65
even now know me thine by these firm promises; I assure thee of this by great vows and oaths; if I deceive thee may God make me earth, may I not sit in the nine[1] heavens!
400. "'Go, attack the Khatavians, fight and make raids; may God grant that thou be victorious, come (back) to me of good cheer.[2] But what shall I do until it falls to my lot to look upon thee again! Give me thy heart undivided; take mine for thyself.'
401. "'Now, that of which thou hast deemed me worthy no human being deserves; this grace is unexpected, from God this does not surprise me; thy rays have flooded my dark heart and made it translucent; thine shall I be till the earth cover my face.'
402. "Upon the book of oaths I swore and she swore to me; thus she confirmed her love to me: 'If any save thee give pleasure to my heart may God slay me, henceforth thus will I speak to myself, thus will I train myself.'
403. "I stayed some time before her, we spoke sweet words, we ate some pleasant fruit, talking one to the other; then weeping and shedding tears I rose to depart, the beauties of her rays were spread like light in my heart.
404. "It irked me to go far from her crystal and ruby and glass.[3] The world was renewed to me, I had an abundance of joy; that light appearing in ether as sun seemed to be mine; now I am surprised that being separated from her I have (still) a heart like a steep rock.[4]
405. "In the morning I mounted, I commanded the trumpet[5] and bugle[6] to be sounded; I cannot tell thee of all the armies nor of their readiness to mount[7]; I, a lion, set forth for Khataet'hi, none can accuse me of cowardice; the soldiers marched without a road, they followed no track[8] (?).
406. "I crossed the boundaries of India, I went on a
