Part 10

34. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. Meaning, forms of faith are indifferent.

35.

'Twas writ at first, whatever was to be, By pen, unheeding bliss or misery, Yea, writ upon the tablet once for all, To murmur or resist is vanity.

35. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. Meaning, fate is heartless and resistless.

36.

There is a mystery I know full well, Which to all, good and bad, I cannot tell; My words are dark, but I cannot unfold The secrets of the «station» where I dwell.

36. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Hale_, a state of ecstasy.

37.

No base or light-weight coins pass current here, Of such a broom has swept our dwelling clear Forth from the tavern comes a sage and cries, «Drink! for ye all must sleep through ages drear»

37. Bl. L. N. Meaning, Mullahs' fables will not go down with us.

38.

With outward seeming we can cheat mankind, But to God's will we can but be resigned, The deepest wiles my cunning e'er devised, To balk resistless fate no way could find.

38. L. N. Meaning, weakness of human rule compared to the strength of Divine decrees.

39.

Is a friend faithless? spurn him as a foe; Upon trustworthy foes respect bestow; Hold healing poison for an antidote, And baneful sweets for deadly eisel know.

39. L. N. These gnomical epigrams are not common in Khayyam.

40.

No heart is there but bleeds when torn from Thee, No sight so clear but craves Thy face to see; And though perchance Thou carest not for them, No soul is there but pines with care for Thee.

40. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Jigar_, the liver, was considered to be the seat of love.

41.

Sobriety doth dry up all delight, And drunkenness doth drown my sense outright; There is a middle state, it is my life, Not altogether drunk, nor sober quite.

41. C. N. I. _Masti_ o: scan _mastiyo_. The Epicurean golden mean. See Ecclesiastes, vii, 16, 17.

42.

Behold these cups! Can He who deigned to make them, In wanton freak let ruin overtake them, So many shapely feet and hands and heads,-- What love drives Him to make, what wrath to break them?

42. C. N. A. B. I. J. _Pryalae_, a cup. So Job, «Thy hands have made me, yet thou dost destroy me.»

43.

Death's terrors spring from baseless phantasy, Death yields the tree of immortality; Since 'Isa breathed new life into my soul, Eternal death has washed its hands of me!

43. L. N. Meaning, the Sufi doctrine of _Baka ba'd ul fana_. See _Gulshan i Raz_, p. 31.

44.

Like tulips in the Spring your cups lift up, And, with a tulip-cheeked companion, sup With joy your wine, or e'er this azure wheel With some unlooked-for blast upset your cup.

44. C. L. N. A. I. J.

45.

Facts will not change to humour man's caprice, So vaunt not human powers, but hold your peace; Here must we stay, weighed down with grief for this, That we were born so late, so soon decease.

45. C. L. N. A. I. J. Meaning, the futility of striving against predestination. _Ank_, for _anki_. Bl., Prosody 13.

46.

Khayyam! why weep you that your life is bad? What boots it thus to mourn? Rather be glad. He that sins not can make no claim to mercy, Mercy was made for sinners--be not sad.

46. C. L. N. A. B. I. See note on No. 130

47.

All mortal ken is bounded by the veil, To see beyond man's sight is all too frail; Yea! earth's dark bosom is his only home;-- Alas! 'twere long to tell the doleful tale.

47. C. L. N. A. B. I. J.

48.

This faithless world, my home, I have surveyed, Yea, and with all my wit deep question made, But found no moon with face so bright as thine, No cypress in such stateliness arrayed.

48. L. N.

49.

In synagogue and cloister, mosque and school, Hell's terrors and heaven's lures men's bosoms rule, But they who master Allah's mysteries, Sow not this empty chaff their hearts to fool.

49. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. Meaning, souls re-absorbed in the Divine essence have no concern with the material heaven and hell.

50.

You see the world, but all you see is naught, And all you say, and all you hear is naught, Naught the four quarters of the mighty earth, The secrets treasured in your chamber naught.

50. L. N. Meaning, all is illusion (_Maya_).

51.

I dreamt a sage said, «Wherefore life consume In sleep? Can sleep make pleasure's roses bloom? For gather not with death's twin-brother sleep, Thou wilt have sleep enough within thy tomb!»

51. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. So Homer, _Kasignetos thanatoio_.

52.

If the heart knew life's secrets here below, At death 'twould know God's secrets too, I trow; But, if you know naught here, while still yourself, To-morrow, stripped of self, what can you know?

52. C. L. N. A. I. In line 2 scan _Ilahi_. Bl., Prosody, p. 7.

53.

On that dread day, when wrath shall rend the sky, And darkness dim the bright stars' galaxy, I'll seize the Loved One by His skirt, and cry, «Why hast Thou doomed these guiltless ones to die?»

53. C. L. N. A. I. J. See Koran, lxxxii. 1. Note the _alif i wasls_ in lines 1 and 2. In line 4 scan _kata lat_, transposing the last vowel. Bl., Prosody, p. ii.

54.

To knaves Thy secret we must not confide, To comprehend it is to fools denied, See then to what hard case Thou doomest men, Our hopes from one and all perforce we hide.

54. C. L. N. A. B. I. There is a variation of this, beginning _Asrar i jahan_.

55.

Cupbearer! what though fate's blows here betide us, And a safe resting-place be here denied us, So long as the bright wine-cup stands between us, We have the very Truth at hand to guide us.

55. C. L. N. A. I. In line 3 scan _mayast_. Bl., Prosody, p. 13, and note _tashdid_ on _hakk_ dropped. Ibid, p. iv.

56.

Long time in wine and rose I took delight, But then my business never went aright; Since wine could not accomplish my desire, I have abandoned and forsworn it quite.

56. C. L. N. A. I. J.

57.

Bring wine! my heart with dancing spirits teems, Wake! fortune's waking is as fleeting dreams; Quicksilver-like our days are swift of foot, And youthful fire subsides as torrent streams.

57. C. L. N. A. I. J. In line 3 scan _bedariyi_.

58.

Love's devotees, not Moslems here you see, Not Solomons, but ants of low degree; Here are but faces wan and tattered rags, No store of Cairene cloth or silk have we.

58. L. N. For the story of Solomon and the ants, see Koran, xxvii., 18. _Kasab_, linen made in Egypt.

59.

My law it is in pleasure's paths to stray, My creed to shun the theologic fray; I wedded Luck, and offered her a dower, She said, «I want none, so thy heart be gay.»

59. C. L. N. A. I. J.

60.

From mosque an outcast, and to church a foe, Allah! of what clay didst thou form me so? Like sceptic monk, or ugly courtesan, No hopes have I above, no joys below.

60. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Ummed_ has the _tashdid ob metrum_. Bl., Prosody 9. Line 2 is in metre 17. _Gil i mara_ for _gil i man ra_, Vullers, pp. 173 and 193.

61.

Men's lusts, like house-dogs, still the house distress With clamour, barking for mere wantonness; Foxes are they, and sleep the sleep of hares; Crafty as wolves, as tigers pitiless.

61. C. L. N. A. I. J. «Sleep of hares,» deceit.

62.

Yon turf, fringing the margent of the stream, As down upon a cherub's lip might seem, Or growth from dust of buried tulip cheeks; Tread not that turf with scorn, or light esteem!

62. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Juyiy_: the _ya_ of _juy_ is hamzated because followed by another _ya_. Vullers, p. 24.

63.

Hearts with the light of love illumined well, Whether in mosque or synagogue they dwell, Have _their_ names written in the book of love, Unvexed by hopes of heaven or fears of hell.

63. C. L. N. A. I. J. Compare Hafiz, Ode 79: «Wherever love is, there is the light of the Beloved's face.»

64.

One draught of wine outweighs the realm of Tus, Throne of Kobad and crown of Kai Kawus; Sweeter are sighs that lovers heave at morn, Than all the groanings zealot breasts produce.

64. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Kawus_ is the old spelling.

65.

Though Moslems for my sins condemn and chide me, Like heathens to my idol I confide me; Yea, when I perish of a drunken bout, I'll call on wine, whatever doom betide me.

65. L. N.

66.

In drinking thus it is not my design To riot, or transgress the law divine, No! to attain unconsciousness of self Is the sole cause I drink me drunk with wine.

66. C. L. N. A. I. J. Perhaps a hit at the orthodox Sufis.

67.

Drunkards are doomed to hell, so men declare, Believe it not, 'tis but a foolish scare; Heaven will be empty as this hand of mine, If none who love good drink find entrance there.

67. C. L. N. A. I. J. Line 4 is in metre 17.

68.

'Tis wrong, according to the strict Koran, To drink in Rajah, likewise in Sha'ban, God and the Prophet claim those months as theirs; Was Ramazan then made for thirsty man?

68. C. L. N. A. I. J. The point, of course, is that Ramazan is the Mahammadan Lent.

69.

Now Ramazan is come, no wine must flow, Our simple pastimes we must now forego, The wine we have in store we must not drink, Nor on our mistresses one kiss bestow.

69. L. N. Does _Sada_ mean the winter feast?

70.

What is the world? A _caravanserai_, A pied pavilion of night and day; A feast whereat a thousand Jamshids sat, A couch whereon a thousand Bahrams lay.

70. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Wamanda_, «leavings.»

71.

Now that your roses bloom with flowers of bliss, To grasp your goblets be not so remiss, Drink while you may! Time is a treacherous foe, You may not see another day like this.

71. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Bar bar_ «blooming, on the branch,» _i.e._, you are still young. Bl.

72.

Here in this palace, where Bahram held sway, The wild roes drop their young, and tigers stray; And that great hunter king--ah! well-a-day! Now to the hunter death is fallen a prey.

72. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Daro_: see Bl., Pros. 11.

73.

Down fall the tears from skies enwrapt in gloom, Without this drink, the flowers could never bloom! As now these flowerets yield delight to me, So shall my dust yield flowers,--God knows for whom.

73. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. In line 4 _ta_ is the «_ta i tajahul_,» meaning, «I do not know whether,» «perhaps.» Bl.

74.

To-day is Friday, as the Moslem says, Drink then from bowls served up in quick relays; Suppose on common days you drink one bowl, To-day drink two, for 'tis the prince of days.

74. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. Friday is the day «of assembly,» or Sabbath.

75.

The _very_ wine a myriad forms sustains, And to take shapes of plants and creatures deigns But deem not that its essence ever dies, Its forms may perish, but its self remains.

75. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. On this Bl. notes «The Arabic form _hayawan_ is required by the metre.» And _Suwar_ is the Arabic plural, used as a singular. Bl., Prosody 5. Wine means the divine «_Noumenon_.» _Gulshan i Raz_, 825.

76.

'Tis naught but smoke this people's fire doth bear, For my well-being not a soul doth care; With hands fate makes me lift up in despair, I grasp men's skirts, but find no succour there.

76. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. Scan _tayifa_.

77.

This bosom friend, on whom you so rely, Seems to clear wisdom's eyes an enemy; Choose not your friends from this rude multitude, Their converse is a plague 'tis best to fly.

77. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. The MSS. transpose the lines.

78.

O foolish one! this moulded earth is naught, This particoloured vault of heaven is naught; Our sojourn in this seat of life and death Is but one breath, and what is that but naught?

78. Bl. L. N. _Shakl i mujassam_, «the earth.» Bl.

79.

Some wine, a Houri (Houris if there be), A green bank by a stream, with minstrelsy;-- Toil not to find a better Paradise If other Paradise indeed there be!

79. Bl. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Dozakh i farsuda_, «an old hell,» _i.e._, vain things which create a hell for you. Bl.

80.

To the wine-house I saw the sage repair, Bearing a wine-cup, and a mat for prayer; I said, «O Shaikh, what does this conduct mean?» Said he, «Go drink! the world is naught but air.»

80. N.

81.

The Bulbul to the garden winged his way, Viewed lily cups, and roses smiling gay, Cried in ecstatic notes, «O live your life, You never will re-live this fleeting day.»

81. N. The MSS. have a variation of this beginning, _Bulbul chu. Jam . ra_. See Bl., Prosody, p. 12.

82.

Thy body is a tent, where harbourage The Sultan spirit takes for one brief age; When he departs, comes the tent-pitcher death, Strikes it, and onward moves, another stage.

82. C. L. N. A. I. J. _Manzil_, in line 2, «lodging»; in line 3, «stage» _Khimaye_, a «tent.»

83.

Khayyam, who long time stitched the tents of learning, Has fallen into a furnace, and lies burning, Death's shears have cut his thread of life asunder, Fate's brokers sell him off with scorn and spurning.

83. C. L. N. A. B. I. J.

84.

In the sweet spring a grassy bank I sought, And thither wine, and a fair Houri brought; And, though the people called me graceless dog, Gave not to Paradise another thought!

84. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. _Batar_, a contraction. See Bl., Prosody, p. 10.

85.

Sweet is rose-ruddy wine in goblets gay, And sweet are lute and harp and roundelay; But for the zealot who ignores the cup, 'Tis sweet when he is twenty leagues away!

85. N. The MSS. have a variation of this. Note _Khush_.

86.

Life, void of wine, and minstrels with their lutes, And the soft murmurs of Irakian flutes, Were nothing worth: I scan the world and see: Save pleasure, life yields only bitter fruits.

86. L. N. See an answer to this in No. 97.

87.

Make haste! soon must you quit this life below, And pass the veil, and Allah's secrets know, Make haste to take your pleasure while you may, You wot not whence you come, nor whither go.

87. C. L. N. A. I. In line 3 scan _nidaniyaz_.

88.

Depart we must! what boots it then to be, To walk in vain desires continually? Nay, but if heaven vouchsafe no place of rest, What power to cease our wanderings have we?

88. N. In line 3 scan _jayiga_. Bl., Prosody, p. 15.

89.

To chant wine's praises is my daily task, I live encompassed by cup, bowl and flask; Zealot! if reason be thy guide, then know That guide of me doth ofttimes guidance ask.

89. C. L. N. A. I. J. In line 1 scan _maddahiyi_; and compare Horace, «_Edocet artes; Fecundi calices quem non fecere disertum._»

90.

O men of morals! why do ye defame, And thus misjudge me? I am not to blame. Save weakness for the grape, and female charms, What sins of mine can any of ye name?

90. C. L. N. A. I. J. This change of persons is called _Iltifat_. Gladwin, Persian Rhetoric, p. 56.

91.

Who treads in passion's footsteps here below, A helpless pauper will depart, I trow; Remember who you are, and whence you come. Consider what you do, and whither go.

91. C. L. N. A. I. _Khabarat_: see Bl., Prosody, p. v.

92.

Skies like a zone our weary lives enclose, And from our tear-stained eyes a Jihun flows; Hell is a fire enkindled of our griefs; Heaven but a moment's peace, stolen from our woes.

92. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. This balanced arrangement of similes is called _Tirsi'a_. Gladwin, p. 5.

93.

I drown in sin--show me Thy clemency! My soul is dark--make me Thy light to see! A heaven that must be earned by painful works, I call a wage, not a gift fair and free.

93. C. L. N. A. I. J. Arabic words like _raza_, drop the _hamza_ in Persian, except with the _izafat_: (Bl., Prosody 14). For this _hamza, ya_ is often used, as here.

94.

Did He who made me fashion me for hell, Or destine me for heaven? I cannot tell. Yet will I not renounce cup, lute and love, Nor earthly cash for heavenly credit sell.

94. C. L. N. A. B. I. In line 4 the _izafat_ is dropped after silent _he_. Bl., Prosody, p. 15.

95.

From right and left the censors came and stood, Saying, «Renounce this wine, this foe of good»; But if wine be the foe of holy faith, By Allah, right it is to drink its blood!

95. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. See Koran, ii. 187.

96.

The good and evil with man's nature blent, The weal and woe that heaven's decrees have sent,-- Impute them not to motions of the skies,-- Skies than thyself ten times more impotent.

96. C. L. N. A. I. J. Fate is merely the decree of Allah. For the distinction between _kaza_ and _kadar_, see Pocock, «_Specimen Historiae Arabum_,» p. 207.

97.

Against death's arrows what are buckles worth? What all the pomps and riches of the earth? When I survey the world, I see no good But goodness, all beside is nothing worth.

97. N. Possibly written on the margin by some pious reader as an answer to No. 86.

98.

Weak souls, who from the world cannot refrain, Hold life-long fellowship with rule and pain; Hearts free from worldly cares have store of bliss, All others seeds of bitter woe contain.

98. L. N. _Tajrid_, see _Gulshan i Raz_, p. 8, n.

99.

He, in whose bosom wisdom's seed is sown, To waste a single day was never known; Either he strives to work great Allah's will, Or else exalts the cup, and works his own.

99. C. L. N. A. B. I. J. _Tarabe_, query, _takhme?_ giving a line in metre 23.

100.

When Allah mixed my clay, He knew full well My future acts, and could each one foretell; Without His will no act of mine was wrought; Is it then just to punish me in hell?

100. C. L. N. A. I. Of the Moslem theory of predestination, Khayyam might truly say, «Ten thousand mortals, drowned in endless woe, for doing what they were compelled to _do_.»

101.

Ye, who cease not to drink on common days, Do not on Friday quit your drinking ways; Adopt my creed, and count all days the same, Be worshippers of God, and not of days.

101. L. N. In line 3 scan _yakist_.

102.

If grace be grace, and Allah gracious be, Adam from Paradise why banished He? Grace to poor sinners shown is grace indeed; In grace hard earned by works no grace I see.

102. N. The _tashdid_ of _rabb_ is dropped. Bl., Prosody, p. iv.

103.

Dame Fortune's smiles are full of guile, beware! Her scimitar is sharp to smite, take care! If e'er she drop a sweetmeat in thy mouth, 'Tis poisonous,--to swallow it forbear!

103. C. L. A. B. I. _Hush_ contracted from _hosh_.

104.

Where'er you see a rose or tulip bed, Know that a mighty monarch's blood was shed And where the violet rears her purple tuft, Be sure a black-moled girl hath laid her head.

104. B. L. The MSS. have a variation of this, beginning _Har khisht ki_.

105.

Wine is a melting ruby, cup its mine; Cup is the body, and the soul is wine; These crystal goblets smile with ruddy wine Like tears, that blood of wounded hearts enshrine.

105. L. B.

106.

Drink wine! 'tis life etern, and travail's meed, Fruitage of youth, and balm of age's need: 'Tis the glad time of roses, wine and friends; Rejoice thy spirit--that is life indeed.

106. L. B. There being no _izafat_ after _yaran_, _sar i mast_ must agree with _hangam_.

107.

Drink wine! long must you sleep within the tomb, Without a friend, or wife to cheer your gloom; Hear what I say, and tell it not again, «Never again can withered tulips bloom.»

107. C. A. B. I. J. This recalls the chorus in the «Oedipus Coloneus.»

108.

They preach how sweet those Houri brides will be, But I say wine is sweeter--taste and see! Hold fast this cash, and let that credit go, And shun the din of empty drums like me.

108. C. L. A. B. I. J. _Sin_, «nuptials.» Like me, _i.e._, as I do.

109.

Once and again my soul did me implore, To teach her, if I might, the heavenly lore; I bade her learn the _Alif_ well by heart. Who knows that letter well need learn no more.

109. B. _Alif Kafat_, the One (God) is enough. Probably a quotation. Hafiz (Ode 416) uses the same expression: «He who knows the One knows all.»

110.

I came not hither of my own free will, And go against my wish, a puppet still; Cupbearer! gird thy loins, and fetch some wine; To purge the world's despite, my goblet fill.

110. C. L. A. B. I. J. _'Azme, ya i tankir_, or _tans ifi?_

111.

How long must I make bricks upon the sea? Beshrew this vain task of idolatry; Call not Khayyam a denizen of hell; One while in heaven, and one in hell is he.

111. C. L. A. B. I. J. _Andar-ba_, Bl., Prosody 12.

112.

Sweet is the breath of Spring to rose's face, And thy sweet face adds charm to this fair place; To-day is sweet, but yesterday is sad, And sad all mention of its parted grace.

112. C. L. A. B. I. J. _Khush_ is pronounced _khash_ or _khush._ Bl., Prosody, p. 12. _Guyi_ is generally written with _hamza_ and _ya_, but in some MSS. _fatha_ is substituted for the _hamza_ [?].

113.

To-night pour wine, and sing a dulcet air, And I upon thy lips will hang, O fair; Yea, pour some wine as rosy as thy cheeks, My mind is troubled like thy ruffled hair.

113. B. _Roziyyi_.

114.

Pen, tablet, heaven and hell I looked to see Above the skies, from all eternity; At last the master sage instructed me, «Pen, tablet, heaven and hell are all in thee.»

114. Allah writes his decrees with the «pen» on the «tablet.» Koran, lxviii. l. See _Gulshan i Raz_, 1, n.

115.

The fruit of certitude _he_ cannot pluck, The path that leads thereto who never struck, Nor ever shook the bough with strenuous hand; To-day is lost; hope for to-morrow's luck.

115. L. B. _Lit._ «Consider to-morrow your first day.»

116.

Now spring-tide showers its foison on the land, And lively hearts wend forth, a joyous band, For 'Isa's breath wakes the dead earth to life, And trees gleam white with flowers, like Musa's hand.

116. B. Alluding to the life-giving breath of Jesus, and the white hand of Moses. (Exodus, IV. 6.) _Bakhushi dastrase (ya i tankir_), «_an_ aid to joy,» _i.e._, Spring.

117.

Alas for that cold heart, which never glows With love, nor e'er that charming madness knows; The days misspent with no redeeming love;-- No days are wasted half as much as those!

117. Bl. L. B.

118.

The zephyrs waft thy fragrance, and it takes My heart, and me, his master, he forsakes; Careless of me he pants and leaps to thee, And thee his pattern and ensample makes!

118. Bl. C. L. A. I. J. Also ascribed to Abu Sa'id bin Abul Khair. C. writes _buyi_ with two _yas_, and _hamza_ on the first. The second _ya_ seems to be _ya i batni_ or _tausifi_, though that is usual only before adjectives. Bl., Prosody, p. 11.

119.

Drink wine! and then as Mahmud thou wilt reign, And hear a music passing David's strain: Think not of past or future, seize to-day, Then all thy life will not be lived in vain.

119. Bl. C. L. A. I. J.

120.

Ten Powers, and nine spheres, eight heavens made He, And planets seven, of six sides, as we see, Five senses, and four elements, three souls, Two worlds, but only one, O man, like thee.

120. L. A summary of the Muhammadan doctrine of «Emanations.» See _Gulshan i Raz_, p. 21. Three souls, _i.e._, vegetive, animal and human, as in Aristotle's _De Anima_. _Akhtaram_ (?), also in Cambridge MS.

121.