When Zahhak the Serpent King ascended the throne of the world, a heavy, thousand-year shadow of darkness descended upon the earth. Throughout this endless epoch, the heavens turned only to the advantage of evil, forcing the noble deeds of the wise into hiding while the base desires of demons and fools ran rampant. Virtue was trampled into the dust, sorcery was exalted to honor, and while truth withdrew into concealment, calamity and ruin stalked the world openly. The hands of demonic spirits stretched out unchecked toward evil, and goodness could be spoken of only in whispered secrets.
From the royal chambers of Jamshid, his two pure-hearted daughters—Shahrnaz and the chaste Arnavaz, maidens cherished like crowns upon the brows of noble women—were dragged out, trembling like willow leaves in the wind. They were borne into the gloomy palace of Zahhak and surrendered to the dragon-like tyrant. Through evil spells and black arts, Zahhak sought to corrupt their pure souls, instilling in them deceit and malice; for that cruel tyrant knew no art nor wisdom save the teaching of falsehood, slaughter, plunder, and destruction.
#1
چو ضحاک شد بر جهان شهریار
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بر او سالیان انجمن شد هزار
“When Zahhak became the ruler of the world, a thousand years passed over him in this dark reign.”
#2
سراسر زمانه بدو گشت باز
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برآمد بر این روزگار دراز
“The entire cosmos fell under his sway, and a vast epoch rolled by in this gloomy manner.”
#3
نهان گشت کردار فرزانگان
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پراگنده شد کام دیوانگان
“The deeds of the wise were hidden away, while the wild desires of evil fools spread far and wide.”
#4
هنر خوار شد جادویی ارجمند
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نهان راستی آشکارا گزند
“Virtue was degraded and sorcery was exalted; truth went into hiding while wickedness raged openly.”
#5
شده بر بدی دست دیوان دراز
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به نیکی نرفتی سخن جز به راز
“The hands of demons stretched out toward wickedness, and no speech of goodness was uttered except in secret.”
#6
دو پاکیزه از خانهٔ جمّشید
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برون آوریدند لرزان چو بید
“Two chaste maidens were dragged trembling like willow leaves from the house of King Jamshid.”
#7
که جمشید را هر دو دختر بدند
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سر بانوان را چو افسر بدند
“Both were daughters of Jamshid, revered as crowns upon the heads of noble women.”
#8
ز پوشیده‌رویان یکی شهرناز
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دگر پاکدامن به نام ارنواز
“Of these veiled maidens, one was named Shahrnaz, and the other, pure of heart, was Arnavaz.”
#9
به ایوان ضحاک بردندشان
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بر آن اژدهافش سپردندشان
“They were dragged into the palace of Zahhak and delivered into the hands of that dragon-like tyrant.”
#10
بپروردشان از ره جادویی
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بیاموختشان کژی و بدخویی
“He nurtured them through dark sorcery, teaching them wickedness, deceit, and evil inclination.”
#11
ندانست جز کژی آموختن
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جز از کشتن و غارت و سوختن
“He knew no instruction save falsehood, nor any art except slaughter, pillage, and burning.”