Vis and Ramin

236 I
237
CHAPTER
XXXIX
NEXT day all his friends came to see Ramin and pay their
court. They saw him so melancholy that they asked him
what ailed him, and he told them the reason. There was
then in Khuarasan a man wise above all men, a master 1 of
eloquence and of good understanding, and his name was
Bego. There was none there like unto him for prudence.
In season and out of season he went to Ramin and watered
Ramin' s heart with the waters of advice. He said :
" This
kingdom will be thine all Khuarasan, Eraq, and whatever
thy soul wishes. All thy desire will be fulfilled, and
thou shalt be sovereign of all the land."
On that day on which Moabad was angered, in the
morning he " 2
(Bego) said : Thou art lord of all Aran and
T'hurket'h, 3 and a young 4 man, royal also in race; and
what desirest thou better than these two that thou hast ?
Thy body cries out before God that thou afflictest it so
much. In this fleeting world why dost thou pursue anything
save joy? Since the decree of God may not be
averted, we cannot hide ourselves from grief. Thus we
want not useless melancholy and grieving."
Ramin said :
"
Thou speakest as befits thy wisdom. But |
when
the
planet does so much that is not desired, how can the heart
of man endure ? Since it is neither iron nor a boulder, 6
how much can one body bear, and how long can one heart
suffer?
1
Sapatrono, 242, 354.
*
Qma.
2 Aran, 240. 3 T'hurket'h, 257
6 Sipi kuat boulder.
208