Omar Khayyam: The Skull of Kay Kawos (From Persian)

The Skull of King Kawos

Omar Khayyam

Translated by A.Z. Foreman

I saw a bird perched on the walls of Tōs

Before it lay the skull of King Kāwōs,

And to that skull it cried "Poor king! Poor thing!
Your rolling drums and bells, where now are those?"

The Original:

مرغى ديدم نشسته بر بارهٔ طوس 

در پيش نهاده كلهٔ كى كاووس

با كله همى‌گفت كه افسوس افسوس

كو بانگ جرس‌ها و چه شد نالهٔ كوس

Murɣē dīdam nišasta bar bāra-i tōs
dar pēš nihāda kalla-i kay kāwōs
bā kalla hamē guft ki afsōs afsōs 
kō bāng-i jarashā u či šud nāla-i kōs