Best Omar Khayyam Quatrain in English

Discover the timeless beauty of Omar Khayyam's quatrain poetry. These four-line verses, known as rubaiyat, delve into life's profound questions, love, mortality, and the mysteries of existence. Khayyam's evocative language and insightful imagery captivate readers, offering profound reflections in just a few lines. Explore the enchanting world of his quatrains and experience the enduring allure of Khayyam's poetic legacy.

This caravan of life passes in a wondrous way,
Seize the moment that passes with delight.
O sorrowful cupbearer, why do you drink the wine of tomorrow?
Bring forth the goblet, for the night is passing.

This jug, like me, has been a sorrowful lover,
Ensnared in the bondage of the beloved's locks.
The handle you see around its neck,
Is a hand that has once been a support to the beloved.

How long will you remain a captive of colors and scents?
How long will you pursue what is ugly or beautiful?
Whether it be the spring of Zamzam or the water of life,
In the end, you will return to the heart of the earth.

Since no one can guarantee tomorrow's arrival,
Make this restless heart happy in the present moment.
Drink to the moonlight, O moon, for the moon
Shines brightly and yet cannot find us.

Though my sorrow and suffering may be prolonged,
Your joy and delight have great exaltation.
Do not rely on both, for the wheel of fate
Plays a thousand games behind its veils.

Neither you nor I know the eternal secrets,
Neither you read this riddle, nor do I.
There is a conversation behind the curtain between you and me,
When the curtain falls, neither you remain, nor do I.

Alas, the letter of youth has been sent,
And that fresh spring of life has passed.
That bird of joy, whose name was youth,
Alas, I do not know when it came or went.

If you don't drink wine, do not mock the intoxicated ones,
Do not build your foundation on deceit and trickery.
Do not be fooled by thinking you are superior for not drinking,
For there are a hundred morsels of food that enslave you.

My arrival did not bring any benefit to the sky,
And my departure did not add to its glory and splendor.
Nor does anyone even listen to me,
So what was the purpose of my coming and going?

If the affairs of the celestial sphere were measured with justice,
All the states of the world would have been pleasing.
But if justice were lacking in the workings of the heavens,
How could the hearts of the virtuous have endured suffering?

The one who established the Earth, the celestial spheres,
Bore many wounds upon their afflicted heart.
Many lips like rubies and tresses like musk,
Were set in the drum of the Earth and the circle of dust.

Although I possess beauty in color and scent,
Like the tulip cheeks and lofty cypress,
It is not clear why the eternal artist
Adorned me for what purpose in the tavern of dust.

Drink wine, for this is the eternal life,
Indeed, the essence of youth is derived from it.
In the time of flowers, wine, and intoxicated companions,
Be joyful, for this moment is the essence of life.

I am free from the chains of the world for a day,
I find joy in a single breath of my existence.
I have been a student of time for a long time,
In the affairs of the world, I am still a master.

These one, two, three days of life have passed,
Like water flowing in the river and wind across the plain.
The sorrows of these two days never lingered in my mind,
The day that has not come and the day that has already passed.

In the pottery workshop, I went one night,
I saw two thousand silent and still jugs.
Suddenly, one jug let out a loud cry,
"Where is the potter, the jug, and the jug-seller?"

This jug, like me, has been a sorrowful lover,
Ensnared in the bondage of the beloved's locks.
The handle you see around its neck,
Is a hand that has once been a support to the beloved.

O wheel of the universe, your turmoil stems from your animosity,
Your way is that of ancient mischief.
O earth, if they were to split open your bosom,
Countless precious gems would be found within your heart.

That palace where Jamshid held the cup,
Where the deer gave birth and the fox found solace.
Behold, O Bahram, who all his life sought tombs,
You have seen how the tomb eventually claimed Bahram.

We are the wine, the minstrel, and this ruined corner,
Soul and heart, the cup, and the garment filled with the pain of wine.
Free from the hope of mercy and the fear of punishment,
Free from dust and wind, from fire and water.

Although I possess beauty in color and fragrance,
Like the tulip face and the lofty cypress.
It is unknown why the eternal artist adorned me
In the workshop of earthly delight.

If you do not drink wine, do not mock the intoxicated,
Do not deceive or manipulate their hands.
Do not be deceived, thinking you are superior for not drinking wine,
For you may consume a hundred morsels that enslave you.

Rise and come, bring solace to our hearts,
Resolve the troubles with your own beauty.
Bring a jug of wine, so we may drink together,
Before the jugs themselves are made from our clay.

Every particle that has existed on this earth,
Has worn the sun's face, the brow of Venus.
From the cheek to the sleeve, the dust is scattered,
For that fair face, my beloved, has been adorned.

We have wandered far and wide, through valleys and plains,
Across all horizons, our footsteps have traversed.
Yet we have not heard of anyone who returned
From the path they embarked on, the path of no return.

No one has unraveled the mysteries of death,
No one has stepped beyond the circle's edge.
I have observed from the beginner to the master,
Helplessness befalls anyone born of a mother's womb.

If your breath passes through the realm of life,
Do not let it pass except in joyousness.
Beware, for the capital of worldly desires,
Is the lifespan that passes swiftly as you pass.