Omar Khayyam
For in and out, above, about, below, 'Tis nothing but a Magic Shadow-show, Played in a Box whose Candle is the Sun, Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.Collection: Magic
To friends and eke to foes true kindness show; No kindly heart unkindly deeds will do; Harshness will alienate a bosom friend. And kindness reconcile a deadly foe.Collection: Kindness
Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie, Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and-sans End!Collection: Death
The moving finger writes; and having writ, moves on.Collection: Moving
The entire world shall be populous with that action which saves one soul from despair.Collection: Soul
By the help of God and with His precious assistance, I say that Algebra is a scientific art. The objects with which it deals are absolute numbers and measurable quantities which, though themselves unknown, are related to "things" which are known, whereby the determination of the unknown quantities is possible.Collection: Determination
Yes, the first morning of creation wrote what the last dawn of reckoning shall read.Collection: Morning
I hide my distress, just likethe blessed birds hide themselveswhen they are preparing to die. Wine! Wine, roses, music and yourindifference to my sadness, my loved-one!Collection: Blessed
Drink! For you know not whence you came nor why.Collection: Drink
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 fly-and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.Collection: Spiritual
This body is a tent which for a space Does the pure soul with kingly presence grace; When he departs, comes the tent-pitcher, Death, Strikes it, and moves to a new halting-place.Collection: Moving
Tomorrow! - Why, tomorrow I may be Myself with yesterday's sev'n thousand years.Collection: Years
To-day is thine to spend, but not to-morrow; Counting on morrows breedeth bankrupt sorrow: O squander not this breath that Heaven hath lent thee; Make not too sure another breath to borrow.Collection: Heaven
Heaven has not learned of my arrival, and my departure will not in the least diminish it beauty and grandeur. I will sleep underground, for us ephemeral mortals, the only eternity is the moment and drinking to the moment is better than weeping for it.Collection: Drinking
The wine-cup is the little silver well, Where truth, if truth there be, doth dwell.Collection: Wine
Oh, the brave Music of a distant drum!Collection: Music
Indeed the Idols I have loved so long, have done my credit in this World much wrong; have drowned my Glory in a shallow Cup, and sold my Reputation for a Song.Collection: Wisdom
Ah, take the Cash, and let the Credit go, Nor heed the rumble of a distant Drum!Collection: Credit
A drink is shorter than a taleCollection: Drinking
And this I know; whether the one True Light Kindle to Love, or Wrath consume me quite, One flash of it within the Tavern caught Better than in the temple lost outright.Collection: Wrath
Algebras (jabbre and maqabeleh) are geometric facts which are proved by propositions five and six of Book two of Elements.Collection: Statistics
I wonder what the vintners buy one half so precious as the stuff they sell.Collection: Wine
The Stars are setting and the Caravan Starts for the Dawn of Nothing-Oh, make haste!Collection: Stars
And that inverted Bowl they call the Sky, Whereunder crawling cooped we live and die, Lift not your hands to It for help-for it As impotently moves as you or ICollection: Moving
Whoever thinks algebra is a trick in obtaining unknowns has thought it in vain. No attention should be paid to the fact that algebra and geometry are different in appearance. Algebras (jabbre and maqabeleh) are geometric facts which are proved by propositions five and six of Book two of Elements.Collection: Book
Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit.Collection: Fruit
By Fate full many a heart has been undone, And many a sprightly rose made woe-begone; Plume thee not on thy lusty youth and strength: Full many a bud is blasted ere its bloom.Collection: Strength
This clay, so strong of heart, of sense so fine,Surely such clay is more than half divine--'Tis only fools speak evil of the clay,The very stars are made of clay like mine.Collection: Strong
Old Khayyám, say you, is a debauchee;If only you were half so good as he!He sins no sins but gentle drunkenness,Great-hearted mirth, and kind adultery.But yours the cold heart, and the murderous tongue,The wintry soul that hates to hear a song,The close-shut fist, the mean and measuring eye,And all the little poisoned ways of wrong.Collection: Song
The Revelations of Devout and Learn'd Who rose before us, and as Prophets burn'd, Are all but Stories, which, awoke from Sleep They told their comrades, and to Sleep return'd.Collection: Sleep
The Grape that can with Logic absolute The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute: The sovereign Alchemist that in a trice Life's leaden metal into Gold transmute.Collection: Two
Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! That Youths sweet-scented Manuscript should close!Collection: Sweet
Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd Of the Two Worlds so wisely - they are thrust Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to Scorn Are scattered, and their mouths are stopped with Dust.Collection: Dust
Up from Earth's Centre through the Seventh Gate rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate; And many a Knot unravel'd by the Road; But not the Master-knot of Human Fate.Collection: Fate