O, Thou, the only God, whose O, Thou, the One, whose grace
grace embraceth all that be, doth all the world embrace;
Thine ears have heard my Thine ears have heard, Thine
moan, Thine eyes have seen eyes have seen my case!
my misery;
Indeed, privation and distress Privation and distress have dealt
are heavy on my head; I me heavy blows; the woes
cannot tell of all the woes that weary me no utterance
that do beleaguer me. can trace.
I'm like a man athirst, that I am like one athirst who eyes
looks upon a running stream, the landscape's eye, yet may
yet may not drink a single not drink a draught of
draught of all that he doth streams that rail and race.
see.
My flesh would have me buy its My flesh would tempt me by the
will, alack, its pleasures sight of savoury food whose
flee! The sin that pays their joys shall pass away and
price abides to all eternity. pangs maintain their place.
[The girl, "worn out with want," came a third time, and met with the same answer. But then remorse seized upon the blacksmith and he bade her, "eat, and fear not.">[
"When she heard this "Then she raised her eyes she raised her eyes to to heaven and said, heaven and said,
"'O my God, if this "'O my God, if this man man be sincere, I pray say sooth, I pray thee Thee forbid fire to do forbid fire to harm him him hurt in this world in this world and the and the next, for Thou art next, for Thou over all He that answereth prayer things art Omnipotent and and art powerful to do Prevalent in answering the whatsoever Thou wilt!' prayer of the penitent!'
"Then I left her and Then I left her and went went to put out the fire to put out the fire in in the brasier. Now the the brazier. Now the time was the winter-cold, season was winter and the and a hot coal fell on weather cold, and a live my body; but by the coal fell on my body, but ordinance of God (to by the decree of Allah (to whom belong might and whom be Honour and majesty), I felt no pain Glory!) I felt no pain, and and it was born in upon it became my conviction me that her prayer had that her prayer had been been answered." answered."
[The girl then praised God, who "straightway took her soul to Him." The story finishes with some verses which are rendered by Payne and Burton each according to his wont.]