LET not the man sustain’d by royal smile,

And thence too surely envied by the great,

Admit the flatterer FANCY to beguile

His reckless heart, a stranger to deceit.

 

Let him not deem his fairest actions pure

From the dire blasting of calumnious breath;

Nor lay him down to rest at night secure

From mute unpitying messengers of death.

 

To rank and power unsought I swiftly rose

From humble life,—INTEGRITY my guide;

Shall then, the stream from HONOR’s fount that flows,

Swell the foul gulph of INSOLENCE and PRIDE?

 

Forbid it, gracious ALLAH! still to thee

O let my daily oraisons ascend

To keep this soul from pride and wealth-love free,

And humbly blest to find one faithful friend.

 

To seek that blessing ’mid the courtly train,

To seek it in the haunts of busy life,

Were, of the desert’s sand, to form a chain,

Or raise the plant of PEACE from seeds of Strife.

 

How many a VIRTUE, bloom’d in FORTUNE’s shade,

Low-drooping withers in the courtly ray,

And mid the glare of GRANDEUR’s vain parade,

Like some faint sick-bed vision fades away;

 

And haply leaves distractive FEAR behind,

Leaning on pallid LANGUOR, to sustain

The conflicts of a lacerated mind

Rack’d by a thousand pangs of speechless pain.

 

Such FATE perchance, brave MORAD! may be mine,

Ev’n whilst, afflicted man! I pity thine.