rubaiyat of omar khayyam-第5章
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XVIII。
They say the Lion and the Lizard keep
The courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep：
And Bahram； that great Hunterthe Wild Ass
Stamps o'er his Head； but cannot break his Sleep。
XIX。
I sometimes think that never blows so red
The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled；
That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in her Lap from some once lovely Head。
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！
XXI。
Ah； my Beloved； fill the Cup that clears
TO…DAY of past Regrets and future Fears：
To…morrowWhy； To…morrow I may be
Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n thousand Years。
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。
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
Descendourselves to make a Couchfor whom？
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； andsans End！
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。〃
XXVI。
Why； all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd
Of the Two Worlds so wiselythey are thrust
Like foolish Prophets forth； their Words to Scorn
Are scatter'd； and their Mouths are stopt with Dust。
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 where in 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。〃
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。
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！
XXXI。
Up from Earth's Center 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。
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 wasand then no more of THEE and ME。
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。
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！〃
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。〃
XXXVI。
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 it takeand give！
XXXVII。
For I remember stopping by the way
To watch a Potter thumping his wet Clay：
And with its all…obliterated Tongue
It murmur'd〃Gently； Brother； gently； pray！〃
XXXVIII。
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 into Human mold？
XXXIX。
And not a drop that from our Cups we throw
For Earth to drink of； but may steal below
To quench the fire of Anguish in some Eye
There hiddenfar beneath； and long ago。
XL。
As then the Tulip for her morning sup
Of Heav'nly Vintage from the soil looks up；
Do you devoutly do the like； till Heav'n
To Earth invert youlike an empty Cup。
XLI。
Perplext no more with Human or Divine；
To…morrow's tangle to the winds resign；
And lose your fingers in the tresses of
The Cypress…slender Minister of Wine。
XLII。
And if the Wine you drink； the Lip you press；
End in what All begins and ends inYes；
Think then you are TO…DAY what YESTERDAY
You wereTO…MORROW you shall not be less。
XLIII。
So when that Angel of the darker Drink
At last shall find you by the river…brink；
And； offering his Cup； invite your Soul
Forth to your Lips to quaffyou shall not shrink。
XLIV。
Why； if the Soul can fling the Dust aside；
And naked on the Air of Heaven ride；
Were't not a Shamewere't not a Shame for him
In this clay carcass crippled to abide？
XLV。
'Tis but a Tent where takes his one day's rest
A Sultan to the realm of Death addrest；
The Sultan rises； and the dark Ferrash
Strikes； and prepares it for another Guest。
XLVI。
And fear not lest Existence closing your
Account； and mine； should know the like no more；
The Eternal Saki from that Bowl has pour'd
Millions of Bubbles like us； and will pour。
XLVII。
When You and I behind the Veil are past；
Oh； but the long； long while the World shall last；
Which of our Coming and Departure heeds
As the Sea's self should heed a pebble…cast。
XLVIII。
A Moment's Halta momentary taste
Of BEING from the Well amid the Waste
And Lo！the phantom Caravan has reach'd
The NOTHING it set out fromOh； make haste！
XLIX。
Would you that spangle of Existence spend
About THE SECRETquick about it； Friend！
A Hair perhaps divides the False from True
And upon what； prithee； may life depend？
L。
A Hair perhaps divides the False and True；
Yes； and a single Alif were the clue
Could you but find itto the Treasure…house；
And peradventure to THE MASTER too；
LI。
Whose secret Presence through Creation's veins
Running Quicksilver…like eludes your pains；
Taking all shapes from Mah to Mahi and
They change and perish allbut He remains；
LII。
A moment guessedthen back behind the Fold
Immerst of Darkness round the Drama roll'd
Which； for the Pastime of Eternity；
He doth Himself contrive； enact； behold。
LIII。
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 Youhow then
TO…MORROW； when You shall be You no more？
LIV。
Waste not your Hour； nor in the vain pursuit
Of This and That endeavor and dispute；
Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape
Than sadden after none； or bitter； Fruit。
LV。
You know； my Friends； with what a brave Carouse
I made a Second Marriage in my house；
Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed；
And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse。
LVI。
For 〃Is〃 and 〃Is…not〃 though with Rule and Line
And 〃UP…AND…DOWN〃 by Logic I define；
Of all that one should care to fathom； I
was never deep in anything butWine。
LVII。
Ah； by my Computations； People say；
Reduce the Year to better reckoning？Nay；
'Twas only striking from the Calendar
Unborn To…morrow and dead Yesterday。
LVIII。
And lately； by the Tavern Door agape；
Came shining through the Dusk an Angel Shape
Bearing a Vessel on his Shoulder； and
He bid me taste of it； and 'twasthe Grape！
LIX。
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；
LX。
The mighty Mahmud； Allah…breathing Lord；
That all the misbelieving and black Horde
Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul
Scatters before him with his whirlwind Sword。
LXI。
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 not？
And if a Cursewhy； then； Who set it there？
LXII。
I must abjure the Balm of Life； I must；
Scared by some After…reckoning ta'en on trust；
Or lured with Hope of some Diviner Drink；
To fill the Cupwhen crumbled into Dust！
LXIII。
Of threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise！
One thing at least is certainThis Life flies；
One thing is certain and the rest is Lies；
The Flower that once has blown for ever dies。
LXIV。
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 Road；
Which to discover we must travel too。
LXV。
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 comrades； and to Sleep return'd。
LXVI。
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 〃I Myself am Heav'n and Hell：〃
LXVII。
Heav'n but the Vision of fulfill'd Desire；
And Hell the Shadow from a Soul on fire；
Cast on the Darkness into which Ourselves；
So late emerged from； shall so soon expire。
LXVIII。
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 Master of the Show；
LXIX。
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 by one back in the Closet lays。
LXX。
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 the Field；
He knows about it allHE knowsHE knows！
LXXI。
The Moving Finger writes； and； having writ；
Moves on： nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line；
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it。
LXXII。
And that inverted Bowl they call the Sky；
Whereunder crawling coop'd we live and die；
Lift not your hands to It for helpfor It
As impotently moves as you or I。
