The Knight in the Tiger's Skin, 1938

1479. "What thou desirest God's justice will not give thee. How can I dare do a treacherous deed to my foster-father, how can I undertake aught against him who for my sake is become pale, how can the servant use his sword upon his master!

1480. "Such a deed will make discord between me and my beloved. Woe is me if she become angry, displeased, if wrath compel her heart! (Then) will she even stint me of tidings, and make me languish for a sight of her. No man of flesh can exact forgiveness for me."

1481. Tariel, that radiant sun, spake laughing. He took Avt’handil's hand, raised him, set him on his feet: "Thy help hath done me every good, but it is better that thou also shouldst rejoice my joy with thine.

1482. "I greatly hate too much fear, respect and ceremony in a friend, I hate unbroken sternness, gloominess, majesty; if one be a hearty friend let him tend towards me; if not, I for myself, he for himself, separation is much better.

1483. "I know the heart of thy beloved with regard to thee; the visit of me who have met thee will not displease her. Now I can venture to speak somewhat plausibly to the king: I only desire to see the desirable sight of them.

1484. "This only will I say to him entreatingly and respectfully: that he should give thee his daughter of his free will. Since the end is union, how can you endure separation? Beautify each other; fade not apart."

1485. When Avt’handil knew from Taria that he would not be hindered from going, he ventured not to dispute, he added thereto assent. P’hridon counted over select men as a convoy; he set out with them, of course he travelled the road with them.

TARIEL GOES AGAIN TO THE CAVE AND SEES THE TREASURE

1486. This hidden thing Divnos the sage reveals: "God sends good, He creates no evil, He shortens the bad to a moment, He renews (? repeats) the good continuously (? for a long time), His perfect self He makes more perfect, He degrades not Himself."

1487. Those lions, those suns, set out from P’hridon's (country). They lead with them the sun-faced, the maiden, the amazing to beholders; the raven's tail (of her hair), ordered, hangs coiled by the crystal (of her brow or cheek); beauty, tenderness, there adorned the (fine) ruby.

1488. That sun sat in a palanquin, and thus they made her fare. They followed the chase; there caused they blood to flow. Wherever they came upon a land they were the joy of beholders, they went forth to meet them, gave gifts, eulogized, reviled them not.

1489. It was as if the sun sat in the firmament amid moons. Many days they journeyed, merry, sagely discoursing, within those great plains on all sides unattained of men. They reached the neighbourhood of that rock where Tariel had been.

1490. Tariel said: "It is seemly that I should be your host this day. Thither will I go where I was while madness afflicted me. There will Asmat’h entertain us; she hath (store of) smoked meat. When I give you fair gifts you shall praise the variety of the treasure."

1491. They went in; they dismounted in that cave of the great rocks. Asmat’h had venison; she carves it for the guests. They were merry, they joked at the passing of those deeds; they thanked God that He had turned their. days of woe to joy.

1492. They explored the hollow hill, merry they played; they found those treasures sealed up by Taria, uncounted by any, apprehended by none; they say not with dissatisfied hearts: "We lack!"

1493. He gave many fair gifts, to each what was fitting; then he enriched P’hridon's people, army and generals alike; every man was enriched, (all) those who came with them, but there lay so much treasure it seemed still untouched by man.

1494. He said to P’hridon: "Hard will it be for me to pay the debt I owe thee; but it is said: 'A man who is a doer of good loseth not in the end.' Now the treasure, as much as lieth here or is to be found, let it all be thine, take it away, as it belongs to thee." so

1495. P’hridon humbly did homage, he expressed exceeding gratitude: "O king, why thinkest thou me stupid and thus mazed? Every enemy seems to thee as straw, however much he may be like a thick cudgel. My joy lasts but so long as I shall be a gazer on thee."

1496. P’hridon made men go back to bring camels to take away all this treasure to his home. Now they set out thence on the road leading to Arabia. Avt’handil is a minished moon (by longing) to be united with the sun (T’hinat’hin).

1497. When many days were passed they reached the boundaries of Arabia; they saw villages, castles, frequent, uninterrupted; those dwelling therein had clothed their forms in blue and green, all are bathed in tears for Avt’handil.