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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 is here in full — 377 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10
Context Illustration Reading 1/75 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'
When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.
Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'
I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'
So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'
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Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 is here in full — 377 sentences across 76 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/75 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'
Line 2
When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.
Line 3
Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'
Line 4
I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'
/aɪ ˈænsərd duː soʊ ðɪs ɪz ʌv ðaɪ ɡreɪt ˈkɜːrtəsi ənd ˈkaɪndnəs/
Line 5
So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

albeit conjunction US /ɔːlˈbiːɪt/

although

From this reading “Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'”

barber noun US /ˈbɑːrbər/

United States composer (1910-1981)

From this reading “When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.”

benight verb US /biˈnaɪt/

overtake with darkness or night

From this reading “So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'”

lute noun US /luːt/

a substance for packing a joint or coating a porous surface to make it impervious to gas or liquid

From this reading “So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'”

moaned verb US /moʊnd/

past form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure

From this reading “So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'”

reunite verb US /ˌriːuːˈnaɪt/

have a reunion; unite again

From this reading “'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'”

wight noun US /waɪt/

a human being; “wight” is an archaic term

From this reading “'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'”

Worlds noun US /wɜːrldz/

plural of “world” — everything that exists anywhere

From this reading “'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'”

All words in this reading · 104

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

albeitconjunctionUS /ɔːlˈbiːɪt/

although

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

AllahnounUS /ˈɑːlə/

Muslim name for the one and only God

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'

barbernounUS /ˈbɑːrbər/

United States composer (1910-1981)

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

Belikeadverb

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

beloveds

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

benightverbUS /biˈnaɪt/

overtake with darkness or night

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

captivenounUS /ˈkæptɪv/

a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

cheerverbUS /tʃɪr/

give encouragement to

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

courtesynounUS /ˈkɜːrtəsi/

a courteous or respectful or considerate act

From this reading I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'

craftnounUS /kræft/

the skilled practice of a practical occupation

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

Doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'

exceedingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋ/

far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

folknounUS /foʊk/

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

goalnounUS /ɡoʊl/

the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

grantverbUS /ɡrænt/

let have

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

hathauxiliary verbUS /hæθ/

an old form of “has”

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

HonounUS /hoʊ/

a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs together with yttrium; forms highly magnetic compounds

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

honouredverbUS /ˈɑːnərd/

past form of “honour” — bestow honor or rewards upon

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

How

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

Ibrahim's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

kinnounUS /kɪn/

a person having kinship with another or others

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

From this reading I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

lotsnounUS /lɑːts/

a large number or amount

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

lutenounUS /luːt/

a substance for packing a joint or coating a porous surface to make it impervious to gas or liquid

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

Maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/

great merriment

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

moanedverbUS /moʊnd/

past form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

mulenounUS /mjuːl/

hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; usually sterile

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

nightsnounUS /naɪts/

Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

OnounUS /oʊ/

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

overborne

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

possessionnounUS /pəˈzeʃən/

the act of having and controlling property

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

prayernounUS /prer/

the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

Quoth

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

restoredverbUS /rɪˈstɔːrd/

past form of “restore” — return to its original or usable and functioning condition

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

reuniteverbUS /ˌriːuːˈnaɪt/

have a reunion; unite again

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

saddleverbUS /ˈsædəl/

put a saddle on

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

sangnounUS /sæŋ/

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

singverbUS /sɪŋ/

deliver by singing

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading I answered, 'Do so; this is of thy great courtesy and kindness.'

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

versesnounUS /ˈvɜːrsəz/

plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading So he took the lute and sang these verses, 'To our beloveds we moaned our length of night; * Quoth they, 'How short the nights that us benight!'

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

WhopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

wightnounUS /waɪt/

a human being; “wight” is an archaic term

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

wiltmodal verbUS /wɪlt/

an old form of “will”, used with “thou”

From this reading Then, being overborne by mirth, he said to me, 'O my lord, wilt thou give me leave to say what is come to my mind, albeit I am not of the folk of this craft?'

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading When the barber heard this, exceeding joy took possession of him. and he was of great good cheer; for it is said that when Ibrahim's neighbours heard him only sing out, 'Ho, boy, saddle the mule!' they were filled with delight.

WorldsnounUS /wɜːrldz/

plural of “world” — everything that exists anywhere

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

Yъsuf

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 'Belike Who Yъsuf to his kin restored * And honoured him in goal, a captive wight, May grant our prayer to reunite our lots, * For Allah, Lord of Worlds, hath all of might.'

Chapter 4 of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 by Richard Francis, Sir [Translator] Burton holds 377 sentences, grouped into 76 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 4 of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 contain?

Chapter 4 holds 377 sentences of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10, unabridged, divided into 76 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 by Richard Francis, Sir [Translator] Burton exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 377 sentences, grouped into 76 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 4 of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10?

Work through the 76 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 76 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10

Common questions about reading The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 by Richard Francis, Sir [Translator] Burton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10?

Yes. All 4767 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3438 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3438, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 take to read?

About 397 minutes of reading across 954 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 section by section

How to work through The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Translated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Annotated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Richard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Burton
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a — Volume 04, of 10; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.