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good, O my sister and solace of mine eyes and darling of my heart!’ Then said she, ‘I conjure thee by Allah, give us more of this lovely singing.’ And Tuhfeh answered with ‘Hearkening and obedience.’ So she took the lute and playing thereon after a different fashion from the former one, sang the following verses:
Oft as my yearning waxeth, my heart consoleth me With hopes of thine enjoyment in all security.
Sure God shall yet, in pity, reknit our severed lives, Even as He did afflict me with loneness after thee.
Thou whose desire possesseth my soul, the love of whom Hold on my reins hath gotten and will not let me free,
Compared with thine enjoyment, the hardest things are light To win and all things distant draw near and easy be.
God to a tristful lover be light! A man of wit, Yet perishing for yearning and body-worn is he.
Were I cut off, belovéd, from hope of thy return, Slumber, indeed, for ever my wakeful lids would flee.
For nought of worldly fortune I weep! my only joy In seeing thee consisteth and in thy seeing me.
At this the accursed Iblis was moved to delight and put his finger to his arse, whilst Meimoun danced and said, ‘O Tuhfet es Sudour, soften the mode;[1] for, as delight, entereth into my heart, it bewildereth my vital
- ↑ i.e. change the air to one less poignant? Or (perhaps) “lower thy voice.”
