How to work know I not, so distracted am I;
While others repent and make vow to abstain,
I have vowed to abstain, and repentant am I.
A witticism of Banāī’s came back to my mind:—One day when he had been joking in ‘Alī-sher Beg’s presence, who must have been wearing a jacket with buttons,[2483] ‘Alī-sher Beg said, ‘Thou makest charming jokes; but for the buttons, I would give thee the jacket; they are the hindrance (māni‘).’ Said Banāī, ‘What hindrance are buttons? It is button-holes (mādagī) that hinder.’[2484] Let responsibility for this story lie on the teller! hold me excused for it; for God’s sake do not be offended by it.[2485] Again:—that quatrain was made before last year, and in truth the longing and craving for a wine-party has been infinite and endless for two years past, so much so that sometimes the craving for wine brought me to the verge of tears. Thank God! this year that trouble has passed from my mind, perhaps by virtue of the Fol. 361.blessing and sustainment of versifying the translation.[2486] Do thou also renounce wine! If had with equal associates and boon-companions, wine and company are pleasant things; but with whom canst thou now associate? with whom drink wine? If thy boon-companions are Sher-i-aḥmad and Ḥaidar-qulī, it should not be hard for thee to forswear wine. So much said, I salute thee and long to see thee.”[2487]
The above letter was written on Thursday the 1st of the latter Jumāda (Feb. 10th). It affected me greatly to write concerning those matters, with their mingling of counsel. The letters were entrusted to Shamsu’d-dīn Muḥammad on Friday night,[2488] he was apprized of word-of-mouth messages and given leave to go.
(oo. Complaints from Balkh.)
(Feb. 11th) On Friday (Jumāda II. 2nd) we did 8 kurohs (16m.) and dismounted at Jumandnā.[2489] Today a servant of Kītīn-qarā Sl. arrived whom the Sult̤ān had sent to his retainer and envoy Kamālu’d-din Qīāq,[2490] with things written concerning the behaviour of the begs of the (Balkh) border, their intercourse with himself, and complaints of theft and raid. Leave to go was given to Qīāq, and orders were issued to the begs of the border to put an end to raiding and thieving, to behave well and to maintain intercourse with Balkh. These orders were entrusted to Kītīn-qarā Sl.’s servant and he was dismissed from this ground.
A letter, accepting excuse for the belated arrival of Ḥasan Chalabī,[2491] was sent to the Shāh today by one Shāh-qulī who hadFol. 361b. come to me from Ḥasan Chalabī and reported the details of the battle (of Jām).[2492] Shāh-qulī was given his leave on this same day, the 2nd of the month.
(pp. Incidents of the eastward march resumed.)
(Feb. 12th) On Saturday (3rd) we did 8 kurohs (16m.) and dismounted in the Kakūra and Chachāwalī[2493] parganas of Kālpī.