Vis and Ramin

RAMIN BEWAILS VIS'S LOSS 161
come as if a poisoned arrow had gone into me from her
whose absence I cannot bear for a moment.
am separated from her, why
Now, since I
did I not die straightway?
I am so unbalanced that whatever I look at on the earth,
since I remain without her, for me it is as undesirable as
if I were soulless. I desire life for the sake of being near
her. The sight of mine eyes rejoices me only that I may
see her, my tongue pleases me that I may talk with her,
my hands I desire for her service! Now, since, to my
misery, I am far from her, I am weary of all joy." Thus
sighing,
the sad one 1
sang a song
to himself :
"
heart, if
thou art in love, sigh ! Thou knowest that none acts justly
to the lover, none has mercy on the lover, none pities his
need. If I sigh, I am right ; I am removed from joy, I am
cut off from the light of the sun. They have sprinkled
salt upon my wound, and given me to drink gall for
sherbet. 2 mine eyes ! rain blood, let there be no day
when thou hast pity 3 on life ! My kind of tears pour not
forth like rain, for from rain the earth is beautified. My
face is withered by the rain from mine eyes,
the fire of
grief has consumed my heart, and molten gold is poured
is a shame 183
upon my cheeks. Though |
they
say weeping
to a man, in me it is seemly, for I think on the absence of
such a love."
When Shah Moabad came, Raniin was still more assured
what had become of Vis ; pain was added to pain and grief
upon grief. When tears were shed from his eyes, they
washed the rusts from his yellow face. He always uttered
verses : "I am that heart-wounded one who is
piteous
beyond all aid and hope. When my love is shut up in a
castle, I am bound from thence 4 with a thousand fetters
and chains. 6 Now, wind, tell my tale and say to Vis :
1
Without thee my heart is branded with many kinds of
hot irons, 6 thy face has remained in mine eyes, thy name
Kue-leue (?), 175. * Sharba 3
Sttqalob.
rom that time. Djadchui, 144, 187.
Shant'hi, 198, 206- the hot iron, weighing 8 pounds, used in the
ordeal. Cf. Laws of Vakhtang.
11