Baqi – the Poet

ORIGINAL OTTOMAN

MODERN TURKISH

KÂNÛNİ SULTAN SÜLEYMÂN MERSİYESİ

1st Bent

1. Ey, ayağı şan şöhret endişesi tuzağına bağlı kişi; bu, dursuz duraksız dünyanın işleri ile uğraşma sevdası daha ne kadar sürecek?
2. Ömür ilkbaharının sona erip de lâle (gibi kırmızı) renkli yanakların, sonbahar yaprağı (gibi sapsarı) bir hale döneceği o günü aklından çıkarma!
3. Devran eliyle bir gün hayatının kadehine mutlaka taş gelecek ve sonunda, şarap kadehindeki son damla gibi, senin de mekânın toprak olacaktır.
4. İnsan odur ki, kalbi ayna misali saf ve temiz olsun. Eğer adam isen, göğsünde bu sükûnet bulmaz kin ve ihtirasın ne işi var?
5. İbret gözü daha ne zamana kadar gaflet uykusunda kalacak! Arslanlar gibi ceng eden Padişah’ın başına gelen olay sana ders olarak yetmez mi?
6. O, öyle bir saadet (mutluluk) ülkesinin (güçlü) hükümdarı idi ki, savaş zamanında bütün bir dünya arsası ona dar gelirdi.
7. Macar kâfirleri onun keskin kılıcına baş eğmiş, Frenkler ise o kılıcın çeliğini kanları ile süslemişlerdi (veya, beğenmişlerdi).
8. Yüzünü, bir gül yaprağı gibi lütufla (toprağa lütfederek, yavaşça) yere koydu; sanki devran hazinedarı hazine sandığına bir inci tanesi bıraktı.

2nd Bent

1. Doğrusu şu ya; (o), kutlu emellerin ve yüce makamların süsü bezeği idi; başında (Büyük) İskender’in tâcını taşıyan ve her bir askeri Dârâ (gibi güçlü) olan (muhteşem) bir pâdişahtı.
2. Felek, onun ayağının tozuna (bile) baş eğer; dünya, eşiği toprağına secde ederdi.
3. Küçücük bir bağışı, âciz bir dilenciyi zengin ederdi. Öylesine, iyiliği ve cömertliği çok bir hükümdar idi.
4. Hüner ve san’at sahipleri ümitlerini onun yüce zatının bulunduğu yere ve devletinin kapısına bağlamışlardı.
5. Kaderin hükmüne boyun eğerek (ölüme) razı oldu ise de, aslında kendisi, gücünü kazâdan, kudret ve üstünlüğünü de kaderden alan (bir yüce sultan) idi.
6. Onu, alçak feleğe âcizlikle teslim oldu sanmayın; maksadı, bütün makam ve mevkileri terk ederek Allah’ın yakınlığım kazanmaktı.
7. Artık gözlerimiz canı ve cihanı görmese, buna şaşılmaz; çünkü onun aydınlık yüzü dünya için ay ve güneş gibi idi.
8. İnsanlar, güneşe baksalar, gözleri doluverir; zira görünce hatıra o ay yüzlü (padişah) gelir.

3rd Bent

1. Bulut, senin boyunu aklına getirerek katre katre kan döksün de, nârven (kara ağaç) fidanını, erguvan dalına benzetsin.
2. Bu acılarla, feleğin gözleri olan yıldızlar gözyaşlarım saçsınlar da, gönül ateşinden çıkan duman, bütün ufukları tutsun.
3. Gökyüzü, mavi elbiselerini çıkarıp siyahlar bürünsün; bütün cihan Pâdişah için matem elbiseleri giyinsin.
4. Saadetli Padişah Sultan Süleyman’dan ayrılma ateşi, insanların ve cinlerin gönüllerinde dağlar yaksın.
5. Arşın en yüksek katında mekân tuttu; gerçekten de bu yeryüzü onun şanına lâyık değildi.
6. Ruhunun kuşu, hümâ gibi göklere yükseldi; toprağın altında (ondan sadece) bir kaç parça kemik kaldı.

Burada, efsanevî hümâ kuşunun kemikle beslendiğine dair inanca telmih vardır.

7. Dünya ve kâinat arsasının usta binicisi idi; talih, kudret ve kuvvet, dostu ve arkadaşı olmuştu.
8. Huysuz baht atı dik başlılık etti de, Allah’ın gölgesi (olan Pâdişah)ı (sırtından) yere düşürdü.

4th Bent

1. İlkbahar bulutu, gam ve keder içinde benim gibi zavallı ve kararsız bir hale gelsin de, dünyanın dört bir yanını ağlayarak gezip dolaşsın.
2. Sabah vakitleri kuşların ağlayıp inlemeleri bütün cihanı tutsun; güller saçlarını başlarım yolsun; bülbüller ah çekerek feryad eylesin.
3. Sıra dağlar matem ederek sünbüllerini çözüp ağlasın ve sel gibi gözyaşlarını eteklerine döksün.
4. Senin yaratılış ve ahlâk güzelliğinin kokusunu hatırladıkça, Tatar âhûsunun göbeğinden düşen misk’in içi lâle gibi kararsın.
5. Gül, senin hasretinle, kulağım yollara tutarak, nergis çiçeği gibi kıyamete kadar yolunu gözlesin.
6. İnci (gibi gözyaşları) saçan göz, bütün bir âlemi deryalara döndürse, senin gibi eşsiz bir inci asla vücuda gelmez.
7. Ey gönül (veya ey dil), şu durumda bana arkadaş olan yalnız sensin; gel, ney gibi yana yakıla ağlayalım bari.
8. Ahımızın ve inlemelerimizin âhengini yükseltelim de, bu yedi bend, dert sahiplerini coştursun.

5th Bent

1. Güneş doğdu; âlemin Padişah’ı daha uykudan uyanmayacak mı? Gökyüzü gibi yüce ve şerefli çadırından yüzünü göstermeyecek mi?
2. Gözlerimiz yollarda kaldı; devletin sığıncı olan Padişah’ın yüce eşiği katından bir haber gelmedi.
3. Yüzü sararmış ve dudakları kurumuş bir halde yatıyor… Sanki suyu alınmış bir gül…
4. Yaşlı olsun, genç olsun, her kim onun üzüntüsü ile ağlamazsa, duam odur ki; gözyaşı çocuğu yere girsin (gözyaşı pınarları korusun)!
5. Ey Padişah; felek zaman zaman bulutların perdesine bürünür ve lütfunu hatırına getirdikçe, utancından terler.
6. Güneş senin ayrılığının ateşi ile yansın yakılsın ve buluttan kapkara çullara girsin.
7. Kılıcın, senin savaşta gösterdiğin başarıları ve hünerleri hatırlasın ve boylu boyunca kının karasına batsın.
8. Kalem, senin acınla ve üzüntünle yakasım yırtsın; sancağın alemi de, sıkıntısından gömleğini parçalasın.

6th Bent

1. Senin kılıcın düşmana dil yaraları içirdi; bu yüzden, hiç kimse konuşamaz oldu, dilleri kesildi.
2. Senin göğe baş çekmiş servi fidanına benzeyen mızrağını görünce, düşman beyleri, serkeşliğin adını bir daha ağızlarına almadılar.
3. Senin atın, ayağım her nereye bassa, hükümdarlar, saçı için, hep canlarım senin yolunda feda ettiler.
4. Yokluk çölünde ölüm kuşları durmadan inip kalkıyor; çünkü, senin kılıcın Allah yolunda kanları sebil gibi akıttı.
5. Dünyanın dört bir yanına kılıç gibi demir kuşaklı cihan pehlivanları saldın.
6. Binlerce puthaneyi alıp mescid yaptın; çan kulelerinde ezanlar okuttun.
7. Sonunda, göç davulu çaldı ve sen göç eyledin; ilk konağın cennet bahçeleri oldu.
8. Allah’a şükürler olsun ki, seni iki cihanda da mutlu kılıp, mübarek adım hem gazi, hem de şehid eyledi.

7th Bent

1. Ey Bâkî, artık (bundan sonra, yeni) Pâdişah’ın gönle hoş gelen cemâline bak; Hayy ve Kadîr olan yüce Tanrı’nın san’atının aynasını seyret.
2. Varlık Mısırının yaşlı azîzi ahirete göçtü; şimdi, Yusuf görünüşlü çevik hareketli genç kumandana bak.
3. Güneş doğdu; şimdi, sabah aydınlığı son haddine ulaştı. Ardın gönüllü Padişah’ın (güneş gibi) güzel yüzünü seyret.
4. Bu dünya avlağı, zamanın Behram’ını kabre düşürdü; artık şimdi Şâh Erdşîr’in eşiğine git ve onun hizmetini gör.
5. Zaman, (Sultan) Süleyman’ın tahtım havaya savurdu; şimdi, sen İskender tahtına oturan Sultan Selim Han’a bak.
6. Kavga ve savaş dağının panteri artık huzur ve rahatlık uykusuna daldı; sen şimdi ululuk sahrasında bulunan arslanı gör.
7. Kutsallık bağının tavusu, cennet bahçelerinde salınmaya gitti; artık, doruklarda seyreden saadet göğü hümâsının şimşek gibi sür´atini gör.
8. Dünyanın dört bir yanına hükmeden Padişah’ın saadeti ve talihi sonsuza kadar sürsün; Hakk’a yürüyen Sultan Süleyman’ın ruhuna da dualar ve selâmlar olsun.

ENGLISH

DIRGE FOR KÂNÛNİ SULTAN SÜLEYMÂN, MERCY AND FORGIVENESS BE UPON HIM

(annotated)

1^st Strophe

1. O, the one whose foot is trapped to concerns of glory and fame;

How long will it last, the love of dealing with the ceaseless affairs of the world?

2. Do not forget the day when the spring of life ends,

As cheeks like red tulips turn into death pale like leaves of autumn!

3. One day, with the hand of the destiny, stone will surely come to your chalice of life,

Eventually, like the last drop in the wine glass, your residence will be beneath the earth.

4. Human being is a creature, whose heart is pure and clean like a mirror.

If you are a man, what are grudge and ambition’s place beneath your chest that doesn’t find peace?

(In the Modern Turkish translation, the translator notes that in the line about grudge and ambition, he mentions “kîne-i peleng’ expression in the original text, which these mean in dictionary “tiger’s grudge, leopard’s grudge”. Here, poet makes art by resembling person’s grudge, ambition and hostility emotions as smears on a mirror like there are black spots on a leopard’s yellowish skin. Also, Bâkî implies that people who have such negative emotions in their hearts are like wild animals such as tiger, lion, and leopard. It is sometimes an insult in Turkish or Ottoman to resemble somebody to an animal.)

5. How long the eyes with lessons will continue in its sleep of heedlessness!

Is it not enough for you to get lesson from the incident that happened to the Sultan who fought like lions?

6. He was the sovereign of such a country of happiness (or bliss) that,

In times of war, land of the whole world was meager to him.

7. The Hungarian infidels bowed their heads to his sharp blade,

And the Franks adorned the steel of that blade with their blood.

8. He placed his face gracefully to the earth like a rose leaf;

As if the destiny treasurer left a piece of pearl to the treasure chest.

(Ottoman translator notes that, by using second meanings of “sandûka”, “hâzin”, “salmak” and “güher” in the original dirge, same lines can be translated in this way too: “He placed his face gracefully to the earth like a rose leaf and destiny guard canopied sky adorned with stars like a jeweled blanket onto him.”)

 

2^nd Strophe

1. The truth is that; he was the decoration, adornment of the blessed missions and the supreme authorities;

He was a magnificent Sultan wearing Alexander the Great’s crown and each one of his soldiers were strong like Darius (III).

2. Destiny bows its head to the dust of his feet,

World was prostrating to his earth and doorstep.

3. Tiniest of his benefaction was enough to make any helpless beggar to be rich.

He was a Monarch which his bounty was great, and generosity was plenty.

4. To the gate of his state and to the place where his great self resides,

Craftsmen and artists had tied their hopes.

5. Although he accepted death by surrendering to judgment of fate,

In fact, he was a great Sultan who was receiving his power and superiority from fatality and fate.

6. Do not think that he surrendered to vile fate by impotence;

His intention was to receive closeness to Allah by leaving all titles and positions on his back.

7. It won’t be surprised if our eyes don’t see life and world any longer;

Because his luminous face was moon and sun for the world.

8. When people look at the sun, their eyes get full (of tears);

Because that moon-faced sultan comes to memory.

3^rd Strophe

1. May the cloud drop droplets of blood by remembering your height,

And resemble your black-tree sapling to Judas-tree branch.

2. With these anguishes, may the stars that are fate’s eyes tear my tears;

May the smoke of heart’s fire cover all the horizons.

3. May Sky dress out its blue dresses and turn black;

And wear mourning clothes for Shah of all the world.

4. May it burns mountains in the hearts of men and jinns (demons),

That comes from the departure fire of Blissful Shah Süleyman.

5. He found residence in the highest place of heavens,

Indeed, this world was not worthy of his glory.

6. His spirit’s bird ascended to skies like Huma;

Beneath the earth, only a few pieces of bones left from him.

(Ottoman Translator’s note: “Here there is a reminder, Huma is fed with bones” – My note:
Huma/Hüma/Hume is a mythological bird that chooses who is going to be Ruler in legends)

7. He was the master rider of the field between World and Universe.;

Fortune and power/strength were his friend.

8. His grumpy horse of fate became stubborn,

So that it caused God’s shadow (Padishah) from his saddle to fall.

 

4^th Strophe

1. May spring clouds be poor/ambivalent like me who is in grief that,

Wander and travel all around the world crying.

2. May birds’ groan in the mornings spread to all world;

May roses be plucked, and nightingales cry with bellows.

3. May the row of mountains dissolve their hyacinth and cry,

Weep their tears like floods on their skirts.

4. As it (musk) recalls the smell of your beautiful creation and moral beauty,

May the musk’s interior that is fallen from Tatar beauty’s belly be darkened like a tulip.

(Ottoman translator’s note: Musk that is used as a beautiful scent is a dark substance derived from the gland under the belly skin of a deer type which lives in high mountains of today’s Turkistan inside China’s borders. Poet makes art of “hüsn-i ta’lil” (binding a real reason to an imaginative reason) by creating reason of musk’s darkness due to remembering the scent of Padishah’s moral beauty and its interior turns darker by embarrassment. English translator’s note: Also, the Tatar beauty could be the Deer that musk is derived.)

5. May rose put its ear to roads,

Like narcissus, watch the roads (for your arrival) until Armageddon

(Ottoman translator’s note: Poet is making art by resembling Rose to Ear with its shape and Narcissus to Eye with its look)

6. If the eye that spreads tears like pearls transform all the world to seas,

It may never achieve to create a peerless pearl like you

7.O heart (or tongue), in this situation you are the only friend to me,

Come, let’s cry to the side like ney

(English translator’s note: Ney is an instrument that looks like flute with its calm and emotional sound)

8. Let’s increase our mourning and groans that,

These seven strophes carry away the woebegones.

(Ottoman Translator’s note: The word “seven strophes” means this Dirge/Poem that is written for the death of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent and Poet added the eighth strophe in order to praise Grand Vizier Sokullu Mehmed Pasha. English translator’s note: Sokullu Mehmet Pasha ruled Ottoman Empire informally after death of Sultan Suleyman, while Suleyman’s heir was an incompetent ruler)

 

5^th Strophe

1. Sun has risen; will the world’s Shah (Sultan) still not wake up from sleep?

Will he not show his face from his tent that is glorious and sublime like sky?

(Ottoman translator’s note: Another meaning of the word “cenab” is “courtyard, shade”. According to this meaning, the second verse should be translated as follows: “Will he not show his face from his Sublime and Glorious tent that sky is shadowing?”

2. Our eyes stayed watching on the roads, and no news has arrived;

From the state of God’s Heaven.

3. He lies down with his face turned pale and and his lips dry,

Like a rose that is dehydrated

4. O Sultan; When the fate occasionally hides beneath the clouds,

And remembers your grace, it sweats with its embarrassment.

5. Whether old or young, whoever does not mourn for his sorrow, my prayer is that,

May his fountain of tears be dried

(English translator’s note: Ottoman translator placed lines of number 4 and 5 in each other’s place by mistake, here it is fixed/translated according to original)

6. May the Sun burn and be burnt with fire of your departure,

And wear darkest cloaks of clouds.

7. May your sword remember the successes and talents you did in battles,

And be sunken in its dark shade (in its scabbard) at full length.

8. May pen, tear its grip with your pain and sadness;

And may alem* of banner tear its tunic by its discomfort.

(English translator’s note: “alem” is a spearhead that is plugged on top of banner pole, it can be a Spearhead only or created as symbols like Crescent&Star or Cross)

 

6^th Strophe

1. Your blade opened injuries on tongues of enemies;

That’s why nobody was able to talk/their talks ended.

2. After seeing your spear like cypress tree that looks at sky,

Enemy lords never muttered rebellion again in their mouths.

3. Wherever your horse, your foot step,

The rulers sacrificed their lives on your way.

4. Birds of death are descending and ascending on the desert of death,

Because your blade shed blood in the way of Hüda.

(English translator’s note: Hüda is a name/title of God in Arabic that means “The God who shows/leads the right way”, in Persian it is used to mean God)

5. You unleashed world wrestlers with iron belts

which they are like sabers to all around the world.

6. You made thousands of pagan temples mosques by conquering them;

You made prayer-calls chanted in bell towers.

7. Finally, the immigration drum has been rung and you migrated,

Your first residence became gardens of heaven.

8. Praises be to Hüda, He made you happy in both Worlds,

Made your name both Ghazi and Martyr.

(English translator’s note: Simply Ghazi means Veteran, but it is especially a title for a living person who gained glory by fighting for God, like Martyr is for dead)

 

7^th Strophe

1. O Bâkî, hereafter look at the new Padishah’s charming face;

Watch the mirror of The Everliving and The All-Powerful God’s art.

2. Wealthy Egypt’s old saint has been departed to Afterlife,

Now, look at the nimble young commander with the semblance of Joseph (the Prophet).

(Ottoman translator’s note: Here the old saint is Magnificent Sultan Suleyman, the following “young commander” is the new Ruler Selim II, in age 22, after the death of the Suleyman.)

3. Sun was born; now morning light has reached at its utmost.

Watch the bright-hearted Padishah’s sun-like beautiful face.

4. This world hunting grounds had dropped the Behram of his time to grave;

Now go to Shah Ardashir’s doorstep and be in his service.

(Ottoman translator’s note: in this line, Magnificent Sultan Suleyman was resembled to Bahram-Gur, a Sasanid Ruler who was famous for hunting wild donkeys; and his son and the new Sultan Selim II “the Blonde” was resembled to Sasanid Emperor Ardashir.)

5. Time hurled Suleyman’s throne into the air;

Now look at the Sultan Selim Khan who sits on the throne of Alexander.

6. Henceforth, the panther of Fight and War Mountain dived into sleep of peace;

Now you see the lion who resides in the wilderness of awe.

7. The peacock of holiness went to fly in the gardens of heaven;

Now see happy sky’s hüma that speeds like lightning soaring on the peaks.

(Ottoman translator’s note: in these lines, Magnificent Sultan Suleyman is resembled to a peacock that flies in gardens of Heaven, the heir Selim II is resembled to Hüma Bird (Bird whose shadow chooses the next ruler, or who she sits on its shoulder becomes the ruler) with its lightning speed.

8. May happiness and fortune of the Padishah (Selim II) who rules all around the world continue forever;

May peace and prayers be upon the Sultan (Suleyman) whose spirit soared away.