Vis and Ramin

BEGO'S GOOD COUNSEL TO RAMIN 211
another. Nothing save this will relieve a man's heart. If
thou wilt endure for one year, thou shalt forget the lack of
her, 1 so as if thou hadst never seen her at all. When
passion overcomes 2 a man, there is no remedy like absence,
for love has eyes. Whoever is absent from the eyes is
absent from the heart too. Manifold difficult matters meet
man, but by his reason, prudence, counsel, and also by
struggling, he finds a means. One misfortune oppresses
thee, and thou knowest not a means against it, nor (acceptest)
advice. Thou art despised, 3 4
and become a byword.
Thy brother has become thy foe. Great and small speak
thy shame. When first
| they sit down to drink they begin 240
to insult thee, and call thee for a name '
the ci-devant
brave.' 6 Even though Vis be a sun, yet how can Ramin do
dishonour to his brother ?
"PAKABLE (Araci) : When a man blemishes 6 his race,
the water even of a hundred seas cannot cleanse it. As
that of an ill-doer his name remains to all eternity ; advantage
does not remain to such a man. A good friend to an
instructed man is better than a territory, 7 and a true heart
than a precious jewel.
" Thou hast fulfilled thy desire so long a time with Vis,
and hast eaten the fruit from the branch of love. If thou
art near her even a thousand years what more canst thou
do? She is neither a sun in light nor a graven image 8 in
beauty. Thou wilt find in the land many attractive 9 like
Vis, and for such a wench why hast thou in the past 10
exhausted thy youth? If thou settest thy heart upon
some other one, thou wilt no longer remember Vis at all.
The star pleased thee because thou hadst never seen the
moon.
11
Chase love from thine erring heart. Try I
12 Be-
ginning from India Chin, Barbar, Greece, Aran unto
Khuarasan thou hast in power 13 from thy brother canst
1 Umisoba.
*
Moerios, 227.
8
Gabedit'htbulkhar.
4
Saaracod, 228.
'
Nadjovi
6
. DctMvaros tuari (Jeremiah zzlz. 8
'i
17).
9 Sue hi idol, 259. T'hvalad, 280.
Momtxdari. u Qwnoittade t'havi.
7
Kveqana.
l Ucana.
w Mordchmit'h