The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar KhayyamOmar Khayyam
ReligionSufism
The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam
FitzGerald, Edward, 1809-1883; Sufi poetry
252. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. _Hal_, ecstasy.
253.
Oh! wine is richer that the realm of Jam,
More fragrant than the food of Miriam;
Sweeter are sighs that drunkards heave at morn
Than strains of Bu Sa'id and Bin Adham.
253. C. L. N. A. I. J. Abu Sa'id Abu'l Khair and Ibrahim Bin Adham are
both mentioned in the _Nafahat ul Uns_. «Miriam's food.» See Koran, xix.
24. Note _izafat_ dropped after silent _he_.
254.
Deep in the rondure of the heavenly blue,
There is a cup, concealed from mortals' view,
Which all must drink in turn; Oh, sigh not then,
But drink it boldly, when it comes to you!
254. C. L. A. I. J. _Jawr_, a «bumper.»
255.
Though you should live to four, or forty score,
Go hence you must, as all have gone before;
Then, be you king, or beggar of the streets,
They'll rate you all the same, no less, no more.
255. L.
256.
If you seek Him, abandon child and wife,
Arise, and sever all these ties to life;
All these are bonds to check you on your course.
Arise, and cut these bonds, as with a knife.
256. L. B. So _Gulshan i Raz_, l. 944.
257.
O heart! this world is but a fleeting show,
Why should its empty griefs distress thee so?
Bow down, and bear thy fate, the eternal pen
Will not unwrite its roll for thee, I trow!
257. L. N. B. The «pen» is that with which Allah writes his decrees.
258.
Who e'er returned of all that went before,
To tell of that long road they travel o'er?
Leave naught undone of what you have to do,
For when you go, you will return no more.
258. C. N. L. A. I. J. _Amadaye, ya i tankir_.
259.
Dark wheel! how many lovers thou hast slain,
Like Mahmud and Ayaz, O inhumane!
Come, let us drink, thou grantest not two lives,
When one is spent, we find it not again.
259. L. N. Mahmud, the celebrated king of Ghazni, and Ayaz his
favourite. Scan _wayaz_ (_alif i wasl_).
260.
Illustrious Prophet! whom all kings obey,
When is our darkness lightened by wine's ray?
On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday, both night and day!
260. C. L. N. A. I. J. The _jim_ in _panjshamba_ is dropped in scanning.
See Bl., Prosody, p. 10. In line 4 note silent _he_ in _shauba_ scanned
long as well as short.
261.
O turn away those roguish eyes of thine!
Be still! seek not my peace to undermine!
Thou say'st, «Look not.» I might as well essay
To slant my goblet, and not spill my wine.
261. N. Line 4, a proverb denoting an impossibility.
262.
In taverns better far commune with Thee,
Than pray in mosques, and fail Thy face to see!
O first and last of all Thy creatures Thou,
'Tis Thine to burn, and Thine to cherish me!
262. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. This is clearly an address to the Deity.
263.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account