Beharestan Jami
Beharestan Jami
CM
O
_LO
:
-CD
CO
ERON-ALLEN.
JULY,
THE BEHARISTAN
BY
JAMI
THE BEHARISTAN
(ABODE OF SPRING)
BY
AMI
THE PERSIAN
Printed by the
Kama
Subscribers only
Urnarrs
1887
PK
6
1107155
CONTENTS.
Page
INTRODUCTION
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE
v
i
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION
FIRST
GARDEN
pious Sheikhs
...
...
...
9
27
SECOND GARDEN
Anecdotes of Philosophy
...
THIRD GARDEN
Of the Wisdom
Fruitfulness
of Sultans
...
43
FOURTH GARDEN
Liberality
of the Trees of
...
and Generosity
...
...
60
FIFTH GARDEN
state of the
Nightingales of the
fection
Meadow
of
SIXTH GARDEN
97
iv
CONTENTS.
SEVENTH GARDEN
Birds,
130
Stories
EIGHTH GARDEN
Some
about
dumb
66
INTRODUCTION.
SA'DI'S Gulistan, or
Rose Garden,
in A.D.
a work well
only.
It
known
in
was followed
nature,
entitled
The
Nigaristan,
by
Mu'in-uddin Jawini, which has not yet been translated into any European language. And this, again, was followed by
1487,
called
The
Beharistan, or
Abode
Abdur
The Kama
Shastra Society
now proposes
useful
to issue un-ex-
The
series will
be found to be
and
interesting,
both
to the
man
of whom can acquire a true knowledge of men and things To them then a mutilated without a study of the realities. work is not half so useful as a book containing the whole
writings of any author,
whose
effusions are
really
worth
perusing.
it
in this Beharistan,
Abode
of Spring,
indeed to be
VI
INTRODUCTION.
to.
objected
few remarks QT
and
meanings by the most pleasing, respectable, and apposite tales, along with numerous extracts from the Quran.
his
are necessary.
has been generally called the last great poet and mystic of Persia, and is said to have combined the moral tone of
Sa'di with the lofty aspirations of Jalal-uddin
He
Rumi
the
He
life
to literature,
such extensive learning that he was supposed to be a comPersian language, in which he was
writers.
He
in poetry,
but
also in prose.
five or fifty.
The
total
number
is
said to
amount
to forty-
Jami was born in A.D. 1414, at Jam, a small town not far and from his native from Hirat, the capital of Khorasan
;
place he took his now, de plume, or nom du poete, of Jami, which means also a drinking cup as well as a native of Jam.
He
city.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
THE
he
Beharistan, or
Abode
in
of Spring,
the
is
divided into
states,
author
for
is
had
in
composed,
of his
the style
it
the
son.
first
instance,
the
instruction
entirely
own
The beginning
mysticism
of
written
Sufis,
of
the
the
and from
some
slight ideas
may be
gathered about
their tenets
on a
variety
they
excellent.
The
fourth
embodied
founded on actual events, like those of the preceding chapter, and may also, on that score, be considered interesting.
The
fifth
garden
is
entirely
on love
affairs,
from which
something may be learned of the customs and opinions in vogue among the people concerning such matters, and
there
is
The sixth garden has been already of European readers. done into English by Mr. C. G. Wilson, under the title of
" Persian Wit and
Humour."
It is the
work
is
any shape, but not so fully or so faithfully rendered as the present transB
2
lation.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
The seventh garden may be called a brief anthology of thirty-five poets, containing specimens of their composiand
will,
tions,
of this
its
little
attractions,
and
three
in
number.
hoped
that the
175 foot-notes
appended
THE BEHARISTAN
[ABODE OF SPRING1
OF JUMI,
IN
Verses
When
It
aloft,
and
flies,
sheds
its
And
falls to rise
plumage no more.
ere
it
attains
its
purpose,
beneficence, in beautiful
all
and
which are by the auditory organs of holy congregations and the superintime,
tendents of
human
Maker
affairs
perpetually conveyed
Verses
:
To
Is
the
INTRODUCTION.
That those who sing His praises May have a plate of pearls and jewels
full
of oblations.
May
perfection be exalted
thousand chants of salutation and greeting from the philomels of the garden-mansion of union and benevolence,
who
songsters
the
delightful
house of
extacy
and
bene-
volence.*
Verses
:
To
of which
The The
and to
But
is
but one
leaf,
meadow
in
As
at present
my darling and beloved son Zia-uddin-Yusuf may Allah preserve him from what will bring grief and affliction upon
me
engaged in studying the rudiments of the Arabic language, and acquiring various other branches of a liberal
is
Union
is
journey to perfection.
t The paragon
praise
is
is
the prophet to
whom
due
and
to
whose connections
may be
considered
simply to
prophet.
mean
first
to
INTRODUCTION.
education
;
is well-known that young boys and become inexperienced youths very disheartened and unhappy when they receive instruction in idiomatic expressions
and
as
it
to,
of, I
made
S'adi
Muslihuddin
Verses:
Nine Gulistans* a garden of paradise, The very brambles and rubbish of which are of the nature
ambergris
of
The gates are the doors to paradiset The abundant stories are so many KawtJiers% The sallies of wit by curtains hidden
Are the envy of the Huris^ brought up delicately;
The poems as lofty trees are delightful From the pleasant dew of the rivers below
them.\\
On
that occasion
it
occurred to
me
to
compose a
tract in
and
who
*
will
The
be true
This expression
is
figure of speech to designate paradise^ in connection with several times in the Quran.
which
it
occurs
6
are present
INTRODUCTION.
may
hear,
it.
Having
accomplished
this
purpose
Verses
I
asked intellect
how
am
So
may be enchanced to
those
who court
her;
It replied
:
reign,
The
west and
east,
Lamp
of the assembly
Hasan,
Who
To
powerful like the heaven, and sun of the earthly atoms of the world,
is is
the
sum
of hap-
He
is
religious
and
relieves
by
ties of
the people,
Most High, favour his partizans, augment and power perpetuate his noble progeny under the shadow of his country and government, and make all his subjects contented under the wings of his justice and bene-
May
Allah, the
his
ficence.
Verses
Though
by S'adi
Completed
name
of S'ad
Ben Zanki
INTRODUCTION.
My
Beharistan takes
slave S'ad
its
Whose
Take a walk
in this Beharistan
[abode of spring]
[rose groves]
That you may see therein Gulistans With gracefulness in each Gulistan
This Beharistan
contains as
many
divided into eight gardens, each of which sub-divisions, with anemons of different
Autumnal
congeal the
frosts
aromatic herbs.
Verses:
Its
the sides
;
Its tulip
The
By
eartips of the tulips bear the perspiration of the dew, rain the cups of the buds are filled
" " Precious are the tears from the eyes of anemons " Plentiful the laughter from the teeth of the anthemis."*
The
The two
lines
t Likewise in Arabic.
INTRODUCTION.
gardener
who has
spent
much
trouble and
made
great
exertions in planning
and
Let every fortunate man who of these blooming trees The shade enjoys, or the fruit consumes
Act according to the laws of righteousness, Walk on the road of generosity and pray thus
May ydmi, who planted this garden O Lord Be always full of God and empty of self.* May
Nor
he
travel
name but
His.
The meaning
full
is
of the words
is
goblel,
t Union
marked.
FIRST
GARDEN
direction ,
and who
of
excellency.
Junaid, the prince of the tribe (may his secret be sanctified) has said that the words of Sheikhs skilled in science
and knowledge* are an army of the armies of God the Most High in the mansion of every heart, by means of which the
intentions of the enemies, passion
Verses
:
and
lust,
When
passion and
lust,
for
Satan
man
directors
power defeat those highway robbers. God the Most High has said to His prophet (the benedic-
By
their
4<
We
shall narrate
shall
confirm thy
heart")t
The
the
word
is tn'arifat.
t Quran,
XL,
v. 121.
10
FIRST GARDEN.
Verses
:
you shape in your heart a figure by your will You must impart life to it from the breath blown
When
in the
Trumpet of 'Arifs'*
And
if your heart becomes fluttering from emotions of nature Inflame it with explanations from the stories of pious men.
his secret
be
sanctified,
enjoined his
fol-
not able,
profit
remember the sayings of every Pir, and if they are to keep in mind at least their names in order to
Verses
by them.
:
O you from whose name love is raining From whose book and message love is flowing Every one who passes near your door becomes Yea from your door and roof love is pouring.
There
is
a lover\
morn of
resurrection
God
:
High will ask a poor and destitute worshipper thou known such and such a scholar or 'Arif in such
"
a placet
the
and he
will reply
"
: :
Yes, I
command
will
arrive
"I
have
thee."
'Arif
spiritual
is
in
;
common
but
language simply a
Sufis
ligent person
among
knowledge.
is
+ In
director.
is
% a
The word
man who
has
made
UK'
GARDEN.
:
II
Verses
My dignity in the ranks of thy lovers is higher Than that I should covet the various stages of union.
On my
The
heart the
name
of mendicant at
is
seal of reception
Seri Sagti
(may
his secret
some work
tion
to do,
which he performed
whereon
inscrip
on
it
A
I
I weep,
and who
will tell
thee
why
weep ?
weep
Wilt sever
my
ties
and
me.
Verses
I
weep
blood,
I
how should
conceal
it
from thee,
Wherefore
Although I have a heart rejoiced by union I have a hundred wounds on it for fear of separation.
" One day I entered the Junaid (m. h. s. b. s.) also says house of Seri, whereon he recited the following distich."
:
Arabic Verses
There
I care
is
no pleasure
in the day,
and none
in the night,
STORY.
Hullaj having been asked
who
is
a disciple, said
"
:
He,
12
FIRST GARDEN.
the beginning
who from
his aim, is
till
no man
he
Verses
Have passed over plains, and mountains climbed, Have turned away from whatever we met Until we found the way to the sanctuary of union with Thee.
STORY.
Abu Hashem
easier to dig
h.
s.
b. s.)
has said
"
:
It is
Verses
Boast not of having no pride, because it is more invisible Than the mark of an ant's foot on a black rock in a dark
night
;
Think
For,
it
it is
more easy
to root
with a needle."
STORY.
Zul-Nun*
m.
h.
s.
b.
s.
went
" What one of the West African Sheikhs, who said to him hast thou come for? If thou hast come to learn the science
* This
is
is
the
name
He
FIRST GARDEN.
of the ancients and the moderns, there
creator
is
13
no
possibility; the
knows
there,
it all
and
if
He
was Ere
step."
this I
possessed
Thee not
externally of
me
In my abundant travels I had hoped to find Thee Now that I found Thee, I know that Thou art He Whom I had abandoned at my first step.
STORY.
The
"
:
He
his
Verses
He, neither whose name nor whose sign I know Is after taking my hand dragging me after Himself.
He
I
is
my hand
as well as
my
foot,
wherever
hands.
He
goes,
my
:
Fyzal 'Ayaz
(m. h.
s.
b. s.) says
" I worship
;
God (who
because I cannot
Some
of his
:
companions asked
"
He who adores " Then God from fear and hope." They further asked " " how dost thou worship Him 1 He replied With love; and His friendship keeps me in service and obedience."
replied
:
He
Verses :
When
will the
is
the victim of
14
FIRST GARDEN.
fire has been kindled by His luminous soul can the lover withdraw his head from the collar of
Since this
How
obedience,
As on a ringdove His
Beloved
!
collar has
grown upon
:
his neck.
Verses
I
cannot be
far
Cannot be
My
head
is
on Thy threshold by
I
command, not
this
for
door
STORY.
M'arif Kurkhi (m. h.
s.
b. s.)
has said
"
:
The
Sufi
is
guest here
it is
anything from the host; because a guest hopes only for politeness and claims nothing."
Verses:
I
am Thy
and
I wait
am
Hoping
for
Thy
favours
divine law
Bayazid having been asked what the traditional and the amounted to, he replied, that the former is to
latter to
Namely those willing and desiring intimacy with God. t These two laws are the Sonna and the Farz.
FIRST GARDEN.
15
Verses
thou
who concerning
period
;
The first is to turn the soul from the world away The second is to find the way of proximity to the Lord.
STORY.
Shibli (m. h.
s.
b. s.)
to the hospital
and
visited
by acquaintances.
"
:
He
asked
who
Thy
friends,"
whereon
he took up a stone and assaulted them. They all began to " run away, but he exclaimed O pretenders, return. Friends do not flee from friends, and do not avoid the stones
:
of their violence."
Verses
:
He
If
is
a friend,
with enmity
to him.
From
he
The
It is also
who
asked
replied
him
:
" " What does He thy mind crave for ? " That thou shouldst become a Musalman." The
:
doctor asked:
couch of sickness
become a Musalman
arise "
from the
patient
The
make
mediately got up from his bed, his malady disappeared and left no trace. Accordingly both went to the Khalifah and
FIRST GARDEN.
said
" I imagined
I find that
now
Who
Knows
meet
his
beloved
is
to
meet
his physician.
on
his
head
He
STORY.
Sohl 'Abdullah Justari (m. h. s. b. s.)says: " Have nothing to do with a man who thinks in the morning what
he
is
going to eat."
Verses
:
Who
morning from sleep with no other thoughts about food look for no sagacity in him, ideas Except He no sooner uncovers his feet, and raises his head from
rises in the
;
the pillow
Than he
stretches his
hand
to the table.
Wash
thy hands
of him.
STORY.
Abu
h.
s.
b. s.) says
mencement of my
secret of
state of willingness* I
my
Whilst walking
timef and went one day into the desert. I heard in my rear a voice of something, but
* This
was alluded
to already in note
on page
14.
to me.
It
appears to
mean
that he kept
FIRST GARDEN.
restrained
It
I
l^
my
approached
preceived that
me
however, and when it had come near two big lions had mounted on my back. I
when they
alighted."
Verses:
Who is the Sufi, void of the intention of severance ? He who turns his face to one colour, in this mansion
colours,
of two
He who
His path
does not sever the bond of his secret from the Beif
loved, even
is
and a
tiger
on the
other.
He
"
:
be attained by great exertion, has taken trouble in vain, and whoever thinks that it may be reached without effort has
travelled merely
on the road of
Gor,
desire,
who
[wisely].!
Verses:
By
It is strange that
Not every one who ran has captured the Gor But he captured the Gor-i-Khar who ran [wisely].
Union with God, mentioned in footnote p. 4. t The word Gdr means onager, and also tomb, hut even the word Khar, ass, appended to the versified piece which follows does not make the meaning clear, and I have tried to do so by adding the word wisely
in brackets.
FIRST GARDEN.
STORY.
Abu Bakar
that he
distant,
is is
of Wasit (m. h.
is
s.
b. s.) says
"
Who
alleges
far
and who
veiled
alleges that
he
?
is
by
his
annihilation
in
His
[God
s]
existence."*
Verses
:
Whoever
says, I
am am
because he
is
distant,
And who
Is
says, I
far
from
Him
veil
of His proximity.
STORY.
" In the Abu-1-Hasan of Qawsaj (m. h. s. b. s.) says world there is nothing more disagreeable than a friend from
:
lover who expects a gift for separation from the Friend Or desires attendance at the door of His union Has no equal in baseness in the world
(m.
h.
s.
mounted
sun,
and addressed
the words
"
:
wanderer over
* This
is
analogous to the Nirv&na of the Hindus, in the text is pain> but I rendered
Sufi's desire for
it
by longing
FIRST GARDEN.
the country
!
19
art passing to-day,
As thou
hast been
and
afflicted like
thou anywhere obtained information of those who are utterly " and continued in this strain till perplexed by this state ?
sunset.
Verses
sun
There
is
no
traveller in the
me any
gift
from
journey
Whom
who on
Showed
on
his
brow* and
felt
STORY.
Sheikh Abu-1-Hasan Khurqani (m. h. s. b. s.) one day asked his companions what the best thing is ? They replied " The heart which tell it Whereon he said
:
"Do,
thyself."
at all times
I possess
little
heart,
which in
all
the feelings
it
enjoyed
Recorded on the
tablets of the
mind, the
remembrance of
that within
no 'one but Thee. The remembrance of Thee has so filled No room is left for anything but Thee.
STORY.
Sheikh
it,
it
Abu
s.
b. s.)
having been
Or, literally
would
be rather awkward
for God.
C 2
2O
FIRST GARDEN.
is,
replied
"
:
What thou
hast in thy
head, thou must put away, what thou hast in the hand, thou
must give away, and thou must not lose thy temper, happen what may."
Verses
:
let
by becoming a Sufi Thou must purge thy head of lust and passion ; Put away from thy hand whatever thou hast in it
And
suffer
STORY.
said
:-
" It
is
magnanimous
to
Verses
Magnanimity
Let
consists in
two things
that I
noble fellow,
so well
:
me
tell
thee,
and hearken
may do
The
first is,
to forgive thy
If thou seest a
The second
that thou at
deed
for
pardon
crave.
STORY.
Bashar Hafi (may Allah have mercy on him) having been asked by a disciple with what kind of a relish he ought to "Remember eat bread when he obtained some, replied
:
it
as thy relish."
FIRST GARDEN.
Verses-.
21
When a needy man places dry bread before himself To nourish the spirit from the table of poverty,* And his natural appetite then craves for a relish,
There
is
none
STORY. " Abstain from s. b. h. Balkhi s.) has said Shaqiq (m. associating with a rich man, because when thy heart becomes
:
by
his
God
the
Most High."
Verses
:
When thou encounterest a wealthy man Join him not for the sake of a livelihood,
Consider not a miser as thy surety
Take not a
God.
" All good
STORY.
h.
s.
b. s.)
has said
things are in a house, the key of which is humility and low" All bad Also liness." things are in a house, the key to
:
which
is
is
No
other key to
it
except humility
* Ascetics generally believe that meagre and poor diet nourishes the spiritual and deadens the carnal faculties of man ; the Romans had already said : Sine Baccho et Cererefriget Venus.
22
FIRST GARDEN.
Thus
A worshipper will never realise the pure love of the Lord, unless he despises the whole world."
(m. h.
s.
Sammun Muhabb
b. s.)
has said
"
Verses
Thou
wilt
never
lift
paradise.
How can Eternal Love be granted to thee Unless thou accuse the whole universe of turpitude.
STORY.
(m. h.
s.
b. s.)
its
has said
is, it
"
:
When
:
questioned
who
father
replies
what the creator has predestined. An on being asked what its occupation is, it answers To suffer from
Doubts
in
who
is
is
thy father
Doubt
What
thy business
life.
it
replies
disappointments of
STORY.
Abu
'Ali
Rudbari (m.
is
h.
s.
b.
s.)
has said
"The
narrowest prison
to associate with
uncongenial
persons."
Verses
:
Although pious men are in prison Wherever union with the Friend is impossible,
FIRST GARDEN.
23
No
prison
the
is
more narrow
Than
company
of strangers.
STORY.
" Ibr&him Khov&s (m. h. s. b. s.) has said grieve about what has been meted out to thee
:
Do
at
not
the
beginning of
life],
all
is
and
lose not to
obedience
the
commands
Verses
:
of
God; meaning
things
Thy
all eternity
I
How
The
my
existence
is
service [of
God]
service [of God].
Sheikh Abu-1-Hasan the butcher (m. h. s. b. s.) seeing a Darwesh mending his robe, opening each seam which did
not
this
come
robe
right,
is
again, asked
"
:
Perhaps
The
Sufi
whose business
if
it is
to
sew on patches
in
Does
well
he indulges
hand
motion
idol
stitch of his
becomes an
and a
string.*
tians
zendr, string, designates the belt worn by eastern Chrisand Jews, as well as the Kushti of the Zoroastrians, and the MunJ of the Hindus. This word is used above to denote one who is no longer of the Faithful, or rather a Sufi when he obeys the impulses of nature in
The word
his sewing
i.e.
in his actions.
24
FIRST GARDEN.
STORY.
Hadrami
be found
he
(m. h.
s.
b. s.) said
"
:
Sufi is
he who cannot
he has disappeared, and cannot disappear afte r he has been found, which [Arabic expression] means that
after
is
a Sufi
be revived.
existence
and does never again obey them, because what is dead cannot When however he becomes worthy of true
and
he
will
Verses
Blessed
is
he,
who
after
becoming non-existent
1
phoric love
No more
Then
existence
obtaining [another] existence, the subtle and Eternal substance will become manifest in extinction, f
STORY.
Khajah Yusuf Hamdani (m. h. s. b. s.) was one day preaching in the Nizamiah [mosque] of Baghdad, when a well known theologian Ibnu-1-Baqa by name, got up and
Sit down, I asked him some question, but he replied detect a smack of infidelity in thy words ; probably thou wilt not die in the religion of Islam." Some time afterwards
:
this theologian
became a
Christian,
Verses
:
When
*
after
Ranked
The word
fand which
is
t Here
the
word 'adam
and absorption
as above.
FIRST GARDEN.
*5
;
Raise no objections against him O friend On account of such incivility thy religion
lest
may be wrecked
STORY.
Khajah 'Abu-1-Khaleq (the mercy of Allah be upon him) was once told by a DarwSsh that if God were to give him
a choice of approbation between paradise and
select the latter,
hell,
he would
because [a desire
for]
and
hell implies a
The Khajah demurred to this sentiment and " What has a exclaimed servant of God to do with choosing 1 Wherever He tells us to go we go, or to remain we remain.
God.
:
Verses
Do
nothing without the approbation of the Lord thou who professest to serve Him.
Wherever the approbation of the Lord is What concern have His servants with approbation ?
STORY.
Khajah
Faith
is,
'All
replied
It is to
Whoever
is
to dig
up and unite
?
it
laudable definition.
to the
creator.
STORY.
Beha-uddin Naqshbandi having been asked how
far his
26
FIRST GARDEN.
chain [of ancestors] reached, replied that nobody can reach his destination by a chain.
Verses
:
The
habit
and the
mendicant]
will
not bring on
And
Do
moment how
far
at his destination
by a chain.
SECOND GARDEN
Sprinkling ofphilosophical anemons and subtleties which have
in consequence of gentle showers from the clouds of [divine}
bounty
grown
and
STORY.
In his world-conquering expedition Alexander happened by an excellent stratagem to obtain possession of a fort
which he then ordered to be razed. Being however informed that there was a learned philosopher in the place, capable
of solving
difficult
problems, he
summoned him
to his
presence, and finding him to be of a repulsive aspect, ex" What claimed strange physiognomy and terrible figure
:
is this ?
"
smiling,
The philosopher, surprised at these words, and commented upon this amazement as follows
:
Verses
Blame not my ugly countenance, O thou who art void of virtue and
justice,
The body is like the scabbard, and the soul the The scimitar does the work ; not the sheath.
sword,
He
also said
people his
own
skin
his
body
he
is
28
SECOND GARDEN.
a prison
is
an open place of
Verses
delight."
:
Be
aware, that he
who
is ill
Will always be captive to a hundred troubles. Tell not the constable to put him in prison,
For, the skin on the body of an
ill
natured man,
is
gaol
enough
for
:
him.
"
He
lot
also said
:
An
envious
man
is
in strife
\v
good
falls
to the
The
habit of an envious
man
be his mouth
filled
with
dust
Is to find fault with the decisions of the wise ruler of the
world
Whatever he sees
saying
he bemoans,
to
to
me ?
it
An
intelligent
and a
silly
to
be taken by
foes."
Verses
He
devotes
it all
a base and avaricious man gathers What) Becomes after his death the prey of enemies.
SECOND GARDEN.
29
He
also said
'
:
To
intelligent
men,
own
respectability,
upon and
brings on degradation."
Verses
:
manners
for that of a wolf
Thou
name
of
Rastam*
Do
not play the trade of a buffoon to great men Because the dignity of thy own rank will be lost. He also said " Why tyrannises over the weak, will be
:
slain
by the strong."!
Verses
:
My
heart
I
Learn
this
good saying
Which
who know
wise saws
draws the unrighteous sword Will be slain by the sword of the unrighteous.
Who
his
jewels of
wisdom,
filled
the
jewels,
and
STORY.
soil
of mercy! only
the seed of good advice, wrote the following maxim for his " children Days are like pages in the book of life, you
:
acts
and memorials."
hi the
Shah-
of words is on zirdast and zabardast, the powerles^ and the powerful, literally those under the hand and those above the hand. Here no doubt by the soil of mercy, youthful minds supposed to be under special mercy and divine protection are meant.
30
SECOND GARDEN.
Verses
:
The
is
the
book of
life
of
all
mortals,
:
Thus
man who
this
has considered
it
well
Blessed
he who in
book, which
is first
altogether blank
STORY. A philosopher has said " I wrote forty books on philosophy and did not profit by them ; then I selected forty
:
maxims from them, but with the same effect ; at last I picked out four from these, and found in them what I had sought.
First
:
Do
if
although a wife may be of a respectable tribe, she be of the kind that will suit a respectable man.
Verses
:
may
not
The
intellect of a
woman
is
imperfect,
too
Never place full confidence in her If she be bad, confide not in her
And
if
she
is
Second-.
great,
Be not deceived by
it
may be
because
will pass
away
Verses
Be not
cloud
Although a passing cloud may shower jewels A wise man puts no trust therein.
Third'.
to
any
friend,
SECOND GARDEN.
because
it
31
is
friendship
interrupted,
and
Verses
boy
secret necessary to
Thou
1
wilt
do well not
to reveal
even to a friend
have seen many who in course of capricious time Became foes from friends, and amity to emnity turned. Fourth Acquire only such knowledge, the want whereof
:
will
make you
all
that
is
superfluous,
necessary.
Verses
:
is
indispensable to
you
And
From the moment you acquire the indispensable knowledge, You must not desire to act except in accordance therewith.
STORY.
Ibu Moqann'a states that when the library of the Indian philosophers was carried on a hundred camels, and their king asked for a diminution, one camel's load was brought to
to
him.
He
however repeated
his
:
demand
till
it
[the
library]
First
maxim
When
His
makes
life,
moon
When a helpless man groans with wounded And is even once ill treated by tyranny
*
breast
is
to
be acquired.
32
SECOND GARDEN.
The
Second
the
edifice of administration
is
in confusion,
It stands in
need of justice,
:
all else is
is
the
seed of
the
people's
you sow barley, how can you expect a harvest of wheat ? Third maxim The body is kept in health by abstaining
:
and by
Verses
rising
Take
And
the disgrace of [employing] hypocritical quacks. Approach not the table unless your bowels are empty
And
leave
it
Fourth maxim
Advice to women, to avoid looking strangers, and being looked upon by them.
Verses
:
at
She
is
a [good] wife
Although he may be the cynosure of all eyes ; She must look at no man except her husband
Even
if
he be as [beautiful
as] the
moon
in the sky.
STORY.
sayings, uttered
:
The
* Kesra
is
name of u Nushirvan
Chosroes, a famous king of Persia, known better by the the just." He began to reign A.D. 630.
SECOND GARDEN.
of what I have not said, but said
33
the repentance for
much
which humbled
me
into dust
and ashes.*
:
Verses
No
one repented
for
for
But many
having revealed it. Remain silent ; because to sit quietly with a collected mind
what
will distract it
Secondly
said
over what
is
said
meaning
am
able to say what I have not said, but unable to conceal what
I
have
said.
Verses
What thou
Tell
it
not easily to thy companions Because what thou keepest may be said
[if
need be]
said
On the same subject the KhuqanJ of China has Thirdly. " It often happens that heedless talk is worse [in its
:
Each
secret kept
under seal
in thy
mind
tablet of explanation,
Is not hastily to
be written on the
* Literally blood.
From
f This was formerly the title of Byzantine emperors, but is by oriental authors sometimes applied to their successors, The Sultans of Turkey.
Emperor.
34
I fear the
SECOND GARDEN.
mulct thou wilt have to pay
for divulging
it
it.
The king of India has enounced this maxim Fourthly " The words which have escaped from my mouth are beyond control but what I have not spoken is in my possession, ; my
:
and
may
utter
it
or not, as I
like.
:
Verses
A sage has on a retained and divulged secret, Uttered the following excellent simile
:
The one is like an arrow yet in the hand The other like an arrow which has left the bow.
STORY.
and with them a physician, skilled both philosophy, who spoke to him as follows
medicine and
three things, fit only for kings and Sultans." On being asked to explain, he continued: "The first is a dye by means of which grey hair may be changed to black, so that
it
will
The second
is
a confection,
which enables a person to indulge in eating to any extent without injuring his health. The third is an aphrodisiac,
the repeated use whereof will bring on neither weakness of
sight,
silent
the
* In the prose the word pnshimdni and in the verses which follow it word nedamet is used, both of which strictly mean repentance^ but I
SECOND GARDEN.
35
thou mentionest, ministers only to vanity and falsehood. Black hair is the symbol of darkness and white of light ;
foolish
enough
Verses
who dyes
to
Yet hopes
be young when he
old.
How
can shrewd
the world*
Consider a black crow to be elegant like a white falcon I " As to the confection of which thou hast spoken [I inform
thee that] I
voracious.
am
men who
delight in being
Can
there be anything
to
be compelled every moment to go to a place to see there things not to be looked upon, to hear sounds not to be listened to, and to smell what ought not to be smelled. Wise
men have
which
is
said that hunger is a disease of the constitution, cured by meat and drink. He is a fool who makes himself purposely sick, in order to subject himself to the
The gentleman
tries to
acquire appetite
And that he may with cooked and raw things As much as required, satisfy that want.
"
As
mentioned
[I
tell
thee
women
is
Learned The literal translation of the phrase is : the bonds of fortune-hunting," which is rather awkward.
"
men who
are
3
far
SECOND GARDEN.
from the dictates of reason.
"
:
the Khaliflattering
Verses
intellect
how
What more
be on thy knees
STORY.
In the assembly of Kesra, three philosophers, one a
third
Barzachumihrf
dis-
when
came
the question, of what was " Old up, the Rumi said
:
The age, weakness, poverty and distress." " sick body with abundance of grief."
Hindu
said
Barzachumihr
said
"
:
tions."
Proximity of death with an absence of good acAll agreed thereon that Barzachumihr was right.
Verses
:
Intelligent philosophers queried near Kesra About the heaviest wave in this abyss of grief,}
The first said it must be sickness and long pain ; The second averred, it is the union of old age and poverty, The third said, it is the nearness of death without good
deeds,
And
*
to
him
the
palm of
victory
was awarded.
A native
Literally,
of Zanzibar in particular, and an African negro in general, Bright as the sun. He was the celebrated wazir of Kesra
this world.
Nushirvan.
% Simile of
SECOND GARDEN.
STORY.
37
philosopher having been asked, when human beings " A rich man whenought to make haste to eat, replied ever he feels hungry, and a poor one whenever he finds
:
something to
eat."
Verses
Eat
in
Be not ruined by excess or deficiency If thou hast food, eat when thou listest
If not,
be
patient, eat
when thou
hast
it.
STORY.
A
it
some
food, because
rise to
Do
not
make
fasting,
all things,
Then
the breaking of
it is
Maxim.
When thou art hungry thou wilt find any kind of food or bread appetising to thy nature, and the friends with whom thou art sitting will be charmed by thy society.*
Verses
:
findest in the
it
house
thou eat of
with
to satiety
art sitting will
Or
The
friends
whom
thou
share in thy
appetite.
38
SECOND GARDEN.
Than that thou shouldst covet the food of others Or greedily hope for doles from good men. Maxim.
When
sees [as
and
were] himself [laid out] on it [apprehending that thou wilt eat him up], then it would be better for thee to eat
of thy
own
liver
own
When
Thy The
man
"
says
:
My
foot
from
his table,
and my bread " withdraw and thy hand from his bread ;
table,
own garden
Maxim.
has been granted the enjoyment of the following five things, has the reins of a happy life in his hand ist, Health
:
Who
of body.
2nd, Liberty.
5th,
3rd,
;
kind friend.
Leisure
him.
Verses
:
The
causes of a happy
life
amount
to five
:
A virtuous
Any
as
Maxim.
blessing that decreases or perishes
is
not accounted
one by a wise man ; and as life, although it may be long, also ends with death, the duration of it is of no use. Noah
SECOND GARDEN.
(to
39
in the
whom
world, and up to this day five thousand have elapsed since he died. That blessing has value which is eternal and suffers no diminution.
Verses
:
wise
man
Which rejoices the heart for ever and ever. The tomb will be thy resting place hence
;
silver
and gold
it
like stones.
Maxim.
Barzachumihr having been asked who the most virtuous " He from whom the virtuous are secure, king is, replied
:
but
whom
is
He
a [virtuous] Shah
state of the
who
is
good
STORY.
Hejaj* having been advised to fear God and not to oppress Musalmans, was also a very eloquent orator, and " God the Most High has having ascended the pulpit said me over with of appointed you producing] awe [the duty
:
!
Considering
oppression
your
acts
you
will
not be delivered
from
when
I die.
God
the
and
in case I
is
possible
will arrive."
Name
40
SECOND GARDEN.
Verses-.
Shah
to
be
just,
be just thyself
In thy dealings, which are the field of thy activity.* The Shall is a mirror, whatever thou seest therein
Is only the reflection of thy
own mode
of acting.
Maxim.
He
"
replied
" Gold."
The
philosopher con-
The
whom
by
extort-
[to the next world]." " Thou hast Thereon the Padshah wept and said given
:
me good
Thou
advice,
and
Verses
excitest a
By
Gold and
is
the
enemy
From whose hand thou wrestest them by force and fraud ; Prudence does not enjoin, nor intellect demand That thou abandon thy friend, and take with thee thy foe.
STORY.
his officials
by removing him
and give."
" The
SECOND GARDEN.
4!
from a high and employing him in a low post. One day this man waited upon Alexander, who asked him what he
" May the life thought of his occupation, and he replied of my Lord be long, a man is not ennobled by a great occupation, but an occupation is ennobled by a great man. In
:
Alex-
this opinion,
and
re-installed
him
in
Verses
be careful
;
To
practice virtue
and honesty
The
greatness of a
is
in his post,
the man.
Three things are unbecoming in three kinds of men Haste in a king, greediness in a scholar, and avarice in a
:
plutocrat
Verses
By
men
A hasty temper
Maxim.
Wise men have
said that
by
justice the
world
is
rendered
own
direction,
and oppres-
The Farsang
but
is
generally reckoned
amount
42
SECOND GARDEN.
its
centre to
a thousand Far-
Verses
Cultivate justice
for,
when
its
morn dawns
;
The splendour
But when the darkness of tyranny manifests itself The world is rilled with gloom, destitution and misery.
STORY.
quently paying
and
after
endeavouring to discover the cause, arrived at the conclusion that it must be the frequency of his own attendance ; accordingly he ceased his
to
visits.
meet him,'and asked him why he had interrupted happened " Because I know his attendance. The Darwesh replied
:
that
it is
preferable to
be asked
"
:
Why
Hast thou not come so long a time ? He said " Because I would rather be asked
:
"
Why
had come."
THIRD
GARDEN
to
show that
the
wisdom of
and
and
glory.
Although Nushirvan was a stranger to religion he was unique in justice and uprightness, so that the prince of created beings (upon whom be the most excellent benedictions) has said, boasting
:
Verses
The prophet who in the reign of Nushirvan Became the eye and the lamp of the world, " I am Has said preserved from tyranny,
:
For
was born
How
just,
Muhammad was
44
"
THIRD GARDEN.
Be on thy guard of
Thou mayst
STORY.
recorded in chronicles that Guebres and Moghs* enjoyed dominion for five thousand years, which remained in their dynasty because they governed their subjects justly,
It is
and
tolerated
no oppression.
Maxim.
There
is
a tradition that
God
the
Most High
:
sent the
" Tell
made
Verses
justice, that
my
worshippers
may
Be aware
that justice
for the
and
Are needed
maintenance of the kingdom. without Justice religion is for the next world
Better than the tyranny of a religious Shah.
Maxim.
king needs for a companion a sage who practises wisdom, and not a courtier addicted to frivolity, because
the former will try to perfect, and the latter to
thing within his influence.
damage
every-
THIRD GARDEN.
Verses:
45
Every
[wise]
maxim
uttered by the
mouth and
teeth
is
jewel
Happy
is is
he,
who
has
made
sage
Do
a treasury of the jewels of philosophy, not separate thyself from this treasure.
STORY.
Mobeds* accompanied Qobadt whose charger happened during the ride to defile his hindquarters most disgracefully, whereat Qobad became disof
him something on the rules of behaviour in the cavalcade of a Sultan, whereon " the Mobed said One of them is that during the night,
pleased,
and asked
his
companion
to tell
is to ride out, his charger not to be fed to such a degree as to cause him inconvenience." Qobad approved of what he had said, but also
told
him
had been
happened.
:
Verses
The
wise
man who
Will in
all
But the
matters behave according to truth and propriety; intelligent man who acts according to reason
t Ascended
46
THIRD GARDEN.
Maxim.
The
up a
precipitous mountain,
and
falling off
from
it
in
consequence There
no doubt
who are higher up, is more coming down of those who are in lower
Verses
:
positions.
The
is
;
high,
Those placed on
I fear
when thou fallest from that height Thou wilt fall more heavily than all others. Maxim.
Sovereigns ought secretly to employ
justly, in order to bring
men who
act
and
speak cumstances of their distressed subjects and agriculturists. Aradashir* is said to have been so well-informed a king,
that
under
when
he told them
eating, or
how a
;
certain
woman
girl,
and the
like
imagined that some angel from heaven must be paying him Mahmud visits, and informing him what they were doing.
Sabaktagin was also of that kind.
Verses
:
If the
state
?
How
said
* There were three Atdashirs in the Sasanian dynasty, but which of them is meant here.
it
is
not
THIRD GARDEN.
47
They
STORY.
Aristotle has said, that the best king
is
he,
who
is
like
vulture surrounded
by
carrion,
and not
rounded by vultures ; that is to say, he must be aware of the affairs of those around him, and they must be ignorant
of his
;
Because corpses have fallen round him, Not like a corpse around which vultures assemble
STORY.
year's day, Nushirvan holding a reception with a damsel* lovely by his side, perceived an individual connected with him, purloining a golden bowl and concealing
it
On new
it
and
said nothing.
When
no
one should leave the place because he had missed a bowl and intended to search for it. Nushirvan however beckoned
to him, to let the matter drop
;
saying that he
who had
taken the cup would not restore it, and who had seen the theft would not reveal it. Some days afterwards the same
individual again
made
his
is
-.
48
THIRD GARDEN.
garments, and with
new
new shoes on
:
his feet
1
:
Nushirvan
"
and the
up the
skirts
" from the shoes replied These Nushirvan smiled, and knowing that
act,
ordered a
a noble Shah becomes aware of thy transgression Confess thy fault and hope for pardon from his magnanimity. Deny not thy sin ; by doing so thou committest another
When
Which
is far
first.
STORY.
a slave, who, having been put in charge of the water for purification, lost after a few days the ewer and
the washing-basin.
Mamunf had
said
wouldst
sell to
:
me
is
He
replied
" I shall
do
?
here
to
"
"
"
be given to the
and said
Now
this basin
has been
made
safe
"
;
and the
slave as-
sented.
Verses
:
Do
not grudge
silver to
one
whom thou
gold
*
Misqal of gold
is
68f grains
in weight.
t Mamun,
812,
till
March
A slave
is
is
considerable.
THIRD GARDEN.
That
his soul
in
49
Acquiesce
may be
at last.
STORY.
Great friendship subsisted between Mo'aviah* and 'Oqail, the son of Abu Taleb ; but in course of time a thorn fell
settled
to
to
him
aim
\mailab']
of
'Abd Manaf,f
of apostleship
O
is
opener of the musk-bag \ii&faK\ of source of noble deeds of the Beni Hashem,
Where has all that magnaand forbearance nimity, gentleness departed to ? Return, for I am penitent for what has taken place, and distressed
in thy family.for
How long
And
far;
shall I
be the
Whilst I
am on
earth,
my
face
is
earth,
Under
*
Mo'aviah
the
first
Ommiade
till
679.
t The play on the words matlab Mutallab, aqsa Mand/could be indicated above but slightly.
THIRD GARDEN.
The
reply
to
him.
Thou
Am
I
; thy heart is true, but I of opinion that I should not see thee, nor thou me
do not say anything against a But I turn away from him who
friend,
insults
me.
[by these verses, which are in Arabic] that a noble fellow becomes displeased with a friend, he
He means
when
is
to
betake himself to the corner of separation and to walk about in the street of exile, but not to gird his loins to evil,
and
to utter calumnies.
Verses
:
When a friend desires to quarrel with thee Do nothing but court separation from him, Do not strive much to produce enmity
;
But abandon friendship by degrees. Mo'aviah again endeavoured to reconcile him with excuses
in order to induce
him
to
make
peace,
for
Excuse thyself and beg pardon from thy friends When a breach arises in the foundation of amity among
friends,
And
if
Endeavour
gold.
up by
Dirhem
is
THIRD GARDEN.
STORY.
51
In a hunting party Hejaj was separated from his retinue, and ascending a hill observed an Arab of the desert, who
sat there
in picking out
were browsing around him. When the camels caught sight of Hejaj, they scampered off, whereon the man looked up and angrily ex" Who is this claimed coming up in this desert with a
ragged garments, whilst his camels
:
shining robe.
silent,
"
said
upon thee
!"
He replied
No peace
'
mercy of Allah, nor His benedictions." for water, and he replied Alight
:
for
by Allah,
am
!
the companion and servant of nobody." Hejaj alighted, " Arab of the desert drank water, and then asked " " ? He men The apostle of Who is the best of replied
:
God, the benediction of Allah be upon him, upon his family " What and peace." He again asked sayest thou con" ? Abu Taleb son of He 'Ali* the "His replied cerning
:
is
too
"What sayest thou about imperfect to express them."f He remained silent, 'Abdu-1-Melik the son of Mervan ? "| "
:
Give
me
a reply,
Arab of
first
They
$ This
Ommiade
705.
E 2
52
the desert.""
THIRD GARDEN.
He
:
is
"
:
Why?"
fault, in con-
sequence of which he is detested from the east to the west." " What is it?" He said: "Because he has appointed
that wicked
and
profligate Hejaj to
;
govern Musalmans."
bird suddenly
flut-
meanwhile a
little
tered up, giving forth a sound, whereon the Arab turned " Who art man " and said
:
replied:
"What
:
Arab continued
about to
thou, O Hejaj a question is this thou askest?" The " This bird informs me that an army is
Whilst
they were thus conversing the troops arrived and saluted When the Arab perceived this, the hue of his face Hejaj.
man
to
be taken into
his
The
next morning
when
and the people assembled, Hejaj called for the Arab, who " on entering said Peace be upon thee, O Amir, with the of and his benedictions." Allah, mercy Hejaj replied
;
:
M I do not say as thou hast said, peace be upon thee," and " then asked him whether he should like to eat ? The Arab " The food is and if I shall allowed do so." thine, replied
:
"
:
Bis-
may
that
which comes
after the
food be good." Hejaj smiled, and [turning to his guests] " Do asked you know what happened yesterday between
:
In the name of Allah and if it pkaseth Allah expressions used by good Moslems at the commencement of anything.
THIRD GARDEN.
53
said
me and
this
fellow?"
The Arab
"
:
May
Allah
O Amir, of not divulge to-day the secret which took place yesterday between us, because [the proverb says] what is past is not mentioned." Then Hejaj continued " O Arab of the desert, choose one of these two things ;
prosper thee,
:
me
that I
may make
'
thee one of
my
Mervan, and inform him of what thou hast said about him." The Arab said : " There may be yet another way." Hejaj " What is it ? " asked He continued " To let me
: :
depart in peace to
my
me
no more, nor I thee." Hejaj then laughed, ordered him to be presented with ten thousand dinars and to be sent to his
country.
Verses
:
A man
must with
polite language
Every base clown far from generosity and liberality Brings him back to liberality by deceitful words.
STORY.
Yezdegird* had noticed his son Behram in a place of the not proper ; whereon he told him to go
remove
name
he mentioned,
*
in his place.
Behram executed
the bidding
Here Yezdegird
II. is
meant,
who ascended
54
of his father
;
THIRD GARDEN.
but being at that time not older than thirteen
years of age,
knew not
of the inner apartments and desired to enter, but the chamberlain placed a
telling
hand
him
that if
he again trespassed
at this spot,
give
him
When
this
The Shah
Must not
is
To the sanctuary of his honour which is the seat of dominion No bird can fly, no wind can penetrate.
STORY.
The
letter,
merchants of the sea had brought many jewels, which he purchased for 100,000 dinars on behalf of the
saying that
king; but
if it
be
true, as
he had heard, that his majesty was trader would be ready to a much higher price] and leave a clear
:
gain of 100,000 dinars to the king. Hormuz wrote in reply " With us 100,000 dinirs are not of much account, and if
we engage
and what
*
in
will the
is,
who
will
govern,
This
Hormur
I.,
THIRD GARDEN.
Verses
It is
:
55
To
Say
engage
If the
thyself,
do
after that
STORY.
'Omar,* the commander of the Faithful (the approbation of Allah be upon him) being during his Khalifate in Medinah engaged in plastering a wall with mud, was waited
upon by a Jew who complained that the governor of Bosrah had purchased from him goods to the amount of 100,000
dirhems but was tardy in repaying the value. *Omar called paper butf none being procurable, he took up a potsherd " Those who and wrote on it complain against thee are thank and those who thee cannot be found. numberless,
for
:
Either cease to give cause for complaint, or vacate thy post " of governor." The signature of " 'Omer Ibnu-1-Khettab
seal
on the mere
presentation of the said potsherd, the governor of Bosrah alighted from his horse, prostrated himself to the ground,
and
sitting
*
on
his animal.
A.D.
634
real
till
643.
in-
titles, &c.,
'Omar's time.
THIRD GARDEN.
Verses
:
When
He
shields
Lame
foxes
box
his ears
STORY.
A youth
"
Cut
off his
hand, that
it
Verses
the right
left
Permit not thy eye to swerve from what is right. The Khalifah repeated the injunction, saying that
of the ordinances of
it is
one
God
:
the
Most High,
Khalifah
till
in
which Musal-
mans have no
present, rose
option.
The mother
"
of the youth,
!
who was
and
said
This
is
my
son
by whose aid
labour
I
I live
from morning
night,
and by whose
am
supported."
Verses
:
life
the mainstay of
my
support,
The
not approve of its amputation. " Cut off his Khalifah said hand, because I do not
:
Do
pardon
said
his crime,
this ordinance."
The mother
of the youth
sins, for
for-
THIRD GARDEN.
given."
*
57
:
man who in tfce presence of the Shah Happy Utters a pleasant maxim when he is inflamed with anger, When like water he brings the graceful maxim To the Shah, it throws water upon fire.
that learned
STORY.
culprit
The
prisoner said
for a
"
:
O
is
commander
of the
Faithful, to take
it
over
is
vengeance justice, but to pass virtue ; and the magnanimity of the prince of the
crime
Faithful
is
is
more
what
higher,
and descend
to
what
is
lower/'
The
Khalifah
trans-
being
condoned
his
gression.
Verses
:
To
pardon a crime
is
is
virtue, to
punish
it is
justice.
The former
How Who
wise enough to
know
STORY.
ful to
man
of rank,
to punish him.
The boy
Name
"
:
O my
uncle
I acted as
58
I
THIRD GARDEN.
did because wisdom was not with me.
listest,
Do
thou what
thou
because wisdom
is
with thee."
:
Verses
and humour
does not act according to the dictates of reason, As humour and passion have not conquered thee
And
A woman
in
who belonged
to the faction
arms against Hejaj, having been brought before him, he spoke to her, but she looked down, and fixing her eyes upon
the ground, neither replied, nor glanced at him.
One who
and
"O woman
?
The Amir
:
is
speaking,
" I am ashamed before She replied God the Most High, to look on a man, upon whom God the
look."
Verses
:
"
Look not
Because
at the
it is
God
No
act of
Alexander having been asked by what means he had attained such dominion, power and glory at so youthful an
" age and during so short a reign, replied By reconciliating foes till they turned away from the path of enmity, and
:
friends
till
they became
THIRD GARDEN.
Vtrses
If thou wantest the
:
59
good behaviour
Make
more
friendly stilL
STORY.
One day
thee a great
whilst Alexander
:
was
of them said
"God
the Most'
monarchy ; take many wives unto thee, that thy progeny may become numerous to perpetuate thy memory in the world." He replied: " My memory and my children will be my good words and my excellent examples. It is
not
fit
Verses
father cannot
be certain whether
his
son
of a sage
is
Why
FOURTH GARDEN
Fruitfulness of the trees of liberality
and
and
dinars.
The beauty*
gifts with-
although that interest or equivalent may be either praise this world] or an abundant reward [in the next world].
Verses
:
[in
Who
Is
is
liberal
He
What Take
done by him for [gaining approbation from] God ; is done for [gaining worldly] praise and reward
it
to be a purchase
and
tence.
Verses
:
Whose
liberality
is
To
Of
*
obtain a great
is
name
in the world,
His house
in the text
is literally profit^
and I
figuratively
translate
by beauty.
FOURTH GARDEN.
STORY.
61
A
ward
liberal
felt
any
in-
gratification, any thanks from needy and mendicants persons upon whom he bestowed largesses, " In replied sighing my bounties and liberalities my duty
:
is
whatever he
ladle,
distributes
but
how can
"
God,
he should expect thanks from those
not
fair that
it,
who
consume
He
is
bowl and
ladle to receive
no thanks.
STORY.
described another, and, adducing some of his qualifications in the way of knowledge [see footnote on page
Sufi
10], said, that
One
when
When
in his
guesthouse a gentleman
The word
retiring
and
is Jufeel, and such a guest being generally also bashful was therefore by the Romans called a shadow, umbra.
62
FOURTH GARDEN.
He
is but a child on the path [of Sufi doctrines] Unless he considers himself as one of the uninvited guests.*
STORY.
An Arab
house of
*Ali
made
prince of liberal
men
may
Allah be pleased with him and ennoble his countenance and sat down quietly, but the shyness of misery and poverty
had put
their
stamp on
his
lency the Amir of the Believers asked him what he wanted, he was ashamed to speak, but wrote on the ground that he
was
destitute.
else,
he pre-
sented him with two pieces of cloth, one of which the Arab
immediately put on as a mantle, and the other as a loin-cloth. Then standing up he recited some beautiful and perfectly elo-
quent distichs appropriate to the occasion, which so pleased His Excellency the Amir that he added to his gift thirty dinars
which belonged to his sons the Amirs of the Faithful, Hasan and Husain may Allah be pleased with them and which
he had been keeping
averred that 'Ali had
for
them.
the money,
made him
man
of his
;
according
The play on
the words
Jifl^ child,
and
Jufeel, cannot
be expressed
in English.
FOURTH GARDEN.
value of every
acts,
63
man
is
The
price of a
'The value of a
man man
and gold
;
his
power and
virtue
Many
Attained
much greater power than a And many a gentleman has for want Become inferior to his own slave.*
STORY.
gentleman,
of virtue
It is
on record
that
with him) approaching a date-grove where he had seen some persons, he alighted. The guardian of the trees happened to be a black slave, to whom two loaves of bread had just been sent
pleased
Abdullah Ibn J'afer (may Allah be intended one day to travel, and
and
it,
of the loaves to
as a dog stood near him, he threw one which having been devoured by the
animal, he gave away also the other, and the dog likewise
consumed
hast seen." " The
it,
b. p. w. h.)
asked what
"
was?
The
slave replied
What thou
"
?
"
Then why
)t it
for thyself
thought he was coming from a long distance and hungry, wherefore I did not mean " Then what wilt thou eat to leave him in that condition."
dog
is
a stranger here
to
"
day
*
shall fast."
Then 'Abdullah
said to him-
I translate inferior, but the Persian has for the sake of the metre, without a shield, which of course implies weakness and inferiority.
64
self:
FOURTH GARDEN.
"Everybody is blaming me for my liberality, and more liberal than myself." Then he purchased both the slave and the date-grove, presenting him with the
this slave is
latter,
Verses
Who presents a dog with a piece or two of bread To appease the cravings of his hunger,
Although he may be only a slave, Gentlemen must bow to him as slaves.
STORY.
There was
all
in
Madinah a
scholar
and
official,
perfect in
the sciences,
He
fell
madly
mole.
hearing of her rm lodies carried him from the confinement of intelligence int 3 the vast avenues of dementia
:
Verses
Each alone
one
He
FOURTH GARDEN.
65
words
Verses
When
How
The
a wind to
my
ear
But a wind
my
flame.
This
affair
having been narrated to 'Abdullah Ibn J'afer, girl, purchased her for 40,000
and ordered her to sing in the same manner as she had captivated the above mentioned scholar. On asking
her from
another
whom
girl,
and the
so that
who was thereon summoned to his presence, Then the second girl was ordered scholar likewise.
believed he had expired. Now 'Abdullah Ibn " Behold the crime we committed by killing J'afer said
all
:
this
man."
Then he ordered
"
:
water,
to
man
who
then recovered
girl
and
said
had
!
By
Allah
What
is
concealed
is
more than
become
manifest."
to hear the
replied
"
:
Thou
if I
melody from the girl herself, and the man hast seen what befel me from hearing the
girl
melody sung by a
whom
it
do not
love.
my
condition
hear
from the
lips of
66
'Abdullah asked her ?
"
:
FOURTH GARDEN.
" If thou seest her wilt
:
thou
know
He
Verses
Thou
my
By Allah
heart
!
and Faith
know no one
girl to
:
man he
said
be brought out, and presenting " She belongs to thee, for I have
not looked upon her except from the corner of my eye." The scholar prostrated himself at the feet of 'Abdullah and
said
:
Verses
Thou hast magnanimously relieved my distress And brought me to the shore from the waves of separation,
Thou
Thou
hast brought peace to
my
grief,
my
weeping eyes.
Then he took
untrammelled
STORY.
During the reign of Mo'aviah one thousand dirhems were annually given to 'Abdullah Ibn J'afer from the public
treasury, but
when Yazid succeeded to the Khalifate, this sum was augmented to five thousand, whereon he was
for giving to
blamed
one
man
FOURTH GARDEN.
67
munity of Musalmans ; but Yazid replied that in reality he was giving it to all the poor of Madinah, because 'Abdullah In fact, when a man was secretly turns none of them away. him to follow to Madinah, it appeared that he despatched
had within the space of one month disbursed the whole sum, and was borrowing money
:
Verses
falls
man
What
is
the world,
?
besides
Why
wesh.
STORY.
A Khalifah of Baghdad was progressing with his retinue in great splendour, when a lunatic encountered him and "O said Khalifah, keep in thy reins ; I have composed
:
On
them he did
lunatic
so,
saw
this
When the and the Khalifah was pleased. " Favour me with three dirhems he said
:
that I
may buy
oil
and
dates, to eat
my
fill."
The
Khalifah
Verses:
When
It is
man
meet
is
him
He who
Every
if for
the poem's
it is
distich
his treasury,
proper. F 2
68
FOURTH GARDEN.
STORY.
" At
when
Omay-
yah upon the Bani 'Abbas, the latter captured the former and slew them. I happened once to be seated outside of Kufah, on the flat roof of a building, with a prospect
upon the
desert,
and seeing black flags issue from Kufah, I the crowd had come in search of me.
roof,
might conceal myself ; and reacha edifice I a handsome individual stationed beheld ing large
in I
Kufah
whose house
there
I saluted
on horseback, surrounded by slaves and attendants. him, and when he asked me who I was and what
wanted, I told him that I was a fugitive dreading an enemy and had taken refuge near his house. He then took me inside, and allotted me a room which was near his Harem. There I spent some days most comfortably, being provided
I
with the food and drink I liked best, as well as with clothes.
me no questions, but rode out once daily and returned again. When I inquired for what reason he thus went out, he said Ibrahim Ibn Sulaiman has killed my
My host
asked
'
father,
and
heard that he
is
in
concealment
accordingly I
upon him
words
I
day with the hope to find him, and to avenge the murder of my father.' When I heard these
my misfortune and at the decree of fate, which had thrown me into the house of the very man who desired to kill me. This made me weary of life, and when
was amazed at
I
asked the
man
for the
name
of his father, I
knew
that
he
FOURTH GARDEN.
had spoken the truth
;
69
'
:
so I said to
him
brave
man
under great obligations, and I am bound to point out thy foe to thee, and to make an end of thy search I inform thee that I am Ibrahim Ibn Sulaiman ;
Thou
hast placed
me
He
would not
life,
'
:
and replied
*
:
Thou
art
weary of
I
and
No, I have slain him.' Then I gave him indicaby Allah Now tions by which he knew that I had spoken the truth.
rejoined
!
he changed colour, his eyes became bloodshot, and after It may quickly happen to pausing a while he continued thee to join my father as he himself desires thee to do.
'
:
But
and depart,
thee harm.'
for
might nullify the safety I granted thee ; cannot restrain myself, and might do
me
with one
Verses
From men
If thou
Because by that evil he injured his own prosperity. makest beneficence thy rule
doest will return only to thee.
STORY.
One
night a great
was burnt.
mosque in Egypt, having caught fire, The Musalmans suspected that Christians had
70
FOURTH GARDEN.
act,
committed the
and
The
them
was
in
one
on some
and on some
to
whip him.
These notes having been thrown to the culprits and been picked up by them, each of them underwent the
punishment which had fallen to his lot. One, to whom the sentence of death had been awarded, said: *' I do not
fear to
be
killed,
whom no one
will
by whipping, but they exchanged their notes, " I have no mother, let me be killed
:
was done.
Verses
:
Liberality
may be
he who
Blessed
is
with his
life
When he learnt that his friend needs his He sacrificed his own to save that of his
STORY.
life
friend.
" I was acquainted with a liberal man Asm'ayi says whose house I constantly frequented for the purpose of en:
Once when
it
made my appearance
at
said
'
:
The reason
of
my
me from
and
is
FOURTH GARDEN.
distress
71
rnd
poverty.'
Then
distich
Verses
If a liberal
man
is
What
This
I
is
man
over a miser?
gave to the doorkeeper, who took it in, and after came out with the following written on
:
back
Arabic Distich.
If
liberal
man
possesses
little
He
This note was, however, accompanied by a purse of 500 dinars, and I said to myself: Anything more strange than
'
this
money
:
Mamun.'* When
had come, and
I entered,
me whence
is
I replied
From
He
inquired
who he
is,
and
his
I said that
he
knowledge and of
share of
the said
purse before him on the ground, but on perceiving it he * turned pale and said This is the seal of my treasurer,
:
and
I replied
*O Amir, I-would
officials.'
*
:
be ashamed
Then Mamun
Asm'ayi, and
Go
with
when thou
man,
tell
him
that I
till
the
72
FOURTH GARDEN.
his mind.'
'
summon him to my presence, but do so without disturbing When the said man arrived, Mamun asked Art thou not the man who came to us yesterday pleading
:
this purse to
spend
for
one
by Asm'ayi replied By Allah, Amir, in pleading poverty and misery I uttered no falsehood, but I would not send his messenger back except with
:
He
'
me back.' Mamun being pleased with this explanation, ordered 1000 dinars more to be given ' to him. O Amir, make me also a sharer Asm'ayi said
:
Accordingly he ordered the gift 1000 be to dinars, and enrolled that man completed by
in this
among
companions
Verses
When
It is
man
is
without
money
proper for
him
Yes, the shutting of the entrance is like Tying up the mouth of the money bag."
STORY.
one more
liberal
"
* Hatim Jayi was an Arab who lived before the promulgation of Islam, and was celebrated for his boundless liberality. for t The word is Yafimi, an orphan; but I suspect it to be an error
tribe of Janiim.
FOURTH GARDEN.
one
for
73
me.
I
meat, which
savoury.'
By
Allah, this
is
very
and taking from each that special portion of meat, cooked When it, and brought it to me, without my suspecting it.
I
my
horse, I
blood spilled outside the house, and on asking for the reason, was informed that he had slaughtered all his sheep. I blamed him, and asked why he had done so ? but he
'
replied
Allah be praised
As something which
I pos-
had pleased thee, it would have been accounted very bad manners on my part among the Arabs, if I had with" held it from thee.' Hatim being asked what he had given
sessed
in
return,
five
and
and
Three hundred red haired camels, hundred sheep ; " and, on being told that he was
replied
:
"
more
I
liberal,
he continued
little
" Alas
He
gave
all
he had,
only a
of what I possess."
Verses
:
When
Gives
It is
a mendicant
it all
half a loaf
away from his house more than if the Shah of the world
STORY.
This
is
t The name
something like the widow's mite in the Gospel, of a man celebrated for his liberality.
74
to see him,
FOURTH GARDEN.
went into his garden, the keeper of which he requested to let him know when Mo'an arrived, and took At the proper time the gardener his seat near the water. to the poet, who then recited information the gave required
the following [Arabic] distich
:
Verses :
for the liberality of
Mo'an
my
1
necessity
me
with
Mo'an but
thyself.
it
it
Having
into
to
the water,
and when
it
be
he had perused the writing, he called the him a poet, gave purse of gold, and put away the board under his carpet. The next day he pulled out the board,
taken out.
When
summoned the poet to his presence and presented him with 100,000 dinars ; and on the third day
read the contents,
he acted
in the
same manner.
Now
the poet
became
afraid
given him
accordingly he took
When
on the fourth
for the " It was
forth the
incumbent upon me in the duty of liberality, to continue the same towards him till not a dirhem remained in my
treasury, but
Who
To
is
liberal ?
He
his
FOURTH GARDEN.
Opens the hand of bounty and gives him so much, That it surpasses the expectations of the asker.
STORY.
75
An Arab
Verses
hand
to
Distributes largesses,
man
kissed by the Arab, whereon he said by way of a joke : " The hairs upon thy lips have scratched my hand." The Arab replied: " What injury can the bristles of a porcu-
pine
upon the paw of a formidable lion ? "I like this pleased the liberal man, who said the Qasidah," and ordered him to be rewarded
inflict
:
"
This
sally
better than
for
it
with
1000 and
3000 dirhems;
Verses
:
Who
Is
exaltes thy head with praise above the skies meaner than anyone else, if he be not skilled in words.
Consider him to be skilled in words who discerns Bad from good, and good expressions from better
ones.
FIFTH
GARDEN
the fluttering
and
affection,
and
of the wings of
butterflies
It is
"
He who
quoted in tradition as a saying of the prophet that loves, remains chaste, restrains his passion, and
dies,
The
indulged
in,
human
:
soul
Verses
special virtues of man, be kept chaste and restrained. The love which follows nature and sensual appetite
love,
is
That
which
one of the
Must wherever
it
arises,
STORY.
were conversing about love. One intelligent " Trouble and of them said pain are peculiarities of love ;
:
Two
men
a lover
is
at all times
:
The
other replied
enduring trouble and suffering distress." " Hush Hast thou never seen re!
FIFTH GARDEN.
77
after
separation
None
than those
who
who never
Verses
:
charms."
When
is
will
Be
not affec-
Should an ignorant man ask for a reason of this law A sufficient one is, that kindred natures sympathise.
STORY.
his
own
Khalifate, Sadig
Akbar* (may
Allah be pleased with him) was walking about in the lanes of Madinah, and happened to pass near a house from which
he heard sounds of lamentation, and beheld a woman reciting the following distichs, whilst hot tears fell from her
eyes
:
Verses
thy stature is in beauty more excellent than the moon In comparison to the stature of thy moon the sun is inferior; Before the nurse places milk upon my lips
1
drink blood in
memory
of thy red
lips.
The
hearing of these distichs made such an impression on Sadig that he knocked at the door, and the speaker having
frightened, he asked her whether she
come out
*
was
free or
of the prophet
Sadig Akbar is the epithet of Abu Bakar, the immediate .successor lll till 14 (A.D. 632 ti he reigned from A.H. ; ^34X
78
FIFTH GARDEN.
a slave, and she said that she was a bondsmaid. He further asked for the love of whom she had recited the verses " O and for whom she had shed tears ? She replied
:
mausoleum, to
let
me
alone."
He continued:
move a step till I have elicited the secret of heart." The girl then heaved a deep sigh, and mentioned name of a youth of the Beni Hashem. Sadig (may Allah
be pleased with him) then went to the mosque, called for the owner of that slave-girl, purchased her, gave the price to
the owner, and sent her to her lover.
Verses
:
heart,
desire
But
He who
exempt from
all
vicissitudes of time ?
suffering, but if
may
STORY.
A
ful
spotless beauty,
for her
owner
in a
mind
restless,
of the sight of his mistress is happy n but listen to her speech in the rear of a wall.
FIFTH GARDEN.
79
Putting out his head suddenly from the balcony, the owner perceived the young man, gave him a seat at his own table, and conversed with him on various subjects. The youth,
whilst paying attention with his
mind
girl, and replied to whatever she asked, by eyes upon her glances, with his brows ; and whatever knots she tied with her ringlets, he solved by his sweet smiles.
the
Verses:
What
is
lovers,
kiss.
and ardent
lovers to themselves.
:
Then
the
girl
No
The youth
and
said
:
one
is
dearer
world
an exclamation,
Verses
O
If
It
thou
who
my
heart,
now belong
heart,
to thee,
my
it is
The
said that
now
her
8o
FIFTH GARDEN.
other's waists,
and
The youth
?
"
replied
:
My
desire
is
as
God
the
'The intimate
friends
on that
day shall be enemies unto one another, except the pious,'* which means that on the day of resurrection friendship of
become enmity, except the friendship of the I do not abstemious, which will increase the attachment.
friends will
be impaired, and our friendship be turned into enmity." After saying these words, he departed, reciting the following
:
Verses
heart,
abandon
this love
of two days
Because a love of two days profits not, Choose a love wherewith on the day of reckoning
Thou mayest
STORY.
learned
man
says
"
:
Once
old
my
hearers.
An
present and
in-
termission.
Having afterwards one day been asked by me for the reason, he said I was a man who bought and sold slave boys and girls, gaining my livelihood by this
:
Quran, ch.
xliii., v.
67.
FIFTH GARDEN.
trade.
81
for
One day
boy
were
:
had purchased
Versts
beautiful
His
lips
like fresh
moon.
His sugar had not yet been wiped by the nurse from milk.
I
took
much
till
coquetry and
Then
Joseph,* to the bazar, offered him for sale, enumerating his qualities and attractions ; all of a sudden I beheld a very handsome young man, dressed according to the fashion of
devotees,
who had
arrived
He apslave-boy from the corner of his eye, alighted. what him he and asked had come him, country from, proached
what trade he knew, and what work he could do ? Then " I replied Although turning to me he asked his price. in beauty and attractions he is only one dinar, his price is
:
one thousand of
full
weight."
He
hold of the boy's hand, unperceived by the other persons When the man had present, he slipped something into it.
gone away, I weighed what he had given to the bey, and found it to be 100 dinars. On the second and third days
he acted
in the
same manner, so
that the
sum
total
he had
I then said presented to the boy amounted to 300 dinars. He has paid the full price for the boy, is atto myself:
ing to
of beauty, accord-
82
FIFTH GARDEN.
tached to him and unable to give the price I fixed. Accordingly I hastened after him, found his house, and when the
night had set in, I arose, adorned the boy with nice garments, perfumed him with pleasant odours, took him to the
house of the said young man, knocked at his door, which he opened, but was confused on beholding us, and said
:
"
We
He
belong to Allah, and unto him shall we surely return."* asked who had brought us, and who had shown us the
I replied
way 1
"
:
Some
the boy but no sale was effected, and fearing that during
made
to
kidnap him,
now
him
"
to
Come
spend this night under thy protection." thou in, and also remain with him."
He
I
replied that I
to attend to,
and would
the boy
Accordingly I
left
my
down, and considered how they would spend the night, and on what terms their companionship would be established,
when
heard
all
who had
arrived trembling
what had happened to hirr. in the company of the said young man that he " That arrived in this condition ? The slave boy replied
I asked
:
and weeping.
noble
fellow
I
creator."
"Praise be to Allah,
He
me
thou hadst gone home, he took to the interior of the house and brought me food. When
continued:
"When
Quran,
ch.
ii.,
v,
151.
FIFTH GARDEN.
I
83
my
:
me, sprinkled musk and rosewater upon me, laid me down, and stroking my face, said Praise be to Allah, how good
and how beloved, but how unpleasant is what my soul lusts for, and the punishment of God the Most High is the most
grievous of
all,
since
he
whom
it
befalls, is the
most unfor'
:
tunate of
all
men.'
Then he
and
Verily
we belong
tinued
'
:
to Allah,
verily to
Him we
this
is
return,'
and conbut
I bear witness
that
great
beauty,
chastity
and
purity are
more
reward
Then promised for them, which is the most perfect of all. he fell down, and when I shook him I found that he was
dead and had departed to eternal
life."
The
old
man
said
" All
my
weeping
is
in
remembrance
before
never forget, and whose other good qualities are always my eyes. Whilst I live I shall follow his ways, and
I die
it
when
will
be in that manner.
Verses
:
As
that friend of
is
whole world;
I shall
My
heart
bemoan his loss more than the whole world, now sheds tears of blood, from my pale cheek
I
to
the ground,
When
still
shall
weep
in this
manner.
STORY.
known
G
2
84
FIFTH GARDEN.
the Arab tribes by his beauty
among
and
had
fallen
whom
he succeeded
wedding
after
overcoming
great obstacles.
his felicity,
He
and had not quaffed more than one drop from when he determined to take up his abode and having placed
his wife in a litter,
stage, Salil
litter
in another locality,
started
on
his journey.
to
be
He, however, suddenly caught sight of thirty horsemen, whereon he snatched up his arms and galloping to meet them, soon discovered that they were foes who had
come
place, he
several
of them,
know that my foes desire to slay me Be seated that I may have a sad look at thee Then to shed thy blood, as they will shed mine,
So
that
no one
"
:
else
may touch
!
thy
lips.
The
but
girl said
By
Allah
my
,
with thine
will
be better
my
heart
by the
act."
Then
Salil
:
arose
and
Verses
By the unfair wrestling of this world Look how I am prostrated to the dust
\
FIFTH GARDEN.
85
She
for
whom
would
slain
fain sacrifice
my
!
life
Must
this
day be
by
my hand
Then shedding
and smearing his face with the blood of his spouse, he again rushed at his foes, several of whom he slew, fighting till at
last
When
them
in
one grave.
They made a place of one kind in the hollow of the earth That they may pleasantly sleep together, and arise together.
STORY.
of love
much
as possible to prevent
its
be-
coming known.
Verses
:
Love
is
cannot be concealed.
86
FIFTH GARDEN.
last
became divulged, and after being disbrought on quarrels between the two families, so that bloodshed ensued, whereon the people of
At
their secret
cussed in public,
Habza
district.
After a protracted separation, Ashter, being no longer able to bear it, asked a friend to accompany him to the place
where
to
meet
her, belips,
cause from longing for her, his soul had risen to his
and
his days
into nights.
His friend
listest,
"
replied
:
To
to
obey
I shall
do as thou
and comply with thy behests." Accordingly both mounted their camels, and in twenty-four hours reached the locality
near which the people of his mistress were encamped, and alighted in a hollow near a mountain in the vicinity. Ashter " said to his friend Arise, and betake thyself to that tribe
:
mention no names to any one, but search for a certain girl who takes care of the sheep and is an intimate
as a spy,
friend of Habza.
and the
I
first
and asked
for
whom
in close confinement,
and takes
returned,
proceeded with our camels to the spot pointed we reached at the appointed time.
FIFTH GARDEN.
Verses:
87
We
The
Sitting
friend,
when suddenly
voice of ornaments and anklets was heard " Arise The young lady has arrived."* Saying
: I
girl,
turned away from them and went in another direction, but " Come back, there is nothing they recalled me, saying
:
improper, and our intention is only to converse." Accordingly I joined them again ; they spoke about the past and
the future with each other,
till
" I
hope thou
wilt
remain with
me
!
the face of
my
:
Habza replied
expectations with the nail of separation." " By Allah This wish cannot be gratified,
and nothing is more difficult to me than to assent to it Dost thou want past events to be repeated, and the doors of
calamity again to be opened?"
Ashter
rejoined:
"By
hands
Allah
I shall not
skirt."
abandon
my
from thy
Hemistich
let
"Will
this friei
?
bid him I arose, and said courage to shall do whatever thou listest, even at the risk of my
"I
life."
herself,
and
said
" Put
on these
The
expression
ward
in English,
88
FIFTH GARDEN.
Enter my tent and sit garments, and give thine to me. down behind the curtain. My husband will come with a
will
'
say
This
is
it.'
little
whereon
it
own hand,
or deposit
till
on the ground
he
next morning.'
followed
her husband brought the milk, I stretched forth take hold of the bowl whilst he was in the act of putting
when hand to my
it
on the ground, so
thou insult
that I accidently struck the vessel and " Wilt the whereat he became angry, saying milk, spilled
:
me
:
"
and brought
Verses
forth
a dreadful whip of
twisted leather
In thickness like a snake, In length similar to a dragon ; Painting a serpent was its task,
The
naked body.
He
bared
my
back, struck
I
it
vigorously, like a
drum on
the
day of battle.
feared
to shout, because I
he would knr
w me my
by
my
voice
nor to bear
to leap
off his
raise
till
up head with a sword, but reflecting that this a tumult: which nobody could quell, I remained
*;f
skin,
and intended
of
me
from
his grasp,
took
me
away.
self up,
back towards them, wrapped my"O and moaned, whereon the woman said my
I
turned
my
FIFTH GARDEN.
!
89
Fear God, and do not act contrary to the wishes daughter of thy husband, because one hair of his head is more
precious than a thousand Ashters
;
in fact,
who
is
he that
"
1
Then she
thee
arose, saying
this
company
sister
night,"
After a while
Habza made her appearance, weeping and who had whipped me. I replied nothing, man the cursing When she had and she laid herself down by my side.
the
of
become
suffered
quiet, I stretched
:
out
sister
my
is
it
on
"Thy
misery
instead
of her.
Keep
this secret,
or else
state
both be disgraced." She was first in a of astonishment, which was however, gradually changed
shall
familiarity, so that she
we
to
till
one of
dawn.
was morning, Habza arrived, who be" Woe came frightened on beholding us, and asked to " Who is this by thy side ? I told her that it was thee
it
:
When
her
own
sister,
her that time was precious, and she must ask her own sister. Then I took my garments, joined Ashter, and departed.
Whilst travelling I informed him of what had taken place
;
he examined
lation,
my
flagel-
recorded the
maxim
is
"A friend
Verses
:
because there
no want of friends
in orosperity."
heart,
There
will
90
.FIFTH GARDEN.
For a day of trouble a friend is required, Because in times of comfort, friends are not scarce.
STORY.
had gon e said to where a to the slave-market youth, possess great accomplishments, was offered to him, and reporting this to Rashid he was ordered to purchase him. At the time of
arrived in Kufah, his vazir
Who
sheds
friend
my
guiltless
blood by separating
like
me
me.
from
my
Ought
If
to spare the
one day of separation has brought me such despair Alas, what will be my state when a month and year elapse.
This having been brought to the notice of Rashid, he summoned him to his presence, and elicited from him that he
was
pity
in love with
some one
in
Kufah
The
vazir said
" It
is
a pity
to liberate a fellow
Rashid answered
a
man
thou,
who
And
*
hast the
power
to
manumit
slaves
The
is
meant,
who
reigned
A.D.
786809.
FIFTH GARDEN.
Liberate him
91
who
is
a slave to love
is
enough
for
him who
lost his
STORY.
beautiful
were so assiduous that the very street in which she lived became thronged by her visitors, but when her attractions
disappeared and she had become ugly, her lovers abandoned
her.
Then
said to
one of them
"
:
She
is
the same
same
her stature
faithless
replied
is more tall and her body more stout. It is and treacherous on thy part to neglect her." He " That which ravished Alas, for what thou sayest
!
the heart,
senses,
was the
spirit
which
smoothness of her skin, and in the pleasantness of her voice, but as that spirit has departed from the figure, how can I
love a dead body, or fondle a withered rose
Verses
:
"
?
The rose has left the garden, The Shah is not in the town,
Belles are the cage, beauty
of what use
is
his retinue ?
and
When
the cage ?
STORY.
whose beauty and attractions had disappeared, and whose face was getting hirsute, found that those who
belle,
now
92
FIFTH GARDEN.
of their hearts.
telling
her chin like an irregular net. which scared away the birds Accordingly, she summoned a barber,
had become dismayed because she had no friend nor any one to purchase her favours, requesting him to remove that veil and to tear up that net. The
that she
him
barber
who was
When
He
a beardless youth's term of beauty has set in ought for coquetry to shave his chin and ear-tips,
Jt will
But when the cheek has become rough by the operation be like wood, scratching the surface of the heart.
Nuktah.
An amorous fellow who was distressed by the modesty of the boy whom he loved, and feared the incivility of his " When will the beard guardian, said to himself sprout
:
on that smooth
face,
and the conceit of beauty depart from may freely offer my services, and take rest
I
man was
fulfilled,
and the
boy's beauty had come to an end, he also like others, kept aloof, and no longer wished to enjoy the sight of the boy. " What did I Being twitted for his fickleness, he replied
:
know
air,
and
that this
be snapped by a hair ?
Verses
:
is
a wing,
;
FIFTH GARDEN.
93
But a wing whereby to the land of non-existence The bird of innocence takes flight
Verses:
The
Thy verdant down Wash out beauty's The few hairs now
Are
now
turning black,
men
STORY.
A Darwesh, being madly in love with a dissolute woman, was running about, shed tears, and heaved sighs, but could never extort a glance of compassion from her. Being told
that his mistress always associated with intoxicated
slept with wine-bibbers,
men
friend to Darweshes,
her, since
wherefore
it
would be better
she required companions similar to herself, and to mind his own business ; the Darwesh after listening to this advice
smiled,
and said
Verses
My portion is the pain of love, and I shall not Blame my mistress if another is captivated by her c'.iarms; J She is a rosegarden of beauty, and no wonder
If a thistle-gatherer plucks briars,
and a
rose-fa
rier
roses.
STORY.
gf
C
lasso of d'
% attracted
to
94
FIGTH GARDEN.
like
a centre in the
He became
God
Turned
their
countenances from
God
towards him.
religion,
crowded
around
sugar.
Around
flies
all to
himself,
and
tried
make
Amorous
fall
When When
The
same
all
of them
avow
their love to
one
mistress.
who go round
the K'abahf
each other.
felt, and whose analogous pretensions bore every moment witness against him, called the boy and advised
beloved son, and amiable youth ; do not commingle with every one, like milk and sugar, and do not Thou art fall into the deceitful snares of every wretch.
him, saying
;
"
, '
lie direction towards K'abah or Temple of Mekkah, in Quiblah which Moslem. 'Iways turn when they are praying. t It is one ^av.tlie religious ordinances that the pilgrims must also round the K'abah when they perform the Hajj. walk, or rather rc "old man." The word is ?
i
,
,
FIFTH GARDEN.
the
95
pity to
it
would be a
be
Do
not every
moment
Thy
face
is
Do
mirror.
When
pleased,
this advice,
left
he became
dis-
made
the monastery
on
some
pretext.
He
Murids* were extremely grieved at his departure, so that in their lamentations they bored with the diamonds of their
eye-lashes the jewels of weakness
as follows
Verses
Return, no one has power over thee, O boy, Sit with whom thou choosest, and neglect whom thou
wilt.
Quatrain
intellect
and
art
a foe
to
and miserable
for
us
To know
abandoned
his cold-
that they wept, the lashes being the diamondpoints which bored through the pearls of the tears, here called jewels of
Pir.
misery.
96
FIFTH GARDEN.
whom
he had
and mercy
after
punishment,
Union
Peace
after quarrelling,
and
SIXTH GARDEN
Blowing of
sallies^
the zephirs of
#///,
and
lau%h and
There
is
benediction of Allah be upon him, and upon his family, and " true believer is fond of jokes, and is peace) has said of pleasant speech, but a hypoctite is ill-humoured."* 'All
:
the prince of the Faithful (may Allah reward him, and ennoble
his face), said
:
"There
is
no harm
in
as to get rid of a
The
apostle
(Benediction from Allah and peace be upon him), said to a hag, that old women do not enter paradise ; whereon she
wept, and he continued
:
" Because
God
the
Most High
to
He
once said
!
a
is
woman
"
:
There
She quickly went, and in great Her husband confusion repeated the words of the prophet.
whiteness in his eyes
*
Literally,
"
"
9 replied
:
SIXTH GARDEN.
" That
is
and also
blackness in
my
Verses
If a contented
It is
man
not,
;
a trade
heart
rust
is is
licit
The
That
by the laws of reason and religion a mirror, and vexation the rust on it, away by
jocularity.
best polished
PLEASANTRY.
One
whereon Asm'ayi said that there had never seen Paludah nor heard were many Arabs who
the
name
of
it.
Harun replied
"
:
Afterwards Harun went one day to hunt, and Asm'ayi was An Arab happened to be coming empty from with him. Harun desired Asm'ayi to bring him ; the the desert. " The Amir latter accordingly went and said to the Arab of the Faithful wants thee ; obey."" Have the Faithful an
:
Amir?"
why
"Yes."
"I have no
said
"
?
:
The Arab
who
a distance, laughed.
At
last
Asm'ayi succeeded
Arab
said
"
:
Amir of the
A kind of fluid
dish,
made
gredients.
SIXTH GARDEN.
Faithful, as this
for
99
justice against him,
:
man
imagines
give
me
said
Harun
:
dirhems."
He
has insulted me, he must give me two dirhems more." Ha" Let it run said this is our command." be Now the
:
Arab turned
esses,
to Asm'ayi
and
said
-"O
be quick, and give me four dirhems by order of the Amir." Harun fell on his back from laughing, and made
the Arab
they reached
the
castle, pomp, was so struck by the of that he considered him to be a Harun, surroundings
great man,
and exclaimed
prophet
"
of Allah."
"
!
He
On
"
replied
:
Hush
What
"Salutation to thee,
"
:
apostle of
Allah
the
that
Harun was
Amir of the
he said
Salutation to thee,
:
" Harun then said Amir Salutation to The table having been thee," and made him sit down. laid out, the Arab ate of everything, and when at last also
of the Faithful."
"I P&ludah was brought, Asm'ayi said hope he does not " If the know what PMfidah is." Harun replied case be
: :
Arab
hand
way
he
set about,
of any.
eating
?
appeared that he had never before partaken " What is it thou art Accordingly Harun asked
it
:
"
He
replied
but
God
the
Most High
100
SIXTH GARDEN.
are near us,
and
am
:
said
of opinion that these are pomegranates." Asm'ayi " Amir Give me two purses, because as this
is
equally
Accordingly Harun
ordered Asm'ayi to be presented with two purses, and the Arab likewise, so that he became rich
:
Verses
is
liberal
He
Whose
treasury
knows no
closing.
Whatever serious or funny comes before him Is all made an occasion for his liberality.
PLEASANTRY.
One day
having been placed before him, he called an Arab, who had The Arab at just arrived from the desert, to partake of it.
once began to attack the whole body of the lamb, whereon " Thou art the Khalifah said tearing up this lamb and
:
eating
it
it
?>
seems,
its
mother had
:
The Arab replied butted against thee with her head \ " This means But thou lookest so kindly, and eating
!
eatest so daintily,
that
it
thee,"
Verses
:
is
v.
68.
SIXTH GARDEN.
If his
IOI
He
If,
lambs and sheep encounter some little danger ransoms them with his mother and beloved children.
Vtrses
:
for instance,
a gentleman lays out bread and a roasted thou art one of his guests,
in his teeth with
lamb
Before thee on the table,
If thou
if
makest a notch
the stone of
violence
It is better
make
and back
It
is
fill
PLEASANTRY.
When
of Bosrah, he
bounds of
Whatever sage thou mayest behold, he takes a share Of some cash from the capital of folly in due season,
He
PLEASANTRY.
A
man
^,
and a
what
his eye
had been
written.
this
trick,
he
102
wrote
x
SIXTH GARDEN.
"
:
Had
ng what
I wrote,
all
my
:
secrets,"
hereon the
man
!
By Allah
Mul-
lana, I
letter."
He
replied
"
ignorant
man
Then
?
tell
me
:
"
Verses
Who
Must
by
stealth
;
thief
The
person
who
man.
PLEASANTRY.
drunken
man coming
fell
to
the
began to lick. " who had taken the trouble to clean him, prayed May God the Most High cause thy children to be thy servants."
:
and mouth, which a dog The drunkard, imagining that it was a man
The dog then raised his leg, and urinated on the " who continued May Allah bless thee, my water to wash my face." warm having brought
:
drunkard,
lord,
for
Verses
When a wine-bibber thinks it allowable To get his whiskers soiled with dirty vomit,
.
proper for a dog to furnish warm urine jom its bladder to wash his dirty whiskers.
is
PLEASANTRY.
The Qazi
on foot
to
pay a
SIXTH GARDEN.
visit to
lOJ
the Friday-mosque, encountered a drunken man who " recognised him, and said May Allah honour thee,
:
Qazi
Is
it
"
?
Then he swore
and the
asked
said
:
latter said
he would bear the Qazi on his neck, " Come near thou accursed fellow."
latter
After he had
"
:
Am
"
?
The Qazi
" Between the one and the other, but thou must
neither run
away nor stumble, and keep close to the walls of may be safe from being knocked against
are walking on the road."
those
who
The man
said
Qazi,
how
latter
he had carried the Qazi to the ordered him to be thrown into prison,
"
:
When
exclaimed
May
Is
this the
reward of him
who become
mosque ?
The Qazi
him
alone.
Verses
:
drunkard mars thy path and wants to quarrel Deal kindly with him, O wise man of business.
intention of an intelligent experienced
hair,
The
man
is
like
Suffer
silly
persons to break
it
in
twain,
PLEASANTRY.
weaver,
who had
left
to
104
SIXTH GARDEN.
to ask for
it,
and going
his
he saw the
man
:
sitting
in front ot
house on the professorial couch, with a number of his He said " Mullana I am in disciples in front of him.
!
need of
finish
weaver accordingly took a seat, as the lecture and, proceeded, he observed that the Mullana often shook his head ; and thinking that the imparting of
the lesson consisted in
this,
He
replied
till
he said
"
:
O professor
and wag
Arise
and
till
let
me
till
thy return,
my
deposit, because
my head I am in
said
:
haste."
On
man
The
is
PLEASANTRY.
A
:
blind
man walked
a lamp, and
A
!
captious fellow
Day and
?
and so are
light
and darkness
"
what
is
laughing
lamp
The
blind
man
replied,
lamp is not for me, but for thyself, who and heedless, that thou mayest not knock
against
me and
break
my jar."
Verses
:
No man knows
ignoramus,
SIXTH GARDEN.
05
critic]
may be more
Reprove not a blind man, O thou who boastest of sight, Because one who cannot see has sight in his own affairs.
PLEASANTRY.
his troopers
mounted on a weak
Verses:
This weak
little
But no
A lean horse
Thou
wilt
So
that
if
thou seekest
If thou diggest
to heel
Thou
wilt find
:
and bone.
Every dinar and
He
said
I
my
soldiers
dirhem gave them they spent to fatten the wombs of women, and they have melted their horses by starvation."
*
in the vicinity of
'Abu 'AH Husain Ibn 'Abdullah 980), is as follows our text above the abridged form Abu 'AH Sina is used.
Ibn Sina.
In
'Ozair
is
The bones
of his ass were raised and clothed with flesh, and the animal became See D'Herbclot. Bibliothlque Orientale, article Ozair. alive again.
06
SIXTH GARDEN.
:
The man, hearing these words, replied "By Allah, O Amir If thou wilt cast a scrutinising glance upon the womb of my wife, thou wilt see that it is more lean than the 'Amru Leith smiled, gave him a posterior of my horse."
!
large
present,
"
!
and
said
"
:
Go and
fatten
both
thy
vehicles
Verses
God gave
Sometimes upon the one, sometimes upon the other, Take off the burden from one in the night, from the other
in the day,
Put one of them under the saddle, the other under the
thigh.
PLEASANTRY.
descendant of
for dinars
satisfied
a woman, but she asked him " Art thou not and dirhems, whereon he said that a member of the family of prophetship and the
'Ali called
:
"
She
but do not seek to gratify that wish with the courtezans of Baghdad, except by means of dinars and dirhems."
Verses
:
him
Hope
*
not that he
will gratify
thy wish.
Muhammad
SIXTH GARDEN.
107
the knot of thy purse, because a courtezan Unties not her trousers for the love of God or the prophet.
Open
PLEASANTRY.
Farazdaq,* and observing that his face had become " What was the matter with from disease, said yellow " He thee that thy countenance has become so yellow ?
visit to
:
"
replied
sins,
:
When
my
and
:
my
continued
sions
"
?
complexion changed to this colour." He " Why hast thou remembered thy transgres:
" Because I feared God the Farazdaq replied Most High would punish me and metamorphose me into a
Verses
When my
Wherefore
The wrath
The same
of
God may
PLEASANTRY.
learned
man
says
on
when a woman
halted opposite
staring
me
I
steadfastly.
When
this
had
despatched my passed what she was listening to. He came back and reported
bounds,
slave to ask the
woman
that the
womatf had
said
'
:
My
eyes
had committed a
of this
name, known
who
108
great sin
;
SIXTH GARDEN.
I intended to inflict
The
leaven of sin could not be washed out from the pupils of my eyes
Although I wept twice hundred times over a fire ; But to be saved from the fire of the resurrection, I to-day Punished them by contemplating thy hideous face.
PLEASANTRY.
The same
as
on the
learned
hold of
I
my
:
hand, and
took
was astonished, " She had and asked him for the reason, whereon he said told me to make a figure of Satan for her, and on my telling
her that I did not
*
me
know
in
to thee,
saying
Thou
No To
Thy
model
serve.
PLEASANTRY.
heard another, who was very ugly, praying for the his sins, and asking for deliverance from the fire of pardon " of hell whereon he r,aid
;
:
A man
O my friend,
why
art
thou shy
SIXTH GARDEN.
of hell, with such a face,
09
and wishest
to save
it
from the
fire
ofitl"
Verses
:
unpleasant to others
not to thee,
If therewith thou
The
fire is
to
be
pitied,
PLEASANTRY.
with an ugly face paid a visit to a physician, and " I have a boil on the The physician said ugliest spot." " Thou hast told me a looked into his face, and replied
: :
A man
lie,
for I
boil."
On account of ugliness the legislator has To denude thy limbs beneath the waist
But, as thy face
is
forbidden thee
ugliest of
it
all,
what wonder
place.
Thou
hast concealed
PLEASANTRY.
A man
from being
patient."
who was
:
enumerated
courting a " I am a
woman,
man
far
and
She replied
Thy
big nose
is
burdensome
to
all,
it
How
long
wilt
110
SIXTH GARDEN.
constant prostration
to place thy
is
Thy
But
PLEASANTRY.
A
said
:
wit saw a
man
become
thy head."'
Verses
:
If the gentleman
fails
Daily upon the hirsute countenance But few days will elapse when his face
Will,
on account of the
hair,
PLEASANTRY.
Mo'aviah* and 'Oqail Ben Abu Taleb were sitting to" O ye people of Syria, have gether, when Mo'aviah said you ever taken notice of the words of Allah the Most High,
:
The hands of Abu Lahab shall perish and where He says " he shall perish." \ They said Yes," and he continued : " Abu Lahab is the uncle of Then 'Oqail asked: 'Oqail." " of have heard the words of ever O ye people Syria, you
:
:
l
:
And his
wood'
"
J
who
bears
and he continued
See footnote
ch.
p. 49.
v.
I.
t Quran,
J Ibidem,
CXI.,
v. 4.
SIXTH GARDEN.
Verses
:
Ill
knowledge of another man's fault It is not the part of a wise man to explain it He is silent about thee and thy faults, then why
If thou possessest
;
fault
who
is
reticent
PLEASANTRY.
Quarrelling with a man, a descendant of <Ali said to him
"
Thou
considerest
me
as
an enemy, whereas
it is
incum-
bent upon thee to implore a blessing upon me in every ' O Allah Bless Muhamprayer thou utterest, saying
:
!
mad and
" I also
the family of
t
add
those
Muhammad. * The man replied who are good and pure^ but thou art not
'
:
of them."
Verses
:
reckonest thyself of the prophet's family It will be testified so, by purity of character and qualities,
claimest to be of those
thou
who
As thou
It
PLEASANTRY.
An
'All,
imposter, having adorned himself like a descendant of pretended to be one of that exalted family
:
Verses
truth
He
ing,
paid a
visit
to a generous
and
assigned to
man, who received him standhim the place of Fonour, sitting down
112
SIXTH GARDEN.
him
greater
he departed, the highest honours were again paid him, whereon some of the persons <k We know this man, he is far from belong present said ing to that family, and his claim is false, because neither his
:
When
father nor
mother were
in
"
it
:
His mother
is
His
father a
She belongs
mob,
And he
is
"
:
Verses
Every one who has a share in the prophet's family To honour him is not the privilege of every luckless man
[like
me],
is
He
if
for
One
it is
PLEASANTRY.
Khalifah,
who was
The
sit
in
SIXTH CARDKN.
the morsel he was eating, whereon the Khalifah said
:
13
"
Arab
Remove
:
rejoined
" It
is
man
he
who
sees
eating, that
one hair upon it." Accordingly he ceased eating and swore an oath that he would never do so at the Khalifah's
table.
Verses
When the host lays out the table of liberality To abstain from scrutinizing his guest
;
it
will
be better
Who
Look
on the
table
must not
it
in his heart.
PLEASANTRY.
In a company the perfections and defects of men were " Who being discussed, when one of those present said
:
is
is
but half a
half a
half a man."
A blind
wife,
had no
"
:
nor
man who has not a man and who has not man who was present in knew how to voyage on
; ;
My
good
friend,
wonderful thing by thus altogether throwing the circle of mankind, because half a man
me
is
out from
required to
at all."
remove from
me
no man
The
By
fellow
had so
fallen
his
114
SIXTH GARDEN.
That
if
men
him
He
will
PLEASANTRY.
Bahlul waited upon
wazirs encountered
thee,
Harum
Rashid,
:
when one of
good news
the
for
him saying
" I have
O Bahlul
the
commander of the
thee to be the
pigs."
officer
:
Bahlul replied
and Amir over the monkeys and " Pay attention to what I say, and
thou art likewise one of
obey
jects."
my commands,
for
my
sub-
Verses
Thou givest me tidings of my royalty over cows and The special subject of the king art thou ; Number my army of bears and pigs, The first who belongs to this number is thyself.
PLEASANTRY.
asses,
rich
man
The
wazir
of the said tyrant asked the son of the deceased what his He enumerated the property, goods and father had left ?
chattels, adding that the wazir (may Allah preserve him) had been constituted joint heir with himself. The wazir smiled,
ordered the property to be divided in two, one half of which and the other moiety he took away for
:
the Padshah
Verses
know
SIXTH GARDEN.
115
He He
considers
considers
it
it
just
if
virtuous
he divides
it
in twain.
PLEASANTRY.
the plunder " of to-day, or the paradise of to-morrow, replied
;
:
My
opinion
is,
that
we should plunder
fire
we can,
with Pharao."
:
Verses
Hast thou
learnt, that
He
No, quoth
PLEASANTRY.
mendicant begged
at the
When
Make no
hast;
PLEASANTRY.
The son
of a schoolmaster fell sick and was on the point " Bring the Ghusstil* and wash
:
This
is
the
name
Il6
SIXTH GARDEN.
continued
is
him," and being told that the boy was not yet dead, he " Never mind, he will die when the washing
:
finished."
Verses
Who
and hastens
To do
Is like him who eats his supper before the night, Or him who pulls off his shoes before the water is
reached.
PLEASANTRY.
The son
terrible fool,
of a schoolmaster being told that he was a " If I were not a fool I would be an replied
:
illegitimate son."
Verses
The
mother's fault
is
Only the long ears of the mule bear witness That his father was not a horse but an ass.
PLEASANTRY.
schoolmaster having been asked whether he was taller " I am than his brother, replied taller, but after the lapse
:
tall
as myself."*
Verses:
As thou
why
askest thou
How
*
If for the
man
elapses
words tall and taller in the text, old and older had occurwould have been more in accordance with the last two lines of the verses which follow.
red,
it
SIXTH GARDEN.
117
not
Thou numberest
That with
the years of
theirs thy
own
PLEASANTRY.
sick
man,
was
visited
by a friend
who had
proached
a stinking breath,
it still
and
sitting
more with
Shehadat*
and breathing
head closer
said
:
The
sick
man
away, but his friend only importuned him more and put his
whereon the sick man lost his patience and ; " Dear fellow, thou wilt not allow me to die cleanly
and
ever
my
Virtuous
men
Every chatterer
not to be listened
to.
Whose
lips
His breath
not to be accepted.
PLEASANTRY.
A man
and
said
:
was
"
visited
Is
it
by a stranger who began complaining possible that thou knowest me not, and
my
:
"
know nothing
thou
This
literally
meaning testimony
Allah,
Muhammad,
it
all
times, but
is
is the profession of Faith : apostle of Allah," to utter which is also whispered to persons in the agony
This expression is called Sheh&dat, because " I bear witness'' begins with the words And ashdd,
in its larger
form
Il8
sayest."
SIXTH GARDEN.
He
continued
if
"
:
My
!
father desired to
wed thy
mother, and
The man
rejoined
my
This relationship will be " becoming thy heir, and thou mine
"
By
Allah
Verses
A man
It is
all
incumbent
if his
And
He
falls
and misery.
PLEASANTRY.
if
hunchback having been asked whether he should like God the Most High were to straighten his back like those
" I should like
them
all
to
become hunchbacks
might look at them in the same way as they look upon me."
like myself, so that I
Verses
It
From
But
reproaching thee,
still
To
see
him
PLEASANTRY.
A man
of
hell.
and then began his supplications, and to be delivered from the fire
in his rear,
An
old
said
to share in
listened,
whatever he supplicates
for."
SIXTH GARDEN.
then said
"
:
Iiq
Lord, hang
me on
me
The
to die of scourging."
Lord,
pardon
me and
preserve
me
!
for."
man
all
What
a wonderfully
me
in
and
my
partner
in distress
and misery."
Verses
:
That person
is
not
just,
Thou
obtainest from
But who, when fortune turns, Retraces even his first step.
PLEASANTRY.
A woman
lodged against her husband a complaint with " He never leaves me alone for a mo:
when
leaven
nor when
am
keeping a
fast,
:
nor
" Her husband rejoined I have married thee for that purpose." The woman continued " O Qazi Tell me for a certainty, how many times is he to approach me during a day and night, that I may know " Ten times."and behave correctly." The Qazi said " " Nine times."" I cannot bear it." I cannot bear it." Haggling in this manner she reduced the number to five,
when
am
my
prayers."
which, however,
to.
Then
Woe
be to thee,
"
shall this
Then the poor fellow not have any share of thee at all ? woman consented, but the husband said; " O Qazi! 'Order
120
SIXTH GARDEN.
:
her to make some one her security." She continued " Behold, the Qazi of Musalmans is my security." The " O adulteress Wishest thou to escape Qazi then said
: !
from him, and throw him upon my hands, that he may trouble me as much as he troubles thee ? Arise and obey thy husband."
Verses
:
Be
the security of
no one
in matters of lust,
if
I fear
thou
art
1000 times
like
Joseph
bring on the
is
fall
PLEASANTRY.
An
old man,
who had
first
lost his
and
of
lust, his
" Be kind enough to open Accordingly he said to the girl the hand of favour ; arouse this sleeper, and resuscitate this
corpse."
Verses
:
The
thread of
it
my
weak
Help
It
by rubbing,
good woman;
finger
The
is
meant, which
is
SIXTH GARDEN.
121
girl
and
old
man
Verses
The
man
asleep again.
PLEASANTRY.
had a claim of one hundred dirhems against a vagabond, and the Qazi asked whether he had a witness ?
A man
On
his giving
"
:
Make
him swear an
The man
Verses
He
moment
As easily as an Arab eats sour milk in the desert. "O The vagabond said Qazi of Musalmans ? If thou
:
believest not
of the town
beneficent.
is
is
in the
mosque of our
part
of me,
to set the
mind of the
PLEASANTRY.
Arab, whose camel had he would, on finding it, sell it
An
strayed, swore
for
an oath that
one dirhem.
When he
So
called because he
is
afiairs.
122
SIXTH GARDEN.
had again obtained possession of the animal he repented of his oath, but tied a cat to the neck of the camel and shouted:
Who will buy a camel for one dirhem and a cat for a hundred dirhems ? But I do not sell them separately." A
man who was
if it
"
there said
"
:
this
camel be
had no
collar
on the neck
Verses
If
it
not,
He
will tie
will
Which
men, a collar of obligations upon its neck be much heavier than the camel itself.
PLEASANTRY.
head with a
veil
whenever
he had occasion to enter the cemetery, and being asked why " he did this, he replied Every one whom I pass has
:
whom
look
at,
my
sherbet."
Verses
:
thou
who
art
sick,
Thy approach
is
In the reign of death the obligation of taking life Has been removed by thee from the neck of 'Azrail.*
Verses
:
Name
takes
away
the soul of
a dying person.
SIXTH GARDEN.
123
By Of
corpse-washer,
the
shroud-seller,
digger.
PLEASANTRY.
philosopher said
"
:
An
unskilled physician
is
a uni-
versal plague."
Verses
:
thou,
who
art deficient in
medicine
And
To
What wonder
PLEASANTRY.
went out one spring day with a company of acquaintances and friends, to enjoy the air of the fields and obtain
a view of the desert.
spot,
We
When we had
reached a pleasant
and
happened to witness the scene from a distance, approached us, and one of the persons present taking up a stone offered
it
to the
dog
as
if it
it
and immediately
retired, taking
The company was surprised, and one know what this dog says 1 He says,
then what can
I
hope
I
to obtain
from
banquet
his
banquet near or
far
He
124
SIXTH GARDEN.
The The
is
is
stick,
a stone.
PLEASANTRY.
son having been told that his father would die, whereon he would inherit him, replied: " I would prefer to see
him
killed in order to
become
his heir,
and
at the
same time
The son does not want his father but the property Which he desires to remain and not his father. The father's death and the inheritance do not satisfy
;
him,
He
slain,
and
also
ransom
to obtain-
PLEASANTRY.
A beautiful slave
her,
girl
:
passed near a man, who then followed " Art thou desirous to do to me what
" replied in the affirmative, Yes,"
sit
my
first
He
"
:
Then
is
down
that
my owner may
what he
doing to
me."
Versified Pleasantry.
A boy's
He
Saying
had returned from a journey, asked every one who passed near the door,
father
:
" Give
me
gold and
silver, Sir,
my
father's
coming."
of
the
man
by him.
SIXTH GARDEN.
125
His
"
Thy
Two
sitting at
One
morrow
distich
others."
in hell.
The
"
:
Blow one
and
also
to relieve thyself
Verses
Of thy
If written
upon the
portals of hell,
Would remove
And change
fire from the place " the " boiling hot water to the cold of
the heat of
ice.
PLEASANTRY.
which he had plagiarised from a different collection of poems and every rhetorical figure from another author. The critic
said
"
:
line of
camels
This word has already been explained in the footnote on p. 98. t The words above, marked by signs of quotation are only two in number in Arabic and occur in the Quran, but in English it is necessary
to use several
for
properly.
126
but
SIXTH GARDEN.
if the string were untied, every one of the herd would rush away in another direction."
Verses
Compared
to
my
is
naught."
Thou
If
In thy Diwan
place
PLEASANTRY.
Farazdaq had written a panegyric on the King of Bosrah, whose name was Khaled, but receiving no commensurate
'
commenced
it,
But
my
undergarment defiled
my
nice poetry
With
filth,
when
When
Khaled,
he
"
:
sent
message
Wash
hast produced from thy inside, and with which thou hast
defiled the outside."
Verses
:
Wonder
not
if
the praised
man
bestows
gifts
Upon
For
his
he mixes bad with good. own benefit he bestows gifts, because with them
poet's
attributed to him.
SIXTH GARDEN.
127
PLEASANTRY.
A
critic
critic,
finished,
he said
:
"
:
composed
!
this in the
The
hast spoken the truth, replied because these verses exhale the odour of it."
Verses
:
"
By Allah
Thou
Let not a poet say that his verses Have come out pure from a turbid sea
The
By
nostrils of a
man
the breeze,
poet paid a
visit
to a doctor,
and
said
"
:
Something
my heart which makes me uncommakes also my limbs wither, and causes the
:
my body to stand on end." The physician who " was a shrewd man, asked Very likely thou hast not yet latest one verses." The poet replied to recited thy any
hairs
of
"
Just so."
The
them
:
doctor continued
"
:
Then
recite
them."
He
complied, was
requested to
to rehearse
done
so,
"
Now
arise,
for
This
poetry had
it
become knotted
upon
in thy heart,
took
effect
Verses
What
if
thou askest
128
SIXTH GARDEN.
if
And
The burning
thou recitest them over over the sherbet of a patient fever ceases, and the cold sets in ?
PLEASANTRY.
preacher recited in the pulpit some worthless verses, and boasted of having done so during prayers ; but one who " Such had been observed verses were
present,
:
paltry
and what
will
Thou
Verses which excel the compositions of all poets ; But if these verses had issued from the lower aperture
thy prayers
Verses
:
and ablution
of defects,
invalid.
poetaster recited a
poem
full
Remarkable by the absence of the letter alff I said to him, the best artifice would have been
The absence
Last night he pretented to recite an exordium, Seeing that it was neither a sea (bahar) of jewels
could he simply recite it as a sea (bahar) Since every line of it is in another metre (bahar). f
How
At/is the name of the first letter of the alphabet. is on the Arabic word bahar, which means a sea, and also a poetical metre ; but to use another in every line is absurd, and
t The play
SIXTH GARDEN.
Verses
:
29
sit
quiet
is
The product
faculty,
of thy imagination
How
Since
could these qualities bring disgrace upon thy poetry, such defects have not injured the dignity of the
prophet.*
The prophet
;
disliked poets
see Quran,
du XXVI.,
v.
224
ch,
LIT., v. 30
SEVENTH GARDEN
Account of the rhyming birds of rhetorical nightingales and
parrots of the sugar plantation ofpoetry.
According
composition
is
to the definition
upon
no matter whether
it
be true or
not, or
convincing to every hearer or not, as for instance, when wine is said to be a molten ruby, or simply a ruby, and honey a bitter or brackish thing vomited by bees. To this
definition later scholars
Wherefore poetry is a composition according to measure and rhyme ; the presence or want of imagination therein, and the truth or absence of truth, being of no account.
Verses
:
There
is
no mistress
of beauty
like
is
words of poetry,
its
The acme
Especially
It
not beyond
province,
difficult,
;
Patience without
it is
when a
And
embroiders
its
skirts with
rhymes,
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Adorns them uith the anklets of the redif* On the forehead it adds the mole of imagination,
131
To
the cheek
it
moon,
Bereaving of their senses a hundred persons straying from
the way,
It parts the hair
asunder by tajnis,\
divides the plaited curls.
lips
makes the
jewel-dropping,
By
aihdm\\
it
When
Then
it
on the
face
veil.
Quran from
The
redif consists of
rhyme at the end of hemistichs or verses, and these words must be the same in the whole poem, as for instance in the following verse of Th. Moore There shone such truth about thee
after the
:
'
thee.
t The
+ The tajnis is alliteration, i.e. the use of two words similiar in pronunciation but different in meaning. " to encrust precious stones," means to construct two Tarsi, literally a phrase so that the words of the same measure cormembers of parallel
respond symmetrically with each other, and even in the final letters. The aih&m or " insinuation " consists in using an expression which has two or more meanings, and the reader is left to conjecture which of
||
them
is
required.
132
SEVENTH GARDEN.
its
the standard of
aspersions,
saying
',
mean Mu[i.e.
all
expedient for
is
him"^
This declaraits
reprovable by
nature,
who
it is
directed
are
those who,
although
possessing
to
no
talent,
obstinate
and
conceited
enough
produce
poetical
compositions.
Hence
benediction of Allah be upon him, upon his family and place) This is a most distinct is not to be considered a poet.
by various
poets,
some of whom
are believed to
restricted
Thus
for instance,
most
some composed Mesnevis, contrary to the later who generally wrote Ghazals, and their number is
Qurdn,
ch.
t Ibidem,
ch.
t For the definitions of these kinds of poems see F. F. Arbuthnot, Persian Portraits, a sketch, of Persian history, literature, and politics,
London, 1887,
p.
85 seqq.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
boundless, so that to notice
all
133
impossible.
of
them would be
Accordingly we
shall confine
:
most celebrated
mercy of Allah be upon him) was one of the poets of Transoxiana,* blind from birth, but so sharp and
(the
Rudaki
talented that he
Quran by heart at the age of eight and also began to compose verses. it, years, voice he a musician, learnt to pera became Having good form on the lute, and attained such proficiency that Nasser
the
knew
was able
to read
his patron.
It is said that
he
possessed two hundred slaves, that four hundred camels carried his baggage, and that after his time no other poet
enjoyed so
much
property.
hundred Dufturs (but the responsibility rests upon the informant) and in the Sharh Yamini it is recorded that he wrote
distichs.f
:
The
following
by him
:
Verses
Whoever beheld
Cannot discern
thai,
cornelian wine
;
it
Both are of one, essence, but in nature The one is solid, and the other fluid, J
*
Literally
:
"
That which
to
is
on the other
[Oxus]
;
river,"
ma
t
verd annahr.
It
would be curious
"
:
know how
is
the blind
/rote
perhaps he
"
This
compressed, and
;s
melted.
T34
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Admonitory
verses.
its
turns,
it is all
advice
Grieve not
much
for the
having
and
that,
when
his
courtiers,
missing
the
sum
the lute,
on a
suitable occasion.
one morning
after the
a libation:
is is
blowing,
arriving,
Appear
|
embroidered
silk to
walk
'ipon,
The water
its
;
excellencies
live long,
The Shah is coming as a guest to thee ; The Shah is the icon and Bokhara the sky, The moon i* ng into the firmament
;
This
is
ano>
ame
Oxus,
it
is
also called
Amu-
deriah.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
135
that
This performance had such an effect upon the sovereign he forthwith took horse, with a select company, and
travelled
one
stage.
In some chronicles
this affair
has been
and
to the
Daqiqi (upon
whom
of the early poets, and lived during the sway of the Samanian
He began the Shahnamah, of which he composed about eight thousand verses, and Firdausi completed the work. The following are specimens of his poetry
dynasty.
:
Verses
He selected a friend of all men, a descendant of fairies, Wherefore he appeared to my eyes this day like a fairy. He took an army, and that army-breaking Shah departed, Let him never remain anybody who gave his heart to an
army.
Verses
I
:
remained here long, I became despicable, One beloved is considered base if he always remains.
When
It
1
fruit
stagnation.
Omarah (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was likewise one of the ancients, and flourished during the time of the Samanians. He had a pleasant nature and wrote nice
*
verses.
The
136
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Verses
:
Although the world was for a while silvered by snow The emerald arrived and took the place of the snow-ball,
The
Transmuted
The
him
:
exalted thee,
;
Many
a high
is
man was
This world
a snake, and he
who
courts
it
a snake-catcher,
to
brings
destruction
the
snake-
recorded in the
Maqamat
:<
of the Sultan-uttariqat*
Abu
conceal myself in
;
my
Ghazal
To
recite
it
nicely.
it,
and
said
"
:
Arise,
and
us pay him a
Then he
his disciples.
'Anssari (upon
whom
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Sabagtagin honoured with the
title
137 wherefore
of Mollah,
Verses
Thou
art that
Shah whom,
in the east
and
west,
and
extol,
O
on the
"
It is said that
said
One
of his
poems bears
the
title
of
Vamaq and
'Asjadi (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was a native of Merv, and servant of Yamin-uddaulah Mahmud Sabag-
whom
Verses
When the minutely discerning Shah marched He made his exploits the signal for miracles.
to
Somnatf
He
Its
It
colour
is
its
odour musk,
its
taste sugar,
appear like a
full
moon.
The word
is
the Sultan's
laud-
destroyed in the
nth
cen-
Mahmud.
138
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Farrakhi (upon
during the time of
whom
He
at Sa-
marqand, but, when he had nearly reached the town, he was robbed by highwaymen of all he possessed ; and, after he had entered the town, he did not make himself known, but
verses,
and
Verses
I witnessed every
Beheld
But, as
its
My
my purse and pocket contained no dirhem, heart folded the carpet of pleasure on the surface
hope.
respectable persons, often in every town,
is
of
From many
I
I
saw thousand Kawthers and more than thousand paradises, But what is the profit, as I am to return with thirsty lips.
When
money
is
in the hand,
head be cut
off
than to be in a golden
dish.
whom be the mercy of Allah) was a native of and perfections are well known, and indeed whose renown Tus, what need to be praised by others has an author who composFirdausi (upon
ed the Shahnamah
agriculture,
It is said that
Name
of a river in paradise.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
139
proceeded to Ghaznin, the residence of Sultan Mahmud, to When he had arrived, he happened to lodge a complaint pass near a garden, where he noticed three men sitting and
fully
enjoying themselves.
He
go and
lay
my
When
:
they saw
"This felhim approach they were displeased, and said low will mar our pleasure, and the best thing to do when he comes
will
be, to say to
him
that
we
Padshah, and do not associate with any other men except We recite three lines rhyming with each other, and poets.
associate with every
kind.
Unless he does
one who gives a fourth line of the same When Firso, he must excuse us."
" had agreed upon ; whereon he said Recite the hemistichs which you have composed." Accordingly
'Anssari said
:
The moon
face.
is
'Asjadi said
There
is
no rose
Farrakhi said
Thy
:
eyelashes
pierce
through
a cuirass
\_jushan\.
Pushan.
Then
*
they
made
inquiries about
Pushan* which he
fully
This name occurs in the Shahnamah and rhymes with the three words given by the poets, who had imagined that there was no fourth
of the kind in the language.
140
satisfied in detail.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Being afterwards presented
at court, the
poet made such a good impression upon the Sultan that he said: "Thou hast made our assembly like paradise [Fir-
for
his
Tukhallus*
which reason the poet henceforth took this Some time afterwards he was ap-
pointed to compose a versified king-book [Shah-namah]; and, when he had written one thousand distichs, he brought them
to the Sultan,
He completed the work in thirty years, and expected, according to the just mentioned precedent, to receive one dinar for each distich of it. Envious persons, however,
made
to the
is
not deserv-
when
out,
one third
attendant
to the
to the bathman, as much to an who had often rubbed his body, and the last third people who had brought the money. Then he com-
posed a lampoon consisting of about forty distichs, against the Sultan, a few of which are here subjoined
;
Verses
If the father of the
would have placed a golden crown on my head, And if the mother of the Shah had been a lady
I
He
would wade in
silver
and gold up
to
my
knees.
The
poetical
surname assumed
is
Tukhalhts.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
141
As
He
whereof
in the
it
is bitter,
If thou plantest
And
if
thou
irrigatest
fresh milk
on
its
root
own nature
due to
it.
And
produce the
bitter fruit
Because by washing an Ethiop will not be white, Who is born of a slave-girl will be useless,
he
searched
who
for, could not be found. Khajah Hasan Maimandi, occuped the post of wazir, happened some time after-
Shahnamah
just taken
some
place
distichs appropriate to
;
composed them, and, being told that Firdausi had done so, he repented, and ordered sixty thousand dinars with costly
robes of honour, to be -sent to Firdausi,
who
lived in Tus.
Fate, however, was not propitious, and it is said that, when the royal gifts had been brought into Tus by one gate, the bier of Firdausi (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was being
carried out
heiress, to
it,
by the
other.
He
had
left
on the plea
142
tenance
;
SEVENTH GARDEN.
wherefore the
money was
Verses
accommodation of
:
It is blessed to
know worth,
because,
when
Bent
bow,
The
glory of
Mahmud
that
excellent poet
infidelity,
Nasser Khosru (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was an and great philosopher, but suspected of heresy,
with
of his occur as a quotation in the book Zubdutu-l-haqaiq [Essence of truths] by 'Ayinu-1-qazat, may his secret be
sanctified
:
Verses
All
my
oppression
I
it
is
Which Nor is
O God
They
and confusion
it
;
is
from
me
To
*
men,
The expression Qausi, "a bow," is only introduced to make a rhyme with Firdausi, and such exigences often make the diction rather awkward, and more so in a translation.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Because from the love of
It is
145
their lips
and
teeth
Azraqi (upon
whom
happened that, by an accident, the sexual powers of Sultan Toghanshah were impaired, and, as the physicians were
unable to restore them, Azraqi composed the poem Alfiah wa Shalfiah for that purpose. He caused a slave-youth and
girl,
other,
and placed them in an apartment in which they were separated from the Padshah only by a grating. Azraqi gave
his
book to
them
to dally with
;
at
and by
became so strengthened
that his
as follows
:
Verses
Cupbearer
whereof
Makes a tulip-grove appear to be a rose-garden. If a fairy passes in the night near its rays
She does not remain concealed from the eyes of men ; It is more fragrant than ambergris, and brighter than a
ruby,
More
shining than a
star,
Mo'-azi (upon
whom
144
reign of
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Mo'az uddin-waddunia Sanjar Ben Melikshah, and was one of his panegyrists. His name he took from his
patron,
like those
which had
poets pros-
much
accep-
in that
ty.
Rudaki during the period of the Samanians, 'Anssari of the Mahmudian and Mo'azi in the Sanjarian dynasaccidently hit
He was
spot.
shot from his tent, the poet standing outside, and expiring
on the
The
When my
Each
heart which
bowed from
refractoriness to
no
line
Now
I
am
bends to that musky streak under her curls ; the slave of that fresh line which resembles
of musk-soiled ant-feet upon the leaf of a wild
The marks
rose.
The
composed by
:
camel-driver
I
Make no
over
That
may lament
To
fill
ruins
a Jaihun,*
SEVENTH GARDEN.
145
To make
hall,
my
eyes.
The countenance
of
my
beloved
is
is
The
garden
Has become
tures.
the
home
and of
vul-
'Abdu-l- Was'i Jabali (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was a talented poet who wrote not only in Persian, but also
in Arabic.
The
following
is
Verses
There
is
no Belle
in the
than thou,
There
is
in the
liver
than
thou!
When I have looked at thy blooming lily, When I have cast a glance upon thy Narcissus full of sleep* I am sometimes, after meeting thee blooming like a tulip,
Sometimes
sus.
after separation,
drooping
my
head
like
a Narcis-
whom
eloquent, conspicuous,
repartee.
be the mercy of Allah) was an and agreeable poet, not excelled by The superiority of his poems was
generally acknowledged,
*
east.
"a dreamy
eye,"
much admired
in the
146
self in
SEVENTH GARDEN,
a piece in which he enumerates his
:
own
perfections,
Let
all this
alone, I
am
the equal of
Khosru
in poetry,
Am
The
following
one of
his pieces
Verses
thy face
is like
Upon
my
soul
intent
My
It is
How can the planet Venus shine near thy How can the sun be beauteous compared
Baghdad
is
handsome, Egypt
attractive,
and
my
is
eye
to Egypt, f
like
From
my
stature
a horse-
shoe,
From
the
wounds of
the
hand
of love
my
face
is
like the
Nile.J
The
following piece
is
also
by him
:
Verses
The
inkstand,
boy,
is
an instrument of fortune,
;
Go and subdue
*
Name
t This means
J His back
Nile.
is
SEVENTH GARDEN.
If
147
with
/#, that it
Anvari (upon
tiful
whom
and
cellent philosopher
who composed
beau-
His Divan is poetry, which indicates his high genius. which in he gives of his celebrated, and one compositions,
advice to poets,
is
here inserted
Verses
me
"
:
Composest
thou
Ghazals?"
I
replied
my
satires."
He
An
I
asked
How
"
!
and
I said
opportunity
gone;
occasion which
tence
;
is
lost,
returns
composed Ghazals, panegyrics, satires, all three because Impelled by greediness, anger, and passion added to them.
A poet is all night in grievous meditation plunged How to describe lips like sugar, and curls like gems;
all day from and he Where, whom, how, may gain five dirhems. As God has, in His mercy, put away into rubbish
my
head,
* Thus if a and / be joined the former becomes / accordingly if olj^ be written cJji duvdt becomes dulatt and inkstand is transmuted into
;
fortune*
148
Forbid,
SEVENTH GARDEN*
pose
Again, since I knowingly did violence to reason. O Anvari, to boast is not a sign of manliness ;
But, having done so, henceforth restrain thy steps, " Retire to a corner and seek salvation's road
!
It is said that,
tan of Gur that Anvari had written a satire against him, he wrote a letter to the king of Hirat, inviting the poet to come, in terms of great friendliness, although his intention was to
Arabic]
Verses
my
My
exuberance
is
laughable, but
my
act deplorable,
.
Lo, the world says to those who meet her Beware, beware of my valour and intrepidity.
one thousand sheep, which offer the king of Hirat communicated to Anvari, telling him that they
promised
to give
part,
is
whereon he replied
"
:
Padshah!
not be
life
man who
will
useless to thee.
Allow
me
my
in
The
thy service, and to pour out jewels of praise at thy feet." king of Hirat assented, and retained him.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
149
Rashid Wativdt (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was a poet in Transoxiana and the most eminent of his time.
He composed the Had&iq-us-sahr [gardens of enchantment] and said in a conversation to one of the wazirs
:
Verses
Thou
art
a wazir and
thy panegyrist,
gifts
;
And
thou seest
my
hands empty of
remuneration.
:
my
The
by him
My My
Nor
eyes are
vision
is it
is
full of
delightful because
good
He
Also
:
serves
me
my
sight
Thinking of thee
I
Without thee
!
this fleeting
world
!
abandoned,
O Moon
hands of
And
washed
my
all
As
l
pass again.
in Transoxiana,
his Qassidahs,
his time.
One
:
of
which
and a
living hair
life.
am
that ant
is
and
My
body
like the
shadow of a
hair,
my
absent
19.
150
If I associate night
SEVENTH GARDEN.
and day with a
hair or an ant
will obtain
cognizance of me,
and weak
am
I,
If so willed
I I
am am
an ant might conceal me in her eye. that ant, which weeping thinned like an hair,
that hair which weakness
made
Suzeni (upon
whom
ot
be the mercy of Allah) was born at Bokhara to pursue his studies, where he
gained a living by enrolling himself as apprentice to a needle maker, in whose craft he acquired perfection. He chiefly
composed lampoons, and the following verses are from a Qassidah of his in which he apologises for his frivolities
:
Verses
How
Throw stones upon the glass of the house of devotion. We make it our buisness to throw stones on the glass
And
The
I am a thousandfold worse than thou supposest, No one knows me in this respect as I know myself, Outwardly I am bad, inwardly worse than bad, God, however, knows how I am in public and private Satan showed me the way to one small sin Now I am Satan's guide to a thousand great ones.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
I5
:
The
When thou shootest the arrow of thy charming Make my desolate heart thy target, O Ghazi*
First I
glance
As
began the game of dalliance with thee, have lost my heart, the body I jeopardize,
Since,
wound
and
I
is
soothing,
kiss
;
Either strike
me
Thou Thou
come
to
me
them
all.
his words,
and
somewhat resembles
Hakim
Sanayi.
He
I
boasts of his
own
genius as follows
Verses
:
am
the
first
is
mine,
'Anssari
my
table,
My name is living like a sage's soul because it is fresh, My greed has become precious like wealth, because
scarce.
it
is
Thou art the sun and moon of the sphere of power The prime minister on the throne of excellence,
*
Here he compares
Gh&zi.
152
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Afzaluddin* possessor of
virtues, sea of excellence,
infidelity.
One
of his
own
pieces
is
as follows
Verses
:
Cease to grieve
for mistresses,
Khaqani,
Such
mind
The
face of a beauty
is
only a mirror,
He composed
[gift
of
We
are the melancholy spectators In this green box and clod of earth, | Whilst this box and clod are in their place
They open
life
And
The
sugar-cane.
*
f*
Meaning Most religious. There are namely two Eraqs, the Arab and the
Persian.
J The green, or rather blue, vault of the sky, and our globe, as will appear further on. This is an allusion to the change of seasons, winter and summer ; the former being represented by the snowy robe of ermine, whilst the latter is clad in the brilliant green hue of the fields planted with sugarcane.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
53
When
It will
be the time when these four bearers* down the litter of the years and months, Lay A time when the steeds of the constellations Throw off their horseshoes and their hoofs also.f
Fakhr Jorjani (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was one of the eminent poets of his time. He composed the
book
Wet's
in
a specimen from
:
it
Verses
do not
like the
golden basin
In which
my
will
my
blood.
snake
evil
An
branch
is
fruit.
Travel
Then see what it will be in weakness and disease. The Narcissus flower is pleasing to the sight But when tasted it is very bitter. It is a slighter sin to be unknown among men Than to speak of what never existed.
A
*
to
fire,
The four
I
am
line.
many
154
SEVENTH GARDEN.
nature
fire is
By
always refractory,
Do
fire.
whom
facility
time.
be the mercy of Allah) was His Divan is well known for eleof
style.
Having obtained
favours from the Atabek Abu-Bakar, he one night recited the following piece in the assembly
Verses
: :
no other chief
like thee
The scabbard
my
On
Shah
By
By
is
in agony,
Have agreed
*
that
Abu-Bakar
is
in the right.
ser,
than
times in those four lines, and means head, chief, &c., and the " last time secret," when it is to be pronounced sirr ; it was of course
well
known
antagonistic sects.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
155
The
him
by
learned
man from
revealed*
A red-bearded man
Touched
his
:
And
said
this case,
Count we
for nothing in
both worlds
"
He
certain whether
acquired celebrity by comparison, and, poets being unhe or Anvari was deserving of preference,
said,
one of them
by way of query
Verses
:
People skilled in
To
And
who
is
right
By
this figure of
last
judgment
are designated.
Is Zahir
compared
to the earth
156
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Haruvi replied to the above as follows
Verses
: :
Imam
Thou
There
excused
if
truth.
One
is
no necessity of spreading explanations ; a miracle the other a scorcery, one a light the other
a
a lamp,
The one
moon
the other a
star,
fairy.
The
Resembles the multitude who could not distinguish The miracles of Moses from the magic of Sameri. *
a native of Ganjah. His qualities are more evident than the sun, and need not be dilated upon ; the gracefulness displayed by him in his Punj Gunj was attained by no one, nor destined to fall to the lot of any human being, although The following poets have but little discussed that book.
Ghazal
is
by him
Ghazal
My grief arises
For
it all
night
my
sunken cheek
is full
of blood.
* Sameri
was the maker of the golden calf to be worshipped by the See Quran, desert, and Moses worked miracles in Egypt.
87.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
157
fruit,
!
!
Her Her
I
is
have become heart broken with grief and pale She cares not one straw how Nizami fares.
like wheat,
Kamdl Isfahdni (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) has been surnamed the discerner of meanings on account of the
subtlety he
embodied
him
Salm&n Stiveji (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was an eloquent poet, who wrote with great fluency and emHe wrote imitations of Qassiployed beautiful metaphors.
dahs composed by celebrated poets, some of which are superior to the originals, whilst others are equal to them.
Some
Kama!
Ism'ail, which he repeated in his own poems, but, as he improved them in form and manner, he is not to be blamed.
Verses
A good
signification
is
[like]
Dressed [by style] for a while in a robe of different colours, Her borrowed garment [of style] then becomes her dress of
honour,
If
it
be
insufficient,
more
is
It is nice to
position],
To
style] instead.
158
SEVENTH GARDEN.
two Mesnevi books named Jamshid and'
i
He composed
also
Ghazals are elegant and pleasing, but the Chasheni, being deficient in these qualities, is not as much appreciated by
men
The
Verses
following
is
a specimen of
his composition
heart
How
!
canst thou
fill
With
avarice,
My
door of poverty and content, Because avarice begets vileness, and content honours ; If thy foot stumbles, pass on, and mind it not,
friend
at the
Knock
whom be the mercy of wa book Mihr Mushtari, in which he Allah) wrote the embodied many graceful artifices, and the following few
Muhammad
'
it
Asa
and
elegant,
Created by the hand of destiny like a silver column Beneath those two arches filled with ambergris ;
*
it
This
triliteral
word
is
torn
*!>
and, as
may be
contains a cavity.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
159
On
It
grew
a nugget of pure
beautiful but yet
silver,
The
The
rose
him
:
'Ussar
Because a rose
soil.
man
As he from
flees.
Upon mankind
For
Fate pours out only the dust of treachery. love, he, whose good thou wishest most,
He whom
Sheikh
S adi
l
bore the
felicity)
name
is
whom
He
is
a model for
writers of Ghazals,
and
his
of
all.
A poet' had
truly said of
him
:
Verses
In poetry three
After
men
are poets
whom no
human
face
is
to be like a silver
l6o
SEVENTH GARDEN.
In description, Qassidah and Ghazal,
Firdausi, Anvari,
and
S'adi.
and
his Ghazals
are
superior
in
fluency and elegance, but some contain errors in their versification ; and, as no sign of labour appears in them, he was
surnamed
if
tongue of the invisible world [as he had obtained his verses ready made from heaven, withlesdnu-l-ghib,
"
"
and subtlety
of
he
could not reach the elegance of the Chasheni lshq wa muhabbat* Although he followed in many of his figures of
method and genius of Hasan Dehlavi, he excelled him in the gracefulness of his and he, who called him a thief, probably did so on verses
speech, similes, metres, &c., the
;
account of the just mentioned imitation. following distich occurs on this subject
:
In a Divan the
Verses
No
me
at the
head of a flaw,f
thief.
Hence
*
appears that I
am
a good
Isfahani.
t This appears to mean that he did not steal verses with flaws in them, but only good ones.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
l6l
Some
connoisseurs,
who enjoyed
that the
company of
company.
Amir KhdsrA Dehlavi (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was a laudable poet, who composed Qassidahs, Ghazals, and
Mesnevis, excelling in each.
He
Amorous
admired.
No
Kh&msah
than he
one composed a better replica to Nizami's and he wrote also other Mesnevis, all of ;
the mercy of
Allah) chiefly wrote Ghazals, the rhymes of which are strict, and redifs* which are strange, in sweet metres. These
qualities
his
poetry
it
apparently easy at
it
first
sight,
but
difficult to utter,
wherefore
was a contemporary of Khosru, associated tively easy. with him, and they alluded to each other in their writings. Thus he said
:
He
Verses
What
*
I,
his servant
Hasan, say
The meaning
of this
in footnote
on page
II
62
SEVENTH GARDEN.
My
The
Kh&jah
like Khosru's,
'Irnad Faqih (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was a Sheikh of Kerman, and possessed a monastery ; to all the visitors of which he recited his verses, with the re-
is
quest to correct them ; wherefore it is said that his poetry the poetry of all the inhabitants of Kerman.
Khoju Kermani (upon whom be the merch of Allah) was Kerman. He produced elegant compositions with approved figures of speech, and was surnamed the
likewise from
"
bouquet-binder of poets."
l
Khajah Ussmat- Ullah (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was a native of Bokhara and imitated the Ghazels of
Khosru.
JSes&ti
marqand.
(upon whom be the mercy of Allah) was from SaHis verses are not without attractions, but from
it
a perusal of them
Khayali (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) composed The verses, some of which are not void of imagination.*
following
is
thou, of
targets,
whose
Imagination
is
is
which word
the
same
SF.VKNTH (IARDF.N.
163
art
absent from
Sometimes
I reside in
Which means
house.
that I
am
in search of thee
from house to
Azeri Esferdni (upon whom be the mercy of Allah)* is one He was much addicted to incoof the poets of Khorasan.
herent expressions, and one of his exordiums
Verses:
It
is
as follows
my
The deluge
army of
of tears came,
sleep.
made
Kdtebi was born at Nishapur, used many expressions in a peculiar manner, and his verses are peculiar to himself
not smooth nor uniform.
his poetry
is fluent,
with chaste
significations.
Arifi was from Hirat, and wrote the Got wo, Chfigan ball and bat] of which the following is a specimen, [cricket
describing a horse
Verses
When
it
It leapt like
* This is the last poet to whose name the usual formula (upon whom be the mercy of Allah) is affixed, and those after him have not been so honoured. M 2
164
SEVENTH GARDEN.
Whenever
It
it
was drowned
in perspiration
hoofs,
its tail.
The
whirlwind followed
it
Every time
went to battle
zephyr in speed,
like
It excelled the
a torrent,
and although
than to be enhanced
has condescended to
his
by
his
name
which he
more partial to the first mentioned language, in has written, perhaps, more than ten thousand
Ghazals and nearly three thousand Mesnevi verses which may be compared to the Mesnevis of Nizami in his Khamsah,
his Persian writings
although no poet of his time wrote better verses. Among is a very elegant Qassidah, a replica to
is
as follows:
The
Is but a
His
real
name was
'All Shir,
Amir
of Hirat.
SEVENTH GARDEN.
165
He
Verses
azure-coloured firmament,
Who
Thy world-illuminating sun from the east, Or the moon of the world to me, from the
west.
He
wrote in a letter
Verses
This epistle is not the offspring of my grief But of internal tranquility produced by melancholy
It pacifies
my warm
heart
Meaning
that
around me.
To
am
present I
I travel I
thou
art present I
I turn
am
In thy absence
*
my
heart to thee.
The journey
to the
to
Mekkah.
EIGHTH GARDEN
Some
stories
about
dumb
and
intelligent
men have
manner ofparables to make them acceptable by their strangeness and scarcity as well as useful and
recorded in the
',
instructive.
Verses
Makes
By
that device
To remove
and courted
they halted
full
former passed in
easily,
difficulty.
They
saw plenty of grapes, and found a variety of fruit. Reynard being intelligent, considered how he might best be able to
get out again, while the wolf ate as
much
as
he was able.
EIGHTH GARDEN.
167
When
and the
fox,
whose body
in quickly
making
fast,
dead than
alive
Boast not of thy gold, O gentleman, Because at last thou wilt suffer defeat
Thy abundant
Consider
in
his poisonous an arrow in a quiver, was on a journey ; and, having suddenly arrived near a water, but being unable to cross it and unwilling to retrace his steps, was much perplexed. A
sting like
tortoise,
who
noticed the
his
mounted him on
opposite shore.
own
Suddenly, however, he heard a sound, as if the scorpion had struck his back with something, and, on "This is the asking what it was, received the answer:
sound of
my
sting
make no
impression upon
:
as a poet says
Verses
The
But
is
68
EIGHTH GARDEN.
tortoise then said to himself
:
The
and so prevent him from injuring kind people," whereon he dived, and the scorpion was taken off by the waves as if he had never existed.
Verses
:
A companion
Is every Is best
drowned
waves of annihilation
his ill-nature.
To
from
STORY.
mouse dwelt
to the
saying
Verses
When
is full
He
The
and
hole.
gets bold to
commit a thousand
tricks.
greediness of the
mouse culminated
in his
all
gnawing
the gold
money
bag, abstracting
coins
it
Having occasion to take some money, the grocer one day put his hand into the bag, but found it empty like
the purse of beggars or the stomach of hungry men.
He
knew
that the
this,
an ambush
like a cat.
He
succeeded
EIGHTH GARDEN.
whereon he
the
tied a long string to
169
his legs,
one of
at
and allowed
mouse to skip, Having ascertained the depth by means of the string, and again secured the mouse, the grocer dug up the hole, in which he found silver and gold coins as in the shop of a
banker, dinars and dirhems
possession of his
to
all
which then
mixed together.
He
took
be punished
The
man
is
free of it
all is tranquility,
no
joy,
STORY.
A fox
and
dark.
left to
come
nearer, he found
it
panions, apprehending
other.
no treachery nor
hostility
from each
The
know
occasion of your mutual confidence." The dog replied: " My confidence arises from the enmity of the shepherd,
in
no need of explana-
70
EIGHTH GARDEN.
but mine towards him arises from the circumstance that
of whose
tion,
company
to-day enjoy,
I
flock
him according to my usual custom, to recover the lamb from him, and that when I returned, the shepherd
chastised
me by
;
any reason
my
friendly con-
my
:
former enemy."
Verses
Become a
That he
way
Do
That
STORY.
One
Allah
!
said to a fox
hundred dirhems,
"
replied
:
"
3
and he
By
abundant, but
this affair is
Verses
To hope
for liberality
from a base
stormy
fellow,
sea.
Is to surrender a ship to a
To humble
Is to
its thistles
and
brambles.
EIGHTH GARDEN.
like the ringlets of
71
Accordingly he stretched forth the neck of greediness to have a bite, but, perceiving a viper coiled up in the bush, his appetite vanished and he retreated.
nance
of a fair maiden.
camel
camel understood
from
this
My apprehension resulted hidden guest, not from the known host, and I feared the sting of the serpent, not the wounds from the thorns ; had it not been for the guest, the host would have been
:
and said
"
it is
not strange,
He fears the wicked soul, not his Who places his foot on hot ashes
Ought
to dread the fire concealed
under them.
STORY.
hungry dog, which had reached the gate of a town in search of food and had taken up a position near it, saw a
rolling out
it
and following
;
he shouted
food of soul
wish of
my
my life, what
?
thou hastening
"
The
and
tigers, to
am acquainted with some notorious wolves whom I intend to pay a visit." The dog connot attempt to frighten me, because
if
" I
tinued
"
:
Do
thou
and
follow thee
thee."
172
EIGHTH GARDEN.
Verses
:
am
he who
will
never in
Cease to long for thee ; If thou travellest round the whole world,
I shall always seek thee.
Verses
Those whose
by bread only Enrol themselves in service for two loaves to gain bread.
soul
is
kept alive
They run
like a
loaf.
crab, having
like
in a
crooked
manner
deformed
" I take
my
cue
is
from the serpent, which by proceeding in a straight line always hit on the head by the stone of adversity, and gets
tail
its
cut off
Wherever a
She
is
own
form,
life
;
embraced and closely hugged like Wherever she appears in a straight form
like a
snake
and stones.*
STORY.
frog,
his spouse,
was
sitting
alone in depressed
river,
and
This
is
is
serpent
fairy.
no doubt an She is
allusion to the superstition that a beautiful slain because she appears in a dangerous form.
EIGHTH GARDEN.
Verses-.
173
He
beheld a
fish in
the water
Quickly going
like the
running brook,
the liquid silver,
With
Or
the
the wane.
When
become
fish
companion of the
"
whom he narrated
his bereave-
The
Congeniality is required in companionship, replied without which it is unsuitable. What harmony is there
between
me and
thee
my mouth
is
; tongue thy form is so ugly that no one is to with associate thee, whereas my beauteous aspect willing has become an occasion for the greatest danger and fear to
of chatter
me, because any one, whose vision is rejoiced by a glance at my beauty, is anxious for union with me. The fowls of heaven are dazed by their love for me, and the wild animals of the desert are plunged in amorous melancholy for
sand eyes
me, whilst fishermen are now searching for me with a thoulike a net,* and now bent like a bow under the
'
After saying
this,
the fish
river,
and
left
bank
in solitude.
Verses
Associate with him who is congenial to thee, The connecting link for harmony is congeniality
*
many
eyes.
174
If a wise
EIGHTH GARDEN.
man
He
sees
some unite
and
like water
STORY.
dove, having been asked why she is able to produce only two young ones, and not several like a hen, answered ; " A young pigeon is fed from the mother's and father's
a house-fowl frequents
feed
Verses
Keep no numerous
Allowable food
is
narrow abode
STORY.
sparrow
left his
ancestral
his
abode
body was so
great a bird,
despicable, had
become
the neighbour of so
but
am
my
wishes.
In
my
neighbourhood there
young ones, and feed them with my heart's blood, invades my house, and devours them. I have fled, and taken protection under this powerful stork, who, I hope, will this year
EIGHTH GARDEN.
devour the snake with
all his
175
When
He is secure from the claws and injury of the wolf. He is secure from the tyranny of the small, Who takes up his abode in the vicinity of the great.
STORY.
A dog having been asked why no beggar could pass round " I am far any house where he happened to be, replied from being greedy, and well known for my contentment. I
:
am
satisfied
bones of roast meat, whereas a mendicant is covetous and pretends to be hungry although his bag may be full of bread. His tongue is pleading for a night's repast, whilst he carries
two days' provisions on his back, and the staff of mendicancy in his hand. Contentment is far from greediness, and one who is satisfied despises it."
Verses
:
That heart
in
root,
Abstains from whatever smacks of greediness. Wherever contentment has laid out its wares
The
is
broken.
STORY.
trick,
The
old
the best
176
of them
is
EIGHTH GARDEN.
to
sit
he may see
thee,
When a base fellow becomes thy foe, it is not wise To concoct stratagems for carrying on enmity.
thousand
tricks
may be
is
Neither to
make
STORY.
wasp assaulted a bee to devour it, when the bee " said, weeping Considering that there is plenty of sweet:
A red
am
if
I,
and covet me
"
?
The wasp
it,
replied
" If this be
and
Verses
Blessed
is
the
man
of truth
who
with salutations
Turns
his face
As
He
An
said
:
of exertion, and
Look
in spite of its
weakness
"
:
own weight. Some one how it pulls such a heavy load The ant, hearing these words,
Men
is
in the
EIGHTH GARDEN.
courage,
177 not
self-reliance,
by
physical
burden repugnant to heaven and earth to bear Can scarcely be carried with the aid of body and
soul,
in the
plain
and
trailing his
bridle
on the ground. A mouse, seeing the animal without a master, was impelled by greediness to take hold of the
bridle,
and
;
home, followed by
the camel
offered
no resistance. When they arrived at the home, " Thou hast which was a small hole, the camel said small and an is so house attempted impossible thing ; thy
:
my body
so large.
;
stature diminished
Thy house cannot be enlarged nor my then how can we associate and live
Verses
:
"
thou the way to death as I see thee ? With a camel-load of greediness and avarice on thy back
travellest
How
The
grave has no
room
to contain
it.
STORY.
When
*
river,
her
tail
happened
The
is
meant
here.
178
to be lifted up,
EIGHTH GARDEN.
:
and a woolcarder said laughing -" I have " seen thy pudenda She turned her head and replied " O wretch I have for years seen thee stark naked,* but
\
:
never laughed
"
!
Verses
When
Day and
the world,
in
a noble fellow,
He breathes reproach and execration, He forthwith blames the faults of him, Who never defiles his tongue by mentioning
STORY.
his.
A
the
and celebrated
in
it
for
of
her
horns,
because, whenever
it
wolf
approached
of them.
by means
cow
a wolf hove in
among
:
Being asked
Verses
From
the day
useless,
;
My
It is
me
The
an old proverb, that on the day of battle stroke comes from the sword, the ambition from the
man.
*
Woolcarders wear no clothes when they are at work, on account of it would be troublesome to clean them afterwards
EIGHTH GARDEN.
STORY.
179
camel and a donkey happened to travel together, and, on arriving at the bank of a river, the camel entered first
When
water touched only his belly; whereon he called the donkey " That is true to follow him, but the latter replied enough,
:
there
is
when
will
overflow mine."
brother
No
thyself,
;
Do
due
it
to thee,
Know
thy
own
value,
and overstep
STORY.
not.
and a crow, who had met in the area of a garden, were expatiating on their mutual faults and perfec" The peacock said to the crow tions. These red shoes
:
A peacock
on thy feet would harmonise with my gold-embroidered atlas and variegated brocade ;* we no doubt committed a
mistake in putting on our shoes at the time when we emerged from the dark night of non-existence into the bright
day of being
mine of tanned
leather,
put on thy shrivelled black shoes, and thou because the rest of thy dress does not
it is
most
exchange
of the
A tortoise
* According to Eastern opinion a peacock is ashamed of his feet, which are ugly in comparison to his brilliant plumage, and therefore he
l8o
vicinity
EIGHTH GARDEN.
versation, lifted
- " O my
beloved
companions and discerning friends, leave off useless disputes and idle talk, God the Most High has not given all things
one individual, and not granted the fulfilment of all He endowed no one with a pecuthe like of which He has not given also to others, or liarity
to
bestowed a
to others.
gift the like of which He has not granted also Let therefore every one be glad with what has
Verses
To
is
not wise,
To be
Cut
covetous or envious
is
a source of malady,
and thou
wilt
not be
sick.
STORY.
" O lion of the plain of force, and O tiger of lamenting the top of exaltation, have mercy upon my weakness. I am
but a lump of wool and of bones, release thy grasp of me. Of what profit will it be to torment and to devour me ? "
and,
when
"
:
tinued
Remember
towards me, because thou hast expressed a desire for copulation with me. I consented and had several times consecutively sexual connection with thee."
this
When
base insinuation,
he became incensed
with
wrath,
EIGHTH GARDEN.
opened
these
?
l8l
foolish
his
"
:
What
words are
?
When and
this event
taken place
"
As
Verses
Revile him with thy tongue. If the house-lock will not open with gentleness, Then break it with a stone.
STORY.
having taken a cock by surprise during his morn" I am he the companion of the said lamenting ing nap, wakeful and the Muezzin,* of those who spend the night in
:
A jackal
prayer!
Kill
me
not,
:
my
sword of oppression
Verses
Why
And
The
shed
my
guiltless
blood
jackal replied
" In
my
am
not
tell
consume thee
"
Verses
common
sense,
* The Muezzin is the sacristan of the mosque, who regularly shouts from the top of it the call to prayers at stated times.
82
EIGHTH GARDEN.
be wicked, that confusion and wickedness
;
If thou
will over-
take thee
Do
If thou escape
not think thou wilt be saved by supplication, from bad thou wilt fall into worse.
It
heart,
his
mind, not to terminate this book so soon, and not to give rest to the pen in jotting down its contents ; but
although the mirror of the speaker's nature was not obscured rust of tediousness, the speculum of his hearer's inclination has not cheerfully received the polish intended for
by the
him by the
here
:
furbisher;*
therefore
the work
is
cut short
Verses
Spread out, O Jami, the carpet of eloquence, Because there exists not a more beautiful carpet
But
sit
quiet and
When
Nor
is
the
mind
feels
no
inclination
mind enough
in this treatise
no
pleasure.
own
:
labour
Whenever Jami produced a literary composition, He abstained from borrowing the sayings of any one.
*
From
it
would appear that the son of Jami was little or no interest in this literary
EIGHTH GARDEN.
He, whose shop is full of wares produced by himself, Stands in no need of hawking the wares of others.
It is hoped that the noble disposition of readers duce them to pass over any defects they may meet
183
will in-
with, to
cover them with the skirts of pardon, and not to indulge in ridicule but rather in leniency.
Verses
:
When
It will
it
to strangers.
who look
to
The
trotting and ambling of the pen in In which Jami has tried his talent,
this
book,
Was
finished
when
Would be nine hundred if eight were added to them.* The petition to Allah the glorious and bountiful is for great
success
j
but
felicity consists in
modesty.
Benediction and
peace to
Muhammud,
-
and
to his noble
companions.
*
Accordingly the book was finished A. H. 892 which began on the 28th December, 1486.
END.
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