Persian source Foroughi & Ghani · ۱۱

ای آمده از عالم روحانی تفتay āmdh az 'alm rvhany tft

حیران شده در پنج و چهار و شش و هفتhyran shdh dr pnj v chhar v shsh v hft

مِی خور چو ندانی از کجا آمدهٔmey khvr chv ndany az kja āmdhٔ

خوش باش ندانی بکجا خواهی رفتkhvsh bash ndany bkja khvahy rft

Heron-Allen analysis 1898 · scholarly

He first brought me in confusion into existence,

What do I gain from my life save my amazement at it?

We went away against our will, and we know not what was

The purpose of this coming, and going, and being.

C. 235, L. 324, B. 320, S.P. 117, T. 153.--W. 145, N. 117, V. 326.

(composite: 2 source blocks in original; keeping first)

Modern rendering ai-generated

Modern · Poetic

You who came pelting from the spirit-world,

Dazed among the five, four, six, and seven,

Drink wine: you do not know from where you came.

Be glad: you do not know toward what you're going.

Modern · Literal

You who came from the spiritual world in haste,

Bewildered among the five, the four, the six, and the seven,

Drink wine, since you do not know where you came from;

Be glad, since you do not know where you are going.

cosmic mysteryThe numbers are the Aristotelian-Islamic cosmological furniture: five senses, four elements, six directions, seven planetary spheres. Against this scholastic scaffolding, Khayyam's answer is wine. FitzGerald echoes this in 'Into this Universe' (1st ed. XXIX, 5th ed. XXIX).

Other historical translations

FitzGerald · 1st · 29 adapted

Into this Universe, and why not knowing,

Nor whence, like Water willy-nilly flowing:

And out of it, as Wind along the Waste,

I know not whither, willy-nilly blowing.

Whinfield · 1883 · 87 strong

Make haste! soon must you quit this life below,

And pass the veil, and Allah's secrets know,

Make haste to take your pleasure while you may,

You wot not whence you come, nor whither go.