#1
از اسبان گله هرچ شایسته بود
✦
ز هر سو به لشکرگه آورد زود
“From the herds, whatever horses were suitable, he quickly brought to the army camp from every side.”
#2
پیاده همه کرد یکسر سوار
✦
دو اسبه سوار از پس کارزار
“He mounted all the footmen at once, providing two horses to each rider after the battle.”
#3
سر گنجهای کهن برگشاد
✦
به دینار دادن دل اندر نهاد
“He opened the ancient treasuries and set his heart on distributing gold coins.”
#4
چو این کرده شد نزد افراسیاب
✦
نوندی برافگند هنگام خواب
“When this was accomplished, he dispatched a swift courier to Afrasiab during the night.”
#5
فرستاده‌ای با هش و رای پیر
✦
سخن‌گوی و گرد و سوار و دبیر
“A messenger endowed with intelligence and mature wisdom, an eloquent speaker, warrior, horseman, and scribe.”
#6
که رو شاه توران سپه را بگوی
✦
که ای دادگر خسرو نامجوی
“Instructing him: 'Go and say to the King of Turan: O just, fame-seeking monarch!'”
#7
کز آنگه که چرخ سپهر بلند
✦
بگشت از بر تیره خاک نژند
“'Since the high sphere of heaven turned above the dark and miserable earth,'”
#8
چو تو شاه بر گاه ننشست نیز
✦
به کس نام شاهی نپیوست نیز
“'No king like you has sat upon the throne, nor has the name of kingship belonged to another.'”
#9
نه زیبا بود جز تو مر تخت را
✦
کلاه و کمر بستن و بخت را
“'None but you is worthy of the throne, of wearing the crown and belt, and of divine fortune.'”
#10
از آن کس برآرد جهاندار گرد
✦
که پیش تو آید به روز نبرد
“'The Lord of the World will reduce to dust anyone who dares face you on the day of battle.'”
#11
یکی بنده‌ام من گنهکار تو
✦
کشیده سر از جان بیدار تو
“'I am your sinful servant, who has drawn back his head in fear of your vigilant soul.'”
#12
ز کیخسرو از من بیازرد شاه
✦
جز این خویشتن را ندانم گناه
“'The King became angered at me because of Kay Khosrow; I know no other sin in myself than this.'”
#13
که این ایزدی بود بود آنچ بود
✦
ندارد ز گفتار بسیار سود
“'For that was divine destiny, and what happened was meant to be; speaking much of it yields little benefit.'”
#14
اگر نیز بیند مرا ز این گناه
✦
کند گردن آزاد و آید به راه
“'If he can pardon me for this offense, he will free an honorable neck and set things right.'”
#15
رسانم من اکنون به شاه آگهی
✦
که گردون چه آورد پیش رهی
“'I now send tidings to the King of what the heavens have brought upon his servant.'”
#16
کشیدم به کوه کنابد سپاه
✦
به ایرانیان بر ببستیم راه
“'I led the army to Mount Gonabad and barred the path against the Iranians.'”
#17
وز آن سو بیامد سپاهی گران
✦
سپهدار گودرز و با او سران
“'And from that direction came a mighty host, led by chieftain Goudarz alongside other leaders.'”
#18
کز ایران ز گاه منوچهر شاه
✦
فزون زان نیامد به توران سپاه
“'For since the reign of King Manuchehr, so great an army had never crossed from Iran into Turan.'”
#19
به زیبد یکی جایگه ساختند
✦
سپه را در آن کوه بنشاختند
“'They fortified a stronghold at Zibad, stationing their troops upon that mountain.'”
#20
سپه را سه روز و سه شب چون پلنگ
✦
به روی اندر آورده بد روی تنگ
“'For three days and three nights, like fierce leopards, they held their tight mountain pass.'”
#21
نجستیم رزم اندر آن کینه‌گاه
✦
که آید مگر سوی هامون سپاه
“'We did not seek battle in that vengeance-ground, hoping their army would come down to the plain.'”
#22
نیامد سپاهش از آن که برون
✦
سر پهلوانان ما شد نگون
“'Their army did not come out, because the heads of our warlords were cast down.'”
#23
سپهدار ایران نیامد ستوه
✦
به هامون نیاورد لشکر ز کوه
“'The Iranian commander did not grow weary, nor did he bring his army down from the mountain to the plain.'”
#24
برادر جهاندار هومان من
✦
به کینه بجوشید از این انجمن
“'My world-conquering brother Houman boiled with vengeance from this gathering.'”
#25
به ایران سپه شد که جوید نبرد
✦
ندانم چه آمد بر آن شیرمرد
“'He went forth to the Iranian host seeking combat; I know not what befell that lion-hearted brave.'”
#26
بیامد به کین جستنش پور گیو
✦
بگردید با گرد هومان نیو
“'The son of Giv came out to avenge, and fought with the valiant Houman.'”
#27
ابر دست چون بیژنی کشته شد
✦
سر من ز تیمار او گشته شد
“'At the hands of one like Bizhan he was slain, and my head grew heavy with sorrow for him.'”
#28
که دانست هرگز که سرو بلند
✦
به باغ از گیا یافت خواهد گزند
“'Who ever imagined that a tall cypress in the garden would suffer harm from a mere weed?'”
#29
دل نامداران همه بر شکست
✦
همه شادمانی شد از درد پست
“'The hearts of all the chieftains broke; all joy was lowered into deep grief.'”
#30
و دیگر چو نستیهن نامدار
✦
ابا ده هزار آزموده سوار
“'And another was the famed Nastihan, who with ten thousand battle-tested horsemen,'”
#31
برفت از بر من سپیده دمان
✦
همان بیژنش کند سر در زمان
“'Went forth from my side at early dawn, and that same Bizhan severing his head in an instant.'”
#32
من از درد دل برکشیدم سپاه
✦
غریوان برفتم به آوردگاه
“'Out of deep anguish I led the army forth, shouting lamentations as I charged into the battlefield.'”
#33
یکی رزم تا شب برآمد ز کوه
✦
بکردیم یک با دگر همگروه
“'We fought a fierce battle until night fell over the mountain, joined in violent clash with one another.'”
#34
چو نهصد تن از نامداران شاه
✦
سر از تن جدا شد بر این رزمگاه
“'When nine hundred of the King's nobles were decapitated upon this battlefield,'”
#35
دو بهره ز گردان این انجمن
✦
دل از درد خسته به شمشیر تن
“'Two-thirds of the warriors in this gathering are broken-hearted with grief and wounded in body by swords.'”
#36
به ما بر شده چیره ایرانیان
✦
به کینه همه پاک بسته میان
“'The Iranians have prevailed over us, all bound with vengeful devotion.'”
#37
بترسم همی زانک گردان سپهر
✦
بخواهد بریدن ز ما پاک مهر
“'I fear greatly that the rotating sphere of fortune is about to cut off its favor from us completely.'”
#38
وز آن پس شنیدم یکی بدخبر
✦
کز آن نیز برگشتم آسیمه سر
“'And thereafter I heard a terrible rumor, which left me bewildered and distraught:'”
#39
که کیخسرو آید همی با سپاه
✦
به پشت سپهبد بدین رزمگاه
“'That Kay Khosrow himself is coming with an army to back the general on this battlefield.'”
#40
گر ایدونک گردد درست این خبر
✦
که خسرو کند سوی ما بر گذر
“'If this news proves true, that Khosrow is indeed marching toward us,'”
#41
جهاندار داند که من با سپاه
✦
نیارم شدن پیش او کینه‌خواه
“'The Sovereign of the World knows that I with this army cannot stand before him seeking vengeance,'”
#42
مگر شاه با لشکر کینه‌جوی
✦
نهد سوی ایران بدین کینه روی
“'Unless the King himself set out toward Iran with a vengeful army to meet this threat,'”
#43
بگرداند این بد ز تورانیان
✦
ببندد به کینه کمر بر میان
“'To turn away this calamity from the Turanians and gird his waist in vengeance,'”
#44
که گر جان ما را ز ایران سپاه
✦
بد آید نباشد کسی کینه‌خواه
“'For if evil befalls our lives at the hands of Iran's army, no one will remain to seek our vengeance.'”
#45
فرستاده چون گفت پیران شنید
✦
به کردار باد دمان بردمید
“When the messenger heard Piran's words, he bounded forth like a roaring wind.”
#46
نشست از بر بادپای سمند
✦
به کردار آتش هیونی بلند
“He sat upon a swift steed, riding a tall noble dromedary that moved like fire.”
#47
بشد تا به نزدیک افراسیاب
✦
نه دم زد به ره بر نه آرام و خواب
“He rode non-stop unto Afrasiab, breathing no word along the road nor taking sleep or rest.”
#48
به نزدیک شاه اندر آمد چو باد
✦
ببوسید تخت و پیامش بداد
“He came into the presence of the King like the wind, kissed the throne, and delivered the message.”
#49
چو بشنید گفتار پیران به درد
✦
دلش گشت پرخون و رخساره زرد
“When Afrasiab heard Piran's grievous words, his heart filled with blood and his face turned pale.”
#50
شد از کار آن کشتگان خسته‌دل
✦
بدان درد بنهاد پیوسته دل
“His heart grew anguished over those slain warriors, and he gave his soul over to endless sorrow.”
#51
وز آن نیز کز دشمنان لشکرش
✦
گریزان و ویران شده کشورش
“And also because his army was fleeing from the enemy, and his kingdom was being laid waste.”
#52
ز هر سو پلنگ اندر آورده چنگ
✦
بر او بر جهان گشته تاریک و تنگ
“From every side the leopard had bared its claws, and the world had become dark and narrow for him.”
#53
چو گفتار پیران از آن سان شنید
✦
سپه را همه پای برجای دید
“When he heard Piran's speech of that nature, he realized his army was standing firmly in peril.”