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No Forgiveness
- – Joseph, just one question:
- Did you pay what you owe
- to your collectors, fellow
- Jews – the required payment
- for your kind, rich and poor,
- or did a certain Sir
- suggest you were exempt?
- – It's only natural, Steven,
- that we Jews appraise our own,
- but our collectors show
- no mercy, no compassion.
- That man pays what's proper,
- as do I, but when the number's
- high, seeks an exemption.
- – Joseph, that's ridiculous –
- every payer's equal,
- and must give his legal
- share. There's no privilege,
- not for your collectors,
- who settle up like other
- men: there's no forgiveness.
- – Steven, for the dereliction
- that you mention, he appeared
- before the court, to plead
- his case – he said he'd given
- a large sum, had no more
- debts, and even swore
- he'd prove his payment.
- [...]
- – Don No One, who hates me, says
- I lie about my worth,
- and about the health
- of my estate – you know best,
- Steven, that I always pay,
- and that the public can see
- a list of all my assets.
- – Joseph, I now realize
- what you speak is truth,
- that your fee befits your wealth.
- As wine from Alhariz
- is strong, so I'm certain–
- That Sir, who meant to gain,
- will face a higher justice.
[English version by Adam Mahler]
