“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. 
Then was my heart by that which caused my agitation seared, And
     from mine eyelids still the tears poured down without
     relent. 
Yea, nevermore I ceased from that wherewith I stricken was; My
     night with wakefulness was filled, my heart with dreariment. 
But now hath Allah from my heart blotted the love of thee, After
     for constancy I’d grown a name of wonderment. 
Hence on the morrow forth I fare and leave your land behind; So
     take your leave of us nor fear mishap or ill event. 
Whenas in body ye from us are far removed, would God I knew who
     shall to us himself with news of you present! 
And who can tell if ever house shall us together bring In union
     of life serene and undisturbed content?

When Merjaneh had made an end of her song, the prince said to her, “Well done, O damsel!  Indeed, thou sayest a thing that had occurred to my mind and my tongue was like to speak it.”  Then he signed to the fourth damsel, who was a Cairene, by name Sitt el Husn, and bade her tune her lute and sing to him upon the [same] subject.  So she tuned her lute and sang the following verses: 

Fair patience use, for ease still followeth after stress And all
     things have their time and ordinance no less. 
Though Fortune whiles to thee belike may be unjust, Her seasons
     change and man’s excused if he transgress. 
In her revolving scheme, to bitter sweetness still Succeeds and
     things become straight, after crookedness. 
Thine honour, therefore, guard and eke thy secret keep, Nor save
     to one free-born and true thy case confess. 
The Lord’s alternatives are these, wherewith He’s wont The needy
     wretch to ply and those in sore duresse.

When El Abbas heard her verses, they pleased him and he said to her, “Well done, O Sitt el Husn!  Indeed, thou hast done away trouble from my heart and [banished] the things that had occurred to my mind.”  Then he heaved a sigh and signing to the fifth damsel, who was from the land of the Persians and whose name was Merziyeh (now she was the fairest of them all and the sweetest of speech and she was like unto a splendid star, endowed with beauty and loveliness and brightness and perfection and justness of shape and symmetry and had a face like the new moon and eyes as they were gazelle’s eyes) and said to her, “O Merziyeh, come forward and tune thy lute and sing to us on the [same] subject, for indeed we are resolved upon departure to the land of Yemen.”  Now this damsel had met many kings and had consorted with the great; so she tuned her lute and sang the following verses: