შოთა რუსთველი 

ამბავი ნურადინ-ფრიდონისა, ოდეს ტარიელს შეეყარა

591
ღამით მევლო, მოვიდოდი, ზღვისა პირსა აჩნდეს ბაღნი;
ჰგვანდეს ქალაქს, ვეახლენით, ცალ-კერძ იყვნეს კლდეთა ნაღნი;
არ მეამის კაცთა ნახვა, მიდაღვიდეს გულსა დაღნი;
მუნ გარდავხე მოსვენებად, დამხვდეს რამე ხენი ლაღნი.

592
ხეთა ძირსა მივიძინე, მათ მონათა ჭამეს პური;
მერმე ავდეგ სევდიანი, მიღამებდა გულსა მური:
ვერა მეცნა ეგზომ გრძელად ვერ ჭორი და ვერ დასტური,
ველთა ცრემლი ასოვლებდა, თვალთა ჩემთა მონაწური.

593
ზახილი მესმა. შევხედენ, მოყმე ამაყად ყიოდა,
შემოირბევდა ზღვის პირ-პირ, მას თურე წყლული სტკიოდა;
ხრმლისა ნატეხი დასვრილი აქვს, სისხლი ჩამოსდიოდა,
მტერთა ექადდა, წყრებოდა, იგინებოდა, ჩიოდა.

594
ზედა ჯდა შავსა ტაიჭსა, აწ ესე მე მითქს რომელი,
მართ ვითა ქარი მოქროდა გაფიცხებული, მწყრომელი;
მონა მივსწიე, მისისა შეყრისა ვიყავ მნდომელი;
შევსთვალე: "დადეგ, მიჩვენე, ლომსა ვინ გაწყენს, რომელი?"

595
მას მონასა არა უთხრა, არცა სიტყვა მოუსმინა;
ფიცხლა შევჯე, ჩავეგებე, მე ჩავუსწარ, ჩავე წინა,
ვუთხარ: "დადეგ, გამაგონე, შენი საქმე მეცა მინა!"
შემომხედნა, მოვეწონე, სიარული დაითმინა.

596
გამიცადა, ღმერთსა ჰკადრა: "შენ ასეთი ხენი ვით ჰხენ!"
მერმე მითხრა: "მოგახსენებ, აწ სიტყვანი რომე მკითხენ:
იგი მტერნი გამილომდეს, აქანამდის რომე ვითხენ,
უკაზმავსა მიღალატეს, საჭურველნი ასრე ვითხენ".

597
მე ვუთხარ: "დადეგ, დაწყნარდი, გარდავხდეთ ძირსა ხეთასა;
არ შეუდრკების ჭაბუკი კარგი მახვილთა კვეთასა.
თანა წამომყვა, წავედით უტკბოსნი მამა-ძეთასა.
მე გავეკვირვე ჭვრეტასა მის ყმისა სინაზეთასა.

Translations:

 Marjory Wardrop’s

The Story of Nuradin P’hridon when Tariel met him on the seashore

574. “I landed by night; I came ashore where gardens were seen. It seemed as if there were a city; we came near, on one side the rocks were hollowed out . The sight of men gave me no pleasure; brands were imprinted on my heart. I dismounted to rest at a spot where there were lofty trees.
575. “I fell asleep at the foot of the trees; the slaves brake bread. Then I woke sad, the soot (of sorrow) made night in my heart; in so long a time I had learned nought, neither gossip nor sooth; my tears pressed from mine eyes wet the fields.
576. “I heard a shout. I looked round, a knight cried out haughtily, he was galloping along the seashore, he was hurt by a wound, his sword was broken and soiled, blood flowed down; he threatened his foes, was wrathful, cursed, complained.
577. “He sat upon a black steed, the same which I now posses; like the wind he swept along, enraged, wrathful. I sent a slave (to tell-him) I was desirous to meet him; I bade him say ‘Stand! Declare unto me who angers thee, O lion!’
578. “He spoke not to the slave, nor did he hear a word. Hastily I mounted, I went along to meet him; I overtook him, I came before him, I said: ‘Stay, hearken to me! I too wish to know thine affair.’ He looked at me, I pleased him, he checked his course.
579. “He looked me over, and said to God: ‘How hast Thou made such a tree!’ Then he said to me: ‘Now will I tell thee what thou askest me: Those enemies whom I had hitherto esteemed as goats have proved lions to me; they fell upon me traitorously when I was unready, I could not don mine armour.’
580. “I said: ‘Stand, be calm, let us dismount at the foot of the trees! A goodly knight withdraws not when cuts are given with the sword.’ I led him with me; we went away fonder than father and son. I marveled at the tender beauty of the knight.

Venera Urushadze’s:

Story of Nuradin Pridon when Tariel met him

583.
“We landed by night. When we came ashore we saw gardens before us.
And at a distance there rose steep rocks and a city below it.
Branded by fires, the thought of the sight of people annoyed me,
Yet we were weary and sought for a place to rest until daybreak.

584.
“While the two slaves were eating I lay down and dropped into slumber.
When I awoke it was day but my sorrow dimmed the sunlight.
Hope and all joy seemed dead, every endeavour unavailing.
Tears overflowed my eyes and moistened the fields and the meadows.

585.
“Suddenly I heard a loud shout. I looked round and beheld a horseman.
Though he was bleeding from wounds he rode proudly along the seashore,
Holding an upraised sword which was broken and streaming with blood.
He threatened, cursed and complained; clearly some foe had enraged him.

586.
“He rode a raven-black courser, the same which I now possess,
Sweeping along like a whirlwind incensed and wrathful at someone.
Wishing to know who he was, I at once sent a slave to ask him.
I bade him stop the horseman and ask him the cause of his anger.

587.
“But when the slave approached him he paid no heed but rode onward.
So I remounted my stallion and, urging it on, overtook him.
I cried to the horseman: ‘Stop! Tell me what has befallen you!”
Turning his head he perceived me; I pleased him, no doubt, for he halted.

588.
“He looked me over and said: ‘Only God could create such beauty!”
He said to me: ‘If you wish I will tell you all that has happened.
The foe whom I thought to be goats have proved to be treacherous lions.
They fell like cowards upon me before I could put on my armour’.

589.
” ’Let us dismount and converse at the foot of these trees, ‘I told him.
A knight who is truly a knight withdraws not even when wounded’.
The as a father an affectionate son I led him with me.
So irresistibly fair and so manly was he that I marveled.

KatherineVivian’s:

The Story of Nuradin-Phridon

I landed at night and was riding along the shore when some gardens came into view, and hollowed-out rocks that had the look of dwelling-places. I was in no humour to meet my fellow-men, and when we came among some tall trees I dismounted and fell asleep there, while my followers ate a frugal meal.
When I woke it was in wretched spirits – I had searched for so long without success. Suddenly I heard a shout, and the sound of hooves beating a swift measure along the shore. As I looked about me a knightly figure came galloping past, with so much blood on his clothing that I imagined he must be gravely wounded. He was mounted on a black charger – the same that I have with me now. The sword in his hand was broken – that too was dripping with blood. Haughty and enraged, he went by like a gust of wind, calling down curses on his enemies.
I sent one of my men to intercept the rider. “Ask that horseman to stop,’ I told him, ‘and tell me how he got his wounds.’ But the rider did not draw rein, and I mounted my horse and rode to overtake him myself.
‘Stay! I called out as I crossed his path and wheeled to meet him face to face. ‘Tell me what has befallen you!’
My appearance seemed to please the horseman, and he checked his pace. ‘God! What a splendid figure of a man is this!’ he exclaimed. Then he unfolded to me the tale of his misfortunes.
‘It is thanks to some enemies of mine that you see me in this state – persons I had treated as goats, who proved to be like lions and treacherously attacked me when I was unarmed.’
I was able to calm him somewhat and persuade him to come to my camp.

Robert Stevenson’s:

How Tariel met Nuradin-Pridon

I made along the shore in the dark, and after a time saw gardens before me. I thought I could see a city, and then as we drew near it we some rock-caves. I dismounted to rest under some tall trees: my wounded heart shrank from seeing any of humankind.
While the slaves had a meal I fell asleep beneath the trees. Then I awoke to wretchedness, My heart as black as night with the soot of my sorrow: in all this time I had learned nothing, neither truth nor false rumor! Tears poured from my eyes and flowed forth to soak the ground.
Suddenly I heard a cry and saw a warrior galloping along the shore, shouting fiercely. He was wounded, and blood flowed; his hand held a sword that was reddened and broken; a black horse – the steed yhat is mine now – wrathful and furious, he swept along like the wind. I wished to have word with him and sent one of my slaves with the message: “Hold, lion! Tell me who it is that has aroused you to anger.” But he did not give the slave any answer or heed what he said. Leaping on my horse, I rode after him, overtook him and then got in front of him. “Stop! Listen!” I said. “What are you about now?” He turned his eyes on me and, pleased with me, reined in his steed.
These were the words he addressed to God after scrutiny: “In him you have made one who is like a tree in his splendor!” The he said to me, “I will tell what you wish to know: enemies I had despised as goats became on a sudden fierce lions and fell on me treacherously, when I was not in my harness for battle.”
“Be calm,” I replied; “Let us dismount under those trees that stand over there: no warrior worthy of the name will shrink back from sword-cuts.” He came with me; we rode off like father and son together. – Marvellously fair was this stranger to look upon!

Lyn Coffin’s:

Nuradin Pridon’s Story

597.
I rode by night. I came to a seashore where gardens could be seen.
It seemed as if we’d approached a city: cliffs over it did lean.
The sight of men gave me no pleasure; my heart wore a grieving mien.
I dismounted to rest at a spot where trees were lofty and green.

598.
“The servants were breaking bread. I was sleeping at the foot of trees.
Then I awoke sad. Sorrow’s soot darkened my heart. I knew no ease.
In so long a time, I’d learned not gossip nor truth, nothing of these.
The fields around us, far and wide, were wet with tears my eyes did squeeze.

599.
“I heard shouts and looked around. Crying out haughtily came a knight.
He was galloping along the seashore. He’d been hurt in a fight.
His sword was broken and soiled. His blood flowed from a wound out of sight.
He threatened his foes as he came, was wrathful and complained in spite.

600.
“He was sitting on his black steed, the same black steed that I now own!
Like the wind, he swept down the path! His anger and his wrath were known.
I sent a servant to ask of him what or who his wrath had sown.
I bade him say: ‘Declare to me who angers thee, lion alone!’

601.
“He spoke not to the servant I sent, nor did he listen, indeed.
Hastily, I mounted and I overtook him, despite his lead.
I came before him. I said ‘Stay! I wish to know what made you bleed.’
He looked at me. I pleased him. He eventually checked his steed.

602.
“Looking at me, he addressed God: “You have made such a splendid tree!’
And then he answered me: ‘Now what you are asking I will tell thee.
The enemies I hitherto regarded as goats turned on me.
They fell upon me – traitors! – when I was unarmed. Now do you see?’

603.
“I told him, ‘Let us be calm and the foot of the trees alight.
A warrior considers all cuts given by the sword as slight.’
I led him with me. We went away as a father and son might.
I marveled exceedingly at the tender beauty of this knight.