When the shadows of night dissolved and the world-illuminating sun crested the heavens, the hosts of both Iran and Turan mounted their warhorses. King Goshtasp ascended the mountain crest to behold the impending clash. He called for his formidable black steed, Behzad—a horse imposing as Mount Bisotun itself. War-armor was fastened upon the beast, and the monarch of monarchs swung into the saddle. Both armies descended into the valley, and brass trumpets blared from atop war elephants. The field of combat was drawn in strict array, and champions roared out demanding worthy foes.
First came a cloud-burst of arrows, falling like spring hail. The sun's radiant eye was eclipsed by glittering iron arrowheads, as though the sky held a dark cloud that rained cut diamonds. Mace-bearers and lancers charged across the divide; the atmosphere turned pitch-black while the earth beneath became crimson with blood.
The first to ride into the fray was Prince Ardashir, a noble and fierce warrior carrying a heavy spear, recalling the mighty general Tus. He paraded before the Iranian ranks, unaware of the decree of fate. Suddenly, a penetrating shaft pierced his waist, driving through his royal armor. The moon-faced prince pitched headlong from his chestnut steed, his pristine flesh steeped in blood; alas for that handsome royal youth, whom wise King Goshtasp would never look upon again.
Seeing his fall, Prince Hormozd, lion-hearted and dearly beloved by the Shahanshah, surged forward to avenge him. Brandishing a dagger tempered in poison, he roared like a ravenous beast bringing down a wild ass. Driven by vengeance, he cut down a thousand enemy horsemen. Yet as he turned back from the field, a fateful shaft struck him from behind, and that royal prince perished.
Then entered Prince Shidasp, radiant as the moon, riding a dark steed as black as the Nile—a mount swift as a gazelle and massive as an elephant. Shidasp brandished his lance and challenged: "Where is Kahram the mighty, whose frame resembles an ancient wolf?" A wolfish Turanian warrior stepped forth, boasting: "I am he who battles even hungry lions!" They clashed like twin tempests; Shidasp struck the Turkic warrior with his spear, hurled him from his mount, severed his head, and cast his golden girdle into the dust. Shidasp rode before the Chinese ranks like a towering mountain on horseback, unparalleled in beauty and valor. But an evil fate awaited him: a Turanian archer loosed a shaft that pierced Shidasp through the chest, its iron point emerging from his back. Thus fell the tenderly nurtured prince, his royal father never to behold his countenance again.
#1
چو اندر گذشت آن شب و بود روز
✦
بتابید خورشید گیهان فروز
“When that night passed away and day arrived, the world-illuminating sun began to shine.”
#2
به زین بر نشستند هر دو سپاه
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همی دید زان کوه گشتاسپ شاه
“Both armies mounted their steeds, while King Goshtasp watched from atop the mountain.”
#3
چو از کوه دید آن شه بافرین
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کجا برنشستند گردان به زین
“When the glorious king saw from the mountain how the champions leaped into their saddles,”
#4
سیه رنگ بهزاد را پیش خواست
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تو گفتی که بیستونست راست
“He called for his black steed Behzad, which looked as grand as Mount Bisotun itself.”
#5
برو بر فگندند برگستوان
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برو بر نشست آن شه خسروان
“They cast heavy battle armor upon the steed, and that king of monarchs mounted him.”
#6
چو هر دو برابر فرود آمدند
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ابر پیل بر نای رویین زدند
“When both armies descended face to face, they beat the brass clarions upon the elephants.”
#7
یکی رزمگاهی بیاراستند
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یلان هم نبردان همی خواستند
“They arrayed a mighty battlefield, and the warriors called out for single combat.”
#8
بکردند یک تیرباران نخست
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بسان تگرگ بهاران درست
“First they unleashed a shower of arrows, falling thick like spring hail.”
#9
بشد آفتاب از جهان ناپدید
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چه داند کسی کان شگفتی ندید
“The sun vanished from the heavens; none can comprehend who has not witnessed such a marvel.”
#10
بپوشیده شد چشمهٔ آفتاب
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ز پیکانهاشان درفشان چو آب
“The bright orb of the sun was hidden behind their arrowheads, glittering like sparkling water.”
#11
تو گفتی جهان ابر دارد همی
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وزان ابر الماس بارد همی
“You would say the sky held a dark cloud, and from that cloud rained sharp diamond blades.”
#12
وزان گرزداران و نیزه‌وران
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همی تاختند آن برین این بران
“And the mace-bearers and spearmen charged across, attacking from both sides.”
#13
هوازی جهان بود شبگون شده
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زمین سربسر پاک گلگون شده
“The atmosphere turned dark as night, and the ground became completely crimson with blood.”
#14
بیامد نخست آن سوار هژیر
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پس شهریار جهان اردشیر
“First came that valiant rider, Ardashir, son of the ruler of the world.”
#15
به آوردگه رفت نیزه به دست
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تو گفتی مگر طوس اسپهبدست
“He entered the arena spear in hand, looking like General Tus himself.”
#16
برین سان همی گشت پیش سپاه
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نبود آگه از بخش خورشید و ماه
“Thus he paraded before the army, unaware of the decree of fate written in the stars.”
#17
بیامد یکی ناوکش بر میان
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گذارنده شد بر سلیح کیان
“An arrow struck him straight in the waist, piercing through his royal armor.”
#18
ز بور اندر افتاد خسرو نگون
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تن پاکش آلوده شد پر ز خون
“The prince fell headlong from his chestnut horse, his pure body completely stained with blood.”
#19
دریغ آن نکو روی همرنگ ماه
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که بازش ندید آن خردمند شاه
“Alas for that handsome youth, bright as the moon, whom that wise king never saw again!”
#20
بیامد بر شاه شیر اورمزد
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کجا زو گرفتی شهنشاه پزد
“Then stepped forward lion-hearted Hormozd, whom the Shahanshah held so dear.”
#21
ز پیش اندر آمد به دشت اندرا
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به زهر آب داده یکی خنجرا
“He stepped out onto the plain, holding a dagger tempered in poison.”
#22
خروشی برآورد برسان شیر
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که آورد خواهد ژیان گور زیر
“He uttered a roar like a lion that is about to bring down a fierce wild ass.”
#23
ابر کین آن شاهزاده سوار
✦
بکشت از سواران دشمن هزار
“To avenge that fallen royal prince, he slew a thousand of the enemy riders.”
#24
به هنگامهٔ بازگشتن ز جنگ
✦
که روی زمین گشته بد لاله رنگ
“When he was returning from the battle, as the ground had turned red as tulips,”
#25
بیامد یکی تیرش اندر قفا
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شد آن خسرو شاهزاده فنا
“An arrow struck him from behind, and that noble prince perished.”
#26
بیامد پسش باز شیدسپ شاه
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که مانندهٔ شاه بد همچو ماه
“After him came King Shidasp, who resembled a monarch and shone like the moon.”
#27
یکی دیزه‌ای بر نشسته چو نیل
✦
به تگ همچو آهو به تن همچو پیل
“He was mounted on a dark steed as black as the Nile, fast as a gazelle and massive as an elephant.”
#28
به آوردگه گشت و نیزه بگاشت
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چو لختی بگردید نیزه بداشت
“He circled the battlefield and brandished his spear; after wheeling about, he raised his spear high.”
#29
کدامست گفتا کهرم سترگ
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کجا پیکرش پیکر پیر گرگ
“He cried out: "Which one is the mighty Kahram, whose shape is like an old wolf?"”
#30
بیامد یکی دیو گفتا منم
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که با گرسنه شیر دندان زنم
“A demon-like Turk came forward and said: "I am he who clashes teeth even with a hungry lion!"”
#31
به نیزه بگشتند هر دو چو باد
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بزد ترک را نیزهٔ شاهزاد
“Both wound their spears like the wind; the royal prince struck the Turkic champion.”
#32
ز باره در آورد و ببرید سر
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به خاک اندر افگنده زرین کمر
“He dragged him from his horse and severed his head, throwing his golden belt into the dust.”
#33
همی گشت بر پیش گردان چین
✦
بسان یکی کوه بر پشت زین
“He paraded before the warriors of China, like a mountain standing upon the saddle.”
#34
همانا چنو نیز دیده ندید
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ز خوبی کجا بود چشمش رسید
“Truly none had seen a hero like him; alas, an evil eye fell upon his peerless beauty.”
#35
یکی ترک تیری برو برگماشت
✦
ز پشتش سر تیر بیرون گذاشت
“A Turanian archer aimed an arrow at him; the arrowhead pierced through his back.”
#36
دریغ آن شه پروریده به ناز
✦
بشد روی او باب نادیده باز
“Alas for that prince raised in luxury; his father never again looked upon his face!”