The Memoirs of Bābur 933.5.2

933.5.2

(_Persian_) Who comes into the world will die; What lasts and lives will be God. (_Turkī_) He who hath entered the assembly of life, Drinketh at last of the cup of death. He who hath come to the inn of life, Passeth at last from Earth's house of woe. "Better than life with a bad name, is death with a good one. (_Persian_) Well is it with me, if I die with good name! A good name must I have, since the body is death's.[2032] "God the Most High has allotted to us such happiness and has created for us such good-fortune that we die as martyrs, we kill as avengers of His cause. Therefore must each of you take oath [Sidenote: Fol. 315.] upon His Holy Word that he will not think of turning his face from this foe, or withdraw from this deadly encounter so long as life is not rent from his body." All those present, beg and retainer, great and small, took the Holy Book joyfully into their hands and made vow and compact to this purport. The plan was perfect; it worked admirably for those near and afar, for seërs and hearers, for friend and foe. (_u. Bābur's perilous position._)