Declare what you know! for truth spoken is best;
You do not take bribes; pious frauds you detest.
From the volume wash sense, if you keep your tongue still; Let craving be snapped and declare what you will.
(OF A KING OF BABYLON AND THE BEGGAR).
A king of Irāk1 with the news was supplied,
That under his palace a mendicant cried :-
"You, too, at a door sit with hope in your eyes;
Hence, the hope of the poor at your door, realize !
The afflicted in heart, from their bondage relieve!
That your own heart may never have reason to grieve.
The implorer for justice, heart-broken from grief,
By the state of the provinces measures the chief.
You have slept cool at noon in your private retreat;
To the poor out of door say, 'Be burned in the heat!'
The Lord for that person will justice obtain,
Who has justice implored from the monarch in vain."
(OF IBN-ABDUL-AZĪZ, AND HIS SIGNET RING).
Of people discreet, one among the grandees,
A story relates of Ibn-Abdul-Aziz :-
His ring had a stone in its centre, so rare,
That the jeweller could not its value declare.
At night, you'd have said that that world-lighting ray,
Was a gem that in brightness resembled the day.
It happened one year that a famine set in,
And full-moon-like men as the crescent grew thin.
When of comfort and strength he saw men dispossessed,
He thought it unmanly that he should have rest.
When in ev'ry one's mouth one sees poison, alas !
Adown his own throat when will sweet water pass?
He ordered, they bartered the jewel for gold,
For he pitied the orphan, the poor, and the old.
For the space of a week he gave money, like spoil,
To the poor and the needy and weak of the soil.
The censurers blamed him for doing amiss,
Saying, "Hope not again for a jewel like this!"
I have heard that he said-and a shower of tears
Trickled down his pale cheeks, as a candle appears—
"Very ugly an ornament shows on the king,
Whose subjects are tortured by Poverty's sting.
A ring without gems is becoming to me;
The people's hearts sad 'tis unpleasant to see."
He is happy who tries man and woman to please,
And prefers others' joy to his own selfish ease.
Those cherishing virtue no eagerness show
For delight to themselves, wrung from other men's woe.
If the monarch sleeps happy, reclined on his throne,
To the poor, I suspect, soothing sleep is unknown.
And if through the night-long he vigils should keep,
In comfort and pleasure his subjects will sleep.
And, praise be to God! this right nature and road,
On Atábak-Bū-Băkăr-Bin-Sád are bestowed.
Of tumult in Persia, one sees not a trace,
Excepting the moon-visaged's figure and face.
A song of five couplets I heard with delight,
That was sung at a musical party last night.
Last night I had pleasure in life for a space,
For that moon-visaged maiden was in my embrace.
On perceiving that sleep had bewildered her head,
"Oh slumber transported, beloved one!" I said;
"Wash slumber away from your eyes, for a while!
Like the nightingale sing! like the rose-blossom smile!
Oh plague of the world! why thus, sleeping, recline?
Come and bring with you some of last night's ruby wine!"
Bewildered through sleep, she beheld me and spake :—
"You call me a trouble, and say, 'Keep awake!'"
In the days of the monarch of luminous mind,
None again will the nuisance of wakefulness find.
(OF ATÁBAK TUKLA, son of sád zangi).
In the records of monarchs of yore, it is shown
That when Tukla succeeded to Zangi's great throne,
In his reign not a person another could touch—
He excelled if he only accomplished this much.
He once to a pious believer thus spoke :-
"My life to the present has ended in smoke.
When country, position, and throne disappear,
From the world none takes riches, except the Făkîr.1
To sit in the corner of worship I'm fain,
And turn to account the 'five days' that remain."
1 Fǎkīr, a religious mendicant.
2" Five days," refers to the period between birth and death.
When the wise man of luminous soul heard this stuff,
In a towering rage, he said, "Tukla, enough!
Save in ruling your subjects, no path you possess ;
Not in rosaries, carpets, nor mendicant's dress.
On your own royal throne you must tarry secure,
And the rank of a Dervish by virtues procure.
In intention and truth with your loins girt be found;
Let your tongue 'gainst desires and pretensions be bound!
It is right to advance in the Faith and not boast;
For to brag and not act, is a wind-bag, at most.
The nobles, who Purity's money possessed,
In tatters, like these, under mantles were dressed."
I have heard that Rum's Sultan with tears in his eyes,
Said in presence of one who was pious and wise :—
"By the hand of my foe of all strength I'm bereft,
There is nought, save this city and fort, with me left.
I have worked very hard that my child in my stead,
Should be chief of the Council as soon as I'm dead.
Now the foe of base breeding has put me to rout,
And my fingers of manhood are twisted about.
What course shall I follow? what remedy prove,
That from body and soul I may sorrow remove?"
The sage became vexed, saying, "Why do you cry?
At such wisdom and pluck, it becomes one to sigh!
Your country! What is it? Subdue your own fears!
For 'tis sure to be better and greater by years.
This much is sufficient for you, to live on ;
The world is another's as soon as you're gone.
Your son may be wise or he may be a muff-
Do not bother! he'll bear his own grief well enough!
It repays not the trouble to be the Earth's head-
To seize with the sword and let go when you're dead.
Take care of yourself! that as sapience shows;
And he who succeeds you will bear his own woes.
With the 'five days' of grace that are left, do not play!
By reflection, arrange to depart on your way.
Of the monarchs of Persia, whom now do you know?
For they practised oppression on high and on low.
Whose kingdom and throne will not suffer decay?
No kingdom, except the Almighty's, will stay.
No
person need hope to remain here secure,
For even the earth will not always endure.
If a person has silver and gold and supplies,
Under foot they'll be trodden, soon after he dies.
Hence, mercy incessantly reaches the soul
Of the person, whose goodness continues to roll.
The man of distinction, who left a good name,
Since he died not, could unto the pious exclaim :—
'That you nurse Liberality's tree, have a care!
And Felicity's fruit you will certainly share.
Bestow that, to-morrow, when justice they mete,
Becoming your kindness, they give you a seat.'
The man who, in running, has striven the most,
At the Court of the Lord gets the loftiest post.
If a man be a traitor and conscious of shame,
He conceals it as though he possessed a good name.
Till his teeth bite the back of his hand, let him sin !
An oven so hot and no bread shut within!
At the time of removing the grain, you will read
That it argues neglect, not to sow any seed."
1 "They" refers to the Fates.
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