Salaman and Absal, by Jami, tr. Edward Fitzgerald, [1904], at sacred-texts.com
Salaman and Absal, by Jami, tr. Edward Fitzgerald, [1904], at sacred-texts.com
"My Son, the Kingdom of The World is not
"Eternal, nor the Sum of right Desire;
"Make thou the Faith-preserving Intellect
"Thy Counsellor; and considering To-day
"To-morrow's Seed-field, ere That come to bear,
"Sow with the Harvest of Eternity.
"All Work with Wisdom hath to do—by that
"Stampt current only; what Thyself to do
"Art wise, that Do; what not, consult the Wise.
"Turn not thy Face away from the old Ways,
"That were the Canon of the Kings of Old;
"Nor cloud with Tyranny the Glass of Justice;
"But rather strive that all Confusion
"Change by thy Justice to its opposite.
"In whatsoever Thou shalt Take or Give
"Look to the How; Giving and Taking still,
"Not by the backward Counsel of the Godless,
"But by the Law of Faith increase and Give.
"Drain not thy People's purse—the Tyranny
"Which Thee enriches at thy Subjects’ cost,
"Awhile shall make Thee strong; but in the End
"Shall bow thy Neck beneath a Double Burden.
"The Tyrant goes to Hell—follow not Him—
"Become not Thou the Fuel of its Fires.
"Thou art a Shepherd, and thy Flock the People,
"To save and not destroy; nor at their Loss
"To lift Thyself above the Shepherd's calling.
"For which is for the other, Flock or Shepherd?
"And join with Thee true Men to keep the Flock.
"Dogs, if you will—but Trusty—head in leash,
"Whose Teeth are for the Wolf, not for the Lamb,
"And least of all the Wolf's Accomplices,
"Their Jaws blood-dripping from the Tyrant's Shambles.
"For Shahs must have Vizírs—but be they Wise
"And Trusty—knowing well the Realm's Estate-
"(For who eats Profit of a Fool? and least
"A wise King girdled by a Foolish Council—)
"Knowing how far to Shah and Subject bound
"On either Hand—not by Extortion,
"Nor Usury wrung from the People's purse,
"Their Master's and their own Estates (to whom
"Enough is apt enough to make them Rebel)
"Feeding to such a Surplus as feeds Hell.
"Proper in Soul and Body be They—pitiful
"To Poverty—hospitable to the Saint—
"Their sweet Access a Salve to wounded Hearts,
"Their Vengeance terrible to the Evil Doer,
"Thy Heralds through the Country bringing Thee
"Report of Good or Ill—which to confirm
"By thy peculiar Eye—and least of all
"Suffering Accuser also to be Judge—
"By surest Steps builds up Prosperity."