The Memoirs of Bābur 932.1.5

932.1.5

(_Turkī_) What is it I do with thee, ah! my tongue? My entrails bleed as a reckoning for thee. Good once[1587] as thy words were, has followed this verse Jesting, empty,[1588] obscene, has followed a lie. If thou say, "Burn will I not!" by keeping this vow Thou turnest thy rein from this field of strife.[1589] "O Lord! we have dealt unjustly with our own souls; if Thou forgive us not, and be not merciful unto us, we shall surely be of those that perish"[1590] (_Qorān_ cap. 7 v. 22). Taking anew the place of the penitent pleading for pardon, I gave my mind rest[1591] from such empty thinking and such unlawful occupation. I broke my pen. Made by that Court, such reproof of sinful slaves is for their felicity; happy are the highest and the slave when such reproof brings warning and its profitable fruit. (_c. Narrative resumed._) (_Dec. 8th continued_) Marching on that evening, we dismounted at `Alī-masjid. The ground here being very confined, I always [Sidenote: Fol. 253b.] used to dismount on a rise overlooking the camp in the valley-bottom.[1592] The camp-fires made a wonderful illumination there at night; assuredly it was because of this that there had always been drinking there, and was so now.