Quatrain 64 from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Quatrain 64 from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
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ای بس که نباشیم و جهان خواهد بود
نی نام ز ما و نی نشان خواهد بود
زین پیش نبودیم و نبد هیچ خلل
زین پس چو نباشیم همان خواهد بود
Description:
A Note About This Quatrain
This particular rubai of Omar Khayyam is rich in philosophical and existential undertones, making a direct, literal translation quite challenging. The imagery of non-existence, the concept of the universe continuing without us, and the cyclical nature of life contribute to the poem's depth and complexity.
English Translation
A more literal translation
How often we will not be, and the world will still be,
Neither name nor trace of us will remain.
Before we were, there was no flaw,
After we are not, it will be the same.
A more poetic and interpretive translation
We'll cease to be, yet still the world will turn,
Our names forgotten, as the ashes burn.
Before our birth, the cosmos did abide,
And after death, it will continue wide.
A contemporary and informal translation
We won't be here forever, that's for sure,
No one will remember us anymore.
The world was fine before we came,
And it'll be fine, just the same.
"ای بس که نباشیم و جهان خواهد بود": This line suggests that our non-existence will have little impact on the universe.
"نی نام ز ما و نی نشان خواهد بود": This line emphasizes the temporary nature of human existence and the eventual fading of our memory.
"زین پیش نبودیم و نبد هیچ خلل": This line suggests that the universe existed before us and functioned perfectly well without us.
"زین پس چو نباشیم همان خواهد بود": This line reinforces the idea that the universe will continue to exist after our deaths.
Themes and Interpretations
The insignificance of the individual: The rubai suggests that the individual is insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe.
The eternal nature of the universe: The poem emphasizes the eternal nature of the universe and the cyclical nature of existence.
The impermanence of human life: The rubai highlights the fleeting nature of human life and the eventual fading of our memory.
This rubai is a profound meditation on the human condition. The imagery of the universe continuing without us creates a powerful visual representation of the insignificance of the individual in the grand scheme of things.