1880.] 



BALOCHf LANGUAGE. 



157 



the heart with battle-array ; jjraise lieroes ! Thou hast sat in the assembly 

 with an ever sweet song of praise, and from our forefathers hast drawn 

 forth our tracks and legends. 



After greeting : The chief is the day, battle is black night ; after a 

 battle for men and horses there is no blessed day. The glittering weapons 

 devour youthful warriors, and make populous forts empty of display. 

 Some youths boast with their mouths, " We will be bold in the fight," but 

 afterwards they turn their backs and are not in the company of the 

 storm-cloud of young heroes. And afterwards they sit and lament and 

 strike tlieir heads and thighs with both hands. 



At war's alarm they wander to all the four quarters. Cowardly men 

 flee like wild asses, at mere sight (of a foe). The business of strong men 

 is to go to the battle-field : they give their hearts a pvish off (from the 

 shore) in the boat of confidence : they clothe their bright bodies in helmets 

 and armour : they drain cups of fiery spirits ; with burning white brands 

 they fall upon the crowds, they wield their glittering blades to their own 

 fame ; with their own Lord and Chief they become like a sweet odour. 



Sweet-singing I'lela;j, take away your guitar of rejoicings ; give my 

 greeting to the poet Sobha, and say ' Examine the tracks of our Chiefs, and 

 see who was at Bompur. Know in your heart that you are not whole 

 brother to the Khosas. A venal awarder of victory, you will be burnt 

 with wood. Wretched man ! They know that you have past a hundred 

 years, that you are either a fool or have abandoned your home. And in 

 that you cast scorn at me regarding Bakar and Kamen, when was it that 

 you became a Kind or a Lashari ? 



For you were lost in the waves of the river's flood, you were Mir 

 Chakar's attendant for your (daily) evening food, while we, like mighty 

 liinds, sought for glory and every day weighed our single seers against 

 maunds. I will explain things to jowv elephant's brain. Come into tlie 

 battle-field, and, becoming a Simur(/'7i, I will strike you down with my talons, 

 as in Sawan (the rains) the torrent sweeps away the men of Aro. You 

 bind on the new and fine pagri of other men ; you are gasping in death, 

 when can you have any pleasure ? You have cast away honour and made 

 yoursell: a friend of worthless life ; know in your heart that at last death 

 will not spare you. Tliere was disgrace on your head in the matter of 

 Doda. MedJis and Machis are not fit companions for Hanizah. You are 

 excluded from home and food with Khosas and Kinds. For how did the 

 true Kinds act with regard to refugees ? How did Mir Cluikar act with 

 regard to Gohar's young camels ; and about Sammi's cattle, how acted 

 Doda with the sword ? when, like a tiger on the mountain tops, sword in 

 hand, he gave up his life to protect the cattle of the poor. 

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