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Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 1 (of 6)

by Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890 [Translator] Burton

Pages
about 388
Category
Literature & Fiction
Language
English
Reading time
7.1 h at 250 wpm
Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 4 h at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

It is said that, when the Caliphate devolved on Omar bin Abd al- Aziz[FN#86] (of whom Allah accept), the poets resorted to him, as they had been used to resort to the Caliphs before him, and abode at his door days and days, but he suffered them not to enter, till there came to him 'Adí bin Artah,[FN#87] who stood high in esteem with him. Jarír[FN#88] accosted him and begged him to crave admission for them to the presence; so Adi answered, "'Tis well;" and, going in to Omar, said to him, "The poets are at thy door and have been there days and days; yet hast thou not given them leave to enter, albeit their sayings abide[FN#89] and their arrows from mark never fly wide." Quoth Omar, "What have I to do with the poets?" and quoth Adi, "O Commander of the Faithful, the Prophet (Abhak!)[FN#90] was praised by a poet[FN#91] and gave him largesse, and in him[FN#92] is an exemplar to every Moslem." Quoth Omar, "And who praised him?" and quoth Adi, "'Abbás bin Mirdás[FN#93] praised him, and he clad him with a suit and said, O Generosity,[FN#94] cut off from me his tongue!" Asked the Caliph, "Dost thou remember what he said?" and Adi answered, "Yes." Rejoined Omar, "Then repeat it;" so Adi repeated,[FN#95]

"I saw thee, O thou best of human race, * Bring out a Book which brought to graceless Grace. Thou showedst righteous road to men astray * From Right, when darkest Wrong had ta'en its place;— Thou with Islám didst light the gloomiest way, *Quenching with proof live coals of frowardness; I own for Prophet mine Mohammed's self; * And man's award upon his word we base; Thou madest straight the path that crooked ran, * Where in old days foul growth o'ergrew its face. Exalt be thou in Joy's empyrean * And Allah's glory ever grow apace.

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