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Now want I tongue, heart and skill for utterance! Grant me strength! And if I have aid from thee I shall have understanding, so may we succour Tariel;

tenderly indeed should we cherish his memory and that of the three starlike heroes wont to serve one another.

Come, sit ye down, ye who have been born under the same fate;

let us shed a never-drying tear for Tariel's sake. I sat me down, I, Rust'haveli, indited a poem, my heart pierced with a lance. Hitherto the tale has been told as a tale;

now is it a pearl (of) measured (poesy).

A slave went forth to speak to the knight of the woe-stricken heart, who, weeping with downcast head, seems not a spectacle for jesting

from a channel of jet (his eyelashes) rains a crystal shower. When (the slave) approached, he could by no means bring himself to speak a word (to Tariel).

then he said: "(The king) commands thee (to attend him)." He (the slave) came near, (and) greeted him gently

he (Tariel) wept on and heard not, he knew not that (the slave) was there.

by the weight of his head! Once again the slave uttered the king's message,

but (Tariel) ceased not from weeping and heard him not,

nor was the rose-bouquet (of speech) plucked from his lips.

"We gave him over to our youngest brother, we elders kept back, he seized upon him (and said): 'Stand!' Thus he spake to him with his tongue. He (Tariel) held no sword in his hand, so we moved away

he struck him on the head with his whip, we saw the blood flow indeed.

even the sight of him was hateful. Like a partridge under an eagle she fluttered hither and thither

she called on a certain Tariel for help, but he succoured her not. Avt'handil threw himself on his knees

he entreated her with his fingers.

"I will tell thee our names if thou wishest to know them: Tariel is the name of that distracted knight

I am called Asmat'h, whom the hot fire burns, sigh upon sigh, not once alone, but many times.

The knight listened to the maid, he was obedient, he submitted. Thereupon they looked round, they heard a splash from the glen, they saw the moon ( i.e. , Tariel) come forth from the water, its rays beaming. They hastened back

they made no long tarrying there.

to encourage him. She took him by the hand and led him forth,

like the full moon. When Tariel saw him he thought him like the sun.

Tariel met him. They were both fit to be ranked as suns, or as the moon in heaven, cloudless, spreading her rays on the plain beneath. Compared with them the aloetree was of no worth

they were like the seven planets

Tariel's rose was only covered with a light frost, not frozen. He said to (Avt'handil): "Haste, tell me thy secret. Who art thou? Whence art thou come? Where is thy ​ home? As for me, death has forgotten me

even by it am I abandoned."

Avt'handil gave answer

beautiful are his words : "O lion and hero Tariel, thou who behavest gently, I am an Arabian, from the court of Arabia

I am consumed by love, unquenchable fire burns me.

Tariel recalled their bygone fight. He said: "I remember the affair,

though it happened long ago. I saw thee and thy master together at the chase. I was weeping because I was thinking,

Tariel said: "Thy heart now is warm to me. I am amazed. What service worthy of thine attachment have I done for thee? But such is the law: lover pities lover. Thou art parted from thy beloved

what can recompense thee for this?

Upon this Tariel was silent, burned and enflamed. He said to Asmat'h: "Since thou hast been near me all the time, how dost thou not know that this bruised bruise is incurable? Anew this weeping knight burns me

I am his debtor for tears."

The knight swooned when he sought to mention her name. Avt'handil also wept

his fire made his heart like soot. The maiden revived (Tariel)

she sprinkled water on his breast. He said: "Hearken! but this truly is the day of my death.

then courtiers came to conduct me, they told me the king's command

he said: 'Son Tariel, wear mourning no longer!

"He wrote: 'I, Ramaz the king,

write a letter to thee Tariel. I marvelled at what was written in the letter penned by thee.

How dost thou summon thither me who am lord over many

I haste to see thee.' (I said,

says Tariel): 'Tell (the Khan): Certainly, by God, I shall do your commandment,

tenderly shall we meet each other, we shall be like father and son.'

"Those who fled were overtaken by the rearguard, they began to seize them, to throw down the terrified, the vanquished

they (Tariel's troops) had a reward for their sleeplessness and night-watching

the prisoners, even those that were unwounded, ceased not to wail like sick men.

"He said secretly to his wife, but unknown to me: 'To gaze on Tariel returned from war is desirable, he brings light to the onlooker's heart, however dark it may be

whatever I ask thee to do, do it without delay.

"The minstrels ceased to sing. 'Be silent!' They bent their heads. He (the king) said to me: 'Son Tariel, how can we tell thee how we rejoice! We are in bliss, therefore (? because) our adversaries are woeful

right are thine admirers, not idly do they vaunt.

Here Tariel, become like a wild beast, weeps, his grief increases a thousandfold

he said: "I have the armlet which she formerly bound on her arm!" He undid it, took it off, man cannot estimate its worth, he pressed it to his lips, he fainted and fell like a corpse.

the ruby turned to amber, the crystal was shattered. Avt'handil's tears flowed too

one by one they dripped from his lashes. Then the maid soothed him (Tariel)

on bended knee she besought him.

Tariel, calmed by Asmat'h, said to Avt'handil: "I have made everything pleasant for thee, I who never found pleasure for myself. I have told thee the tale of mine irksome life

now go and see thy sun (T'hinat'hin), thou whose time for meeting is nigh."

Avt'handil wept with him

fast fell the tears. When day dawned he went forth, kissed him and parted from him. Tariel was so grieved that he knew not what to do. Avt'handil wept, too, as he rode through the rushes.

the crystal turns to saffron colour." While Avt'handil was telling this his cheeks were bedewed with tears. He

told in detail the story he had heard from (Tariel).

"There saw I the cypress, the rose-like, whose power was spent

he (Tariel) says: 'I have lost the crystal, and that where the crystal unites with glass (?).' I burn (for him) because, like me, unendurable fire consumes him." Then again he told the story he had heard from (Tariel).

sun (T'hinat'hin) is by no means satisfied with me because I sacrifice myself to

comfort the peerless (Tariel). I marvel how the black eyelash brands the heart of adamant. Until I see her,

O world, I wish for no joy from thee.

those who were worthy sat near, they listened; afar off the hosts were grouped

none dared speak without mention of Tariel.

He says: "Rosten did not grant me leave, he hearkened not even to a word from me

he knows not wherein one's being lies and how one's life is in another. Without him (Tariel) in truth I live not, neither abroad nor at home. What unrighteous deed has God ever forgiven to anyone?

When he saw Tariel he was indeed grieved

(Tariel) sat with drawn face in a state near unto death, his collar was rent, his head was all torn, he could no longer feel, he had stepped forth from the world.

He wipes away (Tariel's) tears with his hand, he cleansed his eyes with his sleeve

he sits down near by and only calls him by name

(Tariel) said: "Brother, what shall I say to thee? Scarce have I control of my tongue

maddened, I have no strength to hearken to thy words. How easy to thee seems patience of the suffering of my torments! Now am I brought close to death

He entreated him, "Mount!" He begged and prayed him, and said not Alas! He knew that riding would chase away his sadness, that he would bend the reedy stem (of his form), and make a tent of the jet (eyelashes). He (Avt'handil) made him (Tariel) obedient; it pleased (Avt'handil)

(Tariel) sighed not nor moaned.

He (Avt'handil) entertains him, and speaks fair words to him

for (Tariel's) sake he moved his coral coloured lips in speech. To hear him would make young the aged ears of a listener. He put away melancholy

he took unto himself patience.

The knight (Tariel) replied: "This teaching is worth all the world to me. The intelligent loves the instructor

he pierces the heart of the senseless. But what shall I do, how can I endure when I am in excessive trouble? My ​ griefs have hold of thee too. If, then, thou justify me not shall I not wonder?

Tariel said: "Ah, sister! for this have my tears flowed here. For that she erstwhile made us smile, Fate makes us weep in turn

'tis an old law of the world, not one newly to be heard of! Alas! were it not for pity of thee, death would be my joy.

Tariel said: "Why speak many words? For that which thou hast done for me, God is surety for the debt. Oath for oath is enough

remembrance, friendship for a departing friend, are not the deed of a drunken man.

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

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.

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."

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

Avt'handil, parted from (Tariel), weeps

his voice reaches to the heavens. Quoth he: "The stream of blood which flowed anew flows once again. Now is parting as hard as union will be till (we meet) in heaven. Men are not all equal

'I am a stranger, lonely, far removed from my home,

sworn brother to Tariel, sent to you. ' "

he seems like the lightener of day. I think even sages would be maddened if they saw him anywhere. Quoth he:

'I am Tariel's brother (thus come) rudely to join P'hridon. ' "

When he heard (the name of) Tariel, P'hridon's woes were lightened,

from his eyes tears sprang forth, his heart grew more agitated,

The knight said to P'hridon: "Thou art eager, I know, to hear my tidings. I will tell thee who I am, whence I come, inasmuch as thou wishest to know, also whence I know Tariel and why I spoke of our brotherhood. He calls me brother

'Thou art my brother,' quoth he, though I am scarce worthy to be his slave.

"One day the king mounted, went forth to hunt

in the plain we saw Tariel, he poured forth tears watering the fields

we were astonished, he surprised us, we called and he came not, he made us angry

"The king, greatly indignant, perceived that the troops could not capture him

himself he mounted and went against him, the haughtily unfearing. When Tariel knew it was the king, then he avoided his sword, he gave the reins to his horse, he was lost to our eyes.

Now P'hridon speaks, utters the words spoken by that knight (Tariel)

both in unison lamented in a threnody worthy of praise

P'hridon laments: "How can we tell forth thy ( i.e. , Tariel's) praise, thou who canst not be praised, thou inexpressible one! O sun of the earth, who transferrest the sun of the firmament from its course, joy, life, quickener of them that are near thee

light of the planets of heaven, consumer and swallower up!

Avt'handil fares on alone to the seashore with the four slaves, with all his might he seeks balm for Tariel

weeping by day and night he pours forth pools of tears

Avt'handil told all his own tale to P'hatman,

the story of the donning of the panther hide by Tariel. He said:

"Thou art the balm of him thou hast not yet seen,

"Though thou gavest me not to hear thy story,

I have learnt the truth, thereby hath my heart been comforted. Console with news Tariel,

who is become mad for thee! May you both attain your desire,

"What afflicts me is enough, let him not slay me with (a woe) equal to this: I should see him a corpse, I should die a double death. None can help me, I know this for a truth

this is no gossip. If he (Tariel) will ​ not hearken to thee, stone me with a heap of black stone!

"Glad in heart I rejoice, for this my tear will not flow in channels. Wherever thou and thy brother (Tariel) are the difficult will be made easy

whatever you may desire you will certainly do it, you shall not fail

Avt'handil searched

he found a ship of that region (where Tariel was). That sun with the face of a full moon prepared to set out

but to leave the woeful-hearted P'hatman was a heaviness to him

ship for travellers. He rides glad-hearted all alone. To

meet Tariel with such tidings rejoices him. With hands uplifted,

with his heart he hopes in God.