1. Arise! for yonder star in the west has set,
And grey hairs streak the darkness of the gloaming;

2. And morn o'er Night's dark neck her hand hath spread,
That with her stars she seemeth to be groping;

3. And Dawn's first flames have lit the skirts of Night
With candles that were made without the dropping;

4. And the leaves shudder in their leaves for fright,
When the sword of sunrise they see baring,—

5. And, perched on the high wall, a herald-wight,
Cries out to all a-sleep that morning's glaring;

6. And the moon is a mere shred, that soon will fail
Ere with the sun her faint light mix and mingle;—

7. On a taut string a bow of lemon-tree,
And the dark Night thereon a bead that dangleth;

8. In her hands for Pleiades arrows three,
Wherewith one more than the fixed number angleth.

9. What! Do the archers and the dark delay,
When in their arrow-holder dawn is crumbling

10. Behold the new clouds' down the sky's highway
Rolling, as 'twere the pitch the negroes jumbling!

11. In their folds the lightning's blaze ye scan,
Like knives of steel that through the air are tumbling!

12. Now Autumn of his blooms have brought us more
Than erst 'neath Springtide's skirt lay hidden, shrinking.

13. Hushed are the burning sighs of winds that tore,
And after heat, the rains their torrents drinking.

14. Poised in her scales is shining Day's full weight.
The nights and days equality attaining.

15. To us from Durbán's hills blow winds elate,
To wander here wherein my soul is straining;—

16. From Karkh's fruit-laden palms nobly they came,
What time their ripening crops need no more training;

17. Linked troop on troop they marched like men that frame
A claim to guide men's steps and turn them from ill,—

18. Did one that hath my pain of passion blame,
Their sound would cure his soul of every ill.

19. Up! Let us don the raiment of delight!
He is resolved for wrong who joy denies him.

20. Seize Pleasure's forelock when thou hast the might!
Fleeting are Pleasure's days; then be thou wise, O youth,

21. For Youth's a guest that comes and goes in flight,
Nor can man clasp him tight when he flies from him.

22. Mark the francolin where th' horizon girding,
Heaws from far Diyálá's bowers of pleasure,

23. Of passion he unmindful, to face peril winging:
He comes his life to offer, nor knows the measure

24. Of what him shall befall when his foot slips.
Then plunge thee rashly in her every rupture!

25. For steeds of pedigree are linked, are tethered . . .
From every Wásit tribe gifts are brought us:

26. Tasan, whose brightness shall not fade or wither,
Which workman Zálim wrought in deftest fashion,

27. Let every keen-eyed man derive instruction!
Who miss of prudence when they miss their aim

28. Have brought her bows up to the highest compass.
Then overlaid with oil of sesame,

29. Pure, brilliant jessamine were her complexion.
As she were stars of pearls in strange perfection,

30. Or round sweetmeat on round sweetmeat were looping.
As like two snakes her shape the intermediate,

31. In archer's fingers were she bent to nothing!
So, did an Indian ply her from his stand,

32. No portion but were broke and rent to splinters.
As though she sighed to leave her master's hand

33. For those bird-haunted groves, those woodland centres.
By every deft artificer was wrought,

34. Till her fair shape was faultless,—aye, transcending!—
As if the letter lám were looped in naught;

35. Thoughcertain critics cry"'Tis but a straight line!"
Speed joy our eyes with sight of her, for she

36. Shall banish sorrow and despair, repressing!
Babel's bricks have built no life at all

37. To equal this glad fortune and good blessing!
While we recline in meadow and in field

38. Checking old buildings and their needs assessing.
With lore enriched, and free of all oppression,

39. Who judges justly 'twixt us, clear of blame,
Eschewing tyranny's least suggestion.

40. He has no fault to find with racing steeds,
Nor ever was his soul possessed of caution,

41. But if he was aware of evil deed,
Or if good fortune smiled on him, straight louting,

42. No sweeter is the note of pipe and drum,
What time he analyzes strains heart-witching,

43. Nor tabret struck on bow-string twanging from
The plectrum blade on sounding-board down smiting.

44. And birds of every wing around us cheeping,
This hooded and equipped, and that a-preening,

45. One stands to watch his decoys and peeping,
One picks up what the plain yields while careening.

46. To tell them all were task without endeavour;
To count them all were hopeless, never ending!

47. Our hawks and falcons thither wing, and ever
Is safe whoso keeps watch and waits attending.

48. The quarry sinks i' the clouds careering blindly,
The slaughtered bird falls earthward, life's blood streaming