XLV.
'Tis but a Tent where takes his one day's rest A Sultan to the realm of Death addrest; The Sultan rises, and the dark Ferrash Strikes, and prepares it for another Guest.
This quatrain is translated from C. no. 110.
Khayyam! thy body surely resembles a tent; The soul is a Sultan and the halting-place is the perishable world, The ferrash of fate, preparing for the next halting-place, Will overthrow this tent when the Sultan has arisen.[55]
_Ref._: C. 110, L. 100, B. 96, S.P. 80, B. ii. 95, T. 86, P. v. 172.--W. 82, N. 80, V. 100.
XLVI.*
And fear not lest Existence closing your Account, and mine, should know the like no more; The Eternal Saki from that Bowl has pour'd Millions of Bubbles like us, and will pour.
FitzGerald was indebted for this quatrain to N. 137. The original ruba'i is not in O. or C.
Khayyam! although the pavilion of heaven Has spread its tent and closed the door upon all discussion, In the goblet of existence, like bubbles of wine The Eternal Saki brings to light a thousand Khayyams.
_Ref._: N. 137,[56] W. 161, V. 397.
XLVII.*
When You and I behind the Veil are past, Oh, but the long, long while the World shall last, Which of our Coming and Departure heeds As the Sea's self should heed a pebble-cast.
In this quatrain FitzGerald is «reminded of» O. 26 and 51 by N. 123.
Know this--that from thy soul thou shalt be separated, Thou shalt pass behind the Curtain of the Secrets of God.
_Ref._: O. 26, C. 83, L. 192, B. 189, S.P. 85, B. ii. 110, T. 64, P. v. J 34.--W. 87, N. 85, V. 188.
My coming was of no profit to the heavenly sphere,[57] And by my departure nothing will be added to its beauty and dignity.
_Ref._: O. 51, C. 129, L. 232, B. 229, S.P. 157, P. 55, B. ii. 158, T. 104.--W. 176, N. 157, E.C. 17, V. 239.
Oh! how long we shall be no more, and the world will continue to exist, It will continue to exist without fame or sign of us, Long ago we existed not, and (the world) was none the worse for it, Afterwards, when we have ceased to exist, it will be all the same.
_Ref._: N. 123, W. 150, V. 395.