1916.] Quatrains of Abu Sa'id bin Abi'l Khair. 209 



The more I keep faith with men, and suffer them, 



Praise be to God, the more despicable am I in their sight. 



The true test of a man's worth is the world's 

 abuse. There is a " tradition " which says that " a 

 man's faith is not perfect till 40 men have called 

 him an unbeliever." 



56. 



Look Thou upon me for I am in sore plight. 

 Entrust me not to any man, for I have none save Thee. 

 Since Thou art the Lord of Bounty, my need is of Thee. 

 Since Thou overcomest all, I yield myself to Thee. 



57. 



If I raise my hands aloft in prayer, 



I can move mountains from their very roots. 



Yet because of the favours of the one God, 



I bear in mind the words — ■ ' Endure with a beautiful patience." 



58. 



I am like an ancient treasure, the world knows of me, but 



knows me not; 

 My light shines, yet is veiled; as a candle within its shade. 

 Yea, I am like the weeping-willow growing in the garden ; 



grow 



Daqidnus was an ancient mythical king of Persia. 

 The adjective u belonging to the days of Daqianus " 

 is commonly used in the sense of " patriarchal," 

 "antiquated." Line 4: that is, in humility. 



59. 



Think not that I am afraid of the world that is to come, 



That I fear death, or the uprooting of my life. 



Since death is sure, why should I fear it ? 



I worship myself— and it is that which I dread. 



This quatrain may have been uttered by the 

 Shaikh on his death-bed. The sentiments are ex- 

 actly paralleled by several of the reported sayings 

 of his last days. While he felt a passing regret at 

 having to " set his face to the journey, and fold up 

 the carpet of love," yet in death he found true 

 unification ; it was but " a curtain hiding the com- 

 munion of Paradise." l And he asked his disciples 

 to recite over his grave the following lines : 



l Diwan-i'Shame-i-Tabriz xxv. 



