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Poems themselves； as well as from what records remain of the Poet's
Life。
Perhaps would have edited the Poems himself some years ago。 He
may now as little approve of my Version on one side； as of Mons。
Nicolas' Theory on the other。
And if more were needed to disprove Mons。 Nicolas' Theory； there is
the Biographical Notice which he himself has drawn up in direct
contradiction to the Interpretation of the Poems given in his Notes。
（See pp。 13…14 of his Preface。） Indeed I hardly knew poor Omar was so
far gone till his Apologist informed me。 For here we see that；
whatever were the Wine that Hafiz drank and sang； the veritable Juice
of the Grape it was which Omar used； not only when carousing with his
friends； but （says Mons。 Nicolas） in order to excite himself to that
pitch of Devotion which others reached by cries and 〃hurlemens。〃 And
yet； whenever Wine； Wine…bearer； &c。； occur in the Textwhich is
often enoughMons。 Nicolas carefully annotates 〃Dieu；〃 〃La Divinite；〃
&c。： so carefully indeed that one is tempted to think that he was
indoctrinated by the Sufi with whom he read the Poems。 （Note to Rub。
ii。 p。 8。） A Persian would naturally wish to vindicate a
distinguished Countryman； and a Sufi to enroll him in his own sect；
which already comprises all the chief Poets of Persia。
What historical Authority has Mons。 Nicolas to show that Omar gave
himself up 〃avec passion a l'etude de la philosophie des Soufis〃？
（Preface； p。 xiii。） The Doctrines of Pantheism； Materialism；
Necessity； &c。； were not peculiar to the Sufi； nor to Lucretius before
them； nor to Epicurus before him； probably the very original
Irreligion of Thinking men from the first； and very likely to be the
spontaneous growth of a Philosopher living in an Age of social and
political barbarism； under shadow of one of the Two and Seventy
Religions supposed to divide the world。 Von Hammer （according to
Sprenger's Oriental Catalogue） speaks of Omar as 〃a Free…thinker； and
a great opponent of Sufism；〃 perhaps because； while holding much of
their Doctrine； he would not pretend to any inconsistent severity of
morals。 Sir W。 Ouseley has written a note to something of the same
effect on the fly…leaf of the Bodleian MS。 And in two Rubaiyat of
Mons。 Nicolas' own Edition Suf and Sufi are both disparagingly named。
No doubt many of these Quatrains seem unaccountable unless mystically
interpreted； but many more as unaccountable unless literally。 Were
the Wine spiritual； for instance； how wash the Body with it when dead？
Why make cups of the dead clay to be filled with〃La Divinite；〃 by
some succeeding Mystic？ Mons。 Nicolas himself is puzzled by some
〃bizarres〃 and 〃trop Orientales〃 allusions and images〃d'une
sensualite quelquefois revoltante〃 indeedwhich 〃les convenances〃 do
not permit him to translate； but still which the reader cannot but
refer to 〃La Divinite。〃 No doubt also many of the Quatrains in the
Teheran； as in the Calcutta； Copies； are spurious； such Rubaiyat being
the common form of Epigram in Persia。 But this； at best； tells as
much one way as another； nay； the Sufi； who may be considered the
Scholar and Man of Letters in Persia； would be far more likely than
the careless Epicure to interpolate what favours his own view of the
Poet。 I observed that very few of the more mystical Quatrains are in
the Bodleian MS。； which must be one of the oldest； as dated at Shiraz；
A。H。 865； A。D。 1460。 And this； I think； especially distinguishes Omar
（I cannot help calling him by hisno； not Christianfamiliar name）
from all other Persian Poets： That； whereas with them the Poet is lost
in his Song； the Man in Allegory and Abstraction； we seem to have the
Manthe Bon…hommeOmar himself； with all his Humours and Passions；
as frankly before us as if we were really at Table with him； after the
Wine had gone round。
A note to Quatrain 234 admits that； however clear the mystical
meaning of such Images must be to Europeans； they are not quoted
without 〃rougissant〃 even by laymen in Persia〃Quant aux termes de
tendresse qui commencent ce quatrain； comme tant d'autres dans ce
recueil； nos lecteurs； habitues maintenant a 1'etrangete des
expressions si souvent employees par Kheyam pour rendre ses pensees
sur l'amour divin； et a la singularite des images trop orientales；
d'une sensualite quelquefois revoltante； n'auront pas de peine a se
persuader qu'il s'agit de la Divinite； bien que cette conviction
soit vivement discutee par les moullahs musulmans； et meme par
beaucoup de laiques； qui rougissent veritablement d'une pareille
licence de leur compatriote a 1'egard des choses spirituelles。〃
I must say that I； for one； never wholly believed in the Mysticism of
Hafiz。 It does not appear there was any danger in holding and singing
Sufi Pantheism； so long as the Poet made his Salaam to Mohammed at the
beginning and end of his Song。 Under such conditions Jelaluddin；
Jami； Attar； and others sang； using Wine and Beauty indeed as Images
to illustrate； not as a Mask to hide； the Divinity they were
celebrating。 Perhaps some Allegory less liable to mistake or abuse
had been better among so inflammable a People： much more so when； as
some think with Hafiz and Omar； the abstract is not only likened to；
but identified with； the sensual Image； hazardous； if not to the
Devotee himself； yet to his weaker Brethren； and worse for the Profane
in proportion as the Devotion of the Initiated grew warmer。 And all
for what？ To be tantalized with Images of sensual enjoyment which
must be renounced if one would approximate a God； who according to the
Doctrine； is Sensual Matter as well as Spirit； and into whose Universe
one expects unconsciously to merge after Death； without hope of any
posthumous Beatitude in another world to compensate for all one's self…
denial in this。 Lucretius' blind Divinity certainly merited； and
probably got； as much self…sacrifice as this of the Sufi； and the
burden of Omar's Songif not 〃Let us eat〃is assuredly〃Let us
drink； for To…morrow we die！〃 And if Hafiz meant quite otherwise by a
similar language； he surely miscalculated when he devoted his Life and
Genius to so equivocal a Psalmody as； from his Day to this； has been
said and sung by any rather than spiritual Worshippers。
However； as there is some traditional presumption； and certainly the
opinion of some learned men； in favour of Omar's being a Sufiand
even something of a Saintthose who please may so interpret his Wine
and Cup…bearer。 On the other hand； as there is far more historical
certainty of his being a Philosopher； of scientific Insight and
Ability far beyond that of the Age and Country he lived in； of such
moderate worldly Ambition as becomes a Philosopher； and such moderate
wants as rarely satisfy a Debauchee； other readers may be content to
believe with me that； while the Wine Omar celebrates is simply the
Juice of the Grape； he bragg'd more than he drank of it； in very
defiance perhaps of that Spiritual Wine which left its Votaries sunk
in Hypocrisy or Disgust。
Edward J。 Fitzgerald
First Edition
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 of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling：
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flyand Lo！ the Bird is on the Wing。
VIII。
And looka thousand Blossoms with the Day
Wokeand a thousand scatter'd into Clay：
And this first Summer Month that brings the Rose
Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away。
IX。
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 Supperheed them not。