Omar Khayyam (83)

Juan Cole 04/02/2012

Khayyam, you wove tents of wisdom,
but fell into a campfire
and suddenly burned up.
The scissors of fate severed
the guy ropes of your life,
and the broker of destiny
sold it off gratis.

Translated by Juan Cole
from [pdf] Whinfield 83

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