THE KASÎDAH III, 13, 24

Wond’ring the Babe with staring eyes,
 perforce compel’d from night to day,
Gript in the giant grasp of Life
 like gale-born dust or wind-wrung spray;

Who comes imbecile to the world
 ’mid double danger, groans, and tears;
The toy, the sport, the waif and stray
 of passions, error, wrath and fears;

Who knows not Whence he came nor Why,
 who kens not Whither bound and When,
Yet such is Allah’s choicest gift,
 the blessing dreamt by foolish men;