#1
چو پاسخ به نزد سکندر رسید
✦
هم‌انگه ز لشکر سران برگزید
“When the reply reached Sikandar, he straightway chose leaders from his host,”
#2
که باشند شایسته و پیش‌رو
✦
به دانش کهن گشته و سال نو
“Men who were worthy and forward-looking, ripe in wisdom and tested by time.”
#3
سوی فور هندی سپاهی براند
✦
که روی زمین جز به دریا نماند
“He marched an army toward Fūr of India, such that no land was seen save the open sea.”
#4
به هر سو همی رفت زان‌سان سپاه
✦
تو گفتی جز آن بر زمین نیست راه
“The army marched in every direction, as though no other path existed upon the earth.”
#5
همه کوه و دریا و راه درشت
✦
به دل آتش جنگ‌جویان بکشت
“Yet the harsh mountains, seas, and rugged tracks quenched the warlike fire in their hearts.”
#6
ز رفتن سپه سربسر گشت کند
✦
ازان راه دشوار و پیکار تند
“The pace of the host grew sluggish from that arduous journey and fierce campaign.”
#7
هم‌انگه چو آمد به منزل سپاه
✦
گروهی برفتند نزدیک شاه
“When the host arrived at a camping place, a group of captains went before the king,”
#8
که ای قیصر روم و سالار چین
✦
سپاه ترا برنتابد زمین
“Saying, 'O Caesar of Rome and leader of China! The earth can no longer bear your legions.”
#9
نجوید همی جنگ تو فور هند
✦
نه فغفور چینی نه سالار سند
“Neither Fūr of India, nor the Faghfūr of China, nor the Lord of Sindh seeks battle with you.”
#10
سپه را چرا کرد باید تباه
✦
بدین مرز بی‌ارز و زین‌گونه راه
“Why should the army be brought to ruin in this worthless realm and along such a path?”
#11
ز لشکر نبینیم اسپی درست
✦
که شاید به تندی برو رزم جست
“In all the host we see not a single sound steed fit to mount for fierce combat.”
#12
ازین جنگ گر بازگردد سپاه
✦
سوار و پیاده نیابند راه
“If the army turns back now, neither horseman nor footman will find their way home.”
#13
چو پیروز بودیم تا این زمان
✦
به هرجای بر لشگر بدگمان
“Though we were victorious until this hour over every mistrustful host everywhere,”
#14
کنون سربه‌سر کوه و دریا به پیش
✦
به سیری نیامد کس از جان خویش
“Now before us lie only mountains and seas, and none is yet sated with life!'”
#15
مگردان همه نام ما را به ننگ
✦
نکردست کس جنگ با آب و سنگ
“'Do not turn our glorious name to shame, for none hath ever fought against water and stone.'”
#16
غمی شد سکندر ز گفتارشان
✦
برآشفت و بشکست بازارشان
“Sikandar grew grieved at their words; he flared with rage and shattered their market of complaints.”
#17
چنین گفت کز جنگ ایرانیان
✦
ز رومی کسی را نیامد زیان
“He spoke: 'In fighting the Iranians, no Roman ever suffered harm.”
#18
به دارا بر از بندگان بد رسید
✦
کسی از شما باد جسته ندید
“It was from his own servants that evil befell Dara; none of you sought the wind of battle.”
#19
برین راه من بی‌شما بگذرم
✦
دل اژدها را به پی بسپرم
“Upon this road I shall press onward without you, and trample the heart of the dragon underfoot!”
#20
بیینید ازان پس که رنجور فور
✦
نپردازد از بن به رزم و به سور
“Then shall ye see how afflicted Fūr will abandon both battle and feast from his very roots.”
#21
مرایار یزدان و ایران سپاه
✦
نخواهم که رومی بود نیک‌خواه
“My allies are God and the host of Iran; I desire no Roman as a well-wisher!'”
#22
چو آشفته شد شاه زان گفت و گوی
✦
سپه سوی پوزش نهادند روی
“When the king grew enraged at those words, the host turned their faces toward apologizing,”
#23
که ما سربسر بندهٔ قیصریم
✦
زمین جز به فرمان او نسپریم
“Saying, 'We are all servants of Caesar; we shall tread the earth only by his command.”
#24
بکوشیم و چون اسپ گردد تباه
✦
پیاده به جنگ اندر آید سپاه
“We shall strive, and when our horses perish, the host will enter battle on foot.”
#25
گر از خون ما خاک دریا کنند
✦
نشیبی ز افگنده بالا کنند
“Even if the dust of the sea is made of our blood, and mountains raised from the slain,”
#26
نبیند کسی پشت ما روز جنگ
✦
اگر چرخ بار آورد کوه سنگ
“None shall see our backs on the day of battle, though the heavens rain down heavy stones.”
#27
همه بندگانیم و فرمان تراست
✦
چو آزار گیری ز ما جان تراست
“We are all your servants and the command is yours; if you are aggrieved by us, our souls are yours.'”
#28
چو بشنید زیشان سکندر سخن
✦
یکی رزم را دیگر افگند بن
“When Sikandar heard their words, he laid a new foundation for the coming war.”
#29
گزین کرد ز ایرانیان سی هزار
✦
که بودند با آلت کارزار
“He selected thirty thousand from among the Iranians, fully equipped with instruments of battle.”
#30
برفتند کارآزموده سران
✦
زره‌دار مردان جنگاوران
“Battle-tested leaders went forth, armored men and valiant warriors.”
#31
پس پشت ایشان ز رومی سوار
✦
یکی قلب دیگر همان چل هزار
“Behind them came the Roman cavalry, one center corps and another forty thousand strong.”
#32
پس پشت ایشان سواران مصر
✦
دلیران و خنجرگزاران مصر
“Behind them followed the horsemen of Egypt, brave men and wielders of daggers.”
#33
برفتند شمشیرزن چل هزار
✦
هرانکس که بود از در کارزار
“Forty thousand swordsmen marched forth, whoever was worthy of the battlefield.”
#34
ز خویشان دارا و ایرانیان
✦
هرانکس که بود از نژاد کیان
“From the kinsmen of Dara and the Iranians, whoever was of the royal lineage of Kayans,”
#35
ز رومی و از مصری و بربری
✦
سواران شایسته و لشکری
“And of Romans, Egyptians, and Berbers—worthy horsemen and warriors all,”
#36
گزین کرد قیصر ده و دو هزار
✦
همه رزمجوی و همه نامدار
“Caesar chose twelve thousand, all warlike and renowned,”
#37
بدان تا پس پشت او زین گروه
✦
در و دشت گردد به کردار کوه
“So that behind him, this host would make valley and plain seem like a mountain.”
#38
از اخترشناسان و از موبدان
✦
جهاندیده و نامور بخردان
“From astrologers, Mobads, world-wise men, and renowned sages,”
#39
همی برد با خویشتن شست مرد
✦
پژوهندهٔ روزگار نبرد
“He took sixty men with him, researchers into the times of battle.”
#40
چو آگاه شد فور کامد سپاه
✦
گزین کرد جای از در رزمگاه
“When Fūr learned that the army was approaching, he chose a fit ground for battle.”
#41
به دشت اندرون لشکر انبوه گشت
✦
زمین از پی پیل چون کوه گشت
“In the plain the host gathered in dense masses; the ground became like a mountain from the feet of the elephants.”
#42
سپاهی کشیدند بر چار میل
✦
پس پشت گردان و در پیش پیل
“They drew up an army four miles deep, behind the warriors and in front of the elephants.”
#43
ز هندوستان نیز کارآگهان
✦
برفتند نزدیک شاه جهان
“Scouts also went forth from India and came before the King of the World,”
#44
بگفتند با او بسی رزم پیل
✦
که او اسپ را بفگند از دو میل
“They told him much of the elephant war: how an elephant overthrows a horse from two miles away,”
#45
سواری نیارد بر او شدن
✦
نه چون شد بود راه بازآمدن
“No rider dare approach it, nor if he does is there any way of return.”
#46
که خرطوم او از هوا برترست
✦
ز گردون مر او را زحل یاورست
“Its trunk rises higher than the air; Saturn itself seems its helper in the high heavens.”
#47
به قرطاس بر پیل بنگاشتند
✦
به چشم جهانجوی بگذاشتند
“They depicted the elephant upon paper and placed it before the eyes of the world-conquering king.”
#48
بفرمود تا فیلسوفان روم
✦
یکی پیل کردند پیشش ز موم
“He commanded the philosophers of Rome to fashion an elephant out of wax before him.”
#49
چنین گفت کاکنون به پاکیزه رای
✦
که آرد یکی چارهٔ این به جای
“He spoke thus: 'Now, with pure wisdom, who can devise a remedy for this?'”
#50
نشستند دانش پژوهان بهم
✦
یکی چاره جستند بر بیش و کم
“The scholars sat together in counsel, seeking a remedy for every detail of the challenge.”
#51
یکی انجمن کرد ز آهنگران
✦
هرانکس که استاد بود اندران
“He assembled a council of blacksmiths, gathering everyone who was a master of the trade.”
#52
ز رومی و از مصری و پارسی
✦
فزون بود مرد از چهل بار سی
“From Romans, Egyptians, and Persians, there were more than twelve hundred craftsmen.”
#53
یکی بارگی ساختند آهنین
✦
سوارش ز آهن ز آهنش زین
“They constructed an iron steed, with an iron rider mounted upon an iron saddle.”
#54
به میخ و به مس درزها دوختند
✦
سوار و تن باره بفروختند
“They joined the seams with nails and copper, polishing the rider and the body of the horse until they shone.”
#55
به گردون براندند بر پیش شاه
✦
درونش پر از نفط کرده سیاه
“They rolled it on a carriage before the king, its interior filled with dark naphtha.”
#56
سکندر بدید آن پسند آمدش
✦
خردمند را سودمند آمدش
“When Sekandar saw it, he approved; the wise monarch found it exceedingly useful.”
#57
بفرمود تا زان فزون از هزار
✦
ز آهن بکردند اسپ و سوار
“He ordered that more than a thousand such horses and riders be forged of iron.”
#58
ازان ابرش و خنگ و بور و سیاه
✦
که دیدست شاهی ز آهن سپاه
“Painted as piebald, white, chestnut, and black—who has ever seen a king with an army made of iron?”
#59
از آهن سپاهی به گردون براند
✦
که جز با سواران جنگی نماند
“He advanced this iron army on carriages, appearing no different from living battle-knights.”