All who commit adultery or womenkind do slay,
Who holy men curse and revile or friendly souls betray,
And misers, worst of all--that I may ne'er be ranked with such,
Not e'en a drop of water I unshared will ever touch.

[398] On men and women both alike my gifts shall ever flow,
Sages will praise all such as shall their goods in alms bestow;
All that are generous in this world and niggard ways eschew,
Approved by all, will ever be esteemed good men and true.

On hearing this Matali stood before him in a visible form. At that moment these four heavenly nymphs stood at the four points of the compass. Glory at the east, Hope at the south, Faith at the west, Honour at the north.

The Master; to clear up the matter, said:

Four nymphs with golden forms so bright,
Hope, Glory, Faith, and Honour hight,
At Sakka's bidding earthward sent,
To Kosiya's cell their footsteps bent.

The maids with forms that glowed like flame
To each of earth's four quarters came;
'Fore Matali (now god confest)
The sage o'erjoyed one thus addressed,

"Who art thou, nymph, like morning star,
Illuming Eastern skies afar?

Thy form in robe of gold arrayed
Tell me thy name, O heavenly maid."

[399] "I Glory am, man's honoured friend,
The sinless soul prompt to defend:
To claim this food, lo! here am I;
With this my prayer, great sage, comply.

I bliss confer on whom I will
And all his heart's desire fulfil;
High priest, my name is Glory, know,
On me thy heavenly food bestow."

On hearing this Kosiya said:

Men may be skilful, virtuous, wise,
Excel in all their wits devise,
Yet without thee they ne'er succeed;
In this I blame thy evil deed.

Another slothful, greedy, see,
Low-born and ugly as may be:
Blest by thy care and rich withal
He makes one nobly born his thrall.

Thee then as false and dull, Glory, I recognise,
Reckless in courting fools and laying low the wise;
No claim hast thou in sooth to seat or water-pot,
Much less ambrosial food. Begone, I like thee not.

[400] So did she straightway vanish from sight. Then holding converse with Hope he said:

Who art thou, maiden fair, with teeth so pure and white,
With rings of burnished gold and spangled bracelets dight,
In robe of watered sheen and wearing on thy head
A sprig like ruddy flame by tufts of kusa fed?

Like a wild doe all but by hunter's arrow grazed,
Thou lookst dull-eyed around as 'twere some creature dazed,
O softly-glancing maid, what comrade hast thou here,
That through lone forest glade thou strayst without a fear?

Then she spoke this stanza: