Omar Khayyam (82)

Juan Cole 03/28/2012

Khayyam, your body
is like a royal tent;
your spirit is king
and its residence is temporary.
The angel of fate
strikes this tent
when the king moves on,
in favor of another dwelling.

Translated by Juan Cole
from [pdf] Whinfield 82

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor in the History Department at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page