62
Two things there are, for which if eyes wept tear on tear Of blood, till they were like, indeed, to disappear,
They never could fulfil the tithe of all their due; And these are prime of youth and loss of lovelings dear.
Then he wept again and recited these also:
Alas my grief! My fortitude bewrays me for my fair: Since she I love is gone, I die of misery and despair.
Woe’s me for my beloved’s loss! How sore it is on me! And O the rending of my heart for that I did whilere!
Would I my secret in my time had not revealed and eke The passion in my heart that seethed had still kept hidden there!
I was in all delight of life and solace; now she’s gone, To misery and abjectness, alack! I’m vowed fore’er.
Huboub, thou stirred me to lament with tidings of her death Who of all creatures was my stay and solace against care.
Zein el Mewasif, would to God that severance had not been! Would he,[1] through whom my soul forsook my body, had been ne’er!
I do repent me of the breach of vows and blame myself For my neglect of her on whom my hopes still builded were.
When he had made an end of saying this, he wept and groaned and lamented till he fell down in a swoon, whereupon Huboub made haste to drag him to the grave and throw him in, whilst he was yet insensible. Then she stopped up the grave on him and returning to her mistress, told her what had passed, whereat she rejoiced with an exceeding joy and recited the following verses:
Fate swore ’twould plague me without cease nor leave to make me rue: Thine oath is broken, Fate; so look thou fitting penance do.
The censor’s dead and he I love conjoinéd is with me; Up then unto the summoner of joys, and quickly too!
Then she and Mesrour abode with each other in eating and drinking and sport and pleasure and good cheer, till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of Companies and Slayer of sons and daughters.
- ↑ i.e. Mesrour.
