The Sufistic Quatrains Of Omar Khayyam Part 12

XXIV.

Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend, Before we too into the Dust descend; Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie, Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and--sans End!

The inspiration for this quatrain is found in the following (O. 76 and 35).

Do not allow sorrow to embrace thee, Nor an idle grief to occupy thy days, Forsake not the book and the lover's lips and the green bank of the field, Ere that the earth enfold thee in its bosom.

_Ref._: O. 76, C. 173, L. 315, B. 311, P. 189, B. ii. 233, T. 121, P. v.

39.--de T. 9, V. 317.

Drink wine, for thou wilt sleep long beneath the clay Without an intimate, a friend, a comrade, or a mate.

_Ref._: O. 35, C. 80, L. 188, B. 185, P. 284, T. 60.--W. 107, V. 184.

XXV.

Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare, And those that after some TO-MORROW stare, A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries, Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There.

The inspiration for this quatrain is in C. 396.

Some are immersed in contemplation of doctrine and faith, Others stand stupefied between doubt and certainty, Suddenly a Muezzin, from his lurking place, cries out O Fools! the Road[43] is neither here nor there.

_Ref._: C. 396, L. 591, B. 584, S.P. 324, P. iii. 6, P. 65.--W. 376, N.

337, V. 638.

XXVI.

Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd Of the Two Worlds so wisely--they are thrust Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to scorn Are scatter'd, and their Mouths are stopt with dust.

This quatrain is taken from O. 140 and C. 236.

Those, O Saki, who have gone before us, Have fallen asleep, O Saki, in the dust (or _khwab_ sleep) of self-esteem, Go thou and drink wine, and hear the truth from me, Whatever they have said, O Saki, is but wind!

_Ref._: O. 140, C. 453, L. 687, B. 678, S.P. 380, P. 260, B. ii. 525, T.

279, P. v. 22.--W 428, N. 384, V. 739.

Those who are the cream of the existence of mankind, Spur the Burak of their thoughts up to the highest heaven,[44]

In the study of your being, like heaven itself Their heads are turned, and overset, and spinning.

_Ref._: C. 236, L. 326, B. 322, S.P. 120, T. 155, W. 147, N. 120, V.

328.

XXVII.

Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument About it and about: but evermore Came out by the same door wherein I went.

XXVIII.

With them the seed of Wisdom did I sow, And with mine own hand wrought to make it grow; And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd-- I came like Water, and like Wind I go.

These two quatrains must be considered together. They are inspired by O.

121, C. 281, and O. 72.

For a while, when young, we frequented a teacher, For a while we were contented with our proficiency; Behold the end of the discourse:--what happened to us?

We came like water and we went like wind.

_Ref._: O. 121, L. 544, B. 538, B. ii. 420, P. v. 99.--W 353, V. 584.

Being (once) a falcon, I flew from the World of mystery, That from below I might soar to the heights above; But, not finding there any intimate friend, I came out by the same door wherein I went.[45]

_Ref._: C. 281, L. 429, B. 425, S.P. 224, P. 30, B. ii. 295, T. 184.--W.

264, N. 225, V. 467.

A quatrain that probably contributed to FitzGerald's verse is:

No one has solved the tangled secrets of eternity, No one has set foot beyond the orbit (of human under-standing), Since, so far as I can see, from tyro to teacher, Impotent are the hands of all men born of women.

_Ref._: O. 72, C. 176, L. 357, B. 353, S.P. 175, B. ii. 211, P. v.

210--W. 190, N. 175, V. 356.

XXIX.

Into this Universe, and _Why_ not knowing Nor _Whence_, like Water w.i.l.l.y-nilly flowing; And out of it, as Wind along the Waste, I know not _Whither_, w.i.l.l.y-nilly blowing.

The inspiration for this quatrain is to be found in the following: C.

235 and O. 20 (ll. 1 and 2).

He first brought me in confusion into existence, What do I gain from my life save my amazement at it?

We went away against our will, and we know not what was The purpose of this coming, and going, and being.

_Ref._: C. 235, L. 324, B. 320, S.P. 117, T. 153.--W. 145, N. 117, V.

326.

Like water in a great river and like wind in the desert, Another day pa.s.ses out of the period of my existence.[46]

_Ref._: O. 20, C. 23 and 55, L. 84, B. 80, S.P. 22, P. ii. 2, P. 162, B.

ii. 24 and 88, T. 22 and 305, P. v. 140 and 186, W. 26, N. 22 and 42, V.

83.

x.x.x.