#1
چو آگاه شد شاه کامد پسر
✦
کلاه کیان بر نهاده بسر
“When the king learned that his son had arrived, wearing the Kianian crown upon his head,”
#2
مهان و کهانرا همه خواند پیش
✦
همه زند و استا به نزدیک خویش
“He summoned all the nobles, great and small, bringing the Zand and Avesta near to him.”
#3
همه موبدان را به کرسی نشاند
✦
پس آن خسرو تیغ‌زن را بخواند
“He seated all the mobads upon thrones, then called for that sword-wielding kingly warrior.”
#4
بیامد گو و دست کرده بکش
✦
به پیش پدر شد پرستار فش
“The champion arrived with arms folded in reverence, standing before his father like a dutiful servant.”
#5
شه خسروان گفت با موبدان
✦
بدان رادمردان و اسپهبدان
“The king of kings spoke to the mobads, to those noble men and warlords:”
#6
چه گویید گفتا که آزاده‌اید
✦
به سختی همه پرورش داده‌اید
“"What say you," he said, "for you are noble, and have raised children through hardship?”
#7
به گیتی کسی را که باشد پسر
✦
بدو شاد باشد دل تاجور
“When a man in this world has a son, the monarch's heart rejoices in him.”
#8
به هنگام شیرین به دایه دهد
✦
یکی تاج زرینش بر سر نهد
“In due time he entrusts him to a nurse, and sets a golden crown upon his head.”
#9
همی داردش تا شود چیره دست
✦
بیاموزدش خوردن و بر نشست
“He nurtures him until he grows powerful, teaching him etiquette and how to ride.”
#10
بسی رنج بیند گرانمایه مرد
✦
سورای کندش آزموده نبرد
“The noble man endures great toil to make him a battle-tested knight.”
#11
چو آزاده را ره به مردی رسد
✦
چنان زر که از کان به زردی رسد
“When the noble son reaches manhood, gleaming like pure gold drawn from the mine,”
#12
مراورا بجوید چو جویندگان
✦
ورا بیش گویند گویندگان
“Seekers search for him, and storytellers sing his praises.”
#13
سواری شود نیک و پیروز رزم
✦
سرانجمنها به رزم و به بزم
“He becomes a splendid knight, victorious in war, the leader of assemblies in battle and feast.”
#14
چو نیرو کند با سرو یال و شاخ
✦
پدر پیر گشته نشسته به کاخ
“But when he gains strength of arm and chest, while the father has grown old and sits in his palace,”
#15
جهان را کند یکسره زو تهی
✦
نباشد سزاوار تخت مهی
“The son clears the world of his father's presence, believing the old man unfit for the royal throne!”
#16
ندارد پدر جز یکی نام تخت
✦
نشسته در ایوان نگهبان رخت
“The father retains nothing but the empty title of the throne, sitting in his hall as a mere guardian of goods.”
#17
پسر را جهان و درفش و سپاه
✦
پدر را یکی تاج و زرین کلاه
“The son claims the world, the banner, and the host, leaving the father only a crown and golden hat.”
#18
نباشد بران پور همداستان
✦
پسندند گردان چنین داستان
“Can any noble agree with such a son? Do champions approve of such a story?”
#19
ز بهر یکی تاج و افسر پسر
✦
تن باب را دور خواهد ز سر
“For the sake of a crown and diadem, the son desires the father's head severed from his shoulders!”
#20
کند با سپاهش پس آهنگ اوی
✦
نهاده دلش نیز بر جنگ اوی
“He marches against his father with his army, his heart set upon waging war against him!”
#21
چه گویید پیران که با این پسر
✦
چه نیکو بود کار کردن پدر
“Speak, elders! How should a father deal with such a son?"”
#22
گزینانش گفتند کای شهریار
✦
نیاید خود این هرگز اندر شمار
“The chosen nobles replied: "O King! Such a deed is unthinkable and beyond measure.”
#23
پدر زنده و پور جویای گاه
✦
ازین خام‌تر نیز کاری مخواه
“For a son to seek the throne while his father lives—ask for no foolish deed worse than this!"”
#24
جهاندار گفتا که اینک پسر
✦
که آهنگ دارد به جای پدر
“The ruler of the world said: "Here stands the son who plots to take his father's place!”
#25
ولیکن من او را به چوبی زنم
✦
که گیرند عبرت همه برزنم
“Yet I shall punish him with such a stroke that all the world shall take warning!”
#26
ببندم چنانش سزاوار پس
✦
ببندی که کس را نبستست کس
“I shall bind him as he deserves, in fetters such as no man has ever been bound before!"”
#27
پسر گفت کای شاه آزاده‌خوی
✦
مرا مرگ تو کی کند آرزوی
“The prince said: "O noble-natured King! When did I ever desire your death?”
#28
ندانم گناهی من ای شهریار
✦
که کردستم اندر همه روزگار
“I know of no sin, O Sovereign, that I have committed in all my life.”
#29
به جان تو ای شاه گر بد به دل
✦
گمان برده‌ام پس سرم بر گسل
“By your life, O King! If I harbored evil in my heart, then sever my head from my body!”
#30
ولیکن تو شاهی و فرمان تراست
✦
تراام من و بند و زندان تراست
“Yet you are king and the command is yours; I am your servant, and the fetters and prison belong to you.”
#31
کنون بند فرما و گر خواه کش
✦
مرا دل درستست و آهسته هش
“Now order me bound, or slay me if you wish; my heart is pure and my mind serene."”
#32
سر خسروان گفت بند آورید
✦
مر او را ببندید و زین مگذرید
“The king of kings commanded: "Bring fetters! Bind him tightly, and depart not from this command!"”
#33
به پیش آوریدند آهنگران
✦
غل و بند و زنجیرهای گران
“Blacksmiths brought forth heavy bonds, shackles, and massive iron chains.”
#34
دران انجمن کس به خواهش زبان
✦
نجنبید بر شهریار جهان
“In that assembly, no one dared open their mouth to plead before the king of the world.”
#35
ببستند او را سر و دست و پای
✦
به پیش جهاندار گیهان خدای
“They bound his arms, legs, and neck before the ruler of the world.”
#36
چنانش ببستند پای استوار
✦
که هرکش همی دید بگریست زار
“They bound his feet so firmly that whoever saw it wept bitterly.”
#37
چو کردند زنجیر در گردنش
✦
بفرمود بسته به در بردنش
“When they put the heavy chain around his neck, the king ordered him led outside in bonds.”
#38
بیارید گفتا یکی پیل نر
✦
دونده پرنده چو مرغی به پر
“He ordered: "Bring a mighty male elephant, fast-moving and swift as a bird on the wing!"”
#39
فراز آوریدند پیلی چو نیل
✦
مر او را ببستند بر پشت پیل
“They brought an elephant dark as the Nile and bound Esfandiyar upon its back.”
#40
چو بردندش از پیش فرخ پدر
✦
دو دیده پر از آب و رخساره‌تر
“As they led him away from his royal father, his eyes were full of tears and his cheeks wet with sorrow.”
#41
فرستاده سوی دژ گنبدان
✦
گرفته پس و پیش اسپهبدان
“He was dispatched toward the Fortress of Gombadan, surrounded before and behind by warlords.”
#42
پر از درد بردند بر کوهسار
✦
ستون آوریدند ز آهن چهار
“Full of anguish, they carried him up the mountain, bringing four massive pillars of iron.”
#43
به کرده ستونها بزرگ آهنین
✦
سر اندر هوا و بن اندر زمین
“They erected those huge iron pillars, their tops reaching into the air and their bases rooted deep in the earth.”
#44
مر او را برانجا ببستند سخت
✦
ز تختش بیفگند و برگشت بخت
“They bound him tightly to those pillars; he was cast down from his throne as fortune turned against him.”
#45
نگهبان او کرد پس‌اند مرد
✦
گو پهلوان زاده با داغ و درد
“Afterwards, many men were set to guard him, as the hero-born prince remained in severe suffering and pain.”
#46
بدان تنگی اندر همی زیستی
✦
زمان تا زمان زار بگریستی
“In that narrow cell of dire affliction he endured his days, weeping bitterly time after time.”