Page:Man in the Panther's Skin.djvu/172

 fills him all the more with grief; the coral-rooted crystal shines on the rose of the lips.

934. The rose is faded, it drips, the branch of the aloetree quivers, the cut crystal and ruby are changed into lapis-lazuli. He strengthened himself against death; against him it vaunted not itself. He said: "Why should I wonder at darkness since thou, O sun, hast abandoned me!"

935. He said to the sun: "O sun, I compare thee to the cheeks of T'hinat'hin, thou art like her and she is like thee, ye light mountain and valley. The sight of thee rejoices me a madman, therefore unweariedly I gaze on thee; but why have you (both) left my heart cold, unwarmed?

936. The absence of one sun for a month in winter freezes us; I, alas! have parted from two; how, then, should heart not be harmed? Only a rock perceives not, is never hurt! A knife cannot cure a wound; it cuts or causes a swelling."

937. Wending his way he laments to the sky, he speaks; to the sun he says: "O sun, to thee I pray, thou mighty of the mightiest mights, who exaltest the humble, givest sovereignty, happiness (?); part me not from my beloved* turn not my day to night!"

938. "Come, O Zual, add tear to tear, woe to woe; dye my heart black, give me to thick gloom, heap upon me a heavy load of grief as on an ass; (but) say to her: 'Forsake him not! Thine he is, and for thee he weeps.'

939. "O Musht'har, I entreat thee, thou just, perfect judge, come and do justice, heart takes counsel with heart; twist not justice, destroy not thus thy soul. I am righteous, judge me, why wouldst thou wound afresh me wounded for her!"