Omar Khayyam (85)

Juan Cole 04/05/2012

A cup full of rose-colored wine
is beautiful;
the tunes of the lute are lovely.
As for the prude
who knows nothing of wine,
it is beautiful
when he
is very far away.

Translated by Juan Cole
from [pdf] Whinfield 85

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