Drenched in blood and weighed down by agony, Rostam returned from his grueling battle against the invulnerable prince Esfandiyar. Upon beholding the champion in such a grievous state, Zal let out an anguished cry, while Rudabeh tore her hair and scratched her cheeks in unbearable sorrow. Zavareh and Faramarz unbuckled Rostam's belt and removed the blood-soaked Babr-e Bayan armor from his frame, as all the healers and sages of Zabolistan gathered outside the palace gates. Zal wept bitter tears, pressing his face against his son's wounds, lamenting that in his old age he must witness such suffering. Yet Rostam urged his father not to despair, declaring that this was the decree of the heavens. He confessed that despite his vast strength—which had once hurled the White Demon to the earth and shattered iron anvils—his arrows and blade had proven utterly powerless against Esfandiyar's mystical armor. Desperate, Rostam pondered fleeing Zabolistan into exile so that Esfandiyar might eventually abandon his vengeance. But the wise, white-haired Zal halted his son's despair, reminding him that every plight on earth has a remedy, save death itself. Zal then declared his intent to summon the legendary Simorgh from her peak on Mount Alborz by burning her sacred feather, trusting that the divine bird would provide a miraculous solution to save Rostam and their ancestral realm.
#1
وزان روی رستم به ایوان رسید
✦
مر او را بران گونه دستان بدید
“Meanwhile, Rostam reached his palace hall, where Dastan (Zal) saw him in that tragic state.”
#2
زواره فرامرز گریان شدند
✦
ازان خستگیهاش بریان شدند
“Zavareh and Faramarz broke into weeping, their hearts burning at his terrible wounds.”
#3
ز سربر همی کند رودابه موی
✦
بر آواز ایشان همی خست روی
“Rudabeh tore her hair from her head, scratching her cheeks to the sound of their wailing.”
#4
زواره به زودی گشادش میان
✦
ازو برکشیدند ببر بیان
“Zavareh hastily unbuckled his belt, and they drew off the Babr-e Bayan from his body.”
#5
هرانکس که دانا بد از کشورش
✦
نشستند یکسر همه بر درش
“Every wise man and healer in the land gathered at his door.”
#6
بفرمود تا رخش را پیش اوی
✦
ببردند و هرکس که بد چاره‌جوی
“Zal ordered Rakhsh to be brought before him, along with all who sought a remedy.”
#7
گرانمایه دستان همی کند موی
✦
بران خستگیها بمالید روی
“The noble Dastan tore his hair, rubbing his face against Rostam's painful wounds.”
#8
همی گفت من زنده با پیر سر
✦
بدیدم بدین سان گرامی پسر
“Lamenting, he said: 'Must I live to old age only to behold my precious son in such agony?'”
#9
بدو گفت رستم کزین غم چه سود
✦
که این ز آسمان بودنی کار بود
“Rostam said to him: 'What avails this grief? This was a fate decreed from heaven above.'”
#10
به پیش است کاری که دشوارتر
✦
وزو جان من پر ز تیمارتر
“'A far harder task lies ahead of us, filling my soul with even deeper affliction.'”
#11
که هرچند من بیش پوزش کنم
✦
که این شیردل را فروزش کنم
“'For no matter how much I offer apologies to kindle goodwill in that lion-hearted prince,'”
#12
نجوید همی جز همه ناخوشی
✦
به گفتار و کردار و گردنکشی
“'He seeks nothing but discord, through arrogant words, harsh deeds, and obstinacy.'”
#13
رسیدم ز هر سو به گرد جهان
✦
خبر یافتم ز آشکار و نهان
“'I have traversed the wide world from end to end, learning secrets both manifest and hidden.'”
#14
گرفتم کمربند دیو سپید
✦
زدم بر زمین همچو یک شاخ بید
“'I seized the belt of the White Demon himself and cast him to the earth like a willow branch!'”
#15
نتابم همی سر ز اسفندیار
✦
ازان زور و آن بخشش کارزار
“'Yet I cannot prevail against Esfandiyar, despite all my strength and combat prowess!'”
#16
خدنگم ز سندان گذر یافتی
✦
زبون داشتی گر سپر یافتی
“'My poplar arrow used to pierce anvils of iron and shatter any shield it struck.'”
#17
زدم چند بر گبر اسفندیار
✦
گراینده دست مرا داشت خوار
“'Yet I struck Esfandiyar's armor again and again, but his invulnerable armor held my striking hand in contempt.'”
#18
همان تیغ من گر بدیدی پلنگ
✦
نهان داشتی خویشتن زیر سنگ
“'My blade—at the sight of which even a leopard would hide beneath the rocks—'”
#19
نبرد همی جوشن اندر برش
✦
نه آن پارهٔ پرنیان بر سرش
“'Failed to cut through his coat of mail, or even slice the silk cloth upon his head!'”
#20
سپاسم ز یزدان که شب تیره شد
✦
دران تیرگی چشم او خیره شد
“'I give thanks to God that dark night fell, blinding his eyes in the gloom,'”
#21
برستم من از چنگ آن اژدها
✦
ندانم کزین خسته آیم رها
“'So I escaped from the claws of that dragon—though I know not if I shall survive these wounds.'”
#22
چه اندیشم اکنون جزین نیست رای
✦
که فردا بگردانم از رخش پای
“'What can I devise now? My only recourse is to turn Rakhsh away tomorrow,'”
#23
به جایی شوم کو نیاید نشان
✦
به زابلستان گر کند سرفشان
“'And flee to a place where no trace of me can be found, even if he wreaks destruction upon Zabolistan.'”
#24
سرانجام ازان کار سیر آید او
✦
اگرچه ز بد سیر دیر آید او
“'In the end he will tire of his pursuit, though wicked hearts grow slow to tire of harm.'”
#25
بدو گفت زال ای پسر گوش دار
✦
سخن چون به یاد آوری هوش دار
“Zal said to him: 'O my son, listen well, and keep your mind sharp as you heed my words.'”
#26
همه کارهای جهان را در است
✦
مگر مرگ کانرا دری دیگر است
“'Every plight in this world has a doorway of escape—save for death, which has no remedy.'”
#27
یکی چاره دانم من این را گزین
✦
که سیمرغ را یار خوانم برین
“'I know of one supreme choice: to call upon the Simorgh for aid in this dire hour!'”
#28
گر او باشدم زین سخن رهنمای
✦
بماند به ما کشور و بوم و جای
“'If she becomes our guide in this matter, our land, kingdom, and realm shall be saved.'”