Bayard Taylor

“ The mouth of Ali is the golden door
Of Wisdom."
When his friends to Ali bore
These words, he smiled and said : " And should they ask
The same until my dying day, the task
Were easy ; for the stream from Wisdom's well,
Which God supplies, is inexhaustible." ”

“ By Wisdom wealth is won ;
But riches purchased wisdom yet for none." ”

“ All that thou hast, yet not impoverish thee."
Unto the eighth : " Wealth cannot keep itself ;
But Wisdom is the steward even of pelf."
Unto the ninth : " The camels slowly bring
Thy goods ; but Wisdom has the swallow s wing."
And lastly, when the tenth did question make,
These were the ready words which Ali spake :
" Wealth is a darkness which the soul should fear ;
But Wisdom is the lamp that makes it clear."
Crimson with shame the questioners withdrew,
And they declared: "The Prophet s words were
true ”