English
The Story of Abraham, Peace Be Upon Him
I heard that for a whole week no traveler on the road
came to Abraham's guesthouse.
Being generous by nature, he would not eat early,
in case some poor soul might arrive from the road.
He went out and looked in every direction,
scanning the edges of the valley until he saw.
Alone in the desert stood a man, bent like a willow,
his head and hair gone white with the dust of age.
To comfort him he offered a warm welcome,
and in the way of the noble called him to his table.
He said: light of my eyes,
do me the kindness of sharing my bread and salt.
The old man said yes, sprang up, and stepped along,
for he knew Abraham's character, peace be upon him.
The stewards of Abraham's guesthouse
seated the humble old man with honor.
By his command they set out the meal,
and everyone took their place around it.
When the gathering began with 'In the name of God',
no such words were heard from the old man.
Abraham said to him: old man of many years,
I do not see in you the sincerity and fervor of the old.
Is it not right that when you take your daily food
you should speak the name of the One who provides it?
The old man replied: I follow no practice
that I have not learned from the elders who worship fire.
The prophet of good omen understood
that the old man was a fire worshiper, of a ruined faith.
Seeing him a stranger, he drove him off in scorn,
since the impure were an offense before the pure.
A messenger came from the glorious Creator,
awesome and reproaching: Abraham,
I have given him life and daily bread for a hundred years,
yet you turned away from him in a single moment.
If he bows down before fire,
why do you withdraw your hand of generosity?