O heart, thy tongue now kindle into fire, Soften thy disposition with desire. Build up a burning story out of truth, And with hot breath go raging through the world. Oh, let the utterance of the pen stream fire, And let the world itself go off in fire. Whoever sets ablaze the narrative Shall lighten up the circle of the world. In Eastern lands there sat enthroned in might A mighty monarch potent and revered. A sovereign who could set afire the earth, He was a hero of a fiery heart. His marrow was with happiness aflame, And the world sighed beneath his conquering arm, And he was wont with his prevailing wrath To lay in devastation all the land. He blazed in every confine of the earth, And glowing ardor shone where’er he trod. Although he was of fervent nature born, All that he counselled was by wisdom marked. He touched the mountain with the brew of life, And gave to all the world her energy. A king of flame who sat enthroned in light, His name was that of sun and moon in one; His happiness was heat on heat increased, And the world swooned submissive to his sway. And more and more his fervor he increased, His rage and heat laid desolate the earth, The world was kindled like a flame of fire, His deadly hand threw conflagration round. The people doffed the garments they had worn, So much they feared the coming of his rage. During his reign went no one out of doors, And all the people kept themselves at home, Until they wearied of this quietude, And all were willing to endure his glow, And all were willing in the shade to be, Some in the garden, some by city wall. Meanwhile the world flamed out in cruel plight, And like a templed altar worshipped him. The sparks of horror seethed with higher glow, And the great banners of his power rose higher. At last he styled him “Emperor of the World,” His banners flaunted in the firmament, The hues of heat were painted in the sky. The dust was in his honor turned to flame, His blaze subdued the universe in light, His fury kindled like a furnace coal. In time he sent his heat out far and wide, The scent of scorched wild-fowl went o’er the land, His fury choked the very sigh of love, And in the watercourse he scorched the stone. And by the influence of his raging fire The circling birds were roasted as they flew, And every grain was parched upon its sod. The scent of musk, in conflagration quenched, The world made nothing but a pit of ash, And nothing green was left upon the plain. And greater still grew up the tyrant’s power, And the burnt streams were dried within their beds. And more and more with grisly cruelty, What time the people lay upon the rack, The ladder of the heavens was all aglow, And sent out sparks like to a furnace grate.