[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [General histories](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general) › [Muntakhab al-tawārīkh](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh) › [Muntakhabu-t-tawarikh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig) › 22.2.6 # Muntakhab al-tawarikh 22.2.6 Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 22.2.6 - **Language:** English ### [22.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.22.2.6) My speech has failed me because its glory was in the relation of this story. Yes! all this loss of honour was owing to inordinate desire for bread. I am that mean one, less than the least, who am not worth a groat, if you think me worth a barleycorn, you will not buy me for nothing. Oh Shihab it is strange that you in this road of kingly affairs are neither the Amir of the Eight Squares nor the Knight of the Seven Places. You are not an angel, nor are you a devil, from what workshop are you? You are not a sojourner nor yet a traveller, from what court are you? Your heart and intellect are careless of the tortures of the grave, you have dressed yourself in Gurkhani silk. You have become utterly regardless from lust owing to desire for license, from urgent desire, means of false accusation you have planted the foot of success. Sorrow for the tulip-cheeked beloved has shut fast the door of your wisdom. The vein of your eye has shed blood from desire for the cup of red wine. You are corrupt like the wind, you stand paralysed like the earth. You are a pearl of transitory existence, a shell empty mouthed. With breath like the burning lightning you are the enchanter of bad and good; with heart like a flint, you are the whetstone of dry and moist. Naturally with desire you revolve like the sky in its figura-designing, from your youth hating with greed, you are like a child in weakness. - [Previous: 22.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.22.2.5) - [Next: 22.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.22.2.7) - [Up: 22.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.22.2) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.22.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.22.2.6) · Pramāṇa