Muntakhab al-tawarikh 214: V. ATA'I OF QANDAHAR.

214

He came to Hindustan with the Emperor Babar and was at first a kitāb-navīs. Subsequently, in the service of his late Majesty also he held several high posts, and died in Lahor in the year H. 973 (A.D. 1565-66). Some of his verses are the following:—
"In thine absence my tears by degrees became a sea, behold! Come, sit in my eye as in a boat and make a voyage of the sea!"
“ Aye, have a dagger at thy waist, a sword in thy hand, a frown on thy brow, Thirst for blood and be cruel and still implacable.”
“ What can one do with one who knows nought of those who are faithful ? What can one do with one whose body shines as silver and who still inclines to wrath ? ”
“The crescent moon shines in the gloaming on the eve of ‘Id, Setting us free to haste to seek a cup of rosy wine.”
At the time when his late Majesty recovered from his indisposition in the Fort of Victory, this poet composed the following quatrain: —
“ A thousand thanks to God, that His Majesty the Emperor is freed from the sorrow of sickness, That he has arisen and seated himself once more on the throne of his glory. The news of his recovery was conveyed to me by the words, ‘ Thanks be to God that His Majesty has recovered.’ ”