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Address to the Muslim Youth |
Have ever you pondered, O Muslim youth, on deep and serious things?
What is this world in which this you is only a broken star? |
You came of a stock that nourishes you in the close embracing of love,
A stock that trampled under foot Dara who wore the crown. |
Civilization’s grace they forged to a world-disposing law,
Those folks that came from the Arab sands that cradled their camel-men. |
The simple life was the pride they had in their deeds of glorious show.
How does the lovely face feel need of rouge and mole and art? |
In pure plain life and in fear of God they lived their modest way.
The rich man stood in no fear of the poor that he gives his wealth in fee. |
In short, in words can I tell to you what were these desert men?
Holders, Keepers, Saviours, Adorners of what we call the world. |
If I should draw the sketch aright limning the form in words,
The vision I’d draw would be better far than all your fancy paints. |
There is no standard by which to judge yours and your father’s worth.
You utter words but they did deeds. They roamed: you stay at home. |
We have despoiled the inheritance that we from our fathers won.
The heaven from the zenith has dashed it down and cast it on the ground. |
What is this weeping at ordered things that it is the affair of a day?
Except the help of all-certain law the world has no other plan. |
But if those pearls of learning’s lore, those books our fathers wrote
We see in Europe made scholar’s joy, the heart is rent with grief. |
Rich man, behold the darkened day Kinan’s old man once knew,
That the light of his eyes to Zuleikha’s eyesMight bring the brightness of sight. |
Translated by: H.T. Sorley |
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