But I abstain me from unneeded wine, ✿ When honey-dews of lips sweet must can lend:
Now from the sweets of union we unknow ✿ Time near and far, if slow or fast it wend,
The seventh night hath come and gone, O strange! ✿ How went the nights we never reckt or kenned;
Till, on the seventh wishing joy they said, ✿ “Allah prolong the meet of friend with friend!”
When she had finished her song, Uns al-Wujud kissed her, more than an hundred times, and recited these couplets:—
O day of joys to either lover fain! ✿ The loved one came and freed from lonely pain:
She blest me with all inner charms she hath; ✿ And companied with inner grace deep lain:
She made me drain the wine of love till I, ✿ Was faint with joys her love had made me drain:
We toyed and joyed and on each other lay; ✿ Then fell to wine and soft melodious strain:
And for excess of joyance never knew, ✿ How went the day and how it came again.