@3Mu'htî and Mâni'h! Heaven Thou mad'st, and Hell, Providing and withholding,—and didst well@1. When God fashioned Paradise, Spake He unto Gabriel: "See this place which We created, Where the justified will dwell." Gabriel said, "My Lord! I swear By Thy glory, none of men Ever of its joys shall hear But will strive to enter in." Round about His Paradise God set sorrows and denials; Laid the pathway steep and strait, Hard to find and full of trials. "Look again!" God said; and he Looked, and came, and sadly spake: "By Thy glorious majesty, Not one man will entrance make!" Then the Lord created Hell, Set ablaze its ache and grieving; Saying unto Gabriel, "This is for the unbelieving." Gabriel looked and said, "I swear, By Thy splendor, not a mortal, When of hell-fire he shall hear, Ever will approach its portal." Round about those awful gates Allah set soft sins and pleasures; Made the pathway broad and plain, Rich with joys and gifts and treasures. "Look again," said God; and he Saw; and spake, "Save by Thy blessing, Oh, my Lord! there will not be One that must not love transgressing." @3Lord of the two-fold roads, we pray Lead us upon the rightful way@1. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON AN INFANT WHICH DIED BEFORE BAPTISM by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE RUPERT BROOKE by WILFRID WILSON GIBSON TO DOCTOR EMPIRIC by BEN JONSON THE TEARS OF THE POPLARS by EDITH MATILDA THOMAS AUTUMN WOODS by ANNA M. ACKERMANN SESTET SENT TO A FRIEND WITH A VOLUME OF TENNYSON by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |