do not desist from sin; you behold terrors closing in on you, yet in the field of amusement you gambol. You decry the deeds of fools (1) even as you rap upon the very door of folly. The moment has come for you to feel above reproach and to rise above lowly things (2); the light-burdened have already set out, whereas you have lingered behind (3)—what, then, are you waiting for?

Ibn al-Sāʿī (4) has cited some choice poetry of his, among which are the following lines:

—from the sarīʿ metre—
If your eyes (5) keep vigil in obedience,
that is far better for you than sleep.
Yesterday, with all its blemishes, has slipped away;
so reclaim today what has been missed.

He also said (6):
—from the khafīf metre—
A Lord who guided you, after your straying,
to the paths of rectitude is surely worthy of worship.
Worship Him and you will find from Him emancipation;
prolong His favor by steadfast asceticism.

And he said as well,
—from the muḫallaʿ al-basīṭ metre—
If you refrain from the unlawful,
He will recompense you with wholesome lawful things.
Be content, and you will find a lawful substitute for the forbidden—
a bounty from Allah, the Lord of Majesty. (7)

Then the year 627 AH commenced.

In that year: a great battle was fought between al-Ashraf Mūsā ibn al-ʿĀdil and Jalāl al-Dīn ibn Khwārazm-Shāh (8). Its cause was that Jalāl al-Dīn had earlier seized the city of Khilāṭ, laid it waste, and scattered its people. ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn Kayqubād, the King of Rūm (9), took up arms against him and sent word to al-Ashraf, urging him to come even if alone. Al-Ashraf accordingly arrived with a large contingent from the army of Damascus; they were joined by the troops of the Jazīra region and by the remainder (10) of the garrison of Khilāṭ,