A questioner once asked: “How rests this little ball Within the circumambient spheres, without a fall? 240 ’Tis like a lamp hung up to vault of high-pitched dome; It never sinks below, nor soars above its home.” To him one wise man answered: “By attraction’s force, On all sides equal poised, it’s kept from all divorce. Just as an iron ball would centrally be hung, If loadstone vault there were to hold it freely swung.” A caviller objected: “How should heaven’s pure vault, Attracting to itself, this vile black ball exalt? Say rather it repels with equal force all round. The earth thus rests amidst air’s tides that hold it bound.” 245 Thus is it by repulsion from the souls of saints, The Pharaohs of each age are fixed in error’s taints. Repelled, then, they are from this world and the next; In neither have they portion;[297] shunned are they, and vexed. From God’s anointed ones dost thou draw back in heart? Know, thy existence grieves them, frets them, makes them smart. They’re like the amber, then. When chafed, it shows its power. The mote of thy existence quick they’ll force to cower. If they conceal that power,--exert it not for thee, All thy docility will turn to pride. Thou’lt see. 250 E’en as the bestial quality, in man aye found, Unto its human yokemate[298] slave and serf is bound. This human element, too, in saints’ hands, my friend, Is pliant, like the bestial; to their wish they’t bend. By true faith, Ahmed called the world, his docile sons, To table spread: “Say: ‘Servants mine!’” Thus God’s text runs.[299] Thy mind’s a camel-driver; thou, the camel, still, Urged by decree: “Command!”[300] it drives thee as it will. God’s saints are minds of minds. Men’s minds, beneath their sway, Are camels, too. And thus the lengthening series play. 255 Look unto them, then, if the truth thou’dst fully know; A pilot is the life of thousands, here below. But what are pilots? Camel-drivers what? Still seek Thou one whose eye looks on the sun, and feels not weak. The world’s plunged, nailed, in thickest pitchy dark of night; For day to break, it wants the rise of God’s sunlight.