Omar Khayyam (233) “The sun has lassoed rooftops with its rays”

Juan Cole 09/09/2012

The sun has lassoed rooftops
with its rays, and
the king has splashed
the light of day into my glass.
Have some wine, for passionate love
called out at dawn,
saying ‘drink up’ every single day.

Translated by Juan Cole
from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, [pdf] Whinfield 233

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History 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