“Faileth me, O my God, the patience with the pride o’ me; ✿ Life-tie is broke and drawing nigh I see Death-tide o’ me: To whom shall injured man complain of injury and wrong ✿ Save to the Lord (of Lords the Best!) who stands by side o’ me.”
Now whilst the Sultan Habib was ranging with his eye-corners to the right and to the left behold, he beheld a blackness rising high in air, and quoth he to himself, “Doubtless this dark object must be a mighty city or a vast encampment, and I will hie me thither before I be overheated by the sun-glow and I lose the power of walking and I die of distress and none shall know my fate.” Then he heartened his heart for the improvising of such poetry as came to his mind, and he repeated these verses:—
“Travel, for on the way all goodly things shalt find; ✿ And wake from sleep and dreams if still to sleep inclined! Or victory win and rise and raise thee highmost high ✿ And gain, O giddy pate, the good for which thy soul hath pined; Or into sorrow thou shalt fall with breast full strait ✿ And ne’er enjoy the Fame that wooes the gen’rous mind, Nor is there any shall avail to hinder Fate ✿ Except the Lord of Worlds who the Two Beings[417] designed.”