237. (424.)

O unenlightened race of humankind,

Ye are a nothing, built on empty wind!

Yea, a mere nothing, hovering in the abyss, A void before you, and a void behind!

238. (426.)

Vain study of philosophy eschew!

Rather let tangled curls attract your view;
And shed the bottle's life-blood in your cup,
Or e'er death shed your blood, and feast on you.

De.

239. (427.)

O HEART! canst thou the darksome riddle read, Where wisest men have failed, wilt thou succeed? Quaff wine, and make thy heaven here below, Who knows if heaven above will be thy meed?

240. (428.)

They that have passed away, and gone before,
Sleep in delusion's dust for evermore ;

Go, boy, and fetch some wine, this is the truth, Their dogmas were but air, and wind their lore!

241. (432.)

With many a snare Thou dost beset my way,
And threatenest, if I fall therein, to slay;

Thy rule resistless sways the world, yet Thou Imputest sin, when I do but obey!

242. (433.)

To Thee, whose essence baffles human thought,
Our sins and righteous deeds alike seem naught;
May Thy grace sober me, though drunk with sins,
And pardon all the ill that I have wrought!

243. (436.)

O soul! could you but doff this flesh and bone,
You'd soar a sprite about the heavenly throne;

Had you no shame to leave your starry home,
And dwell an alien on this earthy zone?

244. (437.)

Ah, potter, stay thine hand! with ruthless art
Put not to such base use man's mortal part!
See, thou art mangling on thy cruel wheel
Farídun's fingers, and Kai Khosrau's heart!

245. (439.)

From this world's kitchen toil not to obtain

Those dainties, seeming real, but really vain,

Which greedy worldlings gorge to their own loss; Renounce that loss, so loss shall prove thy gain!

246. (442.)

Ah! would there were a place of rest from pain, Which we, poor pilgrims, might at last attain, And after many thousand wintry years, Renew our life, like flowers, and bloom again!

247. (444.)

Winter is past, and spring-tide has begun,
Soon will the pages of life's book be done!
Well saith the sage, "Life is a poison rank,
And antidote, save grape-juice, there is none."

248. (446.)

Last night I dashed my cup against a stone,
In a mad drunken freak, as I must own,
And lo! the cup cried out in agony,
"You too, like me, shall soon be overthrown.”

249. (449.)

Open the door! O entrance who procurest,
And guide the way, O Thou of guides the surest!
Directors born of men shall not direct me,

Their counsel comes to naught, but Thou endurest!

250. (452.)

Give me a skin of wine, a crust of bread,
A pittance bare, a book of verse to read;

With thee, O love, to share my lowly roof,
I would not take the Sultan's realm instead!

251. (459.)

Behold, where'er we turn our ravished eyes,
Sweet verdure springs, and crystal Kausars rise;

And plains, once bare as hell, now smile as heaven: Enjoy this heaven with maids of Paradise!

252. (463.)

When dawn doth silver the dark firmament,
Why shrills the bird of dawning his lament?
It is to show in dawn's bright looking-glass
How of thy careless life a night is spent.

253. (464.)

Cupbearer, come! from thy full-throated ewer
Pour blood-red wine, the world's despite to cure!

Where can I find another friend like wine,

So genuine, so solacing, so pure?