Abu al-Fath al-Busti

Abu'l-Fath Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hussain ibn Yusuf ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Busti, also known as Abu al-Fath al-Busti (942 – 1010) was a Persian secretary and famous poet of the Arabic and Persian language. He served in the chancery of the Ghaznavid Amirs Sabuktigin and his son and successor Mahmud of Ghazni.

A copy from the manuscript "Unwan al Hikam", Handwritten by Abu al-Fath al-Busti, Umm al-Qura University, Number. 15281-2

Quotes

Poetry

• زيادة المرء في دنياه نقصان
  وربحه غير محض الخير خسران
  • translation:
  • A man's increase in worldly wealth doth ofttimes loss betide,
    And all his pains, save Virtue's gains, but swell the debit side.
  • A Literary History of Persia, Vol. 2, p. 99

Stanza

• I counsel you, O Kings of Earth, to cease not
  Seeking good name for well-doing and right
  Spending your 'white' and 'red' to purchase honour,
  Which shall not wane with change of 'black' and 'white':
  These are the lasting spoils of Mahmud's prowess,
  Which spoils we share when we his praise indite.
  • cited by Dawlat Shah, also quoted in A Literary History of Persia, Vol. 2, p. 99

External links

• E. G. Browne: A Literary History of Persia, Volume 2, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom, 1964