Vis and Ramin

MOABAD REPENTS 189
the earth ? Now, I adjure thee by her love, help me
against her foe ! I will go to the moon and will : say Thou
art that moon who wert envious of the beauty of my Vis.
I adjure thee by her learning, for there is none like her
save thee, | help me against her bloody foes ! I will go to 215
the cloud and : say Thou art she, for thou imagest forth
my Vis's hair. Now help me : rain upon her bloody foes
the thunderbolt 1 of mischance, lightning, hail and thunder,
and beautify the land of her love with gentle rains. I will
go to the sun and say : Of a truth none save her was thy
like. Be gracious to her who is like thee ; rise not on the
land of her foe, and give increase of light in the land of
to God the Creator and
of them that love her ! I will go
beseech His aid. I will lay my face on the ground before
Him: Lord, merciful, mighty! Rain the fire of Thy
wrath 2 upon Moabad's head ! Why hast Thou given power 8
to this unrighteous one, who every day becomes more and
more merciless towards Thy creatures. He pities not Thy
servants, 4 and fills with blood the land made by Thee.
His deeds are trenchant as the sword, and his hand
rapacious as the wolf. Lord God, avenge my blood, and
because of the lack of her lay waste his court and throne !
As this doer of unrighteousness has caused smoke to rise
from my heart, even so lay hold on his soul and heart with
2
the flames of Thy wrath !"
When Shah Moabad saw her weeping piteously, and
heard Shahro lament thus, he was ashamed of himself and
afraid of Viro. He said :
"
more beloved than mine eyes, and much tried in
grief by my deeds ! Thou art my beloved sister, Viro is
my brother, and Vis, my queen and ravisher of my heart,
is the light of mine eyes, and more to be desired than my
life and royalty. I so love my foe Vis that | I prefer Vis 216
to my life, and if she had not followed her own will and
had not done me more shame and unrighteousness than
my death itself, she would have found great fruit from my
i Mekhi. * Ritkhui.
Mordchma, 88, 142, 195, 215, 228. A/om^'/m -slaves, 89.