Under my raiment a waste body lies, ✿ And in my spirit all-comprising prize.
I have a heart, whose pain shall aye endure, ✿ And tears like torrents pour these woeful eyes.
Whene’er a wise man spies me, straight he chides ✿ Love, that misleads me thus in ways unwise:
O Lord, I lack the power this dole to bear: ✿ Come sudden Death or joy in bestest guise!
When he had ended, Ali bin Hisham sprang up and kissing his feet, said, “O my lord, Allah hearing thy secret hath answered thy prayer and consenteth to thy taking her with all she hath of things rare and fair, so the Commander of the Faithful have no mind to her.” Quoth Al-Maamun, “Had we a mind to her, we would prefer Abu Isa before ourselves and help him to his desire.” So saying, he rose and embarking, went away, whilst Abu Isa tarried for Kurrat al-Ayn, whom he took and carried to his own house, his breast swelling with joy. See then the generosity of Ali son of Hisham! And they tell a tale of
[212]. One of the Wazirs of Al-Maamun; Kurrat al-Ayn = “coolness (i.e. delight) of the eyes.” Ali bin Hishám surnamed Abu ‘l-Hasan, was prefect of Baghdad under the same reign.
[213]. The Mac. Edit. (ii. 448) reads for Kawáid (plur. of Káid = Governors, Span. Alcayde) “Fawáid”; hence Lane (ii. 606) translates “try thy heart.”
[214]. The mats of Sind were famous even in my day, but under English rule native industries are killed out by Manchester and Birmingham.
[215]. Sajáh was the name of a famous female impostor, a contemporary of “Musaylimah the Liar.”