POEMS OF NABI

Alas! nor dew nor smiling rose within this mead is mine;Within this market-place nor trade nor coin for need is mine;Nor more nor less; nor power nor strength for act or deed is mine;Nor might nor eminence; nor balm the cure to speed is mine.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Being's the bounty of the Lord; and Life, the gift Divine;The Breath, the present of his love; and Speech his Grace's sign;The Body is the pile of God; the Soul, his Breath benign;The Powers thereof, his Glory's trust; the Senses, his design.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!No work, no business of my own within this mart have I;All Being is of him alone—no life apart have I;No choice of entering this world, or hence of start have I;To cry, "I am! I am!" in truth, no power of heart have I.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!The Earth the carpet is of Power; the Sphere, the tent of Might;The Stars, both fixed and wandering, are Glory's lamps of light;The World's the issue of the grace of Mercy's treasures bright;With forms of beings is the page of Wisdom's volume dight.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Being is but a loan to us, and Life in trust we hold:In slaves a claim to Power's pretension arrogant and bold;The servant's part is by submission and obedience told;Should He, "My slave," address to me, 'twere favors manifold.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!I'm poor and empty-handed, but grace free is of the Lord;Nonentity's my attribute: to Be is of the Lord;For Being or Non-being's rise, decree is of the Lord;The surging of the Seen and Unseen's sea is of the Lord.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Of gifts from table of his Bounty is my daily bread;My breath is from the Breath of God's benignant Mercy fed;My portion from the favors of Almighty Power is shed;And my provision is from Providence's kitchen spread.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!I can not, unallotted, take my share from wet or dry;From land or from the ocean, from earth or from the sky;The silver or the gold will come, by Providence laid by;I can not grasp aught other than my fortune doth supply.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Creation's Pen the lines of billows of events hath traced;Th' illumined scroll of the Two Worlds, Creation's Pencil graced;Their garments upon earth and sky, Creation's woof hath placed;Men's forms are pictures in Creation's great Shah-Nama traced.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!I can not make the morning eve, or the dark night the day;I can not turn the air to fire, or dust to water's spray;I can not bid the Sphere stand still, or mountain region stray;I can not Autumn turn by will of mine to lovely May.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Alas! nor dew nor smiling rose within this mead is mine;Within this market-place nor trade nor coin for need is mine;Nor more nor less; nor power nor strength for act or deed is mine;Nor might nor eminence; nor balm the cure to speed is mine.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Being's the bounty of the Lord; and Life, the gift Divine;The Breath, the present of his love; and Speech his Grace's sign;The Body is the pile of God; the Soul, his Breath benign;The Powers thereof, his Glory's trust; the Senses, his design.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!No work, no business of my own within this mart have I;All Being is of him alone—no life apart have I;No choice of entering this world, or hence of start have I;To cry, "I am! I am!" in truth, no power of heart have I.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!The Earth the carpet is of Power; the Sphere, the tent of Might;The Stars, both fixed and wandering, are Glory's lamps of light;The World's the issue of the grace of Mercy's treasures bright;With forms of beings is the page of Wisdom's volume dight.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Being is but a loan to us, and Life in trust we hold:In slaves a claim to Power's pretension arrogant and bold;The servant's part is by submission and obedience told;Should He, "My slave," address to me, 'twere favors manifold.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!I'm poor and empty-handed, but grace free is of the Lord;Nonentity's my attribute: to Be is of the Lord;For Being or Non-being's rise, decree is of the Lord;The surging of the Seen and Unseen's sea is of the Lord.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Of gifts from table of his Bounty is my daily bread;My breath is from the Breath of God's benignant Mercy fed;My portion from the favors of Almighty Power is shed;And my provision is from Providence's kitchen spread.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!I can not, unallotted, take my share from wet or dry;From land or from the ocean, from earth or from the sky;The silver or the gold will come, by Providence laid by;I can not grasp aught other than my fortune doth supply.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Creation's Pen the lines of billows of events hath traced;Th' illumined scroll of the Two Worlds, Creation's Pencil graced;Their garments upon earth and sky, Creation's woof hath placed;Men's forms are pictures in Creation's great Shah-Nama traced.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!I can not make the morning eve, or the dark night the day;I can not turn the air to fire, or dust to water's spray;I can not bid the Sphere stand still, or mountain region stray;I can not Autumn turn by will of mine to lovely May.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Alas! nor dew nor smiling rose within this mead is mine;Within this market-place nor trade nor coin for need is mine;Nor more nor less; nor power nor strength for act or deed is mine;Nor might nor eminence; nor balm the cure to speed is mine.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Alas! nor dew nor smiling rose within this mead is mine;

Within this market-place nor trade nor coin for need is mine;

Nor more nor less; nor power nor strength for act or deed is mine;

Nor might nor eminence; nor balm the cure to speed is mine.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Being's the bounty of the Lord; and Life, the gift Divine;The Breath, the present of his love; and Speech his Grace's sign;The Body is the pile of God; the Soul, his Breath benign;The Powers thereof, his Glory's trust; the Senses, his design.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Being's the bounty of the Lord; and Life, the gift Divine;

The Breath, the present of his love; and Speech his Grace's sign;

The Body is the pile of God; the Soul, his Breath benign;

The Powers thereof, his Glory's trust; the Senses, his design.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

No work, no business of my own within this mart have I;All Being is of him alone—no life apart have I;No choice of entering this world, or hence of start have I;To cry, "I am! I am!" in truth, no power of heart have I.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

No work, no business of my own within this mart have I;

All Being is of him alone—no life apart have I;

No choice of entering this world, or hence of start have I;

To cry, "I am! I am!" in truth, no power of heart have I.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

The Earth the carpet is of Power; the Sphere, the tent of Might;The Stars, both fixed and wandering, are Glory's lamps of light;The World's the issue of the grace of Mercy's treasures bright;With forms of beings is the page of Wisdom's volume dight.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

The Earth the carpet is of Power; the Sphere, the tent of Might;

The Stars, both fixed and wandering, are Glory's lamps of light;

The World's the issue of the grace of Mercy's treasures bright;

With forms of beings is the page of Wisdom's volume dight.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Being is but a loan to us, and Life in trust we hold:In slaves a claim to Power's pretension arrogant and bold;The servant's part is by submission and obedience told;Should He, "My slave," address to me, 'twere favors manifold.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Being is but a loan to us, and Life in trust we hold:

In slaves a claim to Power's pretension arrogant and bold;

The servant's part is by submission and obedience told;

Should He, "My slave," address to me, 'twere favors manifold.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I'm poor and empty-handed, but grace free is of the Lord;Nonentity's my attribute: to Be is of the Lord;For Being or Non-being's rise, decree is of the Lord;The surging of the Seen and Unseen's sea is of the Lord.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I'm poor and empty-handed, but grace free is of the Lord;

Nonentity's my attribute: to Be is of the Lord;

For Being or Non-being's rise, decree is of the Lord;

The surging of the Seen and Unseen's sea is of the Lord.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Of gifts from table of his Bounty is my daily bread;My breath is from the Breath of God's benignant Mercy fed;My portion from the favors of Almighty Power is shed;And my provision is from Providence's kitchen spread.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Of gifts from table of his Bounty is my daily bread;

My breath is from the Breath of God's benignant Mercy fed;

My portion from the favors of Almighty Power is shed;

And my provision is from Providence's kitchen spread.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I can not, unallotted, take my share from wet or dry;From land or from the ocean, from earth or from the sky;The silver or the gold will come, by Providence laid by;I can not grasp aught other than my fortune doth supply.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I can not, unallotted, take my share from wet or dry;

From land or from the ocean, from earth or from the sky;

The silver or the gold will come, by Providence laid by;

I can not grasp aught other than my fortune doth supply.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Creation's Pen the lines of billows of events hath traced;Th' illumined scroll of the Two Worlds, Creation's Pencil graced;Their garments upon earth and sky, Creation's woof hath placed;Men's forms are pictures in Creation's great Shah-Nama traced.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Creation's Pen the lines of billows of events hath traced;

Th' illumined scroll of the Two Worlds, Creation's Pencil graced;

Their garments upon earth and sky, Creation's woof hath placed;

Men's forms are pictures in Creation's great Shah-Nama traced.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I can not make the morning eve, or the dark night the day;I can not turn the air to fire, or dust to water's spray;I can not bid the Sphere stand still, or mountain region stray;I can not Autumn turn by will of mine to lovely May.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I can not make the morning eve, or the dark night the day;

I can not turn the air to fire, or dust to water's spray;

I can not bid the Sphere stand still, or mountain region stray;

I can not Autumn turn by will of mine to lovely May.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

From out of Nothingness his mighty Power made me appear;Whilst in the womb I lay, saw he to all I need for here;With kindness concealed and manifest did he me rear;With me he drew a curtain o'er Distinction's beauty dear.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!God's Revelation is Discernment's Eye, if't oped remain;The picturings of worlds are all things changing aye amain;The showing of the Hidden Treasure is this raging main,This work, this business of the Lord, this Majesty made plain.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Now void, now full, are Possibility's storehouses vast;This glass-lined world's the mirror where Lights Twain their phases cast;The blinded thing—in scattering strange fruits its hours are past;Ruined hath this old Vineyard been by autumn's sullen blast.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

From out of Nothingness his mighty Power made me appear;Whilst in the womb I lay, saw he to all I need for here;With kindness concealed and manifest did he me rear;With me he drew a curtain o'er Distinction's beauty dear.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!God's Revelation is Discernment's Eye, if't oped remain;The picturings of worlds are all things changing aye amain;The showing of the Hidden Treasure is this raging main,This work, this business of the Lord, this Majesty made plain.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!Now void, now full, are Possibility's storehouses vast;This glass-lined world's the mirror where Lights Twain their phases cast;The blinded thing—in scattering strange fruits its hours are past;Ruined hath this old Vineyard been by autumn's sullen blast.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

From out of Nothingness his mighty Power made me appear;Whilst in the womb I lay, saw he to all I need for here;With kindness concealed and manifest did he me rear;With me he drew a curtain o'er Distinction's beauty dear.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

From out of Nothingness his mighty Power made me appear;

Whilst in the womb I lay, saw he to all I need for here;

With kindness concealed and manifest did he me rear;

With me he drew a curtain o'er Distinction's beauty dear.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

God's Revelation is Discernment's Eye, if't oped remain;The picturings of worlds are all things changing aye amain;The showing of the Hidden Treasure is this raging main,This work, this business of the Lord, this Majesty made plain.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

God's Revelation is Discernment's Eye, if't oped remain;

The picturings of worlds are all things changing aye amain;

The showing of the Hidden Treasure is this raging main,

This work, this business of the Lord, this Majesty made plain.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Now void, now full, are Possibility's storehouses vast;This glass-lined world's the mirror where Lights Twain their phases cast;The blinded thing—in scattering strange fruits its hours are past;Ruined hath this old Vineyard been by autumn's sullen blast.Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Now void, now full, are Possibility's storehouses vast;

This glass-lined world's the mirror where Lights Twain their phases cast;

The blinded thing—in scattering strange fruits its hours are past;

Ruined hath this old Vineyard been by autumn's sullen blast.

Oh, that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Ne'er a corner for the plaintive bulbul's nest remaineth now;Ne'er a palm-tree 'neath whose kindly shade is rest remaineth now.Day and night some balm I've sought for, to relieve my wounded heart;Ne'er a cure within the heavens' turquoise chest remaineth now.From its source, through every country, searched have I, but all in vain—Ne'er a single drop, in mercy's fountain blest, remaineth now.Empty earthen pots are reckoned one with jewels rich and rare;Ne'er a scale in value's mart the worth to test remaineth now.'Neath the earth may now the needy hide themselves, Nabi, away;Ne'er a turret on the fort of interest remaineth now.

Ne'er a corner for the plaintive bulbul's nest remaineth now;Ne'er a palm-tree 'neath whose kindly shade is rest remaineth now.Day and night some balm I've sought for, to relieve my wounded heart;Ne'er a cure within the heavens' turquoise chest remaineth now.From its source, through every country, searched have I, but all in vain—Ne'er a single drop, in mercy's fountain blest, remaineth now.Empty earthen pots are reckoned one with jewels rich and rare;Ne'er a scale in value's mart the worth to test remaineth now.'Neath the earth may now the needy hide themselves, Nabi, away;Ne'er a turret on the fort of interest remaineth now.

Ne'er a corner for the plaintive bulbul's nest remaineth now;Ne'er a palm-tree 'neath whose kindly shade is rest remaineth now.Day and night some balm I've sought for, to relieve my wounded heart;Ne'er a cure within the heavens' turquoise chest remaineth now.From its source, through every country, searched have I, but all in vain—Ne'er a single drop, in mercy's fountain blest, remaineth now.Empty earthen pots are reckoned one with jewels rich and rare;Ne'er a scale in value's mart the worth to test remaineth now.'Neath the earth may now the needy hide themselves, Nabi, away;Ne'er a turret on the fort of interest remaineth now.

Ne'er a corner for the plaintive bulbul's nest remaineth now;

Ne'er a palm-tree 'neath whose kindly shade is rest remaineth now.

Day and night some balm I've sought for, to relieve my wounded heart;

Ne'er a cure within the heavens' turquoise chest remaineth now.

From its source, through every country, searched have I, but all in vain—

Ne'er a single drop, in mercy's fountain blest, remaineth now.

Empty earthen pots are reckoned one with jewels rich and rare;

Ne'er a scale in value's mart the worth to test remaineth now.

'Neath the earth may now the needy hide themselves, Nabi, away;

Ne'er a turret on the fort of interest remaineth now.


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