Quoth I (while longing fires flame high and fierce * In heart, and wasting life's vitality, And tears like gouts of blood go railing down * In torrents over cheeks now pale of blee), 'None e'er trod earth that was not born to woe, * But I will patient dree mine agony, So help me Allah! till that happy day * When with my mistress I unite shall be: Then will I spend my good on lover-wights, * Who're of my tribe and of the faith of me; And loose the very birds from jail set free, * And change my grief for gladdest gree and glee!'"
Then he went on to the third cage, wherein he found a mockingbird [FN#61] which, when it saw him, set up a song, and he recited the following couplets,
"Pleaseth me yon Hazar of mocking strain * Like voice of lover pained by love in vain. Woe's me for lovers! Ah how many men * By nights and pine and passion low are lain! As though by stress of love they had been made * Morn-less and sleep-less by their pain and bane. When I went daft for him who conquered me * And pined for him who proved of proudest strain, My tears in streams down trickled and I cried * 'These long-linkt tears bind like an adamant-chain:' Grew concupiscence, severance long, and I * Lost Patience' hoards and grief waxed sovereign: If Justice bide in world and me unite * With him I love and Allah veil us deign, I'll strip my clothes that he my form shall sight * With parting, distance, grief, how poor of plight!"
Then he went to the fourth cage, where he found a Bulbul [FN#62] which, at sight of him, began to sway to and fro and sing its plaintive descant; and when he heard its complaint, he burst into tears and repeated these couplets.
"The Bulbul's note, whenas dawn is nigh, * Tells the lover from strains of strings to fly: Complaineth for passion Uns al-Wujud, * For pine that would being to him deny.
