Alas! nor Dew nor Smiling Rose Within This

Alas! nor dew nor smiling rose within this mead is mine;
Within this market-place nor trade nor coin for need is mine;
Nor more nor less; nor power nor strength for act or deed is mine;
Nor might nor eminence; nor balm the cure to speed is mine.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Being 's the bounty of the Lord; and Life, the gift Divine;
The Breath, the present of His Love; and Speech His Grace's sign:
The Body is the pile of God; the Soul, His Breath benign;
The Powers thereof, His Glory's trust; the Senses, His design.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

No work, no business of my own within this mart have I;
All Being is of Him alone — no life apart have I;
No choice of entering this world, or hence of start have I;
To cry: "I am! I am!" in truth, no power of heart have I
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

The Earth the carpet is of Power; the Sphere, the tent of Might;
The Stars, both fixed and wandering, are Glory's lamps of light:
The World 's the issue of the grace of Mercy's treasures bright:
With Forms of beings is the page of Wisdom's volume dight.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Being is but a loan to us, and Life in trust we hold:
In slaves a claim to Power 's pretension arrogant and bold;
The servant's part is by submission and obedience told;
Should He: "My slave" address to me, 'twere favours manifold.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I'm poor and empty-handed, but grace free is of the Lord;
Nonentity 's my attribute: to Be is of the Lord;
For Being or Non-being's rise, decree is of the Lord;
The surging of the Seen and Unseen's sea is of the Lord.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Of gifts from table of His Bounty is my daily bread;
My breath is from the Breath of God's benignant Mercy fed;
My portion from the favours of Almighty Power is shed;
And my provision is from Providence's kitchen spread.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I cannot, unallotted, take my share from wet or dry;
From land or from the ocean, from earth or from the sky:
The silver or the gold will come, by Providence laid by;
I cannot grasp aught other than my fortune doth supply.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Creation's Pen the lines of billows of events hath traced;
Th' illumined scroll of the Two Worlds, Creation's Pencil graced;
Their garments upon earth and sky, Creation's woof hath placed;
Men's forms are pictures in Creation's great Shâh-Nâma traced.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

I cannot make the morning eve, or the dark night the day;
I cannot turn the air to fire, or dust to water's spray;
I cannot bid the Sphere stand still, or mountain-region stray;
I cannot Autumn turn by will of mine to lovely May.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

From out of Nothingness His mighty Power made me appear;
Whilst in the womb I lay, saw He to all I need for here;
With kindnesses concealed and manifest did He me rear;
With me He drew a curtain o'er Distinction's beauty dear.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

God's Revelation is Discernment's Eye, if 't oped remain;
The picturings of worlds are all things changing aye amain;
The showing of the Hidden Treasure is this raging main,
This work, this business of the Lord, this Majesty made plain.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!

Now void, now full, are Possibility's store-houses vast;
This glass-lined world's the mirror where Lights Twain their phases cast;
The blinded thing — in scattering strange fruits its hours are past;
Ruined hath this old Vineyard been by autumn's sullen blast.
O that I knew what here I am, that which indeed is mine!