if each one from his father has his ring,
then let each one believe his ring to be
the true one -- —possibly the father wished
to tolerate no longer in his house
the tyrrany of just one ring —and know:
that you, all three, he loved; and loved alike;
since two of you he’d not humiliate
to favor one -- well then! Let each aspire
to emulate his father’s unbeguiled,
unprejudiced affection! Let each strive
to match the rest in bringing to the fore
the magic of the opal in his ring!
assist that power with all humility,
with benefaction, hearty peacefulness,
and with profound submission to god’s will
gotthold ephraim lessing
“nathan the wise”: act 3; scene
nathan telling of the judges pronouncement
on which of the rings is the true one