Robe thee, O House, in richest raiment Time, ✿ Long as the birdies on the branchlets chime!
And sweetest perfumes breathe within thy walls ✿ And lover meet beloved in bliss sublime:
And dwell thy dwellers all in joy and pride ✿ Long as the wandering stars Heaven-hill shall climb.
Then he looked at the third, whereon he found written in ultramarine these two couplets:—
Ever thy pomp and pride, O House! display ✿ While starkeneth Night and shineth sheeny Day!
Boon Fortune bless all entering thy walls, ✿ And whomso dwell in thee, for ever and aye!
Then he looked at the fourth and saw painted in yellow characters this couplet:—
This garden and this lake in truth ✿ Are fair sitting-steads, by the Lord of Ruth!
Moreover, in that garden were birds of all breeds, ring-dove and cushat and nightingale and culver, each singing his several song, and amongst them the lady, swaying gracefully to and fro in her beauty and grace and symmetry and loveliness and ravishing all who saw her. Presently quoth she to Masrur, “Hola man! what bringeth thee into a house other than thy house and wherefore comest thou in unto women other than thy women, without leave of their owner?” Quoth he, “O my lady, I saw this garden, and the goodliness of its greenery pleased me and the fragrance of its flowers and the carolling of its birds; so I entered, thinking to gaze on it awhile and wend my way.” Said she, “With love and gladness!”; and Masrur was amazed at the sweetness of her speech and the coquetry of her glances and the straightness of her shape, and transported by her beauty and seemlihead and the pleasantness of the garden and the birds. So in the disorder of his spirits he recited these couplets:—
As a crescent-moon in the garth her form ✿ ’Mid Basil and Jasmine and Rose I scan;