Original Ottoman Turkish Text

Metre: Mefâ’îlün Mefâ’îlün Fe’ûlün

Dilümde eyledüm mihrün nihân genc
Belî pinhân gerek ey mihr-bân genc
Dehânun n’ola mahfî olsa gözden
Ki olur her zemânda bî-nişân genc
Tılısm-ı ejdehâdur hüsne zülfün
Ki olmaz bî-tılısm ey nev-cevân genc
Metâ’-ı vaslı nakd-i câna aldum
Ele girmez çü gördüm râygân genc
N’ola mihr-i nigâra düşse gönlüm
Gedâ bulsa ‘aceb mi nâ-gehân genc
Çün âhir gayra kalur n’olur andan
Ser-â-ser tutalum tolmış cihân genc
Bana ‘ışkun Hudâdan bir ‘atâdur
Ki bulmaz her kişi ey dil-sitân genc
Bu Şâhî-derdmende derd-i ‘ışkun
Yeter ey dil-ber-i nâ-mihr-bân genc

In English

1. I have hidden love for you in my heart like a treasure; yes, O kind one, a treasure must be hidden.

2. What if your mouth is hidden from sight; a treasure is always without trace.

3. O fresh youth, your locks are a dragon talisman guarding beauty; for there is no treasure without a talisman.

4. I bought the goods of union with the coin of my soul; for I saw that treasure does not come to hand for nothing.

5. What if my heart has fallen in love with the beloved; is it a wonder if a beggar suddenly finds a treasure?

6. Since in the end it is left to others, what comes of it; suppose the world were filled from end to end with treasure.

7. Love for you is a gift to me from God; O stealer of hearts, it is a treasure that not everyone finds.

8. O unkind charmer, the pain of love for you is treasure enough for this pain-stricken Şâhî.

Literary and Historical Commentary

Structure of the Poem

The ghazal of eight couplets is written in the "mefâ'îlün mefâ'îlün fe'ûlün" pattern of the hezec family. The redif is the word "genc" (treasure), which Kılıç counts among the redifs of the divan. The rhyme is formed by the "-ân" sound in the words "nihân, mihr-bân, bî-nişân, nev-cevân, râygân, nâ-gehân, cihân, dil-sitân, nâ-mihr-bân". The pen name appears in the last couplet. The body of the ghazal stands on folio 5a of the manuscript; according to Kılıç's footnote, the opening couplet is on folio 11b and has been placed at the head of the ghazal in the edition.

G.17, which immediately follows in the edition, also has the redif "genc" and the same metre. There are very close couplets between the two ghazals: the seventh couplet of G.16 ("Bana 'ışkun Hudâdan bir 'atâdur / Ki bulmaz her kişi ey dil-sitân genc") is repeated in the sixth couplet of G.17 with only the address changed ("ey yâr-ı cân"); the line "Ele girmez ... râygân genc" is also common to both ghazals. These close parallels are our own observation.

Meaning and Figures of Speech

All the couplets of the ghazal are built around the theme of treasure. In divan poetry treasure is found in a hidden place, often in ruins, guarded by a dragon or a talisman; because its value is great, it is not easily obtained. The poet uses these familiar beliefs for the beloved and for love. In the opening couplet the love kept in the heart is likened to a treasure, and it is said that treasure must be kept hidden. In the second couplet the beloved's mouth, because of its smallness, is a treasure that cannot be seen. In the third couplet the locks are the dragon talisman guarding the treasure of beauty; the likening of hair to a snake and a dragon combines with this idea of the talisman.

The fourth couplet uses the language of trade: union is a commodity, bought with the coin of the soul. In the fifth couplet the lover is likened to a beggar who finds a treasure; here too the word "mihr" carries a double meaning between love and sun. The sixth couplet is the only didactic (hikemî) couplet of the ghazal: even if the world were filled with treasure, it has no value, since in the end it is left to others. The seventh couplet says that the true treasure is love, which is God's gift. The contrast between the address "mihr-bân" (kind) in the opening couplet and "nâ-mihr-bân" (unkind) in the closing couplet binds the beginning and end of the ghazal together; this observation is our own. In the last couplet the pain of love is treasure enough for the poet.

Bibliography

  • Filiz Kılıç (ed.), Şâhî Dîvânı (Şehzâde Bâyezîd), Ankara: T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı Kütüphaneler ve Yayımlar Genel Müdürlüğü, 2018, e-book pp. 54-55, ghazal no. 16 (Millet Library, Ali Emîrî Efendi, Manzum Eserler 225, fol. 5a; opening couplet 11b); footnote 99; also p. 29 (redifs), https://ekitap.ktb.gov.tr/Eklenti/59394,sahi-divanipdf.pdf.

Online sources