Part 5

_Ref._: O. 67, L. 291, B. 287, S.P. 153, P. 230.--W. 174, N. 153, V. 294.

VII.

Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling: The Bird of Time has but a little way To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing.

This is another composite quatrain, and the similarity of its sentiment to that of No. 94 (_post_) makes it somewhat difficult to allocate the parallels to it. The first two lines come from two quatrains in C. 431 and 460 (ll. 1 and 2).

Every day I resolve to repent in the evening, Repenting of the brimful goblet, and the cup; (But) now that the season of roses has come, I cannot grieve, Give penitence for repentance[27] in the season of roses, O Lord!

_Ref._: C. 431, L. 655, B. 647, B. ii. 510.--W. 425, V. 704.

The flowers are blooming, bring wine, O Saki, Abandon the practices of the zealot, O Saki.

_Ref._: C. 460, L. 684, B. 675, B. ii. 540.--V. 736.

The image of the flight of time permeates the whole of the quatrains. The precise image that FitzGerald uses in ll. 3 and 4 I find in the 24th distich of the Mantik ut-tair of Ferid ud din Attar.

The bird of the sky flutters along its appointed path.

VIII.*[28]

Whether at Naishapur or Babylon, Whether the Cup with sweet or bitter run, The Wine of Life keeps oozing drop by drop, The Leaves of Life keep falling one by one.

This quatrain is taken mainly from O. 47 (C. 123). It does not occur in the first edition, and FitzGerald was evidently «reminded of it» by Nicolas, in whose reading of the text, alone, the town of Naishapur is mentioned instead of Balkh. Balkh and Babylon are constantly interchanged in Persian _belles lettres_.

Since life passes; what is Baghdad and what is Balkh? When the cup is full, what matter if it be sweet or bitter?[29] Drink wine, for often, after thee and me, this moon Will pass on from the last day of the month to the first, and from the first to the last.

_Ref._: O. 47, L. 299, B. 226, C. 123, S.P. 105, P. 51, T. 99.--W. 134, N. 105, E.C. 2, V. 236.

If closer reference for line 3 be required, it may be found in N. 18, ll. 3 and 4.

Whether our Saki holds the neck of the bottle in his hand, Or the soul of wine oozes over the rim of the cup.

_Ref._: L. 35, B. 32, S.P. 18.--W. 21, N. 18, V. 33.

«The leaves of life» recur constantly either as leaves of a tree, or of a book. FitzGerald's inspiration comes from C. 377, ll. 1 and 2. (_Vide_ also _sub._ No. 9.)

At the moment when I flee from destiny, And fall like the leaf of the vine, from the branch.

_Ref._: C. 377, L. 574, B. 567, S.P. 265, B. ii. 353, T. 249.--W. 309, N. 266, V. 614.

IX.

Each Morn a thousand Roses brings, you say; Yes, but where leaves the Rose of Yesterday? And this first Summer month that brings the Rose Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away.

This quatrain owes its origin to three separate ruba'iyat, viz.: O. 135 (ll. 3 and 4) C. 500 (ll. 1 and 2), C. 481 (ll. 3 and 4).

Sit in the shade of the rose, for, by the wind, many roses Have been scattered to earth and have become dust.

_Ref._: O. 135, L. 671, B. 663, S.P. 366, B. ii. 483, T. 277.--W. 414, N. 370, V. 720.

By the coming of Spring and the return of December[30] The leaves of our life are continually folded.

_Ref._: C. 500, L. 745, B. 731, P. 242, S.P. 397, B. ii. 531.--W. 444, N. 402, V. 797.

For it has flung to earth a hundred thousand Jams and Kais,[31] This coming of the first-summer-month and departing of the month December.

_Ref._: C. 481, L. 712, B. 701, S.P. 449, P. 216, B. ii. 603.--W. 484, N. 455, V. 764.

X.

Well, let it take them! What have we to do With Kaikobad the Great, or Kaikhosru? Let Zal[32] and Rustum bluster as they will, Or Hatim call to supper--heed not you.

The first two lines of this quatrain echo two fragments from the MSS. O. 139 (ll. 3 and 4), and C. 57 (ll. 1 and 2).

The cup is a hundred times better than the kingdom of Feridun,[33] The tile that covers the jar is better than the crown of Kai Khosru.

_Ref._: O. 136, L. 650, B. 642, S.P. 378, P. 246, B. ii. 511, P. v. 178.--N. 382, V. 609.

One draught of wine is better than the Empire of Kawus, And is better than the Throne of Kobad and the Empire of Tus.

_Ref._: C. 57, L. 122, B. 119, S.P. 61, P. 297.--W. 64, N. 61, V. 121.

The last two lines are translated from C. 503 (ll. 3 and 4).

Bow not thy neck though Rustum son of Zal be thy foe, Be not grateful though Hatim Tai befriend thee.[34]

_Ref._: C. 503, L. 746, B. 732. S.P. 411, P. 150, B. ii. 552, P. iv. 23.--W. 455, N. 416, V. 798.

XI.

With me along the strip of Herbage strown That just divides the desert from the sown, Where name of Slave and Sultan is forgot-- And Peace to Mahmud on his golden Throne!

XII.

A Book of Verses underneath the Bough, A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness-- Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

This pair of quatrains must be considered together. They owe their origin to O. 155 and O. 149.

If a loaf of wheaten bread be forthcoming, A gourd of wine, and a thigh-bone of mutton, And then, if thou and I be sitting in the wilderness,-- That were a joy not within the power of any Sultan.

_Ref._: O. 155, C. 474, L. 697, B. 688, S.P. 442, P. 229, B. ii. 591. T. 292, P. iv. 24, P. v. 109.--W. 479, N. 448, V. 749.

I desire a flask of ruby wine and a book of verses Just enough to keep me alive,[35] and half a loaf is needful, And then, that thou and I should sit in the wilderness, Is better than the kingdom of a Sultan.

_Ref._: O. 149, S.P. 408.--W. 452, N. 413, E.C. 13.

XIII.

Some for the Glories of This World; and some Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come; Ah, take the Cash, and let the Credit go Nor heed the rumble of a distant Drum!

The original of this quatrain is found in O. 34.

They say that the Garden of Eden is pleasant with houris: _I_ say that the juice of the grape is pleasant. Hold fast this cash and keep thy hand from that credit, For the noise of drums, brother, is pleasant from afar.

_Ref._: O. 34, C. 51, L. 95, B. 91, P. iii. 3, P. 323, P. v. 36.--W. 108, V. 95.

C. 156 is almost identical in sentiment:

They say that there will be heaven and the Fount of Kausar,[36] That there, there will be pure wine and honey and sugar, Fill up the wine-cup and place it in my hand, (For) ready cash is better than a thousand credits.

_Ref._: C. 156, L. 297, B. 293, S.P. 169, B. ii. 223, T. 141.--N. 169, V. 300.

C. 288 reproduces the same image, and we have a parallel for ll. 1 and 2 in ll. 1 and 2 of C. 225.

Mankind are fallen from vain imagining into pride, And are consumed in the search after houris and palaces.[37]

_Ref._: C. 225, L. 279, B. 275, S.P. 167, T. 163.--W. 184, N. 167, V. 283.

O. 40 may also be cited for the closeness of its parallel both to this, and to the preceding quatrain:

I know not whether he who fashioned me Appointed me to dwell in heaven or in dreadful hell, (But) some food, and an adored one, and wine[38] upon the green bank of a field-- All these three are present cash to me: thine be the promised heaven!

_Ref._: O. 40, L. 89, B. 85, C. 107, S.P. 92, T. 84, P. v. 176.--W. 94, N. 92, V. 89.

XIV.

Look to the blowing Rose about us--«Lo, Laughing,» she says, «into the world I blow, At once the silken tassel of my Purse Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw.»

This quatrain is translated from C. 383

The rose said: I brought a gold-scattering hand, Laughing, laughing, have I blown into the world, I snatched the noose-string from off the head of my purse and I am gone! I flung into the world all the ready money that I had.

_Ref._: C. 383 _only_.

XV.

And those who husbanded the Golden grain, And those who flung it to the winds like Rain, Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd As, buried once, Men want dug up again.

The inspiration for this quatrain comes from O. 68.

Ere that fate makes an attack upon thy head Give orders that they bring thee rose-coloured wine; Thou art not treasure, O heedless dunce! that thee They hide in the earth and then dig up again.[39]

_Ref._: O. 68, C. 151, L. 277, B. 273, S.P. 156, P. 336, P. v. 11.--W. 175, N. 156, E.C. 31, V. 281.

XVI.

The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon Turns Ashes--or it prospers; and anon, Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face, Lighting a little hour or two--is gone.

The inspiration for this quatrain is to be found in C. 266.

O heart! Suppose all this world's affairs were within your power, And the whole world from end to end as you desire it, And then, like snow in the desert, upon its surface Resting for two or three days, understand yourself to be gone!

_Ref._: C. 266, L. 420, B. 416, P. 144, B. ii. 260, T. 168.--V 443.

XVII.

Think, in this batter'd Caravanserai Whose Portals are alternate Night and Day, How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp Abode his destined Hour, and went his way.

This quatrain owes its origin to C. 95.

This worn caravanserai which is called the world Is the resting-place of the piebald horse of night and day; It is a pavilion which has been abandoned by an hundred Jamshyds; It is a palace that is the resting-place of an hundred Bahrams.[40]

_Ref._: C. 95, L. 203, B. 200, S.P. 67, P. 120, B. ii. 42, T. 79 and 357.--W. 70, N. 67, V. 199.

XVIII.

They say the Lion and the Lizard keep The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep: And Bahram, that great Hunter--the Wild Ass Stamps o'er his Head, but cannot break his Sleep.

The original of this quatrain is C. 99.

In that palace where Bahram grasped the wine-cup; The foxes whelp, and the lions take their rest; Bahram who was always catching (_gur_) wild asses,-- To-day behold that the (_gur_) grave has caught Bahram.

_Ref._: C. 99, L. 210, B. 207, S.P. 69, P. 48 and 139, B. ii. 51, T. 82 and 294, P. iv. 12, P. v. 156.--W. 72, N. 69, V. 205.

XIX.

I sometimes think that never blows so red The Rose as where some buried Cæsar bled That every Hyacinth the Garden wears Dropt in her Lap from some once lovely Head.

The original of this quatrain is found in O. 43.

Everywhere that there has been a rose or tulip bed, It has come from the redness of the blood of a king; Every violet shoot that grows from the earth Is a mole[41] that was (once) upon the cheek of a beauty.

_Ref._: O. 43, C. 47, L. 110, B. 106, B. ii. 105, T. 304, P. v. 159.--W. 104, E.C. 4, V. 109.

XX.

And this reviving Herb whose tender Green Fledges the River-lip on which we lean-- Ah, lean upon it lightly! for who knows From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen!

The original of this quatrain was C. 44.

All verdure that grows upon the margin of a stream, You may say, grows from the lip of one angel-natured; Beware not to set foot contemptuously upon the verdure, For that verdure grows from the clay of one tulip-cheeked.

_Ref._: C. 44, L. 62, B. 59, S.P. 59, P. 64, T. 349, P. iv. 20.--W. 62, N. 59, V. 61.

XXI.

Ah, my Belovéd, fill the Cup that clears TO-DAY of past Regrets and future Fears: _To-morrow!_--Why, To-morrow I may be Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n thousand Years.

This quatrain is translated from C. 348.

Come, O friend! and let us not suffer anguish concerning the morrow. Let us take advantage of these few ready-money moments, When, to-morrow, we depart from the face of the earth We shall be equal with those who went seven thousand years ago.

_Ref._: C. 348, L. 546, B. 540, S.P. 268, P. 122, B. ii. 351, T. 233, P. v. 96.--W. 312, N. 269, V. 586.

XXII.

For some we loved, the loveliest and the best That from his Vintage rolling Time hath prest, Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before, And one by one crept silently to rest.

The inspiration for this quatrain is found in C. 185.

All my sympathetic friends have left me, One by one they have sunk low at the foot of Death. In the fellowship of souls they were cup-companions, A turn or two before me they became drunk.

_Ref._: C. 185, L. 381, B. 377, P. ii. 4, B. ii. 141.--W. 219, V. 379.

XXIII.

And we, that now make merry in the Room They left, and Summer dresses in new bloom, Ourselves must we beneath the Couch of Earth Descend--ourselves to make a Couch--for whom?

The main inspiration of this quatrain comes from C. 388.

Arise, and do not sorrow for this fleeting world, Be at peace, and pass through the world with happiness. If the nature of the world were constant The turn of others would not have descended to you yourself.[42]

_Ref._: C. 388, L. 585, B. 578, S.P. 322, P. 159 and 178, B. ii. 430, T. 264, P. iv. 29 and 62.--W. 366, N. 325, V. 632.

Combined with the suggestion contained in this ruba'i, we find the echo of a sentiment that recurs continually in the originals, _e.g._, C. 82 (ll. 3 and 4) and O. 129 (ll. 3 and 4).

This verdure, which for the present is my pleasure-ground Until the verdure (springing) from my clay shall become a pleasure-ground--for whom?

_Ref._: C. 82, L. 191, B. 188, S.P. 70, P. 305, B. ii. 36, T. 63 and 351.--W. 73, N. 70, V. 187.

Sit upon the greensward, O Idol, for it will not be long Ere that greensward shall grow from my dust and thine.

_Ref._: O. 129, C. 416, L. 634, B. 626, S.P. 345, P. 47, B. ii. 464, P. v. 131--W. 390, N. 348, E.C. 3, V. 683.

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 willy-nilly flowing; And out of it, as Wind along the Waste, I know not _Whither_, Willy-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 passes 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.

XXX.

What, without asking, hither hurried _Whence_? And, without asking, _Whither_ hurried hence! Oh, many a Cup of this forbidden Wine Must drown the memory of that insolence!

This quatrain owes its origin to two ruba'iyat in O., viz., 21 and 151.

Seeing that my coming was not in my power at the Day of Creation,[47] And that my undesired departure hence is a purpose fixed (for me), Get up and gird well thy loins, O nimble cup-bearer, For I will wash down the misery of the world in wine.

_Ref._: O. 21, C. 49, L. 94, B. 90, B. ii. 86, P. v. 123.--W. 110, V. 94.

Had I charge of the matter I would not have come, And, likewise, could I control my going, how should I have gone? There could have been nothing better than that in this world I had neither come, nor gone, nor lived?

_Ref._: O. 157, C. 494, L. 732, B. 720, P. 88, B. ii. 590 and 593, P. iv. 17, P. v. 130.--W. 490, E.C. 30, N. 450, V. 785.

XXXI.

Up from Earth's Centre through the Seventh Gate I rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate, And many a Knot unravel'd by the Road; But not the Master-knot of Human Fate.

This quatrain is translated from C. 314.

From the Nadir of the earthly globe, up to the Zenith of Saturn I solved all the problems of heaven; I escaped from the bondage of all trickery and deceit, All obstacles were removed save only the Bond of Fate.

_Ref._: C. 314, L. 491, B. 487, B. ii. 338, T. 215.--W. 303, V. 531.

XXXII.

There was the Door to which I found no Key; There was the Veil through which I might not see: Some little talk awhile of ME and THEE There was--and then no more of THEE and ME.

The main inspiration of this quatrain is found in C. 387.

Neither thou nor I know the secret of Eternity, And neither thou nor I can de-cypher this riddle; There is a talk behind the Curtain[48] of me and thee But when the Curtain falls neither thou nor I are there.

_Ref._: C. 387, L. 581, B. 574, P. 33, B. ii. 421, T. 260.--W. 389, V. 628.

We also see in the quatrain the influence of O. 29 and C. 193, ll. 1 and 2.

No one can pass behind the Curtain (that veils) the secret, The mind of no one is cognizant of what is there:[49]

_Ref.:_ O. 29, C. 56, L. 61, B. 58, S.P. 43, P. 63, B. ii. 103, P. v. 188.--W. 47, N. 44, V. 60.

No one can pass behind the Curtain of Fate No one is master of the Secret of Destiny.

_Ref.:_ C. 193, L. 345, B. 341, S.P. 177, B. ii. 212.--W 192, N. 177, V. 346.

XXXIII.*

Earth could not answer; nor the seas that mourn In flowing Purple, of their Lord forlorn; Nor rolling Heaven, with all his Signs reveal'd And hidden by the sleeve of Night and Morn.

This is the quatrain (not No. 31 as stated by Mr. Aldis Wright in his Editorial Note) taken by Edward FitzGerald from the Mantik ut-tair of Ferid ud din Attar. The story which inspired it begins at distich No. 972, and is as follows:

An observer of spiritual things approached the sea And said «O sea, why are you blue? Why do you wear the robe of mourning? There is no fire, why do you boil?» The sea made answer to that good-hearted one, «I weep for my separation from the Friend, Since by reason of my impotence I am not worthy of Him, I have made my robe blue on account of my sorrow for Him.»

XXXIV.

Then of the THEE in ME who works behind The Veil, I lifted up my hands to find A lamp amid the Darkness; and I heard, As from Without--«THE ME WITHIN THEE BLIND!»

That Edward FitzGerald was not following any particular ruba'iyat of the original MSS. is clearly indicated by the great variation observable in the forms that this quatrain successively assumed in the first, second and third editions. It suggests an exposition of the Sufi doctrine of the emanation of the mortal Creature from God the Creator, and his reabsorption into God. There is a quatrain in L. (No. 641) and in B. ii. (No. 457) which is akin to it, but FitzGerald was not acquainted with these texts. (It is No. 400 in W.) I have no doubt that FitzGerald's 34th quatrain was suggested to him by two intricate passages in the Mantik ut-tair, commencing respectively at distich 3090 and distich 3735. The first of these may be translated:

«The Creator of the World spoke thus to David from behind the Curtain of the Secret: 'For everything in the world, good or bad, visible or invisible, thou canst find a substitute, but for Me, thou canst find neither substitute nor equal. Since nothing can be substituted for Me, do not cease to abide in Me. I am thy Soul, destroy not thou thy Soul, I am necessary to thee, O thou my servant. Seek not to exist apart from Me.'»

The second passage reads: «Since long ago, really, I am thee, and thou art Me, we two are but One. Art thou Me, or am I thee? is there any duality in the matter? Either I am thee, or thou art Me, or thou, thou art thyself. Since thou art Me and I am thee for ever, our two bodies are One: Salutation!»

XXXV.

Then to the Lip of this poor earthen Urn I lean'd, the Secret of my Life to learn; And Lip to Lip it murmur'd--«While you live, «Drink!--for, once dead, you never shall return.»

This quatrain is translated from O. 100:

In great desire I pressed my lips to the lip of the jar, To enquire from it how long life might be attained; It joined its lip to mine and whispered, «Drink wine! for to this world thou returnest not.»

_Ref._: O. 100, C. 283, L. 446, B. 442, P. 99, B. ii. 303, T. 185, P. v. 193.--W. 274, E.C. 25, V. 482.

C. 489 is a mystic and doctrinal quatrain containing the same injunction.

Drink wine! for I have told you a thousand times There is no returning for you; when you are gone, you are _gone_!