One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  I see you with my heart from far countrie, vii. 93.

  I sent to him a scroll that bore my plaint of love, ii. 300.

  I show my heart and thoughts to Thee, and Thou, v. 266.

  I sight their track and pine for longing love, viii. 103.

  I soothe my heart and my love repel, v. 35.

  I sought of a fair maid to kiss her lips, viii. 294.

  I speak and longing love upties me and unties me, ii. 104.

  I still had hoped to see thee and enjoy thy sight, i. 242.

  I stood and bewailed who their loads had bound, ix. 27.

  I swear by Allah’s name, fair Sir! no thief was I, i. 274.

  I swear by swayings of that form so fair, iv. 143.

  I swear by that fair face’s life I’ll love but thee, iv. 246.

  I thought of estrangement in her embrace, ix. 198.

  I’ve been shot by Fortune, and shaft of eye, iii. 175.

  I’ve lost patience by despite of you, i. 280.

  I’ve sent the ring from off thy finger ta’en, iii. 274.

  I’ve sinned enormous sin, iv. 109.

  I view their traces and with pain I pine, viii.320.

  I visit them and night black lendeth aid to me, iv. 252.

  I vow to Allah if at home I sight, ii. 186.

  I walk for fear of interview the weakling’s walk, v. 147.

  I wander ‘mid these walls, my Layla’s walls, i. 238.

  I wander through the palace but I sight there not a soul, iv.

  291.

  I was in bestest luck, but now my love goes contrary, v.75.

  I was kind and ‘scaped not, they were cruel and escaped, i. 58.

  I waved to and fro and he leaned to and fro, v. 239.

  I weep for one to whom a lonely death befel, v. 115.

  I weep for longing love’s own ardency, vii. 369.

  I weet not, whenas to a land I fare, ix. 328.

  I went to my patron some blood to let him, i. 306.

  I went to the house of the keeper-man, iii. 20.

  I will bear in patience estrangement of friend, viii. 345.

  I wot not, whenas to a land I fare, x. 53.

  I write thee, love, the while my tears pour down, iii. 24.

  I write to thee, O fondest hope, a writ, iii. 24.

  I write with heart devoted to thy thought, iii. 273.

  Ibn Síná in his canon cloth opine, iii. 34

  If a fool oppress thee bear patiently, vi. 214

  If a man from destruction can save his head, ix.314.

  If a man’s breast with bane he hides be straitened, ix. 292.

  If a sharp-witted wight mankind e’er tried iv. 188.

  If another share in the thing I love, iv. 234.

  If any sin I sinned, or did I aught, iii. 132.

  If aught I’ve sinned in sinful way, viii. 119.

  If generous youth be blessed with luck and wealth, ix. 291.

  If he of patience fail the truth to hide, ii. 320.

  If I liken thy shape to the bough when green, i. 92.

  If I to aught save you, O lords of me, incline, vii. 369.

  If ill betide thee through thy slave, i. 194.

  If Kings would see their high emprize preserved, v. 106.

  If Naomi bless me with a single glance, iv. 12.

  If not master of manners or aught but discreet, i. 235.

  If thereby man can save his head from death, iv. 46.

  If thou crave our love, know that love’s a loan, v. 127.

  If thou should please a friend who pleaseth thee, v. 150.

  If Time unite us after absent while, i. 157.

  If your promise of personal call prove untrue, iii. 252.

  If we ‘plain of absence what shall we say? i. 100.

  If we saw a lover who pains as he ought, v. 164.

  Ill-omened hag! unshriven be her sins nor mercy visit her on

  dying bed, i. 174.

  In dream I saw a bird o’erspeed (meseem’d), viii. 218.

  In her cheek cornered nine calamities, viii. 86.

  In his face-sky shineth the fullest moon, i. 205.

  In love they bore me further than my force would go, ii. 137.

  In patience, O my God, I endure my lot and fate, i. 77.

  In patience, O my God, Thy doom forecast, nut 17.

  In ruth and mildness surety lies, ii. 160.

  In sleep came Su’ada’s shade and wakened me, iv. 267.

  In sooth the Nights and Days are charactered, iii. 319

  In spite of enviers’ jealousy, at end, v. 62.

  In the morn I am richest of men, x. 40.

  In the towering forts Allah throned him, ii. 291.

  In this world there is none thou mayst count upon, i. 207

  In thought I see thy form when farthest far or nearest near, ii.

  42

  In thy whole world there is not one, iv. 187.

  In vest of saffron pale and safflower red, i. 219.

  Incline not to parting, I pray, viii. 314.

  Indeed afflicted sore are we and all distraught, viii. 48.

  Indeed I am consoled now and sleep without a tear, iv. 242.

  Indeed I deem thy favours might be bought, iii. 34.

  Indeed I hourly need thy choicest aid, v. 281.

  Indeed I’ll bear my love for thee with firmest soul, iv. 241.

  Indeed I longed to share unweal with thee, iii. 323.

  Indeed I’m heart-broken to see thee start, viii. 63.

  Indeed I’m strong to bear whatever befal, iii. 46.

  Indeed my heart loves all the lovely boys, ix. 253.

  Indeed, ran my tears on the severance day, vii. 64.

  Indeed, to watch the darkness moon he blighted me, iii. 277.

  Irks me my fate and clean unknows that I, viii. 130.

  “Is Abú’s Sakr of Shaybán” they asked v. 100.

  Is it not strange one house us two contain iv. 279.

  Is not her love a pledge by all mankind confess? ii. 186.

  It behoveth folk who rule in our time, viii. 294.

  It happed one day a hawk pounced on a bird, iv. 103

  It runs through every joint of them as runs, x. 39.

  It seems as though of Lot’s tribe were our days, iii. 301.

  It was as though the sable dye upon her palms, iii. 105.

  Jamil, in Holy War go fight! to me they say: ii. 102.

  Jahannam, next Lazá, and third Hatim, v. 240.

  Jamrkan am I! and a man of might, vii. 23.

  Joy from stroke of string cloth to me incline, viii. 227.

  Joy is nigh, O Masrúr, so rejoice in true rede, viii. 221.

  “Joy needs shall come,” a prattler ‘gan to prattle: in. 7.

  Joy of boughs, bright branch of Myrobalan! viii. 213.

  Joy so o’ercometh me, for stress of joy, v. 355.

  Joyance is come, dispelling cark and care, v. 61.

  Kingdom with none endures: if thou deny this truth, where be the

  Kings of earlier earth? i. 129.

  Kinsmen of mine were those three men who came to thee, iv. 289.

  Kisras and Cæsars in a bygone day, ii. 41.

  Kiss then his fingers which no fingers are, iv. 147.

  Lack of good is exile to man at home, ix. 199.

  Lack gold abaseth man and cloth his worth away, ix. 290.

  Lady of beauty, say, who taught thee hard and harsh design, iii.

  5.

  Laud not long hair, except it be dispread, ii. 230.

  Laud to my Lord who gave thee all of loveliness, iv. 143.

  Leave this blame, I will list to no enemy’s blame! iii. 61.

  Leave this thy design and depart, O man! viii. 212.

  Leave thou the days to breed their ban and bate, ii. 41.

  Leave thy home for abroad an wouldest rise on high, ix. 138.

  Let days their folds and plies deploy, ii. 309.

  Let destiny with slackened rein its course appointed fare! viii.

/>   70.

  Let Fate with slackened bridle fare her pace, iv. 173.

  Let Fortune have her wanton way, i. 107.

  Let thy thought be ill and none else but ill, iii. 142.

  Leyla’s phantom came by night, viii. 14.

  Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared, iii. 177.

  Like are the orange hills when zephyr breathes, viii. 272.

  Like a tree is he who in wealth cloth wone, ii. 14.

  Like fullest moon she shines on happiest night, v. 347.

  Like moon she shines amid the starry sky, v.32.

  Like peach in vergier growing, viii. 270.

  Like the full moon she shineth in garments all of green, viii.

  327.

  Lion of the wold wilt thou murder me, v. 40.

  Long as earth is earth, long as sky is sky, ix.317.

  Long have I chid thee, but my chiding hindereth thee not, vii.

  225.

  Long have I wept o’er severance ban and bane, i. 249.

  Long I lamented that we fell apart, ii. 187.

  Long, long have I bewailed the sev’rance of our loves, iii. 275.

  Long was my night for sleepless misery, iv. 263.

  Longsome is absence; Care and Fear are sore, ii. 295.

  Longsome is absence, restlessness increaseth, vii. 212.

  Look at the I.ote-tree, note on boughs arrayed, viii. 271.

  Look at the apricot whose bloom contains, viii. 268.

  Look on the Pyramids and hear the twain, v. 106.

  Love, at first sight, is a spurt of spray, vii. 280.

  Love, at the first, is a spurt of spray, vii. 330.

  Love for my fair they chide in angry way. iii. 233.

  Love in my breast they lit and fared away, iii. 296.

  Love in my heart they lit and went their ways, i. 232.

  Love-longing urged me not except to trip in speech o’er free, ix.

  322.

  Love smote my frame so sore on parting day, ii. 152.

  Love’s tongue within my heart speaks plain to thee, iv. 135.

  Love’s votaries I ceased not to oppose, iii. 290.

  Lover with his beloved loseth will and aim, v. 289.

  Lover, when parted from the thing he loves, viii. 36.

  Luck to the Rubber whose deft hand o’er-plies, iii. 17.

  Make me not (Allah save the Caliph!) one of the betrayed vii.

  129.

  Make thy game by guile for thou’rt born in a time, iii. 141.

  Man is known among men as his deeds attest, ix. 164.

  Man wills his wish to him accorded be, iv.

  Many whose ankle rings are dumb have tinkling belts, iii. 302.

  Masrur joys life made fair by all delight of days, nil. 234.

  May Allah never make you parting dree,

  May coins thou makest joy in heart instil, ix. 69.

  May God deny me boon of troth if I, viii. 34.

  May that Monarch’s life span a mighty span, ii.75.

  Mazed with thy love no more I can feign patience, viii. 321.

  Melted pure gold in silvern bowl to drain, v. 66.

  Men and dogs together are all gone by, iv. 268.

  Men are a hidden malady iv. 188.

  Men craving pardon will uplift their hands, iii. 304.

  Men have ‘plained of pining before my time, iii. 183.

  Men in their purposes are much alike, vii. 169.

  Men’s turning unto bums of boys is bumptious, v. 162.

  Methought she was the forenoon sun until she donned the veil,

  viii. 284.

  Mine ear forewent mine eye in loving him, ix. 222.

  Mine eyes I admire that can feed their fill, viii. 224

  Mine eyes ne’er looked on aught the Almond like, viii. 270.

  Mine eyes were dragomans for my tongue betied, i 121.

  Mine is a Chief who reached most haught estate, i. 253.

  ‘Minish this blame I ever bear from you, iii. 60.

  Morn saith to Night, “withdraw and let me shine,” i. 132

  Most beautiful is earth in budding bloom, ii. 86.

  Mu’awiyah, thou gen’rous lord, and best of men that be, vii. 125.

  My best salam to what that robe enrobes of symmetry, ix. 321

  My blamers instant chid that I for her become consoled, viii.

  171.

  My blamers say of me, He is consoled And lie! v. 158.

  My body bides the sad abode of grief and malady, iv. 230.

  My censors say, What means this pine for him? v. 158.

  My charmer who spellest my piety, ix. 243.

  My coolth of eyes, the darling child of me, v. 260.

  My day of bliss is that when thou appearest, iii. 291.

  My friend I prithee tell me, ‘neath the sky, v. 107.

  My friend who went hath returned once more, Vi. 196.

  My friends, despite this distance and this cruelty, viii. 115.

  My friends, I yearn in heart distraught for him, vii. 212.

  My friends! if ye are banisht from mine eyes, fin 340.

  My friends, Rayya hath mounted soon as morning shone, vii. 93.

  My fondness, O my moon, for thee my foeman is, iii. 256.

  My heart disheartened is, my breast is strait, ii. 238.

  My heart is a thrall: my tears ne’er abate, viii. 346.

  My life for the scavenger! right well I love him, i. 312.

  My life is gone but love longings remain, viii. 345.

  My longing bred of love with mine unease for ever grows, vii.

  211.

  My Lord hath servants fain of piety, v. 277.

  My lord, this be the Sun, the Moon thou hadst before, vii. 143.

  My lord, this full moon takes in Heaven of thee new birth, vii.

  143.

  My love a meeting promised me and kept it faithfully, iii. 195.

  My loved one’s name in cheerless solitude aye cheereth me, v. 59.

  My lover came in at the close of night, iv. 124.

  My lover came to me one night, iv. 252.

  My mind’s withdrawn from Zaynab and Nawar, iii. 239.

  My patience failed me when my lover went, viii. 259.

  My patience fails me and grows anxiety, viii. 14.

  My prickle is big and the little one said, iii. 302.

  My Salám to the Fawn in the garments concealed, iv. 50.

  My sin to thee is great, iv. 109.

  My sister said, as saw she how I stood, iii. 109.

  My sleeplessness would show I love to bide on wake, iii. 195.

  My soul and my folk I engage for the youth, vii. 111.

  My soul for loss of lover sped I sight, viii. 67.

  My soul be sacrifice for one, whose going, iii. 292.

  My soul thy sacrifice! I chose thee out, iii. 303.

  My soul to him who smiled back my salute, iii. 168.

  My tale, indeed, is tale unlief, iv. 265.

  My tears thus flowing rival with my wine, iii. 169.

  My tribe have slain that brother mine, Umaym, iv. 110.

  My wish, mine illness, mine unease! by Allah, own, viii. 68.

  My wrongs hide I, withal they show to sight, viii. 260.

  My yearning for thee though long is fresh, iv. 211.

  Naught came to salute me in sleep save his shade, vii. 111.

  Naught garred me weep save where and when of severance spake he,

  viii. 63.

  Nears my parting fro, my love, nigher draws the severance-day,

  viii. 308.

  Need drives a man into devious roads, ii. 14.

  Needs must I bear the term by Fate decreed, ii. 41.

  Ne’er cease thy gate be Ka’abah to mankind, iv. 148.

  Ne’er dawn the severance-day on any wise, viii. 49.

  Ne’er incline thee to part, ii. 105.

  Ne’er was a man with beard grown over. long, viii. 298.

  News my wife wots is not locked in a box! i. 311.


  News of my love fill all the land, I swear, iii. 287.

  No breeze of Union to the lover blows, viii. 239.

  No! I declare by Him to whom all bow, v. 152.

  No longer beguile me, iii. 137.

  “No ring-dove moans from home on branch in morning light, ii.

  152.

  None but the good a secret keep, And good men keep it unrevealed,

  i. 87.

  None but the men of worth a secret keep, iii. 289.

  None keepeth a secret but a faithful person, iv. 233.

  None other charms but shine shall greet mine eyes, i. 156.

  None wotteth best joyance but generous youth v. 67.

  Not with his must I’m drunk, but verily, v. 158.

  Now an, by Allah, unto man were fully known, iii. 128.

  Now, an of woman ask ye, I reply, iii. 214.

  Now blame him not; for blame brings only vice and pain, ii. 297.

  Now, by my life, brown hue hath point of comeliness, iv. 258.

  Now, by thy life, and wert thou just my life thou hadst not

  ta’en, i. 182.

  Now, by your love! your love I’ll ne’er forget, viii, 315.

  Now I indeed will hide desire and all repine, v. 267.

  Now is my dread to incur reproaches which. 59.

  Now love hast banished all that bred delight, iii. 259.

  Now with their says and said no more vex me the chiding race, iv.

  207.

  O adornment of beauties to thee write I vii. 176.

  O beauty’s Union! love for thee’s my creed, iii. 303.

  O best of race to whom gave Hawwá boon of birth, v. 139.

  O bibber of liquor, art not ashamed v. 224.

  O breeze that blowest from the land Irak viii. 103.

  O child of Adam let not hope make mock and flyte at thee vi. 116

  O culver of the copse, with salams I greet, v. 49.

  O day of joys to either lover fain! v. 63.

  O dwelling of my friends, say is there no return, viii. 319.

  O fair ones forth ye cast my faithful love, ix. 300.

  O fertile root and noble growth of trunk, ii. 43.

  O fisherman no care hast thou to fear, v. 51.

  O flier from thy home when foes affright! v. 290.

  O friends of me one favour more I pray v. 125.

  O glad news bearer well come! ii. 326.

  O hail to him whose locks his cheeks o’er shade, x. 58.

  O Hayat al-Nufuis be gen’rous and incline vii. 217.

  O heart, an lover false thee, shun the parting bane, viii.94.

  O heart! be not thy love confined to one, iii. 232.

  O hope of me! pursue me not with rigour and disdain, iii. 28.

  O joy of Hell and Heaven! whose tormentry, iii. 19.

  O Keener, O sweetheart, thou fallest not short, i. 311.