In days of old, upon the desert plains of the spear-wielding Arab horsemen, there ruled a noble and righteous king named Merdas. He was a devout worshipper of God, filled with holy awe, and boundlessly generous to all living creatures. Merdas possessed vast herds of every milk-bearing livestock—milch-cows, ewes, goats, and noble Arabian steeds. He entrusted the milking to pure-hearted damsels, and whenever any soul in the realm stood in need of milk or nourishment, they could freely partake from his overflowing bounty.
Yet this virtuous monarch had a single son who was utterly devoid of human tenderness and love. His name was Zahhak—an ambitious and fearless youth, yet reckless, arrogant, and impure of heart. In the Pahlavi tongue, he was called Bivarasp, for 'Bivar' signifies ten thousand, and he owned ten thousand Arabian chargers adorned with golden bits and bridles. Day and night, he spent two-thirds of his hours in the saddle, driven by immense pride.
One dawn, Iblis, the arch-tempter, appeared before Zahhak in the disguise of a benevolent and wise counselor. Beguiling the prince's heart away from goodness, Iblis demanded a solemn oath of secrecy and obedience before revealing his council. Naive and greedy for glory, Zahhak swore never to divulge the secret nor stray from his advice.
Then Iblis sowed the fatal seed of treason: 'Why should an old man linger upon the throne when he has a glorious son like you? Time tarries too long over your father. Seize his realm and stature; obey me, and I shall make you the sovereign ruler of the world.' At first, Zahhak shuddered at the thought of patricide and refused, declaring such an act improper. But Iblis threatened him with the curse of a broken oath, warning that he would be disgraced forever while his father remained exalted.
Trapped by fear and ambition, Zahhak yielded and asked Iblis how to execute the deed. Merdas had a breathtaking garden within his estate where he was accustomed to rise before dawn, wash his head and body in seclusion, and pray to the Almighty Lord. Perverse Iblis dug a deep pit directly along the king's customary path, concealing the trap with dry twigs and foliage.
When night still shrouded the earth, the pious king stepped into his garden to pray. He plunged into the hidden abyss, his body crushed, and his holy soul departed. Thus perished Merdas—a father who had never let a harsh wind blow upon his son, who had raised him with loving toil and lavished all his treasures upon him. Base and tyrannical Zahhak seized his father's place, placing the crown of the Arabs upon his head and assuming rule over their destinies.
#1
یکی مرد بود اندر آن روزگار
✦
ز دشت سواران نیزه گذار
“In those days, there lived a nobleman in the desert plain of the spear-wielding horsemen.”
#2
گرانمایه هم شاه و هم نیک مرد
✦
ز ترس جهاندار با باد سرد
“A noble ruler and a righteous man, who trembled in awe of the Almighty Lord.”
#3
که مرداس نام گرانمایه بود
✦
به داد و دهش برترین پایه بود
“Merdas was the name of this glorious lord, supreme in justice and boundlessly generous.”
#4
مر او را ز دوشیدنی چارپای
✦
ز هر یک هزار آمدندی به جای
“Of every kind of livestock that gave milk, he possessed ten thousand upon ten thousand.”
#5
همان گاو دوشا به فرمانبری
✦
همان تازی اسب گزیده مری
“Docile milch-cows obedient to his call, and fine Arabian steeds of noble breed.”
#6
بز و میش بد شیرور همچنین
✦
به دوشیزگان داده بد پاکدین
“Likewise abundant goats and ewes yielding milk, which the pure-hearted king entrusted to milkmaid damsels.”
#7
به شیر آن کسی را که بودی نیاز
✦
بدان خواسته دست بردی فراز
“Whoever stood in need of milk could freely stretch out his hand to that bounty.”
#8
پسر بد مر این پاکدل را یکی
✦
کش از مهر بهره نبود اندکی
“Yet this pure-hearted lord had a single son, who possessed not even a trace of affection or love.”
#9
جهانجوی را نام ضحّاک بود
✦
دلیر و سبکسار و ناپاک بود
“That ambitious youth was named Zahhak—fearless, rash, and impure of heart.”
#10
کجا بیور اسپش همی خواندند
✦
چنین نام بر پهلوی راندند
“Whom they also called Bivarasp; such was his title spoken in the Pahlavi tongue.”
#11
کجا بیور از پهلوانی شمار
✦
بود بر زبان دری ده هزار
“For 'Bivar' in the Pahlavi tongue signifies the number ten thousand in Dari speech.”
#12
ز اسپان تازی به زرین ستام
✦
ورا بود بیور که بردند نام
“Ten thousand Arabian horses adorned with golden bridles were his, whence he derived his title.”
#13
شب و روز بودی دو بهره به زین
✦
ز روی بزرگی نه از روی کین
“Night and day he spent two-thirds of his time in the saddle, driven by pride rather than malice.”
#14
چنان بد که ابلیس روزی پگاه
✦
بیامد به سان یکی نیک‌خواه
“Thus it came to pass that one early dawn, Iblis appeared in the guise of a well-wisher.”
#15
دل مهتر از راه نیکی ببرد
✦
جوان گوش گفتار او را سپرد
“He beguiled the young prince's heart away from goodness, and the youth lent his ear to Satan's words.”
#16
بدو گفت پیمانت خواهم نخست
✦
پس آنگه سخن برگشایم درست
“Iblis said to him: 'First I require your solemn oath, and only then shall I speak my mind fully.'”
#17
جوان نیک‌دل گشت فرمانش کرد
✦
چنان چون بفرمود سوگند خورد
“The naive youth assented to his command and swore the oath exactly as instructed.”
#18
که راز تو با کس نگویم ز بن
✦
ز تو بشنوم هر چه گویی سخن
“Swearing: 'I shall never reveal your secret to anyone, and I shall obey whatever counsel you give.'”
#19
بدو گفت جز تو کسی کدخدای
✦
چه باید همی با تو اندر سرای
“Said Iblis to him: 'Except for you, why should anyone else be master in this royal court?'”
#20
چه باید پدر کش پسر چون تو بود
✦
یکی پندت از من بباید شنود
“'Why should a father linger when he has a son like you? Listen to this single piece of advice from me.'”
#21
زمانه برین خواجهٔ سالخورد
✦
همی دیر ماند تو اندر نورد
“'Time lingers too long over this aged master, while you remain locked in his shadow.'”
#22
بگیر این سر مایه‌ور جاه او
✦
تو را زیبد اندر جهان گاه او
“'Seize his magnificent throne and stature, for his high station in this world truly befits you.'”
#23
بر این گفتهٔ من چو داری وفا
✦
جهاندار باشی یکی پادشا
“'If you remain faithful to my words, you shall become the sovereign ruler of the world.'”
#24
چو ضحاک بشنید اندیشه کرد
✦
ز خون پدر شد دلش پر ز درد
“When Zahhak heard this, he fell into deep thought, his heart overflowing with anguish at the thought of his father's blood.”
#25
به ابلیس گفت این سزاوار نیست
✦
دگر گوی کاین از در کار نیست
“He said to Iblis: 'This is improper! Speak of something else, for this is unworthy of being done.'”
#26
بدو گفت گر بگذری زین سخن
✦
بتابی ز سوگند و پیمان من
“Iblis replied: 'If you turn away from my counsel and break the oath and covenant you made with me,'”
#27
بماند به گردنت سوگند و بند
✦
شوی خوار و ماند پدرت ارجمند
“'The burden of your broken oath shall bind your neck; you shall be disgraced while your father remains revered.'”
#28
سر مرد تازی به دام آورید
✦
چنان شد که فرمان او برگزید
“Thus he entrapped the mind of the Arab youth, until Zahhak resolved to follow Satan's command.”
#29
بپرسید کاین چاره با من بگوی
✦
نتابم ز رای تو من هیچ روی
“Zahhak asked: 'Tell me the remedy, for I shall no longer turn away from your counsel.'”
#30
بدو گفت من چاره سازم ترا
✦
به خورشید سر برفرازم ترا
“Iblis said: 'I shall devise the scheme for you, and raise your head unto the sun.'”
#31
مر آن پادشا را در اندر سرای
✦
یکی بوستان بود بس دلگشای
“Now that noble king had a delightful, sprawling garden within his royal domain.”
#32
گرانمایه شبگیر برخاستی
✦
ز بهر پرستش بیاراستی
“The revered king was wont to rise before dawn to prepare himself for divine worship.”
#33
سر و تن بشستی نهفته به باغ
✦
پرستنده با او ببردی چراغ
“He would wash his head and body in the secluded garden, while a servant carried a lamp before him.”
#34
بیاورد وارونه ابلیس بند
✦
یکی ژرف چاهی به ره بر بکند
“Wicked Iblis brought forth an inverted trap, digging a deep pit right upon the king's path.”
#35
پس ابلیس وارونه آن ژرف چاه
✦
به خاشاک پوشید و بسترد راه
“Then the perverse demon covered that deep pit with dry twigs and leaves, concealing all trace of the trap.”
#36
سر تازیان مهتر نامجوی
✦
شب آمد سوی باغ بنهاد روی
“As darkness lingered, the renowned leader of the Arabs directed his steps toward the garden.”
#37
به چاه اندر افتاد و بشکست پست
✦
شد آن نیک‌دل مرد یزدان‌پرست
“He plunged headlong into the pit, his bones crushed, and that righteous, God-fearing lord perished.”
#38
به هر نیک و بد شاه آزاد مرد
✦
به فرزند بر نازده باد سرد
“In every fortune, good or ill, that noble king had never let a harsh breeze blow upon his son.”
#39
همی پروریدش به ناز و به رنج
✦
بدو بود شاد و بدو داد گنج
“He had raised him with tender devotion and toil, rejoicing in him and bestowing his treasures upon him.”
#40
چنان بدگهر شوخ فرزند او
✦
بگشت از ره داد و پیوند او
“Yet his vile-natured, audacious son abandoned the path of justice and family devotion.”
#41
به خون پدر گشت همداستان
✦
ز دانا شنیدم من این داستان
“He consented to the shedding of his own father's blood; as I heard this tale told by wise men of old.”
#42
که فرزند بد گر شود نرّه شیر
✦
به خون پدر هم نباشد دلیر
“That even if an evil son were to become a fierce male lion, he would still not dare shed his father's blood.”
#43
مگر در نهانش سخن دیگرست
✦
پژوهنده را راز با مادرست
“Unless some hidden secret lies in his lineage—a secret known only to the searching mind and the mother.”
#44
فرومایه ضحاک بیدادگر
✦
بدین چاره بگرفت جای پدر
“Thus base, tyrannical Zahhak seized his father's domain through this evil ruse.”
#45
به سر بر نهاد افسر تازیان
✦
بر ایشان ببخشید سود و زیان
“He placed upon his head the crown of the Arabs, and assumed command over all their gains and losses.”