by Hakim Omar Khayyám (c1048 - c1122)
Translation by E. A. Johnson
Verses from 'The Rubāiyat of Omar Khayām
Language: English  after the Persian (Farsi)
Bring wine, for wine alone may quench the fire Of fleeting hope and unfulfilled desire, Wake! for in waking sleep shall find its crown, Youth's ardour faileth fast, the strong shall tire. Bring wine, for wine alone may quench the fire Of fleeting hope and unfulfilled desire. Perchance the cup to which my lips are pressed Has lived and loved ere yet it sank to rest, The very handle that my fingers clasp Has lain in rapture on a woman's breast. Drink! in forgetfulness thy wounded soul May find a moment's peace though round thee roll The wildest floods of grief, thou need'st not fear. Thine ark of safety is the brimming bowl.
Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in Persian (Farsi) by Hakim Omar Khayyám (c1048 - c1122) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953), "Verses from 'The Rubāiyat of Omar Khayām", 1902. [five-part chorus a cappella] [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-06-22
Line count: 14
Word count: 113