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like a drunkard's; she heard not yet the news she so longed for.
1333. When they saw her they shouted to her, laughing and showing their teeth: "Ho! Asmat'h! God's mercy is come down on us from on high; we have found the lost moon; what we desired that have we done; now we shall have our fires quenched by Fate, our sorrows turned to joy."
1334. Avt'handil alighted from his horse to embrace Asmat'h; she laid hold of the aloe,[1] pliant to the touch was its branch (his arm); she kisses his neck and face; she sheds tears. "Tell me what thou hast discovered, what thou hast done. Beseeching thee, I weep on the field."
1335. Avt'handil gave to Asmat'h the letter of her charge,[2] the aloe[1] with faded branch, the pale moon. He said: "See the writing of her who hath passed through troubles; the sun approaches us, it hath given us the putting away of shadow."
1336. When Asmat'h saw the letter she knew (Nestan's) hand; she marvelled, fear seized her, she quakes like one possessed, from head to foot overwhelming wonder laid hold on her; she says: "What have I seen, what do I hear, is it indeed true?"[3]
1337. Avt'handil said: "Fear not, this story is true, joy is given to us, all sore grief is put away from us, the sun is come nigh us, darkness[4] is no longer dark[5] for us. Good hath overcome ill; the essence of (good) is lasting."[6]
1338. The King of the Indians merrily spoke somewhat with Asmat'h; they embraced each other, joy made them weep; the raven's tail (eyelashes) dropped light dew upon the rose (cheeks). God forsaketh not man if man comprehend[7] this.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alva, 1312.
- ↑ Zrdili.
- ↑ Ch. and Car. give simart'hle and sinamdvile, justice and truth, as synonyms for mrtheloba; in the next quatrain, line 1, mrt'heli is accepted as equivalent to mart'hali.
- ↑ Ucuni, Car., the darkness; Ch., eternal darkness, eternity, dark mourning room, darkness.
- ↑ Ch., dzneli, hard, for bneli.
- ↑ 184, 1411.
- ↑ Sheigebda, 1365.
