasant to the patient.

From the many men of Zang, slain on the dust of the road,
The earth with the sky (both) became black of face.

The (red) cornelian (man of Rúm) kindled fire from the black stone (man of Zang);
From the fire the black stone (man of Zang) became completely consumed.

The black stone (the Zangí) became light (valueless); the jewel (the red cornelian, or the Rúmí) heavy (valuable);
This, indeed, is the custom of jewellers.

The musk-willow (the Zangí) became captive to the jasmine-leaf (the Rúmí),
The black crow the prey of the white falcon.

Perplexity attacked the constitution (of the men of Zang);
The house (of the brain) void of the chattel of wisdom.

By the encouraging of the brave chiefs (of Rúm)
The (weak) wild ass (the Rúmí) became bold in contest with the (powerful) lion (the Zangí).

From (their) uttering:—“Húy!” and again:—“Hán!”
Tumult brought forth its head (appeared) from the midst (of the men).

When the conflict of the two armies passed beyond limit,
Time folded up the leaf of one (the Zang).

The sky, really of an azure colour, is by poetical usage black.

The cornelion, red in colour, found in Yaman, is used for seal-stones. The shabba is a black stone threaded with pearls.

The musk willow is not black, though musk is.

“Cháwush” signifies—the chief of an army or of a káraván. The chiefs used to incite the warriors to battle.

“Hán” is a word of caution, or of encouragement; húy, the tumult arising from a concourse of men.

Victory became the guide (ally) of the strong one (army of Rúm);
The weak one (of the army of Zang) came to quarter-asking.

In that assault the army of Rúm
Bound its loins for Zangí-slaying in every direction.

Sikandar extended his hand to the sword (for slaughter);
Defeat came upon the market (of fortune) of the men of Zang.

When the army of Zang came to the stream, Zangána,
The melody (of victory) issued from the trumpet of Rúm.

The head of the monarch's standard ascended to the moon;
The path (of the people of the world) became void of the tumult of the men of Zang.

The rain of mercy (Sikandar's victory) poured down from the cloud (of Divine favour);
It washed the rust (of infidelity and injustice) of the men of Zang from the sword (of Time).

Beneath a golden standard the king (Sikandar) stood;
On his body a blue coat of silk.

On every side the dragging of a Zangí, like the crocodile,—
On the neck the binding cord and halter.

The weak one signifies—the soldier of Zang who had no power of flight.

“Shahrúd” signifies—the name of a great stream in 'Irák; or of a stringed instrument used by the men of Rúm.

“Zangána” signifies—the name of a stream in Zang (in which the army of Zang was drowned); and of a musical instrument used by the men of Zang.

“Zingar-i-Zangí” may signify—the army of Zangbár.

“Tegh” may signify—the sword (of the men of Rúm).

When battle and strife occur,—rain (it is said) falls.

“Pálahang,” contracted from “páláhang,” is derived from—pál, a strap or rope, and áhang, a dagger.

The person whom they placed (protection seeking) beneath the standard (of Sikandar),
His head they cast off at the king's order.

In that valley none of the men of Zang remained;
But if there remained any—there remained only the vulture's portion.

That multitude (of Zang) that displayed opposition to the elephant (Sikandar)
Fell like the dead silk-worm at the ant's foot.

When the worldly one endures the burden of men,
He sometimes suffers the leathern shoe (of adversity); sometimes enjoys the silk (of prosperity).

When the (Zang) enemy became captive to contempt,
The men of Habsh went under Sikandar's protection.

Of those desert ones that were from Habsh, the king
Ordered not the slaying in that tumult:

Had compassion on the hardship (of the state) of their work;
Gave them protection from his own sword (of slaughter):

Ordered that they should brand them;
On this account the men of Habsh bear the mark on the head.

The ant feeds on the dead silk-worm.

In some copies, in place of giráyanda, the following occur:—

(a) “Khar banda,” the ass-slave, or donkey-boy.

(b) “Giráyanda,” or má,il kunanda; 'iláḳa dáranda ba amúr-i-dunyá, one possessing worldly affections.

(c) “Kiráyanda,” or kiráya kunanda, one who hires himself out.

(d) “Kirábanda,” or mulázim i-kiraya, the servant of hire.

See canto xix. couplets 63 and 242; xviii. 1.

By that burning mark he made them luminous (of face);
For the lamp, by fire, becomes luminous.

From much plundering for the king's sake,
The booty could not be contained in the exhibition-place.

When the king beheld those goods of great weight and value,
He saw the plain full of treasure, like the ocean.

Besides the bejewelled cup and golden maces,—
Jewels (of Yaman) in ass-loads; aloes (fit for burning) in heaps.