Quatrain 67 from Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
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بر پشت من از زمانه تو میآیدوز من همه کار نانکو میآید
جان عزم رحیل کرد و گفتم بمروگفتا چه کنم خانه فرومیآید
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 time passing, the concept of regret, and the metaphor of a house collapsing contribute to the poem's depth and complexity.
English Translation
A more literal translation
From time, upon my back, troubles come,
And from me, all sorts of blame.
My soul has decided to depart, and I said, "Don't go,"
It replied, "What can I do? The house is collapsing."
A more poetic and interpretive translation
Time's heavy burden presses on my back,
While blame and sorrow follow in my track.
My soul, weary of this earthly stay,
Cries out, "The house is crumbling, I must go away."
A contemporary and informal translation
Life's been tough, it's weighed me down,
People blame me all around.
My soul wants to leave, it's had enough,
Says, "This life's a wreck, it's going to tough."
"بر پشت من از زمانه تو میآید": This line suggests that the weight of time and its troubles are pressing down on the speaker.
"وز من همه کار نانکو میآید": This line indicates that the speaker is being blamed for everything that goes wrong.
"جان عزم رحیل کرد و گفتم بمرو": This line expresses the speaker's desire for their soul to remain, despite the hardships of life.
"گفتا چه کنم خانه فرومیآید": This line uses the metaphor of a collapsing house to represent the inevitable end of life.
Themes and Interpretations
The burdens of life: The poem emphasizes the weight of life's troubles and the inevitability of aging.
The fear of death: The speaker expresses a fear of death and the unknown.
The fragility of life: The metaphor of a collapsing house highlights the fragility of life and the inevitability of change.
This rubai is a profound meditation on the human condition. The imagery of the collapsing house and the weight of time create a powerful visual representation of the challenges and uncertainties of life.