Bodleian quatrain nr. 100

Cadell 1899 - 110
With strong desire my lips the cup's lip sought
From it the cause of weary life to learn.
Its lip pressed my lips close and whisperèd: —
"Drink, in this world no moment can return."

Christensen 1927 - 65
I laid my lip to the lip of the wine-cup in the utmost
desire to seek from it the means of prolonging life.
It laid its lip to my lip and said mysteriously: "During
a whole life I was like thee; rejoice for a while in my company".

Cowell 1858 - 25
Lip to lip I passionately kissed the bowl,
To learn from it the secret of length of days;
Lip to lip in answer it whispered reply,
"Drink wine, for once gone thou shalt never return!"

FitzGerald 1859 - 34
Then to this earthen Bowl did I adjourn
My Lip the secret Well of Life to learn:
And Lip to Lip it murmur'd--"While you live
"Drink!--for once dead you never shall return."

Grolleau 1902 - 100
Plein de désir, j'ai mis mes lèvres aux lèvres de la Jarre,
Pour lui demander combien longue serait ma vie.
Elle a collé ses lèvres à la mienne et m'a dit:
“Bois du vin, tu ne reviendras pas en ce monde.”

Heron-Allen 1898 - 100
In great desire I pressed my lips to the lip of the jar,
to enquire from it how long life might be attained;
it joined its lip to mine and whispered: —
"Drink wine, for, to this world, thou returnest not."

De Marthold 1910 - 100
Hier j'ai mis ma lèvre aux lèvres de la jarre,
Pour savoir si le temps me serait large ou rare.
Ses lèvres sur ma lèvre, elle m'a répondu:
"Bois du vin, car la mort est une mer sans phare."

Von der Porten 1927 - 100
Ich führ' den Krug zum Mund, er soll mich lehren,
Wie dieses Leben langer möchte währen,
Und meine Lippen küssend flüstert er:
"Trink Wein! Du wirst zur Welt nicht wiederkehren."

Rosen 1928 - 177
I placed my lip on the lip of the jug and caught from it
The means of attaining a long life.
The jug then seemed to say to me:
"For a lifetime I have been as you; now, for a while, be my companion".

Talbot 1908 - 100
To the jar's mouth my eager lip I press'd,
For Life's Elixir making anxious quest;
It join'd its lip to mine, and whisper'd low -
"Drink wine: thou shalt not wake from thy last rest!"

Thompson 1906 - 320
I prest my lip in yearning to the urn.
Thereby the means of length of life to learn.
And lip to my lip placed it whispered low,
"Drink! For to this world you will ne'er return!''

Tirtha 1941 - V.29
My lip to lip of Jar I close in glee,
In hopes that life eternal I would see;
Then quoth the Jar: Like thee I once have been
For ages, hence a minute breathe with me.”

Whinfield 1883 - 274
I put my lips to the cup, for I did yearn
The hidden cause of length of days to learn;
He leaned his lip to mine, and whispered low,
"Drink! for, once gone, you never will return."

• ARBERRY 1949 - 85
• ARBERRY 1952 - 127
• BOWEN 1961 - 19
• DASHTI 1969 - 41
• GRAVES 1968 - 36
• HEDAYAT 1934 - 139
• HERON-ALLEN 1899 - 35a
• MAHFUZ 1939 - 164
• SAIDI 1991 - 76
• WHINFIELD 1882 - 149