Omar Khayyám

“Then said another -- "Surely not in vain My Substance from the common Earth was ta'en, That He who subtly wrought me into Shape Should stamp me back to common Earth again.”

“They say the Lion and the Lizard keep The Courts where Jamshýd gloried and drank deep: And Bahrám, that great Hunter--the Wild Ass Stamps o'er his Head, but cannot break his Sleep.”

“Some for the Glories of This World; and some Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come; Ah, take the Cash, and let the Credit go, Nor heed the rumble of a distant Drum!”

“Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse - and ThouBeside me singing in the Wilderness -And Wilderness is Paradise enow.”

“Admettons que tu aies résolu l'énigme de la création. Quel est ton destin?Admettons que tu aies pu dépouiller de toutes ses robes la Vérité.Quel est ton destin?Admettons que tu aies vécu cent ans, heureux, et que tu vives cent ans encore.Quel est ton destin?”

“You’ve seen the world, and all you’ve seen is nothing; and everything, as well, that you have said and heard is nothing. You’ve sprinted everywhere between here and the horizon; it is nothing. And all the possessions you’ve treasured up at home are nothing.”

“In monasteries, seminaries, retreats and synagogues, they fear hell and seek paradise. Those who know the mysteries of God never let that seed be planted in their souls.”

“I can’t reveal the mystery to either saint or sinner; I can’t state at length what I’ve said curtly; I achieve an altered state that I can’t explain; I have a secret that I cannot share.”

“Your hand can seize today, but not tomorrow; and thoughts of your tomorrow are nothing but desire. Don’t waste this breath, if your heart isn’t crazy, since "the rest of your life" won’t last forever.”

“From the house of unbeliefto true religionis a single breath;From the world of doubtto certaintyis a single breath;Enjoy this precious single breath,for the harvestof our whole livesis that same one breath.”

“As far as you can avoid it, do not give grief to anyone. Never inflict your rage on another. If you hope for eternal rest, feel the pain yourself; but don’t hurt others.”

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

“Come, fill the Cup, in the fire of SpringYour Winter-garment of Repentance fling:The Bird of Time has but a little wayTo flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing”

“Tis all a Chequer-board of nights and daysWhere Destiny with men for Pieces plays:Hither and thither moves, and mates,and slays, And one by one back in the closet lays.”

“I sometimes think that never blows so redThe Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;That every Hyacinth the Garden wearsDropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head.”

“I brought the cup to my lips with greedBegging for longevity, my temporal needCup brought its to mine, its secret did feedTime never returns, drink, of this take heed”

“O friend, for the morrow let us not worryThis moment we have now, let us not hurryWhen our time comes, we shall not tarryWith seven thousand-year-olds, our burden carry”

“And do you think that unto such as youA maggot-minded, starved, fanatic crewGod gave a secret, and denied it me?Well, well—what matters it? Believe that, too!”

“...И нека сто години да горя сред грях,не ме страх от ада,мъките презрях;но по ме плаши мене,хорът на глупците,от смърт е по-ужасен разговора с тях..." Омар Хаям”

“Oh, come with old Khayyàm, and leave the Wise To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies; One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies; The Flower that once has blown forever dies.”

“There was a Door to which I found no KeyThere was a Veil past which I could not seeSome little Talk awhile of ME and THEEThere seemed--and then no more of THEE and ME.”

“So I be written in the Book of Love. I do not care about that Book Above. Erase my name, or write it as you will. So I be written in the Book of Love.”

“How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting?Better go drunk and begging round the taverns.Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this clay of yoursWill make a cup, bowl, one day a jar.When once you hear the roses are in bloom,Then is the time, my love, to pour the wine;Houris and palaces and Heaven and Hell-These are but fairy-tales, forget them all.”

“Oh threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise!One thing at least is certain - This Life flies;One thing is certain and the rest is Lies -The Flower that once has blown forever dies.”

“A book of verses underneath the boughA flask of wine, a loaf of bread and thouBeside me singing in the wildernessAnd wilderness is paradise now.”

“Glücklich der, der diese Welt nie sah.”

“I sent my Soul through the Invisible, Some letter of that After-life to spell: And by and by my Soul return'd to me, And answer'd: 'I Myself am Heav'n and Hell”

“A Book of Verses underneath the Bough, A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread - and Thou.”

“Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,Before we too into the Dust descend;Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lieSans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and--sans End!Alike for those who for To-day prepare,And those that after some To-morrow stare,A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries"Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There.”

“Today is the time of my youthI drink wine because it is my solace;Do not blame me, although it is bitter it is pleasant,It is bitter because it is my life.”

“There was a water-drop, it joined the sea,A speck of dust, it was fused with earth;what of your entering and leaving this world?A fly appeared, and disappeared.”

“Why ponder thus the future to foresee, and jade thy brain to vain perplexity? Cast off thy care, leave Allah’s plans to him – He formed them all without consulting thee.” Three Cups of Tea”

“Dead yesterdays and unborn tomorrows, why fret about it, if today be sweet.”

“Drink wine. This is life eternal. This is all that youth will give you. It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

“When I want to understand what is happening today or try to decide what will happen tomorrow, I look back.”

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor WitShall lure it back to cancel half a Line,Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”