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But grimmest hinderers of all
Are hours that take to lying.

Dealing with women, be circumspect!
From a crooked rib her shape she takes,
God could not make her quite erect.

If thou would'st bend her, then she breaks :
If let alone, she 's more perverse ;
What can be, dear old Adam, worse?
Dealing with women, be circumspect;
To a broken rib most men object.

Life is a sorry jest and flat :
One misses this, one misses that.
Not little, or too much, the claim,
And knack and luck are in the game.
In each one's plan mischances thrust,
Has not his will but what he must,
At length smug heirs without a doubt
Sir Cannot-Willnot carry out.

In single file2 goes every soul:
The more we forward carry,
The sooner come we to the goal
Where none is pleased to tarry.

They think the geese are void of mind:
Trust not the folk that say it!

From time to time one looks behind
To notice how I play it.

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Far other is it in the world,

Where each one forward prances,

A trip, and to the ground you 're hurled,
And no soul backward glances.

The years have robbed thee of so much, dost say?
Of every sense the edge and proper play,

The dearest toys remembered of the past,
The range elate through countries far and vast,
Avails no more; nor when the monarch graces
A recognized desert, nor all the praises
That once exalted. And no more delight
Upsprings from doing, fails the daring flight!
Dost mean I can impute no other vein?"

Enough for me! Idea and Love remain !

On a time to Erfurt going,
Often once perambulated,
After years so many flowing
Found that I was tolerated.

From the shops the ancient women
Sent the old man pleasant greeting,
Till it seemed again the young time

Spent with every pretty sweeting.

That was once the baker's daughter,
The shoemaker's over yonder,

Owls by no means either of them,
Life they used, and did not squander.

So let us compete with Hafis,
Constant like him to the last,
With the present be delighted,
And in it enjoy the past.

Near the sage preserve a place,

Safe it is in every case!

Canst not clear thy tangled mind,

Straight the knotted place he 'll find:

Dost thou hit a matter true,

He will give the praise that's due.

The generous is cheated,
The niggardly defeated,
Clear-headed made distraught,
Quick-witted sent to nought,
The flinty one cajoled,
The blockhead badly sold:
Now o'er this lie have sway,
Let the betrayed betray!

He will praise who doth employ thee,
And another time will blame,

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Art thou true, 'twill not annoy thee,
Thou wilt reckon both the same.

Say he praises what is slightest,
Blames too where he ought to praise,
Only keep a heart the lightest,
He at length will test thy ways.

So your Highness like your subject
Toward God this style maintains,
Does and suffers as it happens,
Only his good cheer sustains.

TO SCHAH SEDSCHAN AND HIS PEER.3

HROUGH all the clash and throng

THR

Of tribes of Iran,

Undaunted goes our song

Thee to environ !

Our life is glad and strong

In thee, and able,

Thy life continue long,

Thy kingdom stable.

BEST OF LUCK.4

LAWLESS as I was did I

Master and my match discover, And thus tamed as years went by, Mistress too did I discover.

Nor of testing did they spare
My uprightness to discover,
So have treasured me with care,

As the prize they did discover :
No one can two masters serve

And his luck in it discover: Lord and mistress do not swerve, Glad that they did me discover, Therefore shines my lucky star That I did them both discover.

Through many countries have I been, All sorts of men in crowds have seen, In every nook and corner sought, Each bush to me a nut has brought ; Such blessed towns none e'er espied, Houris on Houris, bride on bride.

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