Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile By H. D. Rawnsley |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. | IX THE SAKÎYEH AT THE FOUNTAIN OF THE SUN |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXII. |
| LXIV. |
 | Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile |  |
19
IX THE SAKÎYEH AT THE FOUNTAIN OF THE SUN
(AIN SHEMS)
Rough clout upon his patient head,
The stately camel round doth go,
With gentle, hesitating tread;
And yoked, and blind with frontlets, made
Of black Nile-mud, the buffalo
Plies with him his unequal trade.
The stately camel round doth go,
With gentle, hesitating tread;
And yoked, and blind with frontlets, made
Of black Nile-mud, the buffalo
Plies with him his unequal trade.
There, on the shaft, the father sits,
And with him perch his children four,
Chewing the sugar-cane to bits;
No touch of goad, no lift of hand,
And still the streaming vases pour
Then dive upon the endless band.
And with him perch his children four,
Chewing the sugar-cane to bits;
No touch of goad, no lift of hand,
And still the streaming vases pour
Then dive upon the endless band.
And so, from rise to set of sun
Unintermittent for a space,
From forth the well the waters run—
Sweet waters that the Virgin knew,
When Jesus rested in this place—
The waters that the Sun-priests drew.
Unintermittent for a space,
From forth the well the waters run—
Sweet waters that the Virgin knew,
When Jesus rested in this place—
The waters that the Sun-priests drew.
20
‘Old fountain of the sun,’ I cried,
‘The priests, whom Moses met at An,
Have passed, and great Usert'sen's pride
Has vanished, save for one tall stone;
But still your service unto man,
With love, unceasingly is done.
‘The priests, whom Moses met at An,
Have passed, and great Usert'sen's pride
Has vanished, save for one tall stone;
But still your service unto man,
With love, unceasingly is done.
Tho' here no more the Bennu
bird
May bring his ash, and drink his fill,
The ground to resurrection stirred
Is instinct with the power of spring,
And knows it is of Heaven's good-will
That life from death its gift should bring.
May bring his ash, and drink his fill,
The ground to resurrection stirred
Is instinct with the power of spring,
And knows it is of Heaven's good-will
That life from death its gift should bring.
And these poor yoke-fellows, that make
Sweet bounty by the wheel that burrs
From morn till evening-time, will take
Rich blessing from the hearts that feel,
That all the true Sun-worshippers
Must bow to the Sakîyeh wheel.’
Sweet bounty by the wheel that burrs
From morn till evening-time, will take
Rich blessing from the hearts that feel,
That all the true Sun-worshippers
Must bow to the Sakîyeh wheel.’
| Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile | |