Page:The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 08.djvu/72



Comrades! when e'er you meet together here,

Recall your friend to mind, and drop a tear;

And when the circling wine-cups reach his seat,

Pray turn one upside down his dust to cheer.

That grace and favor at the first, what meant it?

That lavishing of joy and peace, what meant it?

But now thy purpose is to grieve my heart;

What did I do to cause this change? What meant it?

These hypocrites who build on saintly show,

Treating the body as the spirit's foe,

If they will shut their mouths with lime, like jars,

My jar of grape-juice I will then forego.

Many have come, and run their eager race,

Striving for pleasures, luxuries, or place,

And quaffed their wine, and now all silent lie,

Enfolded in their parent earth's embrace.

Then, when the good reap fruits of labors past,

My hapless lot with drunkards will be cast;

If good, may I be numbered with the first,

If bad, find grace and mercy with the last.

Of happy turns of fortune take your fill,

Seek pleasure's couch, or wine-cup, as you will;

Allah regards not if you sin, or saint it,

So take your pleasure, be it good or ill.