Vis and Ramin

RAMIN'S LETTER TO VIS 303
commandment. From thee command, from me obedience.
However far I have been from thee, my heart has remained
before thee as a hostage. My hostage was in thy hands.
I have never ventured to transgress thy command. Since
I have been away from thee I swear by thy sun I have
been like one imprisoned in the
1 mouth of a dragon, and
my heart was full of grief for lack of thee. My sallow
cheeks are witnesses of my state. If thou findest me
worthy and interrogatest me, I think I shall convince thee.
Of the grief I have suffered my cheeks will bear witness,
and my tearful eyes will be compurgators. 2 My goldentinted
witnesses and my blood-stained compurgators, when
thou beholdest these compurgators and witnesses, then
thou wilt believe what I have said. I speak nought save
truth, and I never remain dishonoured in obliquity.
" Thou hast abandoned me, and I have retaliated. Now
praise me instead, and I will praise thee. Now, since I
first have craved forgiveness for sin, having
never aban-
doned thee, now I will begin from the beginning to cherish
and serve thee. I will know none else ; save thee I can
cherish none. Without thee I will not desire love, nor the
sight of mine eyes. I will wipe from my heart the rust of
wrath against thee. I will buy with mine eye the dust
from thy feet. I will not forsake love for thee, and it (my
I will give thee heart 311
love) will be incapable of increase. |
and mind undivided. Speak thou thus also to me ; but
even if thou dost not, I shall not seek separation from thy
face. I will not break off my acquaintance with the
sun. I cannot (do without) thy fragrant hair redolent of
T'hibetan 3 musk. I can find nothing better.
"Man asks of God Paradise for pleasure. Thou art to
me both earth and Paradise. It will not afflict me if I see
grief from thy love. No one finds joy without grief. 4 Now,
let us forget the past, and let us begin from the beginning
to cherish love and joy. Be thou to me as yellowness to
1
r.-xhapi.
"
Moph'ittari. Thumbut' hurt, 284.
4 For the association of grief and joy, cf. Fwramtam, 441. R., 621,
708, 945, 1609, 1656.