Vis and Ramin

392 V18BAMIANI
Chin 1 to Barbar 2 he held all the earth. He sent to every
town grandees and entrusted them to their charge, and he
sent and placed in
cities had been laid
3
every castle a governor. Whatever
waste were rebuilt by his order. He
built a thousand more towns and villages. But he cut off
and slew evil-doers. On all the roads he built inns 4 for the
caravans, 6 and gave villages for the convenience of travellers,
and he emptied the land of ill-doers and scourges 6 of the
road. He gave away so much gold and silver that the
name of scarcity was wiped out. He made the whole land
forget its former oppression and injustice, and made all joyful.
Beggars were enriched, the sheep pastured with the
wolves. 7 On one day every week he held a durbar, he disjustice
to the soldiers and officials, 8 he gave them
452 pensed |
advice and instructed them. He placed at the doors of the
palace men to examine petitioners. At the hour of justice
before him 9
king and beggar were equal, rich and poor. In
justice the strong and weak shared equally. Old folk,
women and men, 10 were received with honour; learned men,
religious men, and divines he honoured and respected alike.
Sin became strange to all. He loved wise and prudent
men to be near him. Like the sun, he spread (his rays
across) the land of Aran. 11 All the kings learned from him
to do justice.
A hundred and ten years Ramin survived, eighty and
three in reigning he and Vis survived. Happy and blest
was it for their land. Sometimes they diverted themselves in
drinking, in rejoicing, and distributing gifts; sometimes they
solaced themselves with learned books and spiritual exer-
cises 12 ;
sometimes they hunted in Khuarasan, sometimes
they stayed in Koistan, sometimes in Darbistan, and some-
1
Chini, 415.
2
Barbary, 865.
3
Tzikhis-t'havi castellan. Cf. Laws of George V.
4
P'hunduci, 84, 296, 310 5
Sakaravno, 318.
6
Mletseli.
I
Cf. 384. 10
E., 1571.
Diatzi da mamatzi.
8
Khhelis-up'hali, 285.
In Georgian, women are
9
MtWioeli.
nearly always
mentioned before men "
e.g., wife and husband," " "Vis and Ramin."
mother and father,"
II
Aran, 125, 236, 240, 412.
12 Sasuliero sauravi.