Dost wish to speak always to men with sweet words? Have patience. Impatience must not fret the cords. ’Tis patience beloved is by all men of sense. Impatience a fault is, of children, intense. 55 Who patience exhibits shall mount to heaven’s dome. Impatience who showeth, tastes wrath that’s to come. A saint is not hurt, whate’er else may betide,[210] To swallow fell poison should he once decide. He’s whole, and he’s sound; strict diet’s his rule. Poor students are healthy in fever’s dread school. The Prophet has cautioned: “Brave though you may be, Commit not mad rashness, howe’er the foe flee.” Within thee’s a Nimrod. Approach not the fire. Approach it thou must? To be Abr’am aspire. 60 A swimmer thou art not;--nor seaman by trade; From headstrongness strive not the deep sea to wade. From fire Abr’am brought forth a fresh-plucked red rose. A diver, from sea-bottom, pearls’ store can choose. A saint handles earth, turns it straightway to gold. A sinner, by touch, to earth turns this;--behold. A just man’s accepted of God, the Most High. His deeds are the works of God’s hand, still. Eigh! Eigh! Th’ imperfect one’s hand is aye Satan’s foul limb; Responsible rests he, howe’er he may climb.[211] 65 To him wisdom’s self’s but a mere misguidance. Th’ imperfect man’s science is crass ignorance. Whatever as cause acts, as cause counted is; A perfect man’s blasphemy’s pure faith, my quiz.[212] Rash combatant, fight’st thou on foot ’gainst horseman! Thy point thou’lt not carry;--as sure as thou’rt man. So, Egypt’s magicians, in old Pharaoh’s days, Contended ’gainst Moses; and rashly, always. At length they owned Moses superior was; Men honour, revere him, who most of power has. 70 They said to him, then: “Command ’s thine! See! Purely! ‘Thy rod cast down’ first.[213] This thy wish is; surely.” He answered: “Nay, nay! First cast ye down your wands. Produce to our sight the tricks ye’ve in your hands.” The honour thus paid was a slur on their faith, Removing contention from out of their path. When they had perceived what was thus due to him, They error acknowledged, though somewhat too dim. The “perfect man” ’s free both to eat and to speak.[214] If thou art “imperfect,” eat, speak not, in freak. 75 Thou art but an ear. He’s a tongue;--not like thee. To ear was addressed God’s word: “Silent be.”[215]