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is to be done here; 'tis they[1] that do all deeds hidden and some[2] revealed. It is necessary to everyone to believe; a wise man has faith in the future.[3]

1029. "God hath deigned to spare your blood, so many souls! I, alas! vain earth, what am I? Of myself, what have I done? Now I have slain your foes, I have fulfilled what I spoke; I have brought you the ship complete with its wealth as a gift."

1030. Pleasant it is when a good knight[4] has won the battle, when he has surpassed his comrades who were with him. They congratulated him, they praised him, in this state they were ashamed.[5] The wound becomes him well, but little was he hurt.

1031. That day they looked at that ship of the corsairs, they put not off till the morrow. How could they count the quantity of treasure lying there! They conveyed it to their ship, they completely emptied the (pirate) ship; they smashed it up and burned some of it;[6] the wood they bartered not for sixpence.[7]

1032. Usam conveyed to Avt'handil a message from the merchants: "We are strengthened by thee; we know our baseness. Whatever we have is thine, of this there can be no doubt; whatever thou givest us, let it be ours, we have made an assembly[8] here."

1033. The knight announced: "O brothers, but now ye heard it: the stream which flowed from your eyes has been perceived by God, He hath saved you alive. What am I? What joy, alas! have I given you? What could I do with whatever you gave me? I have myself and my horse!

1034. "As much treasure as I desired to amass I had of mine own, countless priceless coverlets of silk. What use

  1. Igi for igini, since ikman is plur.; 954, 967.
  2. Zogsa, ? also.
  3. ? has confidence in (or, submits to) what must come.
  4. Moqme.
  5. Hstsbebodes, from tsbola, which also means "to agree" (1281). Ch. and Car. rendering, but sense not clear.
  6. ? "some of them burned it."
  7. Drama.
  8. Qriloba, ? here in the sense of "decision, resolution"; ? "therefore are we here assembled;" qrili, link of a chain.