When Balakhshá had ended her verse, all present were moved to delight and Al-Abbas said to her, “Brava, O damsel!” Then he bade the fifth damsel come forward and sing (now she was from the land of Syria and her name was Rayhánah; she was passing of voice and when she appeared in an assembly, all eyes were fixed upon her), so she came forward and taking the viol (for she was used to play upon all instruments) recited and sang these couplets:—
Your me-wards coming I hail to sight; ✿ Your look is a joy driving woe from sprite:
With you love is blest, pure and white of soul; ✿ Life’s sweet and my planet grows green and bright:
By Allah, you-wards my pine ne’er ceased ✿ And your like is rare and right worthy hight.
Ask my eyes an e’er since the day ye went ✿ They tasted sleep, looked on loverwight:
My heart by the parting-day was broke ✿ And my wasted body betrays my plight:
Could my blamers see in what grief am I, ✿ They had wept in wonder my loss, my blight!
They had joined me in shedding torrential tears ✿ And like me a-morn had shown thin and slight:
How long for your love shall your lover bear ✿ This weight o’er much for the hill’s strong height?
By Allah what then for your sake was doomed ✿ To my heart, a heart by its woes turned white!