King Kay Khosrow ascended his golden throne, clutching the ancestral ox-headed mace in his hand. At his right side stood Zal of the white hair and Rostam the Champion, formidable as an exalted elephant and a fierce lion. At his left gathered Tus, Goudarz, Gev, Bizhan, and Rohham, their eyes fixed upon their monarch to learn his absolute will concerning the realm and the army.
The King addressed the assembled paladins: 'O illustrious leaders of the age! Whoever is guided by wisdom knows that the good and evil of this world are fleeting. We are all bound to depart this transient inn; why then should we encumber our souls with grief and turmoil? We toil to gather riches, only to leave them behind for others while we ourselves pass into dust. Now that vengeance is satisfied, the true hour of divine reward and retribution has arrived. Fear Almighty God and place no trust in this dark earth, for Time counts every breath a man draws.'
He recalled the ancient sovereigns—Hushang, Jamshid, and King Kavus—who, despite their divine radiance, thrones, and crowns, left nothing behind save their names. 'I too am but a servant like them,' Khosrow declared. 'I have striven and endured immense suffering, only to perceive that no mortal remains forever. Having attained all that I sought, I now uproot my heart from this temporary abode and turn my face away from the Kianian throne. To every champion who laboured in my cause, I shall bestow whatever treasures he desires, and I shall offer thanks for his deeds before God the Omniscient. Wealth, weapons, coin-bags, herds, and entire realms shall be distributed among the Iranian chiefs, for I have prepared my soul's path and purged my heart of darkness.'
Finally, the King commanded his host to revel and feast for a full week. The Iranian heroes listened in utter astonishment; some whispered in bewilderment that the King had lost his senses and that wisdom had abandoned his heart. Yet, the army dispersed across the plains, hills, and mountains. The sounds of flutes and the joyous cries of revelers ascended to the clouds, and for seven straight days, no man harbored sorrow or remembered the burdens of mortality.
#1
شهنشاه بر تخت زرین نشست
✦
یکی گُرزهٔ گاوپیکر به دست
“The King of kings sat upon his golden throne, clutching the ox-headed mace in his hand.”
#2
به یک دست او زال و رستم به هم
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چو پیل سرافراز و شیر دژم
“On one side of him stood Zal and Rostam together, like an exalted elephant and a fierce lion.”
#3
به دست دگر طوس و گودرز و گیو
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دگر بیژن گرد و رهام نیو
“On the other side stood Tus, Goudarz, and Gev, along with the brave Bizhan and the valiant Rohham.”
#4
نهاده همه چهر بر چشم شاه
✦
بدان تا چه گوید ز کار سپاه
“All had turned their faces toward the King's eyes, waiting to hear what he would command regarding the army.”
#5
به آواز گفت آن زمان شهریار
✦
که ای نامداران به روزگار
“Then the monarch raised his voice and said: 'O renowned champions of the age!'”
#6
هر آن کس که دارید راه و خرد
✦
بدانید کاین نیک و بد بگذرد
“'Whoever amongst you possesses path and wisdom, let him know that both good and evil shall pass away.'”
#7
همه رفتنی‌ایم و گیتی سپنچ
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چرا باید این درد و اندوه و رنج
“'We are all bound to depart, and the world is but a temporary inn; why then endure this pain, sorrow, and toil?'”
#8
ز هر دست خوبی فراز آوریم
✦
به دشمن بمانیم و خود بگذریم
“'With every effort we amass goodness, yet we leave it to the enemy and pass on ourselves.'”
#9
کنون گاو آن زیر چرم اندر است
✦
که پاداش و بادافره دیگرست
“'Now the cow lies skin-bound; reward and retribution belong to another realm.'”
#10
بترسید یکسر ز یزدان پاک
✦
مباشید ایمن بدین تیره خاک
“'Fear holy God entirely, and place no trust in this dark earth.'”
#11
که این روز بر ما همی بگذرد
✦
زمانه دم هر کسی بشمرد
“'For this day passes over us, and Time counts every man's breath.'”
#12
ز هوشنگ و جمشید و کاووس شاه
✦
که بودند با فر و تخت و کلاه
“'Consider Hushang, Jamshid, and King Kavus, who possessed divine radiance, throne, and crown.'”
#13
جز از نام از ایشان به گیتی نماند
✦
کسی نامهٔ رفتگان برنخواند
“'Naught remains of them in the world save their names; no one reads the codex of the departed.'”
#14
از ایشان بسی ناسپاسان بدند
✦
به فرجام زآن بد هراسان بدند
“'Among them were many who grew ungrateful, and in the end they recoiled in fear from their evil.'”
#15
چو ایشان همان من یکی بنده‌ام
✦
وگر چند با رنج کوشنده‌ام
“'I am but a servant like them, though I have striven with immense effort.'”
#16
بکوشیدم و رنج بردم بسی
✦
ندیدم که ایدر بماند کسی
“'I labored and suffered much toil, yet saw that no man abides here forever.'”
#17
کنون جان و دل ز این سرای سپنج
✦
بکندم سرآوردم این درد و رنج
“'Now I uproot my soul and heart from this transient hostelry, bringing an end to this pain and distress.'”
#18
کنون آنچه جستم همه یافتم
✦
ز تخت کیی روی برتافتم
“'All that I sought I have now attained, and I turn my face away from the Kianian throne.'”
#19
هر آن کس که در پیش من برد رنج
✦
ببخشم بدو هرچ خواهد ز گنج
“'Whoever endured hardship in my presence, I shall grant him whatever treasure he desires.'”
#20
ز کردار هر کس که دارم سپاس
✦
بگویم به یزدان نیکی‌شناس
“'I shall offer praise before God the Omniscient for the deeds of every man.'”
#21
به ایرانیان بخشم این خواسته
✦
سلیح و در گنج آراسته
“'I bestow these possessions, weapons, and adorned treasuries upon the Iranians.'”
#22
هر آن کس که هست از شما مهتری
✦
ببخشم به هر مهتری کشوری
“'To every chieftain among you, I shall grant a realm.'”
#23
همان بدره و برده و چارپای
✦
براندیشم آرم شمارش به جای
“'Likewise the coin-purses, captives, and livestock—I shall calculate and distribute all.'”
#24
ببخشم که من راه را ساختم
✦
وز این تیرگی دل بپرداختم
“'I grant these because I have prepared my path, and freed my heart from this darkness.'”
#25
شما دست شادی به خوردن برید
✦
به یک هفته ایدر چمید و چرید
“'Reach out your hands to feast and make merry; revel and roam here for a week.'”
#26
بخواهم که تا ز این سرای سپنج
✦
گذر یابم و دور مانم ز رنج
“'I desire to pass away from this transient hostelry and remain far removed from suffering.'”
#27
چو کیخسرو این پندها برگرفت
✦
بماندند گردان ایران شگفت
“When Kay Khosrow uttered these counsels, the Iranian heroes remained utterly amazed.”
#28
یکی گفت کاین شاه دیوانه شد
✦
خرد با دلش سخت بیگانه شد
“One whispered: 'This King has lost his mind; wisdom has grown alien to his heart!'”
#29
ندانم بر او بر چه خواهد رسید
✦
کجا خواهد این تاج و تخت آرمید
“'I know not what fate awaits him, or where this crown and throne shall come to rest.'”
#30
برفتند یکسر گروهاگروه
✦
همه دشت لشکر بد و راغ و کوه
“They departed in troops; the army filled the plains, foothills, and mountains.”
#31
غو نای و آوای مستان ز دشت
✦
تو گفتی همی از هوا برگذشت
“The sound of flutes and the voices of drunk revellers rose from the plain, as if soaring into the heavens.”
#32
ببودند یک هفته ز این گونه شاد
✦
کسی را نیامد غم و رنج یاد
“For a whole week they remained joyful in this manner; no one remembered sorrow or pain.”