Targum | Page 3

the prophets of God are they decreed,?Who His law in the sacred volumes read.
O LORD! I NOTHING CRAVE BUT THEE.
From the Tartar.
O thou, from whom all love doth flow,?Whom all the world doth reverence so,?Thou constitut'st each care I know;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
O keep me from each sinful way;?Thou breathedst life within my clay,?I'll therefore serve Thee, night and day;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
I ope my eyes and see Thy face,?On Thee my musings all I place,?I've left my parents, friends and race;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
Take Thou my soul, my every thing,?My blood from out its vessels wring,?Thy slave am I, and Thou my King;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
I speak--my tongue on Thee doth roam;?I list--the winds Thy title boom;?For in my soul has God His home;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
The world the shallow worldling craves,?And greatness need ambitious knaves,?The lover of his maiden raves;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
The student needs his bookish lore,?The bigot shrines, to pray before,?His pulpit needs the orator;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
Though all the learning 'neath the skies,?And th' houries all of paradise,?The Lord should place before my eyes,
O Lord! I'd nothing crave but Thee.
When I through paradise shall stray,?Its houries and delights survey,?Full little gust awake will they,
O Lord! I'll nothing crave but Thee.
For Hadgee Ahmed is my name,?My heart with love of God doth flame,?Here and above I'll bide the same;
O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee.
MYSTICAL POEM.
Relating to the worship of the Great Foutsa or Buddh.?From the Tibetian.
Should I Foutsa's force and glory,?Earth's protector, all unfold,?Through more years would last my story?Than has Ganges sands of gold.?Him the fitting reverence showing?For a minute's period e'en,?Bringeth blessing overflowing?Unto heaven and man, I ween.?If from race of man descended,?Or from that of dragon-sprite,?When thy prior course {13} is ended,?Thou in evil paths shouldst light,--?If Great Foutsa ever, ever?Thou but seek with mind sincere,?Thou the mists of sin shalt sever,?All shall lie before thee clear.?Whosoe'er his parents losing?From his early infancy,?Cannot guess with all his musing,?Where their place of birth might be;?He who sister dear nor brother,?Since the sun upon him shone,?And of kindred all the other?Shoots and branches ne'er has known--?If of Foutsa Grand the figure?He shall shape and colour o'er,?Gaze upon it rapt and eager,?And with fitting rites adore,?And through twenty days shall utter?The dread name with reverend fear,?Foutsa huge of form shall flutter?Round about him and appear,?And to him the spot discover,?Birth-place of his flesh and bone {14};?And though evils whelm them over,?For his sake release them soon;?If that man unchang'd still keeping?From back-sliding shall refrain,?He, by Foutsa touch'd when sleeping,?Shall Biwangarit's title gain;?If to Bouddi's elevation,?He would win, and from the three?Confines dark of tribulation?Soar to light and liberty--?When a heart with kindness glowing?He within him shall descry,?To Grand Foutsa's image going,?Let him gaze attentively:?Soon his every wish acquiring?He shall triumph glad and fain,?And the shades of sin retiring?Never more his soul restrain.?Whosoever bent on speeding?To that distant shore, the home?Of the wise, shall take to reading?The all-wondrous Soudra tome;?If that study deep beginning,?No fit preparation made,?Scanty shall he find his winning,?Straight forgetting what he's read:?Whilst he in the dark subjection?Shall of shadowing sin remain,?Soudra's page of full perfection?How shall he in mind retain??Unto him the earth who blesses,?Unto Foutsa, therefore he?Drink and incense, food and dresses?Should up-offer plenteously;?And the fountain's limpid liquor?Pour Grand Foutsa's face before,?Drain himself a cooling beaker?When a day and night are o'er;?Tune his heart to high devotion:?The five evil things eschew,?Lust and flesh and vinous potion,?And the words which are not true;?Living thing abstain from killing?For full twenty days and one,?And meanwhile with accents thrilling?Mighty Foutsa call upon--?Then of infinite dimension?Foutsa's form in dreams he'll see,?And if he with fixt attention,?When his sleep dissolv'd shall be,?Shall but list to Soudra's volume,?He, through thousand ages flight,?Shall of Soudra's doctrine solemn;?Ne'er forget one portion slight?Yes, a soul so richly gifted?Every child of man can find,?If to mighty Foutsa lifted?He but keep his heart and mind.?He who goods and cattle lacking?Is to fell disease a prey,?In whose household bones are cracking,?Cuts occurring every day,?Who though slumbering never resteth?From excess of bitter pain,?And what he in prayer requesteth?Never, never can obtain,--?To earth-favouring Foutsa's figure?If but reverence he shall pay?Dire misfortune's dreadful rigour?Flits for ever and for aye;?In his sleep no ills distress him,?And of nought he knows the want;?Cattle, corn and riches bless him,?Which the favouring demons grant.?Those, who sombre forests threading,?Those, who sailing ocean's plain,?Fain would wend their way undreading?Evil poisons, beasts and men,?Evil spirits, demons, javals {17},?And the force of evil winds,?And each ill, which he who travels?In his course so frequent finds--?Let them only take their station?'Fore the form of Foutsa Grand,?On it gaze with adoration,?Sacrifice with reverent hand--?And within the