THE RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM 1
by Edward FitzGerald
1
AWAKE! For Morning in the Bowl of Night

Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:

And lo! the Hunter of the East has caught

The Sultan’s Turret in a Noose of Light.
2
Dreaming when Dawn’s Left Hand was in the Sky

I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry,

“Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup

Before Life’s Liquor in its Cup be dry.”
3
And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before

The Tavern shouted – “Open thenthe Door!

You know how little while we have to stay,

And once departed, may return no more.”
4
Now the New Year reviving old Desires,

The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,

Where the WHITE HAND OF MOSES on the bough Puts out,

and Jesus from the Ground suspires.
5
Iram indeed is gone with all its Rose,

And Jamshyd’s Sev’n-ring’d Cup where no-one knows;

But still the Vine her ancient Ruby yields,

And still a Garden by the Water blows.
6

And David’s Lips are lock’t;but in divine

High piping Pehlevi,with “Wine! Wine!Wine!

Red Wine!” —the Nightingale cries to the Rose

That yellow Cheek of her’s to incarnadine.
7
Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring

The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:

The Bird of Time has but a little way

To fly — and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.
8

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 dropping One by One.
9
And look — a thousand Blossoms with the Day

Woke — and a thousand scatter’d into Clay:

And this first Summer Month that brings the Rose

Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away.
10

Well let it take them, what have we to do
With Kaikobad and Kaikhosru?

Let Zal and Rustum thunder as they will
Or Hatim call to supper — heed not you.