372.

Though you survey, O my enlightened friend,
This world of vanity from end to end,

You will discover there no other good
Than wine and rosy cheeks, you may depend!

373.

Last night upon the river bank we lay,

I with my wine-cup, and a maiden gay,

So bright it shone, like pearl within its shell, The watchman cried, "Behold the break of day!"

374.

Have you no shame for all the sins you do,

Sins of omission and commission, too?

Suppose you gain the world, you can but leave it,

You can not carry it away with you!

375.

In a lone waste I saw a debauchee,

He had no home, no faith, no heresy,

No God, no truth, no law, no certitude;

Where in this world is man so bold as he?

376.

Some look for truth in creeds, and forms, and rules; Some grope for doubts or dogmas in the schools;

But from behind the veil a voice proclaims, "Your road lies neither here nor there, O fools."

377.

In heaven is seen the bull we name Parwin,
Beneath the earth another lurks unseen;

And thus to wisdom's eyes mankind appear
A drove of asses, two great bulls between!

378.

The people say, "Why not drink somewhat less?
What reasons have you for such great excess?"

First, my Love's face, second, my morning draught; Can there be clearer reasons, now confess?

379.

Had I the power great Allah to advise,
I'd bid him sweep away this earth and skies,

And build a better, where, unclogged and free,
The clear soul might achieve her high emprise.

380.

This silly sorrow-laden heart of mine

Is ever pining for that Love of mine;

When the Cupbearer poured the wine of love, With my heart's blood he filled this cup of mine!

381.

To drain the cup, to hover round the fair,

Can hypocritic arts with these compare?

If all who love and drink are going wrong, There's many a wight of heaven may well despair!

382.

'Tis wrong with gloomy thoughts your mirth to drownTo let grief's millstone weigh your spirits down;

Since none can tell what is to be, 'tis best With wine and love your heart's desires to crown.

383.

'Tis well in reputation to abide,

'Tis shameful against heaven to rail and chide;

Still, head had better ache with over-drink,

Than be puffed up with Pharisaic pride!

384.

O Lord! pity this prisoned heart, I pray,
Pity this bosom stricken with dismay!

Pardon these hands that ever grasp the cup, These feet that to the tavern ever stray!

385.

O Lord! from self-conceit deliver me,
Sever from self, and occupy with Thee!

This self is captive to earth's good and ill, Make me beside myself, and set me free!

386.

Behold the tricks this wheeling dome doth play, And earth laid bare of old friends torn away! O live this present moment, which is thine, Seek not a morrow, mourn not yesterday!

387.

Since all man's business in this world of woe
Is sorrow's pangs to feel, and grief to know,
Happy are they that never come at all,
And they that, having come, the soonest go!

388.

By reason's dictates it is right to live,
But of ourselves we know not how to live,

So Fortune, like a master, rod in hand,
Raps our pates well to teach us how to live!

389.

Nor you nor I can read the etern decree,

To that enigma we can find no key;

They talk of you and me behind the veil,

But, if that veil be lifted, where are we?

VOL. VIII.-6.

390.

O Love, forever doth heaven's wheel design
To take away thy precious life, and mine;

Sit we upon this turf, 'twill not be long
Ere turf shall grow upon my dust, and thine!

391.

When life has fled, and we rest in the tomb,
They'll place a pair of bricks to mark our tomb;
And, a while after, mold our dust to bricks,
To furnish forth some other person's tomb!

392.

Yon palace, towering to the welkin blue,

Where kings did bow them down, and homage do,

I saw a ringdove on its arches perched,

And thus she made complaint, "Coo, Coo, Coo, Coo!"

393.

We come and go, but for the gain, where is it?
And spin life's woof, but for the warp, where is it?

And many a righteous man has burned to dust
In heaven's blue rondure, but their smoke, where is it?

394.

Life's well-spring lurks within that lip of thine!
Let not the cup's lip touch that lip of thine!

Beshrew me, if I fail to drink his blood,
For who is he, to touch that lip of thine?

395.

Such as I am, Thy power created me,

Thy care hath kept me for a century!

Through all these years I make experiment,

If my sins or Thy mercy greater be.

396.

"Take up thy cup and goblet, Love," I said, "Haunt purling river bank, and grassy glade; Full many a moon-like form has heaven's wheel Oft into cup, oft into goblet, made!"

397.

We buy new wine and old, our cups to fill,
And sell for two grains this world's good and ill;
Know you where you will
will go to after death?
Set wine before me, and go where you will!

398.

Was e'er man born who never went astray?
Did ever mortal pass a sinless day?

If I do ill, do not requite with ill!
Evil for evil how can'st Thou repay?

399.

Bring forth that ruby gem of Badakhshan,
That heart's delight, that balm of Turkestan;

They say 'tis wrong for Mussulmans to drink,
But ah! where can we find a Mussulman?

400.

My body's life and strength proceed from Thee!
My soul within and spirit are of Thee!

My being is of Thee, and Thou art mine,
And I am Thine, since I am lost in Thee!

401.

Man, like a ball, hither and thither goes,

As fate's resistless bat directs the blows;

But He, who gives thee up to this rude sport,

He knows what drives thee, yea, He knows, He knows!