Lo! by truth divine
The sun sends forth his vivifying rays
Upon the earth. By truth this mighty world
Stands firm and steadfast. Truth all law excels.
By truth the very heaven itself exists.
Wert thou to weigh the truth, and in the scale
Opposing, wert to place burnt-offerings,
And sacrifices countless, still the truth
Would far outweigh them all. Why need I waste
My words of loving-kindness upon thee--
An ill-intentioned, false, ignoble man.
Thou art a king,--so should the truth prevail
With thee. Yet hear me;--if the offering
Be still unpaid when th' evening's sun has sunk
Behind the western mountain to his rest,
My curse shall smite thee." Speaking words like these
The Br??hman left him; and the king, o'ercome
With fear--a fugitive--robbed of his wealth--
Degraded to unfathomable depths--
The victim of his evil creditor--
Heard once again the counsel of his wife:
"O king! sell __me__! nor let the fiery curse
Dissolve thy being!" Urged repeatedly,
The king at length replied: "Most loving one!
What the most wicked man could hardly do,
That same will I:--and I will sell my wife.
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