Oh, if it were possible to demolish this wretched world, brimming with pain and sorrow, and in its place, construct a new world where every free-spirited individual could effortlessly achieve their noble and beautiful aspirations. The world envisioned by the wise Khayyam is one brimming with passion, love, and intoxication, where the wicked and the base have no standing or position. This is the message of Quatrain 145 from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Let’s read the Persian poem first and then its translation.
گر بر فلکم دست بدی چون یزدان
برداشتمی من این فلک را زمیان
از نو فلکی دگر چنان ساختمی
کآزاده به کام دل رسیدی آسان
Here's the translation of the poem from Khayyam to English:
If I had the power of God over the sky, I'd tear this firmament from its lofty lie.
A new and different heaven I'd create, Where every soul could freely find its fate.
What would the new world in Khayyam’s dream look like?
In this new realm, no sorrow would be found, And every heart with joy and peace would abound.
No more would tyrants rule with iron might, But love and justice would prevail in light.
The earth would bloom with beauty, fresh and new, And all its creatures would in harmony pursue.
Oh, if I had the power to make this dream, Then heaven on earth would truly seem.
This dream, of a world free from hardship, is one nearly everyone carries within them. It's a yearning for something better, a stark contrast to the injustices and struggles that define our reality. Throughout history, countless souls have striven to achieve their aspirations, yet many have faced disappointment.