Lord, please tell us how we can be blessed?
Shall I tell you who of these are blessed?
Receiving the kingdom of heaven,
the lowly, poor in spirit are blessed.
Receiving solace, comfort, those who
sorrowfully grieve and mourn are blessed.
Being satisfied, those who hunger
yearn, and thirst for righteousness are blessed.
Receiving compassion and mercy
the merciful, graciously, are blessed.
Seeing the face of the living God
the untainted, pure in heart are blessed.
Being adopted as sons of God,
peacemaking reconcilers are blessed.
Receiving the kingdom of heaven,
those aggrieved for virtue's sake are blessed.
Receiving great reward in heaven,
those reviled on my account are blessed.
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From Matthew 5, the Beatitudes, recast as a Ghazal with 9-syllable couplets
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