Where we come from and where we go to.

Abstract

This paper delves into the existential contemplations found in a quatrain attributed to Omar Khayyam, the renowned 11th-century Persian philosopher, mathematician, and poet. The Rubai examines the enigmatic nature of life and death, questioning the very origins and purpose of human existence. Through an analysis of Khayyam's imagery and symbolism, the paper explores philosophical themes including the cyclical nature of time, the limits of human knowledge, and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe.

The poem's emphasis on the unknowability of life's beginning and end aligns with a blend of philosophical perspectives. It evokes a sense of agnosticism, acknowledging the limitations of human understanding. Additionally, we find traces of Epicurean philosophy in its focus on the impermanence of existence. Finally, a touch of existentialism arises as the poem prompts reflection on the individual's search for purpose within a vast and enigmatic world.

Keywords: Omar Khayyam, Rubaiyat, existentialism, cyclical time, agnosticism, Persian poetry

Poem in style of william wordworth with this philosophical concept.

Within that wheel of time, we turn and fade,

A fleeting dance 'neath heavens dim and wide,

From whence we rise, and whither we are laid –

These mysteries of life, none can decide.

Like leaves that fall on autumn's golden tide,

We wither, blown by winds of change so swift;

Our days, like shadows, o'er the meadows glide,

Yet purpose sought, remains a hidden gift.

Oh, were some veil of knowing softly torn,

To show the path from which our spirits sprung,

Or whisper promise of that distant morn,

Where mortal questions find the silent tongue!

Yet though the heart may yearn, and senses strain,

The boundless cycle holds its secrets plain.

این بحر وجود آمده بیرون ز نهفت

کس نیست که این گوهر تحقیق بسفت

هر کس سخنی از سر سودا گفتند

زآن روی که هست کس نمی‌داند گفت