KHAYYÁM, OMAR - Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

Translated by Edward FitzGerald

(An English translation of the title: “Omar Kayyám's Quatrains”)

QUOTES FOR DISCUSSION

First Translation

XI
Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse – and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness –
And Wilderness is Paradise enow.

XII
“How sweet is mortal Sovranty!” – think some:
Others – “How blest the Paradise to come!”
Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest;
oh, the brave Music of a distant Drum!

XIV

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.

XI
Lo! Some we love, the loveliest and the best
That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
And one by one crept silently to Rest.

XXIV

Alike for those who for To-day prepare,
And those that after a To-morrow stare,
A Muezzín from the Tower of Darkness cries
“Fools! Your Reward is neither Here nor There!”

XXXII

There was a Door to which I found no Key:
There was a Veil past which I could not see:
Some little Talk awhile of Me and Thee
There seem’d – and then no more of Thee and Me.

XLVII

And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press,
End in the Nothing all Things end in – Yes-
Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what
Thou Shalt be – Nothing – Thou Shalt not be less.

LI

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a of Word of it.

Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

Second Translation

XII

Here with a little Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse- and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness-
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

XIII

Some of the Glories of This World; and some
Sigh for the Prophet’s Paradise to come;
Ah, take the Cash, and let the promise go,
nor heed the music of a distant Drum.

XXII

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

XXVII

Alike for those who for To-day prepare,
And those that after some To-morrow stare,
A Muezzín from the Tower of Darkness cries,
“Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There.”

XXXV

There was a Door to which I found no Key:
There was a Veil through which I could not see:
Some little talk awhile of Me and Thee
There was – and then no more of Thee and Me.

XLV

And if the Cup you drink, the Lip you press,
End in what All begins and ends in – Yes;
Imagine then you are what heretofore
You were – hereafter you shall not be less.

LXXVI

The Moving Finger writes; and, having write,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a of Word of it.

Create your own Rubáiyát

Choose  a short story

List at least a dozen words describing the story.

List words that rhyme with those words.

Create a stanza of four lines using a set of these rhymed words.