God is a spirit pure. All-Glorious is His name!
He hath no need of praise, of honour, glory, fame! 130
All these, and all besides, whatever may befall,
Upon His servants He bestows. He’s Lord of all!
God hath no envy, wish, desire for creatures’ ruths;
And blessed is he who takes to heart this truth of truths.
’Twas He created both worlds;--all their pomp and pride.
Shall He desire what He hath made in His own tide?
Keep, then, your hearts pure in the sight of God the Lord,
That you may never be ashamed of thought or word.
He knows the secrets, aims, desires of all your hearts;
They’re patent to Him, as a hair in milk at marts. 135
Whoever hath a breast cleansed from all thoughts of guile,
His breast a mirror is, where heavenly truths will smile.
Its secrets are all known to God;--its every part;
“Believer’s heart’s the mirror of believer’s heart.”
He tries our metal on the touchstone of His law.
The fine, the base, He will distinguish, without flaw.
Our talents being tried by His omniscient skill,
What’s good, what’s bad, will sure appear, plain, by His will. 139
XII.
Joseph and the Mirror.
The kings of yore a custom had, so I’ve been told,
Of course thou’st heard it;--must remember it, of old,
On their left hand their champions took their usual place;
Because the heart is on the left of body’s space.
Their chancellor and scribes stood on their right hand all;
In that the writer’s art to the right hand doth fall.
Before their face the holy teachers stood erect,—
The mirrors of the soul;--than mirror more correct.
Their breasts they’ve polished with the acts of thought and praise,
That, mirror-like, they catch each image facts may raise. 5
Each object born in nature with a lovely mien
Should always have a mirror set to catch its sheen.
A beauteous face enamoured is with mirror’s glance;
Heart’s piety’s the polish best the soul can chance.
A friend of tried sincerity came from afar,
And guest became with trusty Joseph;--free from bar.
They had been friends before, in childhood’s artless days;
Had leant their elbows on one cushion, in their ways.
His brethren’s envy and wrong-dealing touched upon,
Said Joseph: “’Twas a chain. It bound a lion. ‘Non! 10
Disgrace affects not lions, if with chains they’re bound.
With God’s decree I quarrel not;--it’s always sound.
A lion with a chain around his lordly neck,
Is still the lord of them who forged the chain as check.”
The friend asked: “How wert, in the well, the prison, cast?”
Said Joseph: “As the moon in wane and change at last.”