 | The poetical works of Bayard Taylor
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I
Hassan Ben Khaled, singing in the streets
Of Cairo, sang these verses at my door:
“Blessed is he, who God and Prophet greets
Each morn with prayer; but he is blest much more
Whose conduct is his prayer's interpreter
Sweeter than musk, and pleasanter than myrrh,
Richer than rubies, shall his portion be,
When God bids Azrael, ‘Bring him unto me!’
But woe to him whose life casts dirt upon
The Prophet's word! When all his days are done,
Him shall the Evil Angel trample down
Out of the sight of God.” Thus, with a frown
Of the severest virtue, Hassan sang
Unto the people, till the markets rang.
| The poetical works of Bayard Taylor
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