Omar Khayyam Quatrains

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,…

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…

I sent my Soul through the Invisible, Some letter of that After-life to spell: And by and by my Soul return’d to me, And answer’d…

Said one among them–“Surely not in vain “My substance of the common Earth was ta’en “And to this Figure moulded, to be broke, “Or trampled…

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…

Why, be this Juice the growth of God, who dare Blaspheme the twisted tendril as a Snare? A Blessing, we should use it, should we…

Ah, my Beloved, 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…

And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before The Tavern shouted–“Open then the Door! “You know how little while we have to stay, “And,…

I tell you this–When, started from the Goal, Over the flaming shoulders of the Foal Of Heav’n Parwin and Mushtari they flung, In my predestined…

So while the Vessels one by one were speaking, The little Moon look’d in that all were seeking: And then they jogg’d each other, “Brother!…

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;…

With Earth’s first Clay They did the Last Man knead And there of the Last Harvest sow’d the Seed: And the first Morning of Creation…

Ah, with the Grape my fading life provide, And wash the Body whence the Life has died, And lay me, shrouded in the living Leaf,…

And when like her, oh Sáki, you shall pass Among the Guests Star-scatter’d on the Grass, And in your joyous errand reach the spot Where…

Iram indeed is gone with all his Rose, And Jamshyd’s Sev’n-ring’d Cup where no one knows; But still a Ruby kindles in the Vine, And…

The Grape that can with Logic absolute The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute: The sovereign Alchemist that-in a trice Life’s leaden metal into Gold transmute:

Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit Of This and That endeavour and dispute; Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape Than sadden…

Would but some wingéd Angel ere too late Arrest the yet unfolded Roll of Fate, And make the stern Recorder otherwise Enregister, or quite obliterate!

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…

As under cover of departing Day Slunk hunger-stricken Ramazán away, Once more within the Potter’s house alone I stood, surrounded by the Shapes of Clay.

I think the Vessel, that with fugitive Articulation answer’d, once did live, And drink; and Ah! the passive Lip I kiss’d, How many Kisses might…

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,…

Wake! For the Sun, who scatter’d into flight The Stars before him from the Field of Night, Drives Night along with them from Heav’n, and…

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…

And David’s lips are lockt; but in divine High-piping Pehleví, with “Wine! Wine! Wine! “Red Wine!” the Nightingale cries to the Rose That sallow cheek…

Before the phantom of False morning died, Methought a Voice within the Tavern cried, “When all the Temple is prepared within, “Why nods the drowsy…

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…

Strange, is it not that of the myriads who Before us pass’d the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us of the…

We are no other than a moving row Of Magic Shadow-shapes that come and go Round with the Sun-illumined Lantern held In Midnight by the…

Would you that spangle of Existence spend About THE SECRET–quick about it, Friend! A Hair perhaps divides the False and True– And upon what, prithee,…

And fear not lest Existence closing your Account, and mine, should know the like no more; The Eternal Sáki from that Bowl has pour’d Millions…

But helpless Pieces of the Game He plays Upon this Chequer-board of Nights and Days; Hither and thither moves, and checks, and slays, And one…

Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before I swore–but was I sober when I swore? And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand My thread-bare Penitence apieces…

That ev’n my buried Ashes such a snare Of. Vintage shall fling up into the Air As not a True-believer passing by But shall be…

Well, let it take them! What have we to do With Kaikobád the Great, or Kaikhosrú? Let Zál and Rustum bluster as they will, Or…

YESTERDAY This Day’s Madness did prepare; TO-MORROW’S Silence, Triumph, or Despair: Drink! for you know not whence you came, nor why: Drink! for you know…

‘Tis but a Tent where takes his one day’s rest A Sultán to the realm of Death addrest; The Sultán rises, and the dark Ferrásh…

And has not such a Story from of Old Down Man’s successive generations roll’d Of such a clod of saturated Earth Cast by the Maker…

But if in vain, down on the stubborn floor Of Earth, and up to Heav’n’s unopening Door, You gaze TO-DAY, while You are You–how then…

Indeed the Idols I have loved so long Have done my credit in this World much wrong: Have drown’d my Glory in a shallow Cup,…

The Ball no question makes of Ayes and Noes, But Here or There as strikes the Player goes; And He that toss’d you down into…

What! out of senseless Nothing to provoke A conscious Something to resent the yoke Of unpermitted Pleasure, under pain Of Everlasting Penalties, if broke!

Yon rising Moon that looks for us again– How oft hereafter will she wax and wane; How oft hereafter rising look for us Through this…

“Why,” said another, “Some there are who tell “Of one who threatens he will toss to Hell “The luckless Pots he marr’d in making–Pish! “He’s…

And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in what All begins and ends in–Yes; Think then you are TO-DAY what YESTERDAY…

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…

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…

The Revelations of Devout and Learn’d Who rose before us, and as Prophets burn’d, Are all but Stories, which, awoke from Sleep They told their…

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…

Yet Ah, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! That Youth’s sweet-scented manuscript should close! The Nightingale that in the branches sang, Ah whence, and…