Freedom

Quatrain 03

“And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before

The Tavern shouted—"Open then the Door.

You know how little while we have to stay,

And, once departed, may return no more."”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 07

“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.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 09

“But come with old Khayyam, and leave the Lot

Of Kaikobad and Kaikhosru forgot:

Let Rustum lay about him as he will,

Or Hatim Tai cry Supper—heed them not.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 10

“With me along some Strip of Herbage strown

That just divides the desert from the sown,

Where name of Slave and Sultan scarce is known,

And pity Sultan Mahmud on his Throne.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 11

“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.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 12

“"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!”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 30

“What, without asking, hither hurried Whence?

And, without asking, Whither hurried hence!

Another and another Cup to drown

The Memory of this Impertinence!”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 37

“Ah, fill the Cup:—what boots it to repeat

How Time is slipping underneath our Feet:

Unborn TO-MORROW and dead YESTERDAY,

Why fret about them if TO-DAY be sweet!”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 39

“How long, how long, in infinite Pursuit

Of This and That endeavour and dispute?

Better be merry with the fruitful Grape

Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 40

“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.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 41

“For "IS" and "IS-NOT" though with Rule and Line,

And, "UP-AND-DOWN" without, I could define,

I yet in all I only cared to know,

Was never deep in anything but—Wine.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 43

“The Grape that can with Logic absolute

The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute:

The subtle Alchemist that in a Trice

Life's leaden Metal into Gold transmute.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 44

“The mighty Mahmud, the victorious Lord,

That all the misbelieving and black Horde

Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul

Scatters and slays with his enchanted Sword.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 45

“But leave the Wise to wrangle, and with me

The Quarrel of the Universe let be:

And, in some corner of the Hubbub coucht,

Make Game of that which makes as much of Thee.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 55

“The Vine had struck a Fibre; which about

If clings my Being—let the Sufi flout;

Of my Base Metal may be filed a Key,

That shall unlock the Door he howls without.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 56

“And this I know: whether the one True Light,

Kindle to Love, or Wrath consume me quite,

One Glimpse of It within the Tavern caught

Better than in the Temple lost outright.”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 57

“Oh Thou who didst with Pitfall and with Gin

Beset the Road I was to wander in,

Thou wilt not with Predestination round

Enmesh me, and impute my Fall to Sin?”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859

Quatrain 64

“Said one—"Folks of a surly Tapster tell,

And daub his Visage with the Smoke of Hell;

They talk of some strict Testing of us—Pish!

He's a Good Fellow, and 'twill all be well."”

tr. Edward FitzGerald, 1859