The Book of Akbar 1.315

1.315

لاجرم غایت تکاپوی و نهایت جستوجوی در جمع کردن جرائد احوال وصفائح واقعات حضرت شاهنشاهی بجای آوردن گرفتم، و مدتی از ملازمان درگاه و قدیمان این دودمان دولت از پیران هوشمند راست گفتار و جوانان بیدارمغز درست کردار میپرسیدم و بقید کتابت می درآوردم. و باطراف ممالک بجمعی که با خدمت قدیم درستی و راستی متیقن بعضی و مظنون برخی بود مناشیر عالی شرف صدور یافت که نقل مسودات و یادداشتهای خودرا ببارگاه حضور فرستادند. هرچند این داعیهآ سعادتافزا بتمام انجام نیافته بود و این آرزو بکمال انصرام نگرفته که حکم مجدد از پیشگاه مقدس لمعان

Did it grant permission to undertake the task by bestowing on me the necessary genius? or did it, by a grant of felicity to my heart, appoint me the recorder of glorious events? or did it bestow eloquence on one rude of speech? Nay! nay! it gave wings to my words and feet to my pen. It was an invisible angel, conveying from the upper world, life-giving news of joy. It was the Archangel Gabriel bringing down a revelation from the antechamber of Omnipotence. Assuredly, I spent much labour and research in collecting the records and narratives of his Majesty’s actions and I was a long time interrogating the servants of the State and the old members of the illustrious family. I examined both prudent, truth-speaking old men and active-minded, right-actioned young ones and reduced their statements to writing. The royal commands were issued to the provinces, that those who from old service remembered, with certainty or with adminicle of doubt, the events of the past, should copy out their notes and memoranda and transmit them to Court. Inasmuch as this auspicious invitation was not fully responded to nor my wish fully accomplished, a second command shone forth from the holy Presence-chamber;