Philosophy in Verse: A Thematic Translation of Omar Khayyam’s Quatrains

Translated and Introduced by Kam Austine

For centuries, Omar Khayyam has captivated readers across cultures with his enigmatic quatrains—verses that speak of time, fate, love, loss, doubt, and joy. But beneath the wine and roses lies a profound philosophical voice, often obscured by romanticised adaptations and unauthenticated collections.

Philosophy in Verse offers a precise translated and thematically organised selection of 559 quatrains, based on Tarabkhaneh, the oldest known Persian manuscript attributed to Khayyam and critically edited by Allameh Jalaluddin Homaei. Drawing from Khayyam’s own surviving writings in philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and metaphysics, Kam Austine presents not only a poetic but also a philosophical translation—faithful in meaning, form, and tone.

Structured into fifteen chapters, this volume groups quatrains by their thematic essence: from existential despair to metaphysical wonder, theological defiance to quiet contentment. Each poem retains its historical number for ease of scholarly reference, while the new thematic arrangement allows readers to explore Khayyam’s ideas organically. Two closing chapters distinguish verses previously rejected by Homaei and those set aside by the translator for lacking Khayyam’s distinctive philosophical voice—ensuring transparency in authorship and intention.

Whether read meditatively or studied philosophically, this collection invites readers into the inner constellation of Khayyam’s thought—a space where poetry and philosophy meet, not in abstraction, but in the lived experience of being.