I could spend hours pouring through the various translations of Omar Khayyam’s poems. Originally written in Persian, the most famous translation is by Edward FitzGerald titled The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám.

Omar wrote about 1,000 poems and FitzGerald translated (and re-translated) hundreds of them in his 5 edition collection, in the 19th century. Various other translations have been derived throughout the years – each offering a glimpse of varying interpretations for both the reader and the translators.

On this lovely little Thursday, I thought I’d share a few of Omar’s poems with you.  Enjoy!

VII
Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring 
Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling: 
The Bird of Time has but a little way 
To flutter–and the Bird is on the Wing.

~

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.”

~

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.”

~

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.

~

All of the above are translations from FitzGerald, with the following interpretation from Len Bracken’s Persian Love. (It’s one of my top 3 favorites!)

Drink wine, it’s what remains of the harvest of youth—the season of roses and wine and drunken friends. Be happy for a moment, that moment’s your life.

Now isn’t that quite the thought to send you off for the weekend? I think so, too. To read more of Omar’s poetry you can pick up a copy on Amazon, scroll through FitzGerald’s translations here, or take a look at Bracken’s interpretations here.

:: love & magic ~ jennie b ::

*Fun fact: If you have seen the movie Unfaithful, the Len Bracken verse above is the one Connie reads from the book Paul directed her to pick up, read, and take with her.

photos: bing