Chapter IV: Story of Zunun of Egypt

I thus recollect that the clouds did not deignFor the space of a year upon Egypt to rain.To the mountainous regions a multitude fled ;Lamenting and praying for showers they sped.They wept, and from weeping the tears, flood-like, fell,In the hope that the sky would perchance weep, as well.One of these, to Zunun the intelligence bore,That the people were grieved and distressed very sore."For those in affliction, do thou intercede,Since the words of the righteous avail when there's need."I have heard that Zunun to Medain quickly ran,And very soon after the raining began.The news to Medaina in twenty days crept,That the black-hearted clouds on the people had wept.The old man soon resolved to return back again,For the pools were all filled by the torrents of rain.A pious man, privately, asked on this head :"In your going, what virtue existed?" He said :"I had heard that on birds, ants and animals, all,Through the deeds of the wicked, great hardships. would fall.In this land, I have thought of it well in my mind,And a man more distressed than myself, could not find.I hurried away, lest through my sinful state,On the face of the crowd had been shut welfare's gate."By your own fellow men you'll be highly esteemed,When yourself as of little account you have deemed.To the great man who reckoned his merits as small,In this world and the next will supremacy fall.From this Earth went the Slave in a sanctified state,Who before his inferiors was humble in gait.Oh thou wandering over my ashes, take care !By the dust of the holy, in memory bear!That if changed into dust why should Sadi be sad,Since in life he abundant humility had?Unresisting his body to dust he resigned,Although he had circled the world, like the wind.In a very short time, Earth will make him its own,And then by the wind through the world he'll be blown.Observe: Since the garden of meaning upsprung,So sweetly as this, not a Bulbul has sung!"Twould be strange were a nightingale such to take wing,And a rose from the bones of his corpse not to spring.