Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

 

 Page 3

 

Literal:

Some in deep thought spirit seek
Some lost in awe, of doubt reek
I fear the voice, hidden but not weak
Cry out "awake! Both ways are oblique."

OR

Some are thoughtful on their way
Some are doubtful, so they pray.
I hear the hidden voice that may
Shout, "Both  paths lead astray."

 

Meaning:

Some always seek the rational mind
Some will appeal to faith that’s blind
If you turn within, you’ll surely find
Both paths will lead further behind. 

OR

Some are in endless pursuit
Some seek the forbidden fruit
I fear the voice that is mute
Cry out, "path ain’t fruit nor root!"

 

Fitzgerald:

Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare,
And those that after a TO-MORROW stare,
A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries
"Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There."

 

German:

Viele Menschen grübeln über Glauben und Sitte,
Zwischen Zweifel und Gewissheit stehn viele in der Mitte.
Unversehens ruft Einer aus dem Hinterhalt her:
Ihr Thoren, der rechte Weg ist nicht dieser noch der!

 

 

Literal:

Like God, if this world I could control
Eliminating the world would be my role
I would create the world anew, whole
Such that the free soul would attain desired goal.

 

Meaning:

The tyranny of fate is such
Whether we try little or much
Our desires we’ll only touch
With the help of faith’s crutch.

 

Fitzgerald:

Ah, Love! could thou and I with Fate conspire
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire!
Would not we shatter it to bits-and then
Re-mould it nearer to the Heart's Desire!

 

German:

Könnt ich walten wie Gott im Himmelzelt
Ich hätt'es schön längst auf den Kopf gestellt,
Um ein anderes zu bauen, wie ich es verstehe,
Welches ganz nach den Wünschen der Menschen sich drehe.

 

 

Literal:

This cup was made by the Wise Lord
With love & care to the heights soared
The potter who shaped with such accord
To make and break the same clay, can also afford.

 

Meaning:

The wisdom that shapes our clay
Does so in a caring, loving way
Wisdom, care and love will stay
The clay is toy to shape and play.

 

Fitzgerald:

That ev'n my buried Ashes such a Snare
Of Perfume shall fling up into the Air,
As not a True Believer passing by
But shall be overtaken unaware.

 

German:

So will ich berauscht sein von geistiger Labe,
Daß der Wohlgeruch mich überlebt im Grabe,
Und nur Halbberauschte an meiner Gruft
Ganz trunken hinsinken, berauscht vom Duft.

 

 

Literal:

Signs of destiny have always been
Those hands inscribed both good and mean
What was written, came from the unseen
Though we tried without and worried within.

 

Meaning:

One is great
Who faces fate
Before it’s late,
Appreciate
The destined state
No matter how much we debate
Oppose, engage, or calculate
Even try to accelerate
Fate only moves at its own rate.
Futile is worry, anger and hate
Joy is the only worthy mate.

 

Fitzgerald:

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.

 

German:

O Herz, da die Welt nichts als Schatten und Schein
Warum quälst Du Dich ab in unendlicher Pein?
Mit ruhigem Sinn geh‘ dem Schicksal entgegen
Und glaub nicht, es ändere sich Deinetwegen!

 

 

Literal:

At all times, merrily try
To drink wine and in song cry
Millions of kings in silence lie
From coming of January and passing of July.

 

Meaning:

Passing of years
Silently bears;
The one who dares
Joyously cares.

 

Fitzgerald:

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.

 

German:

Wie lange willst Du noch leben,
        In selbstvergötterndem Streben, Streben
Im Wahn, es müße Deine Pflicht sein, und Nichtsein?
        Den Grund zu suchen von Sein und Nichtsein?
Trink Wein! Ein Leben das eilt zum Tod,
        Folgt nur dem einen klugen Gebot,
Sich glücklich bis an's Ende zu bringen.
        Mit Wein und sonstigen guten Dingen.

 

Literal:

Drinking wine is my travail
Till my body is dead and stale
At my grave site all shall hail
Odor of wine shall prevail.

 

Meaning:

I live life just like a game
Joy by any other name
And joy till death all the same
Even my grave shall proclaim
Joy has been my only fame.

 

Fitzgerald:

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."

 

German:

Geliebte, sieh! der Morgen kommt herbei:
Bring Wein und sing ein Lied zu der Schalmei!
Den dieser Monde flug von Tir zu Dei
Ließ sterben hundert tausend Dscham und Kei.

 

 

Literal:

When the clay into a cup is molded
Its breaking, the drunk scolded;
Many limbs and heads are enfolded
Through whose love unfolded, by which decree folded?

 

Meaning:

The genius that shapes the form
Is far above mundane and norm
Clay into life shall transform
Back into dust by death’s storm.

 

Fitzgerald:

Another said--"Why, ne'er a peevish Boy
Would break the Bowl from which he drank in Joy;
Shall He that made the Vessel in pure Love
And Fansy, in an after Rage destroy!"

 

German:

Wer schuf in Liebesglut das Mestersstück,
Der Augen, Armen, heisser Busen Glück?
Und wessen Hand führt dann in wildem Hasse
Die eigne Schöpfung in das Nichts zurück?

 

 

Literal:

Good and evil, our moral prison,
Joy and sorrow passing like season,
Fate in the way of logic and reason
Is the victim of far worse treason.

 

Meaning:

Joy and sorrow in duality
Good and evil in morality
Are frailties of humanity;
Yet more pronounced is reality.

 

Fitzgerald:

And that inverted Bowl we call The Sky,
Whereunder crawling coop't we live and die,
Lift not thy hands to IT for help--for It
Rolls impotently on as Thou or I.

 

German:

Glaubt nicht, daß alles vom Himmel bestimmt,
        Was Gutes und Böses im Menschen glimmt,
Was das Herz betrübt und das Herz erhellt,
        Je nachdem es dem launischen Schicksal gefällt
Das Himmelsrad kreist ohne Ruh
        Und ist weit schlimmer daran als Du
Im Wirrsal und Getriebe
        Auf der Bahn der ewigen Liebe.

 

 

Literal:

Lover of drunk and the outcast
Better than pious prayer and fast
Thou art the first and art the last
Caress if thou wilt, if thou wilt blast.

 

Meaning:

I’d rather be compassionate
Than piously destroy and hate
God is loving, God is great
God my destroyer and God my mate.

 

Fitzgerald:

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.

 

German:

Ich mag lieber mit Dir sein in der Schenke,
        Um Dir alles zu sagen, was ich denke,
Als ohne Dich vor die Kanzel zu treten,
        In gedankenlosen Worten zu beten
Ja, Du Schöpfer aller Dinge
        Im kreisenden Weltenringe
So will ich leben und sterben,
        Zum Segen oder Verderben!

 

 

Literal:

When the Maker formed nature
Why imperfect was the venture
If it is good, why departure
And if bad, why form capture?

 

Meaning:

When the Creator forged the shape
Why was mankind a mere ape?
If it were good, why cloak and cape?
If unsightly, why this rape?

 

Fitzgerald:

None answer'd this; but after Silence spake
A Vessel of a more ungainly Make:
"They sneer at me for leaning all awry;
What? did the Hand then of the Potter shake?"

 

German:

Als Du das Leben schufst, schufst Du das Sterben.
Die eig‘nen Werke weihst Du dem Verderben.
Wenn schlecht Dein Werk war, sprich, wen trifft die Schuld?
Und war es gut, warum schlägst Du‘s in Scherben?

 

Home Up Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

©   1998, Vancouver Canada, 1999 - 2003, Los Angeles, CA
You may use any part presented herein for non-commercial purposes only, on the condition of giving full credit to the author and to this home page, including a hyperlink, if you wish to use these material over the Internet.

This page was last updated on Thursday, April 22, 2010