Vis and Ramin

VIS'S PRAISE OF CHASTITY 79
stancy of a thousand, give away my heart? Woman is
always man's prey. He always 1
captures her soon, and
easily with a thousand entreaties and speeches deceives
them, he swears to woman, and when he has accomplished
2 3
he no longer wonders, he 88
his will | with
her, he glories ;
desires another. What he did at first he desires 4 after-
wards, and becomes loud-voiced. Through forwardness 5 a
woman at last, alas ! falls into misery, and the man straight-
way becomes weary
of her. Alas ! then the woman is
bound in a net, she is carried away by desire, 6 she has
fallen from honour, no man will respect her any longer nor
share her shame. 7 He no longer will look on her, he
scorns her, he does not praise her, but counts her shameful.
Woman, alas ! in waiting for (the realization of) hope melts
like snow in the sun ; in love she is like a beast wounded in
the chase : she can neither stand nor flee. Sometimes she
fears potions, sometimes her husband, sometimes she melts
from fear and shame of him. In this world fear and dis-
grace, and in eternity the wrath of God ! . . . And why
should I do such a deed as would make me ashamed
before men and afraid of God ? If I am led away by the
desire of the devil in this world, in eternity God will burn
me ; and if my secret be known to men, I shall be despised
of all men. Then some will try to seek me, will sacrifice
themselves to fulfil their desire; some will grieve at my
shame, they will give me nothing but evil counsel ; and
when all men have had their will of me, no place will befit
me but hell. May God always be with me, may He guard
me on the right road, may my hope always be fulfilled in
God, for save from Him it is idle to expect mercy."
|
When the nurse heard this discourse from Vis, she saw 89
Unit there was but little hope for Ramin. She gave a reply
in another strain, and spoke thus:
"Every man is happy or miserable by bis constellation.
rt'h.fiklf, 77. Moirdchmi*, 1, 46, 142, 215.
3 ? admire*.
4 Nebitrob* (?) 67,
6 SI' l 7 -frowardneM.
*. 00 ?).