‘Twas night: my heart would fain lament, The silence was filled with my cries to God. 110 I was complaining of the sorrows of the world And bewailing the emptiness of my cup. At last mine eye could endure no more, Broken with fatigue it went to sleep. There appeared the Master, formed in the mould of Truth, 115 Who wrote the Koran of Persia.[27] He said, “O frenzied lover, Take a draught of love’s pure wine. Strike the chords of thine heart and rouse a tumultuous strain, Dash thine head against the cupping-glass and thine eye against the lancet! 120 Make thy laughter the source of a hundred sighs, Make the hearts of men bleed with thy tears! How long wilt thou be silent, like a bud? Sell thy fragrance cheap, like the rose! Tongue-tied, thou art in pain: 125 Cast thyself upon the fire, like rue![28] Like the bell, break silence at last, and from every limb Utter forth a lamentation! Thou art fire: fill the world with thy glow! Make others burn with thy burning! 130 Proclaim the secrets of the old wine-seller;[29] Be thou a surge of wine, and the crystal cup thy robe! Shatter the mirror of fear, Break the bottles in the bazaar! Like the reed-flute, bring a message from the reeds; 135 Give to Majnún a message from Lailá![30] Create a new style for thy song, Enrich the feast with thy piercing strains! Up, and re-inspire every living soul! Say ‘Arise!’ and by that word quicken the living! 140 Up, and set thy feet on another path; Put aside the passionate melancholy of old! Become familiar with the delight of singing; O bell of the caravan, awake!” At these words my bosom was enkindled 145 And swelled with emotion like the flute; I rose like music from the string To prepare a Paradise for the ear. I unveiled the mystery of the Self And disclosed its wondrous secret. 150