Page:Quatrains of Omar Khayyam (tr. Whinfield, 1883).djvu/244

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188
THE QUATRAINS OF

279.

What launched that golden orb his course to run,
What wrecks his firm foundations, when 'tis done,
    No man of science ever weighed with scales,
Nor made assay with touchstone, no, not one!


280.

I pray thee to my counsel lend thine ear.
Cast off this false hypocrisy's veneer;
    This life a moment is, the next all time,
Sell not eternity for earthly gear!


281.

Ofttimes I plead my foolishness to Thee,
My heart contracted with perplexity;
    I gird me with the Magian zone, and why?
For shame so poor a Musulman to be.


279.   L.   The vanity of science.

280.   C. L. N. A. B. I.   Note separated from its noun, as before.   Vullers, p. 173.