* And sicken the
     prostrate love- felled plight: 
Whomso their glances shall thrust and pierce * Naught e’er
     availeth mediciner’s might: 
Here Al-Hayfa scion of noble sire * E’en craven and sinner doth
     fain invite;
And here for the drunken wight there abide * Five pardons[FN#198]
     and bittocks of bread to bite. 
My desire is the maiden who joys in verse, * All such I welcome
     with me to alight,
And drain red wine in the garth a-morn * where beasts and birds
     all in pairs unite;
Where rose and lily and eglantine * And myrtle with scent
     morning-breeze delight,
Orange bloom, gillyflower and chamomile * With Jasmine and
     palm-bud, a joyful site. 
Whoso drinketh not may no luck be his * Nor may folk declare him
     of reason right! 
Wine and song are ever the will of me * But my morning wine lacks
     a comrade-wight
O who brightenest the Five[FN#199] do thou rise and fetch * By
     night for my use olden wine and bright: 
O thou reading this writ, prithee comprehend:  * Cross the stream
     I swear thee by God’s All-might! 
This is House of Honour may none gainsay :* Cup-comrade shall be
     who shall self invite;
For within these gates only women wone, * So of men-folk here
     thou hast naught to affright.”

When Al-Hayfa had finished her writing and what she had improvised of verse and couplets, she bade close the entrance of the Palace and went up, she and her women, to the higher apartments; and the while she was drowned in thought and fell to saying, “Would Heaven I knew an this mighty guard and ward will defend Al-Mihrjan and would I wot if this fortalice will fend off Fate and what fain must be.”  Then she enjoined her women to high diet and the drinking of wine and listening to intimate converse and the hearing of songs and musical instruments and gladness and gaiety for a while of time; and she felt herself safe from the shifts of chance and change.  Such was her case but now we will recount (Inshallah!) what further befel her.[FN#200] In the land of Sind was a King hight Sahl[FN#201] and he was of the Monarchs of might, endowed with puissance and prepotency and exalted degree, abounding in troops and guards and overruling all that fair region.  Now Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) had vouchsafed him a son than whom was none in his age fairer of semblance:  beautiful exceedingly was he, with a face brighter far than the full moon; and he was of tongue eloquent and of pluck puissant, valorous, formidable.  Also he was mighty fond of wine mere and rare and of drinks in the morning air and of converse with the fair and he delighted in mirth and merriment and he was assiduous in his carousing which he would never forego during the watches of the night or the wards of the day.  Now for the abundance of his comeliness and the brilliancy of his countenance, whenever he walked abroad in the capital he would swathe his face