Literal Translation: Every day, my heart is under a different burden. In my eyes, from separation, there is a different thorn. I strive, but fate says, "Beyond your capacity, there is a different task." Poetic and Interpretive Translation: Each day, a fresh weight bends my aching heart, Separation's thorn inflicts …

Literal Translation: You are a full moon, and the sun has become your servant. Since it has become your servant, it has become radiant. Because of the radiance of your face, The sun is bright and the moon is luminous. Poetic and Interpretive Translation: You are the moon, the sun …

Literal Translation: I put my hand around your waist, Thinking there was something within. It became clear from the waist when it was tied, What part of the waist should I hold onto? Poetic and Interpretive Translation: I clasped your waist, believing something lay within, A treasure hidden from the …

Literal Translation: A moon faced whose stature rivals the cypress, straight and tall, Mirror in hand, she adorned her own face. I offered her a turban, and she said, "To seek union with me, what a fantasy you have!" Poetic and Interpretive Translation: A moon faced, as straight as cypress, …

Literal Translation: I said, "Your lip," it said, "My lip is the water of life." I said, "Your mouth," it said, "Oh, what a sweet candy." I said, "Your speech," it said, "Hafez said," "Blessings on all the witty speakers." Poetic and Interpretive Translation: "Your lips," I said, "are life's …

More Literal Translation: Take up the joy-inducing wine and come, Hidden from the lowly rival, fight and come. Don't listen to the enemy's words to sit and not go, Hear this point from me: arise and come. More Poetic and Interpretive Translation: Pour out the wine that fills the heart …

Literal translation: Except for your image in our mind, nothing appeared to us. Except for your street, no path appeared to us. Though sleep was pleasant for everyone during your time, Truly, it didn't come into our eyes. A more poetic and interpretive translation: Your image, love, alone adorned our …

A Beautiful Rubai by Omar Khayyám English Translation: O fortunate beauty, at the break of dawn, Compose a song and bring forth wine. For countless Jamshids and Kais have fallen to dust, This is the coming of winter and the going of summer.

A Beautiful Rubai by Omar Khayyám English Translation: O potter, be mindful if you are wise, How long will you continue to humble the people on clay? You have put the finger of Feridoun and the palm of Kay KhusrowUpon the wheel. What do you think you are doing?

A Beautiful Rubai by Omar Khayyám English Translation: If the work of the heavens were weighed in justice, Then the conditions of the heavens would all be pleasing. And if justice were the order of things in the sky, Then the hearts of the learned would never be grieved.

A Beautiful Rubai by Omar Khayyám English Translation: If fortune grants a loaf of bread from wheat so fine, And two mans of wine from a slaughtered sheep, With a rosy-cheeked beauty and a corner of a garden, Such a life would surpass the limit of any king’s.

A Beautiful Rubai by Omar Khayyám English Translation: Had my coming been up to me, I would not have come. And if my becoming were up to me, when would I have become? It is better not to have been in this ruined inn, Neither to have come, nor to …