Vis and Ramin

BEGO'S GOOD COUNSEL TO RAMIN 209
" PARABLE (Araci) : God's providence rains for all ; but
I alone am taken away by the shower. There comes not
one day to me when my liver is not wounded. If for one
moment my desire be fulfilled, in the same (moment) the
net is spread to ensnare me. When Fate casts roses on
my head, each leaf pierces my eye with a thorn. I never
drink a glass of wine by my will but afterwards I drink the
same measure of gall.
" If thou wert held in guch a state, who would see thee
merry ? Since only yesterday Moabad chanced upon me,
and in the presence of Vis I retired with dishonour, how
can I be advised by anyone? I should only entreat my
fate, that I may die and be delivered from my plight."
He told in detail what had happened then, and said :
" How canst thou expect joy from me since all this has
befallen me ? Such disgrace to me before Vis, and being
dragged about so much, insulted, and the continual weeping
of bloody tears from mine eyes, the bitterness of my
state, (all these) make me desire death. I can endure
every misfortune, but dishonour I cannot bear."
Bego ventured to remark :
"
bewailer of thy Fate, thou art a lion. Why dost
thou complain of jackals
9 1
Thy Fate will aid thee in the
end. | But how long will this humour afflict thee ? As 288
long as passion pleases thee, so long thy body will con-
tinually be a bearer 2 of grief. Why dost thou give thy
heart to a lover if thou canst not bear misfortune and
dishonour? Dost thou not know that when thou sowest
passion from it thou reapest 3 dishonour ? Whoever sows
and gathers the rose, the thorn will prick his hand. Thou
in love art like a merchant : sometimes loss befalls thee,
and sometimes gain. Think not that gain can fall to thy
share without loss, or fire without smoke. Whoever sows
seed, until the thrashing 4 he is in trouble about it. Thou
hast sown the seed of love in thy heart, and thou desirest
from it a harvest 6 like Vis ; but before that thou shalt see
*
TuraChagan.
Mridavi porter, B., 1040.
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