When Jahan, the envoy of Afrasiab, delivered the flattering and deceitful message of the Turanian king, a dark, mocking smile touched the lips of Kay Khosrow. The King of Iran turned to the messenger and declared, "O warrior, I have heard from first to last this grand discourse of your master. He showers me with praise and renders thanks to Almighty God for beholding a pious and triumphant prince upon the throne—one upon whom the Divine has bestowed all wisdom and majesty. Yet let it be known that a smooth tongue and honeyed words can never veil the darkness of an unholy, faithless heart. Where is wisdom when deeds stand in utter defiance of words?"
Kay Khosrow stripped away Afrasiab's hypocrisy, recounting his ancient atrocities one by one: "He dares call me a God-fearing son, while not a bone of my murdered father Siyavash remains unscattered in the Turanian dust! Has he forgotten how he dragged my mother Farangis from her royal sanctuary, setting brutal merciless floggers upon her to beat the unborn child from her womb? Had the wise Piran not intervened in that fateful hour, I would never have drawn the breath of life. Yet Providence preserved me so that I might bring ruin upon the wicked. After my birth, he cast me out among crude herdsmen to be reared in barren plains among lions, devoid of all comfort and peace. And when Piran brought me back as a youth to his court, Afrasiab plotted to sever my head as he did my father's—yet God sealed my tongue with feigned foolishness, causing the tyrant to believe me witless and spare my life."
The King of Iran then invoked the dark lineage of Tur's house: "Siyavash came to him in utter truth and loyalty, building courts and honoring Afrasiab as his liege. Yet when Afrasiab saw his noble stature and royal grace, his vile nature stirred, and he slaughtered that crowned prince like a helpless sheep! From the age of King Manuchehr to this hour, his house has wrought nothing but evil. Tur stained his hands against his own sire, and Afrasiab beheaded King Nowzar and murdered his own righteous brother Aghriras. He was not born of Adam; he is of the very seed of Ahriman!"
Kay Khosrow then roared his ultimate decree of eternal war: "Though he blames demonic temptation for his foul deeds, let him know that between us there shall be no words left—only the razor edge of the sharp sword until the Day of Resurrection! By the strength of my treasury, my armies, and the supreme aid of God, I shall avenge Siyavash and the fallen of Pashan until the earth is cleansed of evil and the crowns of the wicked are cast into the dust!"
#1
چو از جهن پیغام بشنید شاه
✦
همی کرد خندان بدو بر نگاه
“When the King heard the message from Jahan, he looked upon him with a mocking smile.”
#2
به پاسخ چنین گفت کای رزمجوی
✦
شنیدیم سر تا سر این گفت و گوی
“In answer, he spoke, 'O warrior, we have heard this discourse from beginning to end.'”
#3
نخست آن که کردی مرا آفرین
✦
همان باد بر تخت و تاج و نگین
“'First, regarding the praises you showered upon me—may such blessings forever adorn throne, crown, and signet ring.'”
#4
درودی که دادی ز افراسیاب
✦
بگفتی که او کرد مژگان پر آب
“'As for the greeting sent from Afrasiab, where you said his eyelashes were filled with tears—'”
#5
شنیدم همین باد بر تاج و تخت
✦
مبادم مگر شاد و پیروزبخت
“'I heard it all; may my throne and crown be ever blessed, and may I never be anything but joyous and victorious.'”
#6
دوم آن که گفتی ز یزدان سپاس
✦
که بینم همی پور یزدان شناس
“'Second, where you rendered thanks to God, saying he beholds a God-fearing prince,'”
#7
ز شاهان گیتی دل افروزتر
✦
پسندیده‌تر شاه و پیروزتر
“'A ruler more radiant, favored, and victorious than all monarchs of the world,'”
#8
مرا داد یزدان همه هرچه گفت
✦
که با این هنرها خرد باد جفت
“'God indeed granted me all that he described; may wisdom be forever paired with these virtues.'”
#9
ترا چند خواهی سخن چرب هست
✦
به دل نیستی پاک و یزدان پرست
“'However smooth and flattering your tongue may be, in your heart you are neither pure nor a worshiper of God!'”
#10
کسی کو به دانش توانگر بود
✦
ز گفتار کردار بهتر بود
“'He who is rich in true knowledge lets his deeds surpass his words.'”
#11
فریدون فرخ ستاره نگشت
✦
نه از خاک تیره همی برگذشت
“'Glorious Fereydun did not become a star in heaven, nor did he rise above the dark earth.'”
#12
تو گویی که من بر شوم بر سپهر
✦
بشستی بر این گونه از شرم چهر
“'Yet you speak as though you could ascend the heavens, having washed your face clean of all shame.'”
#13
دلت جادوی را چو سرمایه گشت
✦
سخن بر زبانت چو پیرایه گشت
“'Your heart has become a treasury of sorcery, and your tongue merely wraps your deceit in ornate speech.'”
#14
زبان پر ز گفتار و دل پر دروغ
✦
بر مرد دانا نگیرد فروغ
“'A tongue full of words paired with a heart full of lies can never shine before a wise man.'”
#15
پدر کشته را شاه گیتی مخوان
✦
کنون کز سیاوش نماند استخوان
“'Do not call one whose father you murdered the king of the world, now that not a bone remains of Siyavash!'”
#16
همان مادرم را ز پرده به راه
✦
کشیدی و گشتی چنین کینه خواه
“'Likewise, you dragged my mother from her royal sanctuary into the open, becoming a monster of vengeful wrath!'”
#17
مرا نوز نازاده از مادرم
✦
همی آتش افروختی بر سرم
“'Even before I was born from my mother's womb, you lit a fire of agony over my head!'”
#18
هر آن کس که او بد بدرگاه تو
✦
بنفرید بر جان بی راه تو
“'Everyone who stood at your court cursed your astray and wicked soul,'”
#19
که هرگز به گیتی کس آن بد نکرد
✦
ز شاهان و گردان و مردان مرد
“'For never in this world did any king, champion, or valiant warrior commit such evil,'”
#20
که بر انجمن مر زنی را کشان
✦
سپارد بزرگی به مردم کشان
“'As to drag a pregnant woman before an assembly and hand her noble dignity over to ruthless killers!'”
#21
زننده همی تازیانه زند
✦
که تا دخترش بچه را بفگند
“'Ordering brutal lashes upon her, so that his own daughter might abort her helpless unborn child!'”
#22
خردمند پیران بدانجا رسید
✦
بدید آن که هرگز ندید و شنید
“'Until wise Piran arrived on the scene and witnessed horrors such as he had never seen or heard of before.'”
#23
چنین بود فرمان یزدان که من
✦
سرافراز گردم به هر انجمن
“'Yet it was God's holy decree that I should survive and rise exalted in every assembly.'”
#24
گزند و بلای تو از من بگاشت
✦
که با من زمانه یکی راز داشت
“'God turned your harm and plague away from me, for Fate held a secret destiny reserved for my life.'”
#25
از آن پس که گشتم ز مادر جدا
✦
چنانچون بود بچهٔ بینوا
“'After I was separated from my mother, like a helpless, destitute orphan babe,'”
#26
به پیش شبانان فرستادیم
✦
به پروار شیران نر دادیم
“'You sent me away to live among crude shepherds, casting me out to be raised like prey among fierce lions!'”
#27
مرا دایه و پیشکاره شبان
✦
نه آرام روز و نه خواب شبان
“'My nurses and guardians were humble herdsmen; I had no peace by day, nor sweet rest at night.'”
#28
چنین بود تا روز من برگذشت
✦
مرا اندر آورد پیران ز دشت
“'Thus passed my early days, until Piran brought me back from the wild wilderness,'”
#29
به پیش تو آورد و کردی نگاه
✦
که هستم سزاوار تخت و کلاه
“'He brought me before you, and you looked upon me and saw that I was truly worthy of the throne and crown.'”
#30
به سان سیاوش سرم را ز تن
✦
ببری و تن هم نیابد کفن
“'You plotted to sever my head from my body just as you did to Siyavash, leaving my corpse without even a shroud.'”
#31
زبان مرا پاک یزدان ببست
✦
همان خیره ماندم به جای نشست
“'Yet pure God sealed my tongue with feigned foolishness, so that I sat there bewildered and mute.'”
#32
مرا بی دل و بی خرد یافتی
✦
به کردار بد تیز نشتافتی
“'Believing me to be witless and simple-minded, you stayed your hasty hands from immediate bloodshed.'”
#33
سیاوش نگه کن که از راستی
✦
چه کرد و چه دید از بد و کاستی
“'Consider Siyavash! See what he did out of pure truthfulness, and what evil and injury he suffered in return from you!'”
#34
ز گیتی بیامد ترا برگزید
✦
چنان کز ره نامداران سزید
“'He came out of the world and chose you, as befitted the lofty way of noble heroes.'”
#35
ز بهر تو پرداخت آیین و گاه
✦
بیامد ز گیتی ترا خواند شاه
“'For your sake, he established law and splendour; he journeyed across realms to honor you as his King!'”
#36
وفا جست و بگذاشت آن انجمن
✦
بدان تا نخوانیش پیمان‌شکن
“'He sought loyalty and left his native land of Iran, so that you would never brand him a breaker of oaths.'”
#37
چو دیدی بر و گردگاه ورا
✦
بزرگی و گردی و راه ورا
“'Yet when you beheld his majestic chest, his heroic stature, his nobility, and his righteous path,'”
#38
بجنبیدت آن گوهر بد ز جای
✦
بیفگندی آن پاک دل را ز پای
“'Your vile and wicked nature was stirred within you, and you brought down that pure-hearted hero to the dust!'”
#39
سر تاجداری چنان ارجمند
✦
بریدی به سان سر گوسفند
“'You severed the head of such an exalted, crowned prince as if he were a sheep destined for slaughter!'”
#40
ز گاه منوچهر تا این زمان
✦
نبودی مگر بدتن و بدگمان
“'From the reign of Manuchehr unto this day, you have been nothing but a cruel-bodied, ill-boding villain!'”
#41
ز تور اندر آمد زیان از نخست
✦
کجا با پدر دست بد را بشست
“'The poison first flowed from Tur, who stained his vile hands against his own noble father Fereydun.'”
#42
پسر بر پسر بگذرد همچنین
✦
نه راه بزرگی نه آیین دین
“'And thus it passed down from son to wicked son, devoid of all nobility and divine law!'”
#43
زدی گردن نوذر نامدار
✦
پدر شاه وز تخمهٔ شهریار
“'You beheaded famous King Nowzar, whose father was a king of royal line!'”
#44
برادرت اغریرث نیکخوی
✦
کجا نیکنامی بدش آرزوی
“'And your own brother, noble Aghriras, whose only desire was good name and righteousness—'”
#45
بکشتی و تا بوده‌ای بدتنی
✦
نه از آدم از تخم آهرمنی
“'You murdered him! Ever since you came to be, you have been a creature of evil—not born of Adam, but of Ahriman's own seed!'”
#46
کسی گر بدیهات گیرد شمار
✦
فزون آید از گردش روزگار
“Should one attempt to count your evil deeds, their number would surpass the very turns of Fortune's wheel.”
#47
نهالی به دوزخ فرستاده‌ای
✦
نگویی که از مردمان زاده‌ای
“You sent a young sapling straight to Hell, yet you never reflect whether you yourself were born of human kin.”
#48
دگر آن که گفتی که دیو پلید
✦
دل و رای من سوی زشتی کشید
“Furthermore, you claimed that the foul demon seduced your heart and mind toward evil wickedness.”
#49
همین گفت ضحاک و هم جمشید
✦
چو شدشان دل از نیکویی ناامید
“Zahhāk and Jamshid uttered the very same excuse when their hearts turned hopeless of goodness.”
#50
که ما را دل ابلیس بی راه کرد
✦
ز هر نیکویی دست کوتاه کرد
“'It was the heart of Iblis that led us astray,' they claimed, 'and withheld our hands from every virtue.'”
#51
نه برگشت از ایشان بد روزگار
✦
ز بد گوهر و گفت آموزگار
“Yet ill-fortune did not turn aside from them, born of their evil nature and the teachings of their demonic mentor.”
#52
کسی کو بتابد سر از راستی
✦
گزیند همی کژی و کاستی
“Whoever turns his head away from truth and righteousness will inevitably embrace deceit and ruin.”
#53
به جنگ پشن نیز چندان سپاه
✦
که پیران بکشت اندر آوردگاه
“Recall too the battle of Pashan, where Piran slaughtered so vast a host upon the battlefield.”
#54
زمین گل شد از خون گودرزیان
✦
نجویی جز از رنج و راه زیان
“The earth turned to mud with the blood of the family of Goudarz; you seek nothing but suffering and the path of ruin.”
#55
کنون آمدی با هزاران هزار
✦
ز ترکان سوار از در کارزار
“And now you have arrived with thousands upon thousands of Turanian horsemen, eager for battle.”
#56
به آموی لشکر کشیدی به جنگ
✦
وز ایشان به پیش من آمد پشنگ
“You marched your host to the river Āmuy to wage war, and from them Pashang came before me.”
#57
فرستادیش تا ببرد سرم
✦
از آن پس تو ویران کنی کشورم
“You dispatched him to sever my head, so that thereafter you might lay waste to my realm.”
#58
جهاندار یزدان مرا یار گشت
✦
سر بخت دشمن نگونسار گشت
“Yet the Lord of the World became my helper, and the fortune of my enemy was cast down in ruin.”
#59
مرا گویی اکنون که از تخت تو
✦
دل‌افروز و شادانم از بخت تو
“And now you send word saying: 'I rejoice in your throne, and my heart is brightened by your good fortune!'”
#60
نگه کن که تا چون بود باورم
✦
چو کردارهای تو یاد آورم
“Consider how I could ever believe your words when I recall your past cruel deeds!”
#61
از این پس مرا جز به شمشیر تیز
✦
نباشد سخن با تو تا رستخیز
“Henceforth, until the Day of Resurrection, I shall speak to you only with the sharp edge of the sword!”
#62
بکوشم به نیروی گنج و سپاه
✦
به نیک اختر و گردش هور و ماه
“I shall strive with the power of treasure and armies, guided by good fortune and the celestial turns of sun and moon.”
#63
همان پیش یزدان بباشم به پای
✦
نخواهم به گیتی جز او رهنمای
“Likewise, I shall stand devoted before God, seeking no guide in all the world save Him.”
#64
مگر کز بدان پاک گردد جهان
✦
به داد و دهش من ببندم میان
“So that perchance the world may be cleansed of evil ones, I girdle my loins with justice and bounty.”
#65
بداندیش را از میان بر کنم
✦
سر بدنشان را بی‌افسر کنم
“I shall eradicate the malevolent enemy and strip the crown from the head of the ill-omened ruler.”
#66
سخن هرچه گفتم نیا را بگوی
✦
که در جنگ چندین بهانه مجوی
“Relay all that I have spoken to my grandfather, and tell him to seek no more pretenses in war.”