The Knight in the Tiger's Skin, 1938

922. "To cure me seems hard even to Him who created me–understand, ye who hear!–therefore I roam mad in the fields. Once I too was a doer of what befits the reasonable; now the turn of madness has fallen to my lot, and so I am mad."

923. Avt’handil said: "What can I say in answer to this thou hast said? Thou thyself hast spoken as a man sagely instructed. How is it not possible for God again to cure the wound! He is the upbringer of everything planted or sown.

924. "Why should God do this, create such as you and not unite you, part you, madden thee with weeping? Mischance pursues the lover. Look well into the matter, know it. Ifyou meet not each other again, then slay me!

925. "Who else is a man save he that will endure what is grievous? How can one let himself be bent by grief! What subject of conversation is this! Fear not, God is generous though the world be hard! Learn then what I teach thee; I make bold to tell thee that he who will not learn is an ass.

926. "Heed what thou hearest; let this suffice for teaching. I asked leave of my sun to come away to you; I said to her: 'Since he made cinders of my heart I am no longer of use to thee, I will not stay; what else need I tell thee in many (words)?'

927. "She said: 'I am content, thou art doing well and bravely, the attention thou showest to him I accept as a service to me.' At her request I came away. I am not drunk nor intoxicated! If I now return what shall I say? 'Why art thou come back like a coward?' (will be her greeting) .

928. "Better than such discourse is this: hearken to what I say: The man who is to do a difficult deed must be reasonable, the rose withered for lack of sun cannot make provision for itself; (if) thou art no longer of any, use to thyself, be of use to me; brother must act brotherly to brother.

929. "Wherever thou wilt, stay there after thy rule: if thou wilt with wise heart, if thou wilt with maddened mind. With that loveliness of mien, that grace of form, do but strengthen thyself, die not, be not consumed by the flame!

930. "I beg no more than leave for a year and a week. Here in the cave look for me when I have gathered news from every quarter. As a token of that time I give thee the season when these roses shall again bloom abundantly; the sight of the roses will make thee start as at the bark of a dog.

931. "If I exceed that time and come not hither to the cave, then know that I am not alive, undoubtedly I shall have died. It will be a sufficient token of this if thou shed tears for me. Then rejoice if thou wilt, or if thou wilt increase thy grief.

932. "Now perchance wilt thou sorrow for the sake of what I have told thee? I go far from thee, and I know not whether horse or ship may fail me. No! lack of speech avails not. I am not quick-scented like a beast; I know not what God will do to me, nor the ever-revolving sky."

933. He (Tariel) said: "I will weary thee no more, nor say too much; thou wilt not listen to me however much I lengthen my discourse. If a friend will not follow thee, follow thou him; do whatever he wills. In the end every bidden thing shall come to light.

934. "When thou art convinced, then thou shalt know the difficulty of mine affairs; for me it is all one, roaming or not roaming; what thou hast told me that will I do, however much madness torture me. (But) if shortness of days (i.e., death) befall me in thine absence, what shall I do?"

935. They ended their discourse; they gave that promise to each other. They mounted, rode out, each killed game in the plain. They returned, their tearful hearts wept again; the thought of the parting on the morrow added grief to grief.

936. Readers of these verses, your eyes also are shedding tears! What, alas! shall heart do without heart, if heart part from heart! Absence and parting from a friend are the slayers of a man. Who, indeed, knows not, understands not, how hard is that day!

937. Morning dawned; they mounted and said farewell to the maiden. From the eyes of Tariel, Asmat’h and Avt’handil tears flowed. The cheeks of all three hung out flags of crimson. Those lions ever made wild (by grief went out to the beasts.

938. They descended (from) the caves and went away crying aloud with flowing tears. Asmat’h weeps and laments: "O lions! whose tongues can chant lamentations for you! The sun has burned and consumed you heavenly stars. Alas for my woes so great! Alas the sufferings of life!"

939. Those knights, departed thence, travelled that day together. They came to the seashore, there they tarried, they travelled not through dry land (?) That night they parted not; again they shared their fire. They wept for the absence from each other; they bewailed it.

940. Avt’handil said to Tariel: "The channel of the flow of tears is dried! Why didst thou separate from P’hridon, the giver of this steed? Thence are tidings and means to be learnt regarding that beautiful sun. Now I go thither; teach me the way to thy sworn brother."

941. Tariel teaches him by word the direction of the road to P’hridon's. He made him understand as well as he could by his power of speech: "Go towards the east; fare even unto the seashore. If thou seest him tell him of me; he will ask news of his brother."