554 WHAT RABBI JEHOSHA SAID-WIFE'S TREASURE. Rose from a cumber'd, lucre-loving heart. Hosanna! once and then to die; Or rather, with Life's essence blent, Rabbi Jehosha had the skill 'Twere glorious, no doubt, to be One of the strong-winged Hierarchy, To burn with Seraphs, or to shine With Cherubs, deathlessly divine; Yet I, perhaps, poor earthly clod, Could I forget myself in God? Could I but find my nature's clew Simply as birds and blossoms do, And but for one rapt moment know 'Tis Heaven must come, not we must go, Should win my place as near the throne And God would listen 'mid the throng Take it; whate'er it be, it shall be thine, To solace thee when thou no more art mine." Then said the Rabbi Simeon: "O ye pair! Before ye separate, a feast prepare, And pledge each other in the ruddy wine; Then the feast ended, woman, unto thine Own father's house do thou repair." That very night the supper board was spread, According to the law; one seated at the head, The other at the bottom. To the brim The woman filled the bowl and passed it him, And then he pledged her, and she filled again, And he the goblet to his wife did drain Once more, with many wishes good and fair. But she the generous liquor did not spare, Until he fell into a drunken sleep, With head upon the table, heavy and deep. And thus concluded the farewell ca of pain, Leaning upon his staff an old Jew went To synagogue, on pious errand bent; For those be "People of the Book," and some Are chosen of Allah's will who have not come Unto full light of knowledge; therefore, he, Ali, the Caliph of proud days to beKnowing this good old man, and why he stirred Thus early, ere the morning mills were heard Out of his nobleness and grace of soul Would not thrust past, though the Jew blocked the whole Breadth of the lane, slow hobbling. So Was precious to the Jew, too. Thus their ways Wended the pair; great Ali, sad and slow, Following the graybeard, while the east, a-glow, Blazed with bright spears of gold athwart the blue, And the Muezzin's call came, "Illahu! Allah-il-Allah!" In the mosque, our Lord (On whom be peace) stood by the mimbar-board, In act to bow and Fâtihah forth to say. But, while his lips moved, some strong hand did lay Over his mouth a palm invisible, So that no voice on the assembly fell. Stayed by this unseen touch. Thereat amazed, Our Lord Muhammad turned, arose, and gazed, And saw-alone of all within the shrine A splendid Presence, with large eyes divine Beaming, and golden pinions folded down, Their speed still tokened by the fluttered gown: Gabriel he knew, the Spirit who doth stand Chief of the Sons of Heav'n, at God's right hand; "Gabriel! why stay'st thou me?" the Prophet said, "Since at this hour the Fâtihah should be read." But the bright Presence, smiling, pointed where Ali toward the outer gate drew near, Upon the threshold shaking off his shoes, And giving "alms of entry," as men use. "Yea!" spake th' Archangel, “sacred is the sound Of morning praise, and worth the world's great round, Though earth were pearl and silver; therefore I Seen, but not comprehended-for man's wit Knows this, yet knows-not understanding it. Mete ye not Allah's times by man's: life gives No measure of the Life Divine which lives Unending, uncommenced, having no stay Of yesterday, to-morrow, or to-day; Being forever one unbroken Now Where past and future come not. Heard'st thou how, What time fair Zion was given to sword and flame, Ozair the Jew upon his camel came Over those hills which ring the sea of Lot, So that one footstep and-ye see her not, And then another-and the city comes Full upon view with all her milk-white domes. But the Chaldean now had spoiled the place, And desolate and waste was Zion's face, Her proud abodes unpeopled, and her ways Heaped with charred beams and lintels. |