VIII
FIRST LETTER WRITTEN BY TARIEL TO HIS BELOVED
367. "With mine eyes I gazed[1] upon the letter written by her. I wrote in answer: 'O moon, how indeed can the sun surpass thee! May God not give me that which is not like thee![2] I feel as in a dream; I cannot believe in my survival.'
368. "I said to Asmat'h: 'I cannot devise more answer than this. Say thus to her: O sun! since thou art arisen as a light for me, behold thou hast quickened me (who was) dead; I shall faint no more henceforth, whatever be the service I am a liar if I shun it.'
369. "Asmat'h said to me: 'She told me: Let us do thus, thus were it better: Whoever sees thee will discover nothing of my discourse with him[3]; he will come to see me as if he were making love to thee. She entreated me to tell the Amirbar so to behave.'[4]
370. "This counsel pleased me, the wisdom of the heart of her whom even the sun took care not to gaze on; she had given to me to hear[5] the refined[6] conversation of her in whose rays daylight was like darkness.
371. "I gave Asmat'h choice jewels with a golden cup. She said to me: 'No. I do not want them; I have these to satiety.' She took one ring weighing a drachma[7]; ' this is enough for a token; I am full of other bracelets.'[8]
372. "The maid arose and went forth. The spears spared my heart, joy lightened my darkness, the fire which had burned me was extinguished. I went in and sat down at the banquet where my comrades were drinking; joyful, I distributed gifts, the jubilation[9] increased.
- ↑ Davidev (?).
- ↑ Ch., "which is unseemly to thee."
- ↑ "Seeing thee (Asmat'h), none will suspect that it is with me (Nestan) he holds converse."
- ↑ Namusoba, P., A., 1036.
- ↑ "The opportunity of hearing."
- ↑ Ar mkise, not rough, 182, 677, 964.
- ↑ Drama, 1214. As coin, 1031, 1040, 1195.
- ↑ Shesabami means also decent, proper, becoming. Reading skhvad: "otherwise full of bracelets."
- ↑ Zami, P. Cf. zeimi, 73, 326.