Muntakhab al-tawarikh 363.6

363.6

“O outstripper of the swift runners of the subtleties of sciences in difficulties arising in the assemblies of the noble and the learned, shooter of the arrows of boundless knowledge from the bows of perfections against the globes of the hearts of high and low, striker of the disavowing ordinances with the swords of brilliant proofs, and opener of the doors of the obscurities of truths with the keys of convincing arguments; how art thou in this age, on every day of which people of penetration have known the signification of ‘on that day shall a man fly from his brother and his mother and his father?’ Verily the object of the gaze of the aspirations The wealth which springs from this work is mine, to my heart’s desire, The coin of this kingdom is struck in my name. Learn from my speech the beauties of style. Have no false shame, lay hold of a master’s skirt. He who comes as a true disciple to his master Gathers in both worlds the treasure of happiness. Not one line of thy verse is correct, Thy verses are the laughing-stock of the eloquent. Although nobody has told thee this to thy face And nobody takes up thy faults before thee, Yet thy detractors, in thy absence, Delight the meetings of eloquent men; When thy verses are quoted among them They pick out thy errors one by one. They praise thy poetry to thy face And curse and abuse thee behind thy back.