“Once Abū-Jahl saw Ahmed; spitefully he said: ‘Thou ugly portraiture from Banū-Hāshim bred!’ 120 Said Ahmed: ‘True thou’st spoken, most veracious man; Thy words are worthy credit, let who cavil can!’ Then Abū-Bekr saw him, said he was a sun Of perfect beauty; east, west, everywhere he’d run. To him, too, Ahmed answered: ‘Thou hast spoken true, O upright man, set free from all the nine spheres’ clew.’ The company assembled marvelled at these words, And asked: ‘How can two contraries be what accords?’ Said Ahmed then: ‘A mirror am I, polished bright. Both Turk and Hindū see in me reflection’s light.’” 125
“O wife! If ever thou hast thought me covetous, Come forth from such idea,--too preposterous. That which thou takest for greed is heaven’s mercy, sure. And how can greed and mercy both at once allure? Make trial of true poverty, but for one day, or two. Thou’lt find therein true riches, with contentment, too. Be patient with our poverty, and banish grief; For poverty’s a crown bestowed by our great Chief. Put off sour looks and see, how many thousand souls, Through sweet contentment are as happy as the fowls. 130 See other thousands, also, drinking dregs of grief: It permeates their being, as sugar scents roseleaf.”
“Alas! Thou wast a treasure valued by my heart! I loved to pour my soul forth in thy ears apart! A kind of milk is speech; its teat the soul,--or gland. To make it freely flow requires a loving hand. If but the hearer listen, hang upon his lips, The speaker, though a corpse, grows eloquent, ne’er trips. Attentive audiences still confer the powers, To stutterers and stammerers, to speak for hours. 135 If strangers should break in upon my privacy, My womenkind retire, from mere delicacy. But if my visitor be confidant and kin, They come forth freely, play about with gladsome din. Whatever best they know, of work, or play, or jest, They do and say, for show, before a welcome guest. What use of sound of harp, of bass or treble notes, For deaf or senseless ear, that on no music dotes?”
“Our God has made the earth, the sky, and all between; His light, and eke His fire, upon that stage is seen. 140 The Lord without a purpose gave not musk its scent. For odour ’twas, not for diseased nostrils, meant. The earth He stretched forth, and fixed as man’s abode. The heavens He upreared to be by angels rode. Th’ inferior creature, man, ’s at strife with all on high; He bids for every place he sees, for all he’ll sigh.”