Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 125 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 125: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a prose page from a literary work titled "Salámán and Absál." The text presents a moral address by a figure speaking to an assembly, offering counsel to a king about governance. Using metaphorical language about divine wisdom and justice, the speaker instructs the son to base laws on God's revelation, consult the wise when uncertain, respect traditional kingship, and uphold justice fairly. A footnote explains that the author (Jámi) uses this allegorical narrative to deliver indirect lessons to contemporary readers, particularly targeting ministers in government.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SALAMAN AND ABSAL. And over all the heads of the Assembly, And in the ears of all, his Jewel-word With the Diamond of Wisdom cut, and said :— “* My Son,’ the Kingdom of The World is not ‘“* Eternal, nor the sum of right desire ; ‘“* Make thou the Law reveal’d of God thy Law, ‘“‘ The voice of Intellect Divine within ‘* Interpreter; and considering T'o-DAY ** To-MORROW’S Seed-field, ere That come to bear, “ Sow with the harvest of Hternity. ‘“ And, as all Work, and, most of all, the Work “ That Kings are born to, wisely should be wrought, ‘“‘ Where doubtful of thine own sufficiency, ** Ever, as I have done, consult the Wise. “Turn not thy face away from the Old ways, ‘‘ That were the canon of the Kings of Old; ‘ Nor cloud with Tyranny the glass of Justice : 1 One sees Jami taking advantage of his Allegorical Shah to read a lesson to the Living—whose ears Advice, unlike Praise, scarce ever reached unless obliquely and by Fable. The Warn- ing (and doubtless with good reason) is principally aimed at the ‘Minister. Se — — : SE SSDS Gn Se ee aes >a oe GONG OOO