Since first the banquet fair, this world, was cast in form’s designs, How many rakes have passed away! how many libertines! As counsel meet for revellers, when he perceived those signs, Around the goblet’s rim the Magian priest engraved these lines: “Our coming to this world is one; man must reflect, survey; Care must one banish, and look out for calm and quiet aye.” At length, Ziya, shall joy beam forth, and grief an end shall find; But yet, O man, these ever enter Fortune’s feast combined. This hidden mystery learn thou, by Mahmūd Beg defined, Who has the secret of the same within this verse enshrined: “Our coming to this world is one; man must reflect, survey; Care must one banish, and look out for calm and quiet aye.” _Ziyā Beg._ THE COUNSELS OF NABI EFENDI TO HIS SON ABOUL KHAIR [_Translated by A. P. de Courteille and Robert Arnot_] INTRODUCTION Nabi Yousouf Efendi was born at Roha, about the year 1632, during the reign of Mourad IV. Coming to Constantinople in the time of Mahomet IV, he there attached himself to the all-powerful favorite Mustafa Pacha, who made him his secretary. In 1684, his protector having been made Serasker, he accompanied him to Morée. From there, he undertook the pilgrimage to Mecca and to Medina, and finally settled at Halep. It was during his stay in this city, about the year 1694, that he wrote, as he himself says, the poem dedicated to his son Aboul Khair. Some years after, Baltadji Mohammed Pacha, who was much attached to Nabi, recalled him to Constantinople, and appointed him president of the State treasury of Anatolia. He exchanged this position, however, for that of comptroller of the cavalry, in which he remained until his death, which occurred the twelfth of April, 1712. Nabi is one of the Turkish classic authors; he occupies in Ottoman literature an exalted position, not only as a poet, but also as a prose writer. Under the title of Zeili Nabi, he wrote in the purest and most stately style an appendix to the “Life of Mahomet,” by Weïsi; this work was printed in Cairo in 1248. The imperial library has a copy of the complete works of Nabi. The manuscript is well written, but is filled with clerical errors. Beside the poems, it contains the letters of Nabi and his treatise on Mecca and Medina. The divan of our author is of considerable length; therein are found kassidès, chronograms, gazels, and two poems written for his son: the “Khai-riyè” and the “Khair-abâd.” This divan was written at Cairo in 1257. The manuscript which has been used to verify the text was obtained from a learned teacher named Chinaci Efendi. The translator has also referred, although with reserve, to the manuscript of the Imperial Library. The Cairo edition has not been very useful; it includes many readings, which are doubtful at best, and which have not been thought sufficiently important to note.