The worldly hope men set
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
Edward FitzGerald
Fifth edition
I.
WAKE! For the Sun, who scatter'd into flight
The Stars before him from the Field of Night,
Drives Night along with them from Heav'n, and strikes
The Sultan's Turret with a Shaft of Light.
II.
Before the phantom of False morning died,
Methought a Voice within the Tavern cried,
"When all the Temple is prepared within,
"Why nods the drowsy Worshiper outside?"
III.
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."
IV.
Now the New Year reviving old Desires,
The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,
Where the WHITE HAND OF MOSES on the Bough
Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.
V.
Iram indeed is gone with all his Rose,
And Jamshyd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows;
But still a Ruby kindles in the Vine,
And many a Garden by the Water blows.
VI.
And David's lips are lockt; but in divine
High-piping Pehlevi, with "Wine! Wine! Wine!
&nb
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translated by Edward FitzGerald
First Edition Text
I.
AWAKE! for Morning in the Bowl of Night Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight: And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.
II.
Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry, "Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry."
III.
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."
IV.
Now the New Year reviving old Desires, The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires, Where the WHITE HAND OF MOSES on the Bough Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.
V.
Iram indeed is gone with all its Rose, And Jamshyd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows; But still the Vine her ancient Ruby yields, And still a Garden by the Water blows.
VI.
And David's Lips are lock't; but in divine High piping Pelevi, with "Wine! Wine! Wine! Red Wine!"—the Nightingale cries to the Rose That yellow Cheek of hers to'incarnadine.
VII.
Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire
by Hakim Omar Khayyám (c1048 - c1122)
Translation by Edward Fitzgerald (1809 - 1883)
The worldly hope men set their Hearts...
Language: English after the Persian (Farsi)
The worldly hope men set their Hearts upon Turns Ashes, or it prospers; and anon Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty face, Lighting a little hour or two -- [is]
1
gone.
Available sung texts: ← What is this?
• L. Lehmann
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)
1
Fitzgerald has "was" in the second and third editions.
Text Authorship:
by Edward Fitzgerald (1809 - 1883), no title, appears in
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, First Edition
, no. 14, appears in
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, Second Edition
, no. 17, appears in
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, Third Edition
, no. 16, appears in
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, Fourth Edition
, no. 16, first published 1859 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), lis
Worldly hope – 16
‘Tis Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
That turns Ash – or prosper, and anon,
Like Snow upon the Desert Sand
Lighting an hour or two – is gone
French translation
L’espoir de Monde que nous mettons nos cœurs sur
Tourne Cendre – ou prospère, et alors,
Comme la neige sur le Sable du Desert
Puis passé dans une heure ou deux
German translation
Weltschätze Männer hoffen auf ihre Herzen
Dies wird zu Asche – oder gedeihen, und dann,
Wie Schnee auf der Wüstensand
eine Stunde oder zwei – und dann nicht mehr
This quatrain reminds me of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 1:
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.