Patient to bear Thy will, O Lord of me, ✿ Patient to burn on coals of Ghazátree:
They wrong me, visit me with hurt and harm; ✿ Haply Thy grace from them shall set me free:
Far be't, O Lord, from thee to spare the wronger ✿ O Lord of Destiny my hope's in Thee!
And what another saith:—
Bethink thee not of worldly state, ✿ Leave everything to course of Fate;
For oft a thing that irketh thee ✿ Shall in content eventuate;
And oft what strait is shall expand, ✿ And what expanded is wax strait.
Allah will do what wills His will, ✿ So be not thou importunate!
But 'joy the view of coming weal ✿ Shall make forget past bale and bate.
And when he had ended his verse, the slave-girl came down upon him with blows till he fainted again; and, throwing him a flap of bread and a gugglet of saltish water, went away and left him sad and lonely, bound in chains of iron, with the blood streaming from his sides and far from those he loved. So he wept and called to mind his brother and the honours he erst enjoyed——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.