When the Emir Musa heard these couplets, he wept till he lost his senses and said, “There is no god but the God, the Living, the Eternal, who ceaseth not!” Then he entered the palace and was confounded at its beauty and the goodliness of its construction. He diverted himself awhile by viewing the pictures and images therein, till he came to another door, over which also were written verses, and said to the Shaykh, “Come read me these!” So he advanced and read as follows, “Under these domes how many a company * Halted of old and fared with-outen stay: See thou what might displays on other wights * Time with his shifts which could such lords waylay: They shared together what they gathered * And left their joys and fared to Death-decay: What joys they joyed! what food they ate! and now * In dust they’re eaten, for the worm a prey.” At this the Emir Musa wept bitter tears; and the world waxed yellow before his eyes and he said, “Verily, we were created for a mighty matter!”[FN#114] Then they proceeded to explore the palace and found it desert and void of living thing, its courts desolate and dwelling places waste laid. In the midst stood a lofty pavilion with a dome rising high in air, and about it were four hundred tombs, builded of yellow marble. The Emir drew near unto these and behold, amongst them was a great tomb, wide and long; and at its head stood a tablet of white marble, whereon were graven these couplets, “How oft have I fought! and how many have slain! * How much have I witnessed of blessing and bane! How much have I eaten! how much have I drunk! * How oft have I hearkened to singing-girl’s strain! How much have I bidden! how oft have forbid! * How many a castle and castellain I have sieged and have searched, and the cloistered maids * In the depths of its walls for my captives were ta’en! But of ignorance sinned I to win me the meeds * Which won proved naught and brought nothing of gain: Then reckon thy reck’ning, O man, and be wise * Ere the goblet of death and of doom thou shalt drain; For yet but a little the dust on thy head * They shall strew, and thy life shall go down to the dead.” The Emir and his companions wept; then, drawing near unto the pavilion, they saw that it had eight doors of sandal-wood, studded with nails of gold and stars of silver and inlaid with all manner precious stones. On the first door were written these verses,