LESSON 6 ABOU BEN ADHEM AND THE ANGEL

ABOU BEN ADHEM AND THE ANGEL

LEIGH HUNT (1784-1859), essayist and poet; borh at Middlesex. Chief works: Bacchus and Ariadne, Stories from the Italian Poets, The Feast of the Poets , and his auto biography.

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.

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the Presence [1] in the room he said,

“What writest thou?”—The vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord [2] ,

Answered, “The names of those who love the Lord.”

“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.”

The angel wrote and vanished. The next night

It came again with a great wakening light [3] ,

And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,

And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.

—LEIGH HUNT

* * *

[1] Presence: Angelic visitor.

[2] sweet accord: Loving assent.

[3] wakening light: Brightness that aroused Abou Ben Adhem.