The Rubaiyat Of Rumi

Time bringeth swift to end The rout men keep; Death's wolf is nigh to rend These silly sheep. See, how in pride they go With lifted head, Till Fate with a sudden blow Smiteth them dead. 2. Thou who lovest, life a crow, Winter's chill and winter's snow, Ever exiled from the vale's Roses red, and nightingales: Take this moment to thy heart! When the moment shall depart, Long thou ‘lt seek it as it flies With a hundred lamps and eyes. 3. The heavenly rider passed; The dust rose in the air; He sped; but the dust he cast Yet hangeth there. Straight forward thy vision be, And gaze not left or night; His dust is here, and he In the Infinite. 4. Who was he that said The immortal spirit is dead, Or how dared he say Hope's sun hath passed away? An enemy of the sun, Standing his roof upon, Bound up both his eyes And cried: ‘Lo, the sun dies!' 5. ‘Who lifteth up the spirit, Say, who is he?' ‘Who gave in the beginning This life to me. Who hoodeth, life a falcon's, Awhile mine eyes, But presently shall loose me To hunt my prize.' 6. As salt resolved in the ocean I was swallowed in God's sea, Past faith, past unbelieving, Past doubt, past certainty. Suddenly in my bosom A star shone clear and bright; All the suns of heaven Vanished in that star's light. ~ Flowers every night Blossom in the sky; Peace in the Infinite; At peace am I. Sighs a hundredfold From my heart arise; My heart, dark and cold, Flames with my sighs. 7. He that is my souls' repose Round my heart encircling goes, Round my heart and soul of bliss He encircling is. Laughing from my earthy bed Like a tree I lift my head, For the Fount of Living mirth Washes round my earth. 8. The breeze of the morn Scatters musk in its train, Fragrance borne From my fair love's lane. Ere the world wastes, Sleep no more: arise! The caravan hastes, The sweet scent dies. 9. If life be gone, fresh life to you God offereth, A life eternal to renew This life of death. The Fount of Immorality In Love is found; The come, and in this boundless sea Of Love be drowned. 10. Happy was I In the pearl's heart to lie; Till, lashed by life's hurricane, Life a tossed wave I ran. The secret of the sea I uttered thunderously; Like a spent cloud on the shore I slept, and stirred no more. 11. He set the world aflame, And laid me on the same; A hundred tongues of fire Lapped round my pyre. And when the blazing tide Engulfed me, and I sighed, Upon my mouth in haste His hand He placed. 12. Though every way I try His whim to satisfy, His every answering word Is a pointed sword. See how the blood drips From His finger-tips; Why does He find it good To wash in my blood? 13. Remembering Thy lip, The ruby red I kiss; Having not that to sip, My lips press this. Not to Thy far sky Reaches my stretched hand, Wherefore kneeling, I Embrace the land. 14. I sought a soul in the sea And found a coral there; Beneath the foam for me An ocean was all laid bare. Into my heart's night Along a narrow way I groped; and lo! the light, An infinite land of day.