The Sufistic Quatrains Of Omar Khayyam Part 48

239.

Of happy turns of fortune take your fill, Seek pleasure's couch, or wine-cup, as you will; Allah regards not if you sin, or saint it, So take your pleasure, be it good or ill.

239. C. L. N. A. I. J. Alluding to the _Hadis_, These are in heaven, and Allah regards not their sins, and those in h.e.l.l, and Allah regards not their good works. See _Gulshan i' Raz_, p. 55.

240.

Heaven multiplies our sorrows day by day, And grants no joys it does not take away; If those unborn could know the ills we bear, What think you, would they rather come or stay?

240. C. L. N. A. I. J. This recalls Byron's Stanzas for Music.

241.

Why ponder thus the future to foresee, And jade thy brain to vain perplexity?

Cast off thy care, leave Allah's plans to him, He formed them all without consulting thee.

241. C. L. N. A. I. J.

242.

The tenants of the tombs to dust decay, Nescient of self, and all beside are they; Their sundered atoms float about the world, Like mirage clouds, until the judgment day.

242. C. L. N. A. I. J. In line 4 some MSS. read _sharab_ and change the order of the lines.

243.

O soul! lay up all earthly goods in store, Thy mead with pleasure's flowerets spangle o'er; And know 'tis all as dew, that decks the flowers For one short night, and then is seen no more!

243. C. L. N. A. I. J. There are several variations of this.

244.

Heed not the Sunna, nor the law divine; If to the poor his portion you a.s.sign, And never injure one, nor yet abuse, I guarantee you heaven, and now some wine!

244. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. See Koran, ii. 172: There is no piety in turning your faces to the east or west, but he is pious who believeth in G.o.d ... and disburseth his wealth to the needy, etc.

245.

Vexed by this wheel of things, that pets the base, My sorrow-laden life drags on apace; Like rosebud, from the storm I wrap me close, And blood-spots on my heart, like tulip, trace.

245. N.

246.

Youth is the time to pay court to the vine, To quaff the cup, with revellers to recline; A flood of water once laid waste the earth, Hence learn to lay you waste with floods of wine.

246. C. N. A. I. J.

247.

The world is baffled in its search for Thee, Wealth cannot find Thee, no, nor poverty; Thou'rt very near us, but our ears are deaf, Our eyes are blinded that we may not see!

247. N. So Hafiz, Ode 355 (Brockhaus): How can our eyes behold Thee as Thou art?

248.

Take care you never hold a drinking-bout With an ill-tempered, ill-conditioned lout; He'll make a vile disturbance all night long, And vile apologies next day, no doubt.

248. C. L. N. A. I. J. In line 3 scan _badmastiyo_ and in line 4 _Khwahiyash_.

249.

The starry aspects are not all benign; Why toil then after vain desires, and pine To lade thyself with load of fortune's boons, Only to drop it with this life of thine?

249. C. L. N. A. I. J.

250.

O comrades! here is filtered wine, come drink!

Pledge all your charming sweethearts as you drink; 'Tis the grape's blood, and this is what it says, To you I dedicate my life-blood! drink!

250. C. L. N. A. I. J.

251.

Are you depressed? Then take of _bhang_ one grain, Of rosy grape-juice take one pint or twain; Sufis, you say, must not take this or that, Then go and eat the pebbles off the plain!

251. N. In line 1 and 2 scan _yakjawaki_ and _manaki_, _ak_ being the diminutive, and _ya_ the _ya i tankir_, displacing the _izafat_: Lumsden, ii, 269. _Bhang_, a narcotic, made from hemp.

252.

I saw a busy potter by the way Kneading with might and main a lump of clay; And, lo! the clay cried, Use me gently, pray; I was a man myself but yesterday!

252. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. _Hal_, ecstasy.