For more about the 11th c. Persian Sufi and poet Omar Khayyam, see this earlier post.
Understand that you will be severed from your soul.
You will be annihilated at the doorway to beyond.
So drink wine, for you have no idea of where you came
and be joyful, for you know not where you’ll go.
For this is the truth, not just a metaphor.
We are puppets in the Universe’s show.
We play our roles till, one by one,
we’re put back in the chest of toys.
And the lid is closed.
Translation by Mary O’Connell with Roshanak Vahdani
Couldn’t have said it better myself dear Nawab
Well actually I could have said it much better- if I had taken more time !
Hope you are well
Maery Nauroz
Dear Nauroz, thank you for the greetings, and for the translation. In poetry it is especially difficult, but I appreciate your versions very much, and I wish that volume were thicker! Sending loving greetings, Nawab