The Sufism of the Rubáiyát, or, the Secret of the Great ParadoxOmar Khayyam
IslamicSufism
The Sufism of the Rubáiyát, or, the Secret of the Great Paradox
Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat; Persian poetry -- Translations into English; Sufism
[14] The Courts here represent the heavens, the King of Splendor the
Sun in the month of JUNE when at twelve high noon the Sun is then in 15
degrees of Cancer, when the signs of TAURUS, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius
which form the signs of the Equinox are at the feet as it were of the
Celestial King.
19
What puts value on some deed, some thought, some fondly cherished
memory of a friend or future hope?
Answer you who value give and take, WORK! LOVE! GRIEF! and PAIN!
Work gives the value to deeds done and undone, love adds her charm as
does the twilight to the sun;
Grief brings us fear, that subtle mental pain, which binds to earth,
till DEATH THE KNOT UNTIES.
20
Ah, this [15]REVIVING HERB that's called the FUTURE STATE, upon its
lovely lips, hangs the DEW OF HOLIER THINGS.
Thine is the [16]RUBY which is set in VIRGIN GOLD, and those who know
the FOUNTAIN HEAD from whence streams forth that LIGHT DIVINE,
Have stood FACE TO FACE WITH GOD, and from the BONDS OF DEATH ARE
FREE.
[15] The Reviving Herb stands here for immortality.
[16] The Ruby here represents the sum total of life's experience, which
is set in Virgin Gold or the ring of eternity.
21
Thus break thou from this wheel of strife and stress, with all its
sorrows, fleeting, joys and chilling fears;
Thine [17]arrow having plucked from out thy flesh, no more are pain
and grief, thy sorrows ended are,
Tomorrow, what? [18]Thou with thy past totalities shall be joined
again.
[17] Pride, Anger, Fear, and Greed, which are the parents of all ills.
[18] The unity with your past existences for life belongs to all times
and to all planes.
22
That which is [19]FINITE is revealed, that which is INFINITE is
concealed, this pair the part of Father and Mother play, till time
their purpose doth make plain.
What to our senses seemed so fair, that which our minds so oft aside
have cast;
That which in void and emptiness lay hidden, has the FAIREST of the
FAIR become, when freed from PRISON.
[19] The Finite is the objective or revealed, the Infinite is the
subjective or concealed.
23
That which was the DARKNESS in the DARKNESS hidden, that which was
joy enrobed in SORROW'S somber garb calls,
We who make merry in this hostelry of life, return the robe of earth
to HIM who will another body make, for some soul to upward take,
upon its homeward way.
24
The only thing of profit here to take is the Good from all things,
which causes hurt to none.
Those who otherwise partake, the LAW pronounces invalid, which like
the dust must to the dust descend.
Yet in that dust the GOLDEN GERM is found, which like a thought, a
seed brought forth that ripened fruit may bear.
So comes forth again the BREATH, the BIRTH, the LIVING and the END.
25
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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