Is the breast of this age without a heart? 1675 Majnún trembles lest Lailá’s howdah be empty. It is not easy for the candle to throb alone: Ah, is there no moth worthy of me? How long shall I wait for one to share my grief? How long must I search for a confidant? 1680 O Thou whose face lends light to the moon and the stars, Withdraw thy fire from my soul! Take back what Thou hast put in my breast, Remove the stabbing radiance from my mirror, Or give me one old comrade 1685 To be the mirror of mine all-burning love! In the sea wave tosses side by side with wave: Each hath a partner in its emotion. In heaven star consorts with star, And the bright moon lays her head on the knees of Night. 1690 Morning touches Night’s dark side, And To-day throws itself against To-morrow. One river loses its being in another, A waft of air dies in perfume. There is dancing in every nook of the wine-house, 1695 Madman dances with madman. Howbeit in thine essence Thou art single, Thou hast decked out for Thyself a whole world. I am as the tulip of the field, In the midst of a company I am alone. 1700 I beg of Thy grace a sympathising friend, An adept in the mysteries of my nature, A friend endowed with madness and wisdom, One that knoweth not the phantom of vain things, That I may confide my lament to his soul 1705 And see again my face in his heart. His image I will mould of mine own clay, I will be to him both idol and worshipper. FOOTNOTES: [109] Salmán was a Persian, Bilál an Abyssinian. Both had been slaves and were devoted henchmen of the Prophet. THE END _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_. TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Obsolete, archaic, inconsistent and unusual spellings have been maintained from the original text. The only changes to the text were: - In footnote 38, “Jalálu’ddín Rúmí” was originally “Jalálu’ddin Rúmí.” - The line number on line 995 was missing. - On line 1300, “Pleiades” was originally “Pleiads.” - On line 1428, “Jalálu’ddín Rúmí” was originally “Jaláluddín Rúmí.” - In footnote 97, “Jalálu’ddín Rúmí” was originally “Jaláluddín Rúmí.” - In footnote 98, “Jalálu’ddín Rúmí” was originally “Jaláluddín Rúmí.” I also changed internal cross-references from notes and pages to line number (or section of the Introduction) and footnote number. Footnote 76 gives the meaning of the name Murtazá as “he whom with God is pleased.” This translation is awkward, so awkward that it appears to me likely that it is wrong, _i.e._ “with whom” rather than “whom with.” However I checked other sources, and the meaning as stated is correct, although “he who is pleased with God,” or “he who is content with God,” or “he for whom God is sufficient” might be easier to read.