English Poetry II: From Collins to Fitzgerald.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 524. Abou Ben Adhem |
| | | James Henry Leigh Hunt (1784–1859) |
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| ABOU BEN ADHEM (may his tribe increase!) | |
| Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, | |
| And saw—within the moonlight in his room, | |
| Making it rich and like a lily in bloom— | |
| An angel, writing in a book of gold. | 5 |
| Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold, | |
| And to the presence in the room he said, | |
| ‘What writest thou?’—The vision raised its head, | |
| And, with a look made of all sweet accord, | |
| Answered, ‘The names of those who love the Lord.’ | 10 |
| ‘And is mine one?’ said Abou. ‘Nay, not so,’ | |
| Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, | |
| But cheerly still, and said, ‘I pray thee, then, | |
| Write me as one that loves his fellow men.’ | |
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| The angel wrote and vanished. The next night | 15 |
| It came again with a great wakening light, | |
| And showed the names whom love of God had blessed, | |
| And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest. | |
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