Quatrain 20 from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Quatrain 20 from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
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پیش از من و تو لیل و نهاری بودهست
گردنده فلک نیز بکاری بوده است
هرجا که قدم نهی تو بر روی زمین
آن مردمک چشم نگاری بودهست
Description:
A Note on this Rubai
This rubai from Omar Khayyam offers a beautiful and profound reflection on the cyclical nature of time, the vastness of the universe, and the interconnectedness of all things. It uses the image of the Earth and the heavens to convey a sense of cosmic perspective.
English Translation
A more literal translation
Before you and I, there was night and day,
The revolving celestial sphere has always been.
Wherever you step on the Earth,
That place was once the pupil of a beloved's eye.
A more poetic and interpretive translation
Before our time, the cosmos turned its sphere,
Days followed nights, and years from year to year.
Each place you tread, once held a lover’s gaze,
A cosmic dance through countless days and days.
A contemporary and informal translation
Before you and me, the world was spinning round,
The stars above, forever bound.
Every place you go, every patch of ground,
Was once a lover's eye, so deep and profound.
"پیش از من و تو لیل و نهاری بودهست": This line establishes the eternal nature of time, suggesting that the cycle of day and night has continued long before our existence.
"گردنده فلک نیز بکاری بوده است": This line refers to the celestial sphere, implying that the universe has always been in motion.
"هرجا که قدم نهی تو بر روی زمین": This line connects the individual to the vastness of the universe, suggesting that every place on Earth has a history.
"آن مردمک چشم نگاری بودهست": This line poetically transforms the Earth into a lover's eye, suggesting that the universe is filled with beauty and wonder.
Themes and Interpretations
The interconnectedness of all things: The poem suggests that everything in the universe is connected, from the smallest particle to the largest galaxy.
The vastness of time: The poet emphasizes the eternal nature of the universe, suggesting that our lives are but a brief moment in time.
The beauty of the natural world: The image of the Earth as a lover's eye highlights the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
This rubai invites us to contemplate our place in the universe and to appreciate the beauty and mystery of the world around us. It reminds us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves.