You made me swear with many an oath my troth to hold for aye; ✿ But when you reigned my bosom's lord you wrought me traitor-bane:
I loved you like a silly child who wots not what is Love; ✿ Then spare the learner, let her not be by the master slain!
By Allah's name I pray you write, when I am dead and gone, ✿ Upon my tomb, This died of Love whose senses Love had ta'en:
Then haply one shall pass that way who fire of Love hath felt, ✿ And treading on a lover's heart with ruth and woe shall melt.
When I ended my verses tears came again; but the poetry and the weeping only added fury to his fury, and he recited:—
'Twas not satiety bade me leave the dearling of my soul, ✿ But that she sinned a mortal sin which clipt me in its clip:
She sought to let another share the love between us twain, ✿ But my True Faith of Unity refuseth partnership.[[348]]
When he ceased reciting I wept again and prayed his pardon and humbled myself before him and spoke him softly, saying to myself, "I will work on him with words; so haply he will refrain from slaying me, even though he take all I have." So I complained of my sufferings and began to repeat these couplets:—
Now, by thy life and wert thou just my life thou hadst not ta'en, ✿ But who can break the severance-law which parteth lovers twain!
Thou loadest me with heavy weight of longing love, when I ✿ Can hardly bear my chemisette for weakness and for pain: