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When Hafizeh had made an end of her song, El Abbas said to her, “Well done! Indeed, thou quickenest hearts from sorrows.” Then he called another damsel of the daughters of the Medes, by name Merjaneh, and said to her, “O Merjaneh, sing to me upon the days of separation.” “Hearkening and obedience,” answered she and improvising, sang the following verses:

“Fair patience practise, for thereon still followeth content.” So runs the rede ’mongst all that dwell in city or in tent. How oft of dole have I made moan for love and longing pain, What while my body for desire in mortal peril went! How oft I’ve waked, how many a cup of sorrow have I drained, Watching the stars of night go by, for sleepless languishment! It had sufficed me, had thy grace with verses come to me; My expectation still on thee in the foredawns was bent.