Original Ottoman Turkish Text

Metre: Fe‘ilātün Fe‘ilātün Fe‘ilātün Fe‘ilün

Gerçi ‘ālem ṣadefinde bulınur niçe dürer
Söz gibi gūşa ṭoḳınmadı girān-māye güher
Mihr ü meh keffe-i mīzān u kevākibdür hem
Keh-keşān olsa ‘amūdı vü felek mīzān ger
Müşterī yevm-i ḥisāba dek anı vezn itse
Ḳıymetin bilmeye söz gevherinüñ ḳaṭre ḳadar
Olmasa bāġ-ı vücūd içre eger çeşme-i nuṭḳ
Gül ü reyḥān-ı cihān olmaz idi tāze vü ter
Ādemüñ nuṭḳ iledür rütbeti ḥayvān üzre
Ekl ü şurb ile cihān içre çi-ḥayvān çi-beşer
Nev‘-i insānede nuṭḳ ile tefāżul vardur
Ḫazef üzre ṣadefe dürr iledür nīteki fer
Saḳf-ı kāḫ-ı felegi tā ḥarem-i zīr-i zemīn
Lafẓ-ı “Kün”den ki Ḫudā itdi ‘imāret yek-ser
Mebde’-i nuṭḳ durur cümle-i mevcūdātuñ
Ger delīl ister iseñ bu söze iy ehl-i hüner
Dīde-i ‘ibret ile sūre-i Yāsīn’de yüri
Āyet-i “Kün fe-yekūn”ı oḳıyup eyle naẓar
Evvelā ṣādır olan nuṭḳ imiş eyle anı fehm
K’oldı mecmū‘-ı kemālāt-ı İlāh’a maẓhar
Gögden ol nāzil olurdı yire bī-şübhe vü şekk
Olsa ger dürr-i süḫandan ilerü bir cevher
Ḥadd-i ẕātinde sözüñ luṭfına ġāyet yoḳdur
Olsa mevzūn u muḳaffā daḫı zībā daḫı ter
Şāhid-i ḫūb durur ḥacle-i ma‘nāda süḫan
Aña ger vezn libās ola vü ṣan‘at zīver
Sīm sāḳına ṭaḳup ḳāfiye zerrīn ḫalḫāl
Ḥüsn-i maṭla‘ k’ola başına muraṣṣa‘ efser
Şübhe yoḳdur ki olup ḥüsn ü cemāline esīr
Olur āşüfte vü ālüftesi erbāb-ı naẓar
Ḥacle-i fikrde bir bikr durur şi‘r-i laṭīf
Maḥrem olmayana ḳābil degül açmaz mi‘cer
Şi‘r-i efsūn-ı mükerrem durur efsāne degül
S̱emer-i ma‘rifet ü fażl durur ṣanma semer
Şi‘r kim lafẓı ṣaḥīḥ ola vü ma‘nāsı ṣarīḥ
Ḳıymet olmaz aña dünyā ṭolusı sīm ile zer
Ola mażmūnı ḫuṣūṣā ki anuñ ḥikmet ü pend
Ṣanma şi‘r ol naẓar ehline olur nūr-ı baṣar
Līk ol şi‘r degül k’eyleye her aḥmaḳ u dūn
Ẓann idüp şi‘r anı şöhre-i şehr ü kişver
Ġażab u şehvet ile söyleye birḳaç hezeyān
Cehl ile ma‘nā vü elfāẓı idüp zīr ü zeber
Ola elfāẓı rekīk ü düşe ma‘nāsı saḳīm
Zu‘mı bu līk ola cümle şu‘arādan eş‘ar
Çoḳdur el’ān bu zemān içre anuñ gibi za‘īm
Ki ḳoyup kendüye bir maḫlaṣ idüp da‘vālar
Gāh Selmān geçinür gāhi Niẓāmī derilür
Yoḳ velī itdügi da‘vāda ma‘ānīden es̱er
Ṣanma kim her müteḫalliṣ geçinen şā‘ir olur
Var delīlüm bu söze itmez iseñ ger bāver
İkisinüñ de Mesīḥ olmaġ ile nāmları
Dem-i Deccāl ile bir mi nefes-i Peyġāmber
Şi‘rden şi‘re tefāvüt çoġ olur iy ‘ārif
Kimi ḥanẓal gibi telḫ ü kimi şīrīn çü şeker
Anı derk eylemez illā şu meẕāḳ erbābı
K’ola ṭab‘ında anuñ leẕẕet-i ‘irfāndan es̱er
Ḥayf kim ma‘rifete olmaya teşḫīṣ ü s̱emīn
Şebeden dūn ola farḳ olmaya dürr-i ezher
Siḥr-i Seḥbān’ı olup hem-ser-i jāj-ı Bāḳıl
Bir ola ḫār u gül ü zehr ü şeker ‘ayb u hüner
Ġalaṭ itdüm ġalaṭ itdüm bu ne sözdür ḥāşā
Cevheri çoḳdur olur cevhere elbette naẓar
Cevherüñ var-ise bāzāra getür iy ḫᵛāce
Çoġ olur aña ḫarīdār bulur ḳıymeti zer
Luṭf-ı ṭab‘ ile ḫuṣūṣā şeh-i ‘ālī-şānuñ
Ola idrāk-ı ma‘ānīde żamīri enver
Muṣṭafā Ḫān-ı yegāne şeh-i gerdūn-‘aẓamet
Ki odur milk-i sa‘ādetde Süleymān-ı diger
Luṭf-ı idrāk ile ser-defter-i ehl-i ‘irfān
Kerem ü cūd ile erbāb-ı seḫāya server
Sensin ol şāh ki ḳapuñda Ferīdūn’la Cem
Ger zemānuñda olaydı olalardı çāker
Ṭab‘-ı pākuñ şu ḳadar rūşen ü nūrānīdür
Ẕerreden kim görinür aña göre şems ü ḳamer
Şu‘arā ḫayline şāhum naẓaruñ eyle ziyād
Ki olur nāmuñuñ iḥyāsına bā‘is̱ bu nefer
Dimese nāmına Firdevsi eger Şeh-nāme
Şāh Maḥmūd cihān içre olur mıydı semer
Sa‘d-ı Zengī’nüñ adın kim bilür idi şāhā
Virmese Sa‘di Gülistān’la Büstān’da ḫaber
Şāha lāzım durur elbette du‘ā-gū meddāḥ
Ki ola medḥ ü s̱enāsında anuñ şām u seḥer
İtse in‘āmla iḥsān aña şāh-ı ‘ālī
Luṭf-ı ṭab‘ına delīl ola vü fażlından es̱er
Fażlī-i bende ferīdidür o fennüñ demidür
Naẓaruñ eyle mużā‘af kerem olsun bī-mer
Pehlevānī durur ol ‘arṣa-i naẓmuñ şāhum
İşde meydān berü gelsün şu ki var anda ciger
Çünki her vech ile mümtāzdur aḳrānından
Eyle mümtāz şehā sā’ire ḳılma hem-ser
Ḳurı da‘vāyı nidem çünki ġaraż ma‘nādur
Ehl-i ma‘nā göricek sözlerümi fehm eyler
Nice kim şāhları medḥ idüp erbāb-ı kelām
Vireler naẓm-ı laṭīf ile cihāna zīver
Naẓm-ı devletde olup ẕāt-ı şerīfüñ şeh-beyt
Ḥaşre dek medḥüñ ide Fażlī-i midḥat-güster

In English

1. Many pearls are found in the oyster shell of the world, but no jewel as precious as speech has ever touched the ear. (A link is drawn between the pearl earring worn on the ear and the speech that reaches it.)

2. Were the sun and the moon the pans of a balance and the stars its weights; were the Milky Way the beam of the balance and the sky the balance itself;

3. And were Jupiter to weigh it until the Day of Reckoning, it still could not know the worth of the jewel of speech by so much as a drop. ("Müşterī" is both the name of the planet Jupiter and a word for "buyer".)

4. If there were no fountain of speech in the garden of existence, the rose and the basil of the world would not be fresh and alive.

5. Man's superiority over the animal lies in speech; in eating and drinking, beast and man are the same in this world.

6. Among human beings too, superiority lies in speech, just as the oyster shell owes its superiority over a potsherd to the pearl within it.

7. From the ceiling of the palace of the heavens to the chambers beneath the earth, God built everything, from end to end, with the word "Kün" (Be).

8. The beginning of all beings is speech; O man of skill, if you seek proof of this saying,

9. Walk with the eye of reflection through the sura Yâsîn, read the verse "Kün fe-yekûn" (He says Be, and it is) and look closely.

10. First understand this: the first thing to come forth was speech; all the perfections of God became manifest in it.

11. Had there been a jewel higher than the pearl of speech, it would doubtless have been that which came down from heaven to earth. (Revelation that descends from heaven is also speech.)

12. The grace of speech is boundless in its very essence; all the more so if it is metrical, rhymed, adorned and fresh.

13. Speech is a lovely bride waiting in the bridal chamber of meaning, if metre is her gown and art her ornament,

14. If rhyme is fastened to her silver calf as a golden anklet, and a fine opening couplet (matla) is a jewelled crown upon her head,

15. Then there is no doubt that the people of discernment become captive to her beauty and are distracted with love for her.

16. Graceful poetry is a virgin in the bridal chamber of thought; she does not unveil her head before one who is not her intimate.

17. Poetry is a precious enchantment, not a tale; it is the fruit of knowledge and virtue, do not take it for a night's story. (The line plays on "s̱emer", fruit, and "semer", a tale told at night.)

18. Poetry whose words are correct and whose meaning is clear cannot be priced even with a world full of silver and gold.

19. Especially if its theme is wisdom and counsel, do not take it for mere poetry; it is the light of the eyes of the discerning.

20. But what every fool and base fellow writes, thinking it fame in city and land, is not poetry.

21. Such men utter a few absurdities out of anger and lust and, in their ignorance, turn both meaning and words upside down.

22. Their words are vulgar, their meaning rotten; yet their claim is that they are the most poetic of all poets.

23. In this age there are many such pretenders; they give themselves a pen name (mahlas) and launch their claims.

24. One poses as Selmân, another is called Nizâmî; but in their claims there is no trace of meaning. (Selmân of Sâve and Nizâmî are famous Persian poets.)

25. Do not think that everyone who takes a pen name is a poet; if you do not believe this, I have proof:

26. Though both bear the name Messiah, is the breath of the Antichrist one with the breath of the Prophet, that is, Jesus? (The breath of Jesus raises the dead; the Antichrist is also called "Messiah".)

27. O man of understanding, there is great difference between one poem and another; some are bitter like colocynth, some sweet like sugar.

28. Only those with a refined taste, in whose nature there is some trace of the savour of mystical knowledge, understand this.

29. It would be a pity if knowledge were not valued, if the most lustrous pearl were held lower than jet and no difference were made between them;

30. If the spellbinding speech of Sehbân were counted the same as the babble of Bâkıl, and thorn and rose, poison and sugar, fault and skill were one. (Sehbân was famed among the Arabs for eloquence, Bâkıl for his inability to speak.)

31. I erred, I erred; God forbid, what a thing to say. There are many who know a jewel; a jewel is surely looked upon.

32. O master, if you have a jewel, bring it to the market; it will find many buyers and its price will be gold.

33. Above all, the heart of the king of lofty glory is most enlightened, through the grace of his nature, in grasping meanings.

34. He is the peerless Mustafa Han, the king majestic as the heavens; in the realm of felicity he is a second Solomon (Süleyman).

35. By the subtlety of his understanding he is the head of the people of knowledge, by his generosity and bounty the leader of the generous.

36. You are such a king that, had Ferîdun and Jem lived in your time, they would have been servants at your door. (Ferîdun and Jemshid are legendary kings of the Persian epic.)

37. Your pure nature is so bright and luminous that beside it the sun and the moon appear as a mote of dust.

38. My king, increase your favour to the company of poets, for it is this company that keeps your name alive.

39. Had Firdevsî not composed the Shahnameh in his name, would Sultan Mahmud have become a byword in the world?

40. My king, had Sa'dî not spoken of him in the Gulistan and the Bustan, who would know the name of Sa'd son of Zengî?

41. A king surely needs a panegyrist who prays for him and praises and exalts him morning and evening.

42. If the exalted king grants him favours and gifts, this becomes a proof of the grace of his nature and a token of his virtue.

43. Your servant Fazlî is the unrivalled master of this art, this age is his; double your favour, may your bounty be without measure.

44. My king, he is the champion of that arena of verse; here is the field, let whoever has the heart come forward.

45. Since he surpasses his peers in every respect, O king, single him out and do not count him equal to the rest.

46. What use is idle boasting; the aim is meaning, and those who know meaning will understand my words when they see them.

47. As long as masters of speech praise kings and adorn the world with graceful verse,

48. May your noble person be the finest couplet in the poem of the state, and may Fazlî, spreader of praise, praise you until the Resurrection. ("Şeh-beyt" is the finest couplet of a poem.)

Literary and Historical Commentary

Structure of the Poem

The poem is a kaside (qasida) of forty-eight couplets (beyit). The metre is the "fe‘ilātün fe‘ilātün fe‘ilātün fe‘ilün" pattern of the remel family; the rhyme is the sound "-er": dürer, güher, ger, ḳadar, ter and the same sound in the following couplets. The kaside is the long poem of divan literature presented to the great, usually built of an introduction (nesib), praise (medhiye), a section in which the poet speaks of himself (fahriye) and a prayer. According to Mustafa Özkat, the name of the person praised appears in couplet 34, and the poet uses his pen name (mahlas) twice, in couplets 43 and 48. The first nineteen couplets describe the value of speech, couplets 20 to 30 condemn bad poetry and false poets, couplets 31-33 make the transition to praise, couplets 34-42 praise the prince and describe the importance of poets for rulers, couplets 43-46 are the fahriye, and the last two couplets are the prayer.

Özkat publishes the kaside as the fifteenth kaside of the divan. The poem is found in two miscellanies: in no. 314 of the Âşir Efendi collection of the Süleymaniye Library (fol. 107b) and in no. 1966 of the Revan collection of the Topkapı Palace Museum Library (fol. 149a). The title is "Ḳaṣīde-i Fażlī berāy-ı Sulṭān Muṣṭafā" in the Revan copy and simply "Ḳaṣīde" in the Süleymaniye copy.

Meaning and Figures of Speech

The real subject of the kaside is the value of speech and poetry. Özkat says that Fazlî's conception of poetry is seen most clearly in this kaside. The poet first likens speech to a pearl and extends the comparison with the image of a balance: even if the sun and the moon were the pans, the stars the weights, the Milky Way the beam and the sky the balance, speech could not be weighed. "Müşterī" in the third couplet is a double entendre (tevriye), meaning both the planet Jupiter and a buyer; the image of the balance and the market returns in couplet 32 with the words "bāzār", "ḫarīdār" and "ḳıymet". Between the seventh and eleventh couplets the superiority of speech is given a religious foundation: the universe came into being by God's command "Kün", and the revelation that descends from heaven is also speech. The allusion to the verse "Kün fe-yekûn" in the sura Yâsîn is explicit in these couplets.

The most striking passage of the kaside is couplets 13-16. Özkat explains them as follows: once speech has put on the gown of metre and the ornament of art, it becomes a lovely bride in the bridal chamber of meaning; rhyme is the golden anklet fastened to her silver calf, a fine opening couplet the jewelled crown on her head. Poetry is a virgin in the bridal chamber of thought and does not unveil before one who is not her intimate. Özkat also sees in this description an observation on the adornments of sixteenth-century brides and on the custom of unveiling the bride on the wedding night. The chain of similes and metaphors builds a congruence of images (tenasüp) that brings the terms of the poet's craft and the adornments of a bride onto the same plane.

Couplets 20-30 are a critique of bad poetry and the false poet. According to Özkat's summary, Fazlî says here that ignorant seekers of fame utter absurdities out of anger and desire, that everyone who finds himself a pen name lays claim to being a poet, and that one poses as Selmân, another as Nizâmî. The proof in couplet 26 is deft: the Antichrist too is called Messiah, but his breath is not the same as the death-reviving breath of Jesus. The contrasts of bitter colocynth and sugar in couplet 27, and of thorn and rose, poison and sugar, fault and skill in couplet 30, are examples of antithesis. In couplet 31 the poet takes back his own words with "Ġalaṭ itdüm ġalaṭ itdüm" and turns to the existence of a ruler who knows true worth; this is a turning couplet used to pass from the introduction to the praise.

In the section of praise the prince is called "Süleymān-ı diger", a second Solomon (Süleyman). The phrase may point both to the prophet Solomon and to the prince's father, Sultan Süleyman the Lawgiver. In couplets 39 and 40 the poet recalls that the name of Mahmud of Ghazna lives on thanks to Firdevsî's Shahnameh, and that of the Fars atabeg Sa'd son of Zengî thanks to Sa'dî's Gulistan and Bustan. In a footnote Özkat states that Sa'd was the father of Atabeg Ebubekir and reigned from 1203 to 1226 or 1231. These examples link the introduction on the value of speech to the patronage the poet expects from the ruler.

Historical Context

The title in the Revan copy and the words "Muṣṭafā Ḫān" in couplet 34 show that the kaside was presented to Şehzade Mustafa. After the death of Şehzade Mehmed in 1543, Fazlî became the divan secretary of Mustafa, sanjak governor of Amasya, and remained in his service until 1553; according to Özkat, all of Fazlî's kasides up to the twenty-seventh were written for Mustafa. The year in which this kaside was written is not known. In couplets 38-45 the poet asks the prince to single him out from his peers and to double his favour, which also reflects the rivalry among the poets around the prince. According to Hüseyin Hüsameddin, there was a gathering devoted to literature at Mustafa's court in Amasya, and the divan secretary Fazlî Çelebi was one of its poets.

Bibliography

Primary sources

Academic studies

  • Mustafa Özkat, Kara Fazlî'nin Hayatı, Eserleri, Edebî Kişiliği ve Dîvânı (İnceleme-Tenkitli Metin), MA thesis, Marmara University Institute of Turkic Studies, Istanbul 2005, pp. 167-171, kaside no. 15 (Süleymaniye Library, Âşir Efendi 314, fol. 107b; Topkapı Palace Museum Library, Revan 1966, fol. 149a); also pp. 39-40 (conception of poetry), p. 52 (on the kasides) and p. 77, https://katalog.marmara.edu.tr/veriler/yordambt/cokluortam/5E/T0051713.pdf.
  • Hasan Aksoy, "Kara Fazlî", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 24, Istanbul 2001, pp. 360-361, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kara-fazli.

Online sources