#1
چو ضحاک شد بر جهان شهریار
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
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
✦
بیاموختشان کژی و بدخویی
“He nurtured them through dark sorcery, teaching them wickedness, deceit, and evil inclination.”
#11
ندانست جز کژی آموختن
✦
جز از کشتن و غارت و سوختن
“He knew no instruction save falsehood, nor any art except slaughter, pillage, and burning.”