The outward gilt, the shell, of science they despise ;
The banner of real certitude floats where they rise.
They've thought abandoned; light and life they've truly

found;

Their breasts and hearts are filled with love's inspiring 70 sound.

Death, that dread thing of which all mankind stand in

fear,

Is laughed and mocked at by the saints, when it draws near.
No man has power to dominate their tranquil minds.
The shell may injured be; the pearl harm never finds.
The rhetor's art, the jurist's skill, they set at naught;
But poverty, abasement, to themselves they've taught.
The scenes of all eight paradises1 are consumed

In that full blaze with which their holy heart's illumed. They're more exalted than the heavens and what's beyond;

Their place is in the court of love divine, all-fond.

1 Commonly, in Islām, eight para- 5. Jennatu-'n-Na‘īm, the Paradise of dises, or, properly, eight mansions the Pleasantness; 6. Dāru-'s-Selām, of Paradise, are reported, mentioned, and believed. Baydhāvī, in Qur'an ii. 23, gives only seven, and one of those is wrong. Guided by him, however, I have corrected this, and verified the others, besides finding the eighth. Their names, then, are as follows:-1. Jennatu-'l-Khuld, the Paradise (garden) of Eternal Duration; 2. Jennatu ‘Aden, the Garden of Eden; 3. Jennatu-'l-Firdaws, the Garden of Paradise; 4. Jennatu-'lMe'và, the Garden of the Abode;

the Home of Security; 7. Daru-'l-
Maqama, the House of Sojourn; 8.
‘Illiyūn, the Sublime Heights. Bay-
dhāvī has Dāru-'l-Khuld for Jennatu-
'l-Khuld; but that is one of the names
of Hell, as occurring in Qur'an xli.
28. There is also a Daru-'l-Qarār,
Home of Permanence, mentioned in
Qur'an xl. 42; but it applies to Hell
and Heaven, as does the Dāru-'l-
Baqa, Home of Duration, commonly
used, but not found in the Qur'ān.

75

XV.

Zeyd's Enspiration.

THE Prophet asked one morn of Zeyd, in tender tone,1
"How art thou, dear disciple, faithful to the bone?"
"I'm pious;—a believer," Zeyd replied; and he

Inquired again: "What proof of faith resides in thee?"
He said: "Whole days I've burnt with parching fever's

thirst;

By night I've watched; with love's sweet pangs my heart's

nigh burst.

Thus have I traversed days' and nights' enduring space, As point of spear through shield makes way in war's embrace. For, in love's view, the church of faith one body is;

5 Ten million years, one instant, are alike, when His.

The past eternity and future join in one;

Though reason cannot compass how the marvel's done."

The Prophet then: "Bring forth some souvenir from thence,
Shall satisfy all men of judgment and of sense."
Said Zeyd: "As men behold the sky above their heads,
So I survey the heavens, and all their flowery meads.
Eight paradises,2 seven deep hells,3 are in my view,
As patent as the idol to its silly crew.

1 Zeyd, son of Haritha and father of Usāma, the freedman and adopted son of Muhammed, one of his most devoted disciples.

3 The seven hells are:-1. Jahannam; 2. Latzā; 3. Hutama; 4. Sa'īr; 5. Jahīm; 6. Hawiya; 7. Saqar. All these names for Hell occur in the

2 For the eight paradises, see Tale Qur'an. xiv. dist. 74, p. 253.

་

Apart, and one by one, I can discern all men,

As wheat and barley well are known to miller's ken.
I see who's heavenward bound, who takes the other road;
As men distinguish fish from snake in walks abroad."

'Tis thus that saints, within the bounds of present life, See who'll be blessed, who cursed, when tried in judgment's strife;

1

ΙΟ

Before each soul contracts the sins will cause its shame;
While yet in mother's womb,—while yet without a name.
The wretch is he conceived for wretchedness' sad thirst.
Each soul is marked for future bliss or woe, at first.1
The body, as a mother, bears within a soul.
Death's but the throes that launch the spirit to its goal. 15
Departed souls are all agog at each fresh birth,

To see what class the new-born enters in its mirth.

The blacks presume 'twill prove to be of their dark gang; The pale-faced Romans hope they'll profit by the pang.

But when the little stranger shows itself at last,

No room remains for doubt; the question's judged and cast.

The new-born black is borne in triumph by its kind;
The rosy-cheeked fair bantling's claimed by Roman mind.
Until its birth the child's a riddle to all men.

Who knows an unborn infant 's rare sage in this glen.
Unless, mayhap, he see with light divine's blest aid;
For this can penetrate through densest shell e'er made.
The life-conveying fluid's colourless and clear;
But living men their various shades of colour bear.
The soul sustains complexions in our mortal frames,
Until our halves material find rest from their games.
But turn we now away to other subjects, high;
For fear events should leave us to regret and sigh.

1 This is predestination indeed. But does not our "vessels of wrath " come to about the same thing, at least in some opinions?

20

"When settling-day 'brings forth the colour of each face,' 25 Mankind are separated sharply, race from race.

Within the womb nor Turk, nor Hindu, yet is seen; 2 So soon as born, all, high and low, know what to ween. As in the day of judgment all men all will know, So now to me each man and woman forms a show. Say Shall I all declare; or shall I hold my peace?" To this the Prophet in reply made motion: "Cease." "Ha! Prophet of the Lord! I'll tell that secret, all! To men I will declare the deeds of that dread hall! Permit me to tear off the veil that hides it now; 30 My heart shall light the world as sun in midday glow. I will eclipse that lamp, by giving out more light. I will set plainly forth the thorn and fig-tree right. Th' events of judgment day I'll lay before all men. I'll separate the gold from spurious coin, as then. They of the left hand shall be maimed to public view,3 And all shall then the fruits of misbelief eschew.

I will expose the seven pits of wrath divine,*

'1

By aid of light from truth's great luminary's shine. I'll rend away the rags that veil the wicked's shame. 35 I'll sound the trump, that all may hear the Prophet's name. Hell, heaven, the gulf between, I'll set before men's eyes, That misbelievers may be warned of error's dyes. The fountain of Kawthar' shall throw its highest jet; 5 Its rush shall greet their ears, its spray their faces wet. They who will flock around it, burning with fierce thirst, I'll make apparent unto all, from last to first. Their shoulders jostle 'gainst my shoulders in the crowd; Their shrieks are sounding in my ears, as thunder loud.

1 Qur'an iii. 102.

2 Turk and Hindu" is synonymous with "fair and dark.”

3 "They of the left hand," Qur'an lix. 8; xc. 18.

4 "The seven pits of hell" are named respectively: Jahannam,

Latza, Hutama, Sa'ir, Jahīm, Hawiya, and Saqar, as above mentioned, p. 254, note 3.

5 "Al-Kawthar," Qur'an cviii. 1, is variously explained, but probably means: the great multitude, scil., of mankind; not a fountain."

While heaven's citizens, rejoicing with delight,
Hug one another lovingly, to glad my sight.

They visit one another's thrones, high rapture's seats ;
They kiss each other fondly; each all others greets.
My ears grow deaf through listening to those cries of grief,
And sorrow's anguish from the lips where sin sat chief.
These are slight indications; much more could I say ;
I pause; the Prophet's wearied; cease from speech I may."

40

Thus spake the Prophet's servant, in delirious guise.
The Prophet shook his collar,-sign of deep surprise.
Then spake: "Rein in thy steed! He risks to run away!
Reflected Truth declares: God blushes not.' Heyday! 45
The mirror's fallen out from its protecting case!

A mirror and a balance never truth debase!

A mirror and a balance never facts conceal,

Although some one be hurt by what they do reveal!
The mirror and the balance tests are of my rule ;

Though for a thousand years thou serve it's strict. formule.

Hide not the truth from thought of deep respect for me.
Show forth the whole, in full. Deficiency mayn't be.
What is't that tells thee: Play not, joke not with the
truth?' 2

The mirror, balance, God,-who smites falsehood with truth! 50
Sure, God hath raised me up for that one sole intent,
That through me truth be preached unto its full extent.
Were this not so, what value's in me, valued friend?

Did I become instructor, only good to mend?

But shut thy mirror tight within its felten sack,

If Sion's miracle's repeated in thy track.”

Said Zeyd: "Can man e'er grasp beneath his feeble arm

The sun of truth, eternal luminary, warm?

1

1 Qur'ān ii. 24.

2 Qur'an ii. 231; and, indirectly, in many texts.