OMAR KHAYYAM - 'WHEN LIFE HAS BEEN DRUNK TO THE DREGS'

When life has been drunk to the dregs,
whether at home or abroad;
and its full measure used up,
whether it’s been bitter or sweet;
have some wine,
since after you and me,
the moon will go on
waxing and waning
from crescent to full.

Translated by Juan Cole
from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 134

'OMAR KHAYYAM ON FORGIVENESS AND FALLING OFF THE WAGON'

I singlehandedly keep
this bar afloat.
My heart has bled
with repentance
a couple thousand times.
But if I don’t go on sinning,
what would divine mercy do?
He can’t bestow forgiveness
unless I keep falling
off the wagon.

 Translated by Juan Cole
from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 130

Oh, do I like this. What would God do with godself without sinners in need of forgiveness? Khayyam is such a rogue, but a thinking rogue, and he often makes me smile. (as I said at Juan's blog)

OMAR KHAYYAM - LOVERS ARE AT HOME IN HEAVEN AND IN HELL

Seekers of the truth look at the
lovely and the ugly
as the same.
Lovers are at home
in heaven and in hell.
Those who’ve lost their hearts can
dress in satin or sack cloth;
the infatuated
do not know if they are laying
down their heads in clouds or
resting them on earthen bricks.

Translated by Juan Cole
from [pdf] Whinfield 128

I've enjoyed immensely Juan's series translations of Omar Khayyam.

Juan Cole at Informed Comment.

WHY I DON'T RUSH OVER...

...when you send me a link to Andrew Sullivan.  I remember when:

Sullivan had a longish media career, but was also one of the early bloggers. And after 9/11, General Sullivan enlisted in the Fighting 101st Keyboard Kommandos, otherwise known as the "warbloggers," whose primary mission was to fight America's most important enemy, the enemy at home known as "Americans."

Andrew and all of you who believed the crap about WMD and yellowcake in Iraq, how could you?

And now Andrew is Atrios'  choice as 2nd Runner Up WANKER OF THE DECADE.  You know I don't usually use language quite that colorful, but I make an exception just to tell the story.  I await with bated breath Atrios' announcement of his choices for 1st Runner Up  and the No. 1 spot, the champ.  See?  I couldn't type the word again.

And I fear we may be sleepwalking our way into a war with Iran, which will be another disaster.  You folks should be reading Juan Cole at Informed Comment who keeps up with events in the Middle East.  He speaks and reads several of the languages and brings a perspective which is different from the media in the West.

JUAN COLE TRANSLATES OMAR KHAYYAM

Omar Khayyam (92)

by Juan

The sky is a belt
woven from our tattered lives.
The mighty river was formed
by all the tears
our eyes have shed.
Hell is a spark from our
searing pain.
Heaven is a breath
drawn from our
moments of peace.

Translated by Juan Cole
from [pdf] Whinfield 92

Juan blogs at Informed Comment.

JUAN COLE TRANSLATES OMAR KHAYYAM

Omar Khayyam (55)

Bartender, since fate
has defeated you and me,
and this world is not a
dwelling for you and me;
but given that we have a glass of wine
in our midst
know for sure that the truth
is in your hand and mine.

Translated by Juan Cole
from [pdf] Whinfield 55

Ah yes. Sometimes it is exactly so.

From Juan Cole at Informed Comment.

JUAN COLE TRANSLATES OMAR KHAYYAM

Omar Khayyam (31)

Don’t try every door
because of some bauble;
you just have to accept
the good and bad of your time;
a shake of the cup
and a toss of the dice–
whatever comes up,
you’ll just have to play it.

Translated by Juan Cole
from Whinfield 31 .

Posted by Juan at his blog Informed Comment. I'm enjoying immensely Juan's series of translations of Omar Khayyam.

JUAN COLE TRANSLATES OMAR KHAYYAM

OMAR KHAYYAM 15

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.

trans. Juan Cole
from Whinfield 15

Juan has posted a series of wonderful translations of Omar Khayyam's lovely peotry.

You may also consider reading his blog regularly for a dose of sanity on the situation in the Middle East, as an antidote to the scary, overblown rhetoric that is common in the media...not that the situation isn't scary, but, at the moment, I'm more afraid of what Israel or the countries in the West might do than I am of Iran.