Page:Quatrains of Omar Khayyam (tr. Whinfield, 1883).djvu/154

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THE QUATRAINS OF

144.

To him, who would his sins extenuate,
Let pious men this verse reiterate,
    "To call God's prescience the cause of sin
In wisdom's purview is but folly's prate."


145.

He brought me hither, and I felt surprise,
From life I gather but a dark surmise,
    I go against my will;—thus, why I come,
Why live, why go, are all dark mysteries.


146.

When I recall my grievous sins to mind,
Fire burns my breast, and tears my vision blind;
    Yet, when a slave repents, is it not meet
His lord should pardon, and again be kind?


144.   L. N.   Sahl, "of no account."


145.   C. L. N. A.


146.   L. N.   In line 2, az sar guzarad means "drops from the eyes," and in line 4, "remits the penalty."   This change of meaning is called Tajnis.