Duty of the Human Species

On one occasion we had marched, I recollect with the caravan, and halted towards morning on the skirts of the wilderness. One mystically distracted who accompanied us on that journey, set up a loud lamentation at dawn, went wandering into desert, and did not take a moment’s rest. Next day I said to him, "what condition was that?" He replied," I remarked the nightingales that they had come to carol in the groves, the pheasants to prattle on the mountains, the frogs to croak in the pools, and the wild beasts to roar in the forests, and thought with myself, saying, it cannot to generous that all are awake in God’s praise and I am wrap up in the sleep of forgetfulness!"

Last night a bird was caroling towards the morning;

It stole my patience and reason, my fortitude and understanding.

My lamentation had perhaps reached

The ear of one of my clearly beloved friends.

He said, "I did not believe that the singing of a bird could sp distract thee!"

I answered; this is not the duty of the human species,

That the birds are singing   God’s praise and that I am silent.

source: Gulisten saadi