The Sufistic Quatrains Of Omar Khayyam Part 65

468.

O Love! before you pa.s.s death's portal through, And potters make their jugs of me and you, Pour from this jug some wine, of headache void, And fill your cup, and fill my goblet too!

468. C. L. N. A. I. J. Headache, in allusion to the wine of Paradise, Koran, lvi. 17.

469.

O Love! while yet you can, with tender art, Lift sorrow's burden from your lover's heart; Your wealth of graces will not always last, But slip from your possession, and depart!

469. C. L. N. A. I. J. Some MSS. read _zinhar_ for _zihar_, either will scan.

470.

Bestir thee, ere death's cup for thee shall flow, And blows of ruthless fortune lay thee low; Acquire some substance _here_, there is none _there_, For those who thither empty-handed go!

470. L. N. Line 2 is in metre 4. Meaning, Work while it is day.

471.

Who framed the lots of quick and dead but Thou?

Who turns the troublous wheel of heaven but Thou?

Though we are sinful slaves, is it for Thee To blame us? Who created us but Thou?

471. L. N. A. I.

472.

O wine, most limpid, pure, and crystalline, Would I could drench this silly frame of mine With thee, that pa.s.sers by might think 'twas thou, And cry, Whence comest thou, fair master wine?

472. L. N.

473.

A Shaikh beheld a harlot, and quoth he, You seem a slave to drink and lechery; And she made answer, What I seem I am, But, Master, are you all you seem to be?

473. L. N. The technical name of quatrains like this is _suwal o jawab_, or _muraja'at_. Gladwin, Persian Rhetoric, p. 40.

474.

If, like a ball, earth to my house were borne, When drunk, I'd rate it at a barley-corn; Last night they offered me in p.a.w.n for wine, But the rude vintner laughed that pledge to scorn.

474. C. L. N. A. I. J. Note the _yas i tankir_ in _Kuye_, _juye_, and _giraye_.

475.

Now in thick clouds Thy face Thou dost immerse, And now display it in this universe; Thou the spectator, Thou the spectacle, Sole to Thyself Thy glories dost rehea.r.s.e.

475. C. L. N. A. I. J. Compare the Vulgate, _ludens in orbe terrarum_, and _Gulshan i Raz_, p. 14.

476.

Better to make one soul rejoice with glee, Than plant a desert with a colony; Rather one freeman bind with chains of love, Than set a thousand prisoned captives free!

476. L.N.

477.

O thou who for thy pleasure dost impart A pang of sorrow to thy fellow's heart, Go! mourn thy perished wit, and peace of mind, Thyself hast slain them, like the fool thou art!

477. C. L. N A. I. J.

478.

Wherever you can get two maunds of wine, Set to, and drink it like a libertine; Whoso acts thus will set his spirit free From saintly airs like yours, and grief like mine.

478. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. _Chu mane_, of one like me. So in No. 170 (the note which is wrong). Vullers, p. 254. Literally, mustaches and beards.

479.

So long as I possess two maunds of wine, Bread of the flower of wheat, and mutton chine, And you, O Tulip cheek, to share my hut, Not every Sultan's lot can vie with mine.

479. C. L. N. A. B. I.

480.

They call you wicked, if to fame you're known, And an intriguer, if you live alone, Trust me, though you were Khizr or Elias, 'Tis best to know none, and of none be known.

480. C. N. I.

481.

Yes! here am I with wine and feres again!

I did repent, but, ah! 'twas all in vain; Preach not to me of Noah and his flood, But pour a flood of wine to drown my pain!

481. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Tauba i Na.s.suh_, a repentance not to be repented of. Nicolas. In line 2 note the _izafat_ dropped after silent _he_.