When the great Hormozd ascended the throne of sovereignty, tranquility encompassed the realm, and the claws of the wolf were clipped from the flock. He offered hymns of praise to the Almighty Creator who wrought the revolving heavens, Mars, Saturn, and the radiant Sun. Through righteous speeches, the king imparted deep wisdom upon his nobles, counseling them on justice, humility, and the perils of ingratitude and sloth. For nine years he held the scepter with wisdom, until the wheel of fate turned, and illness took his life in his youth, leaving no mature prince to claim the crown. For forty days the empire wept, and the throne stood vacant. Then the chief Mobad entered the royal chambers and discovered a maiden of breathtaking beauty, whose womb bore the secret seed of kingship. The nobles placed the royal crown suspended above the couch, and within forty days, a child radiant as the sun was born. The Mobad bestowed upon him the name Shapur, celebrating his birth with grand festivities. Golden-girdled warriors wrapped the forty-day-old infant in fine silk and placed him beneath that suspended golden crown upon his blessed father's throne, restoring the Divine Glory to Iran.
#1
چو بر گاه رفت اورمزد بزرگ
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ز نخچیر کوتاه شد چنگ گرگ
“When the great Hormozd ascended the throne, the wolf's claws were stayed from the prey.”
#2
جهان را همی داشت با ایمنی
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نهان گشت کردار آهرمنی
“He maintained the world in safety and peace, so that the deeds of Ahriman were rendered hidden.”
#3
نخست آفرین کرد بر کردگار
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توانا و دانا و پروردگار
“First he offered praise unto the Creator—the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Sustainer.”
#4
شب و روز و گردان سپهر آفرید
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چو بهرام و کیوان و مهر آفرید
“Who created night and day and the turning firmament, fashioning Mars, Saturn, and the radiant Sun.”
#5
ازویست پیروزی و فرهی
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دل و داد و دیهیم شاهنشهی
“From Him come victory and divine glory, as well as wisdom, justice, and the royal crown.”
#6
همیشه دل ما پر از داد باد
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دل زیردستان به ما شاد باد
“"May our hearts ever be filled with justice, and may the hearts of our subjects be made joyful by us."”
#7
ستایش نیابد سر سفله مرد
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بر سفلگان تا توانی مگرد
“"A vile person shall never attain praise; as much as you can, turn not toward the base."”
#8
همان نیز با مرد بدخواه رای
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اگر پندگیری به نیکی گرای
“"Likewise, consult not with an ill-intentioned man; if you heed counsel, incline ever toward goodness."”
#9
ز بخشش هرانکس که جوید سپاس
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نخواندش بخشنده یزدان‌شناس
“"Whosoever seeks praise for his bestowals is not deemed generous by those who know God."”
#10
ستاننده گر ناسپاست نیز
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سزد گر ندارد کس او را به چیز
“"And if the receiver be ungrateful, it is fitting that no one count him as anything."”
#11
هراسان بود مردم سخت‌کار
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که او را نباشد کسی دوستدار
“"The harsh and oppressive man lives ever in fear, for he has no one who truly loves him."”
#12
وگر سستی آرد به کار اندرون
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نخواند ورا رای‌زن رهنمون
“"And if a ruler brings weakness and apathy to affairs, no wise counselor will call him a true leader."”
#13
گر از کاهلان یار خواهی به کار
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نباشی جهانجوی و مردم‌شمار
“"If you seek aid in grand endeavors from the lazy, you shall neither conquer realms nor be reckoned among men."”
#14
نگر خویشتن را نداری بزرگ
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وگر گاه یابی نگردی سترگ
“"Beware that you exalt not yourself, nor become arrogant when you attain power and position."”
#15
چو بدخو شود مرد درویش خوار
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همی بیند آن از بد روزگار
“"When a needy man becomes ill-tempered and contemptible, he suffers this through the misfortune of times."”
#16
همه‌ساله بیکار و نالان ز بخت
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نه رای و نه دانش نه زیبای تخت
“"Ever idle and lamenting his fate—lacking wisdom, knowledge, and fit for no throne."”
#17
وگر بازگیرند ازو خواسته
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شود جان و مغز و دلش کاسته
“"And if wealth be taken from him, his spirit, mind, and heart diminish unto nothing."”
#18
به بی چیزی و بدخویی یازد اوی
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ندارد خرد گردن افرازد اوی
“"He leans into poverty and ill temper, lacking wisdom yet exalting his neck in pride."”
#19
نه چیز و نه دانش نه رای و هنر
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نه دین و نه خشنودی دادگر
“"He possesses neither wealth nor knowledge, judgment nor art, religion nor the favor of the Just Creator."”
#20
شما را شب و روز فرخنده باد
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بداندیش را جان پراگنده باد
“"May your days and nights be ever blessed, and may the soul of the ill-wisher be shattered!"”
#21
برو مهتران آفرین ساختند
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خود از سوک شاهان بپرداختند
“The nobles sang praises unto him, casting away their mourning for former kings.”
#22
چو نه سال بگذشت بر سر سپهر
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گل زرد شد آن چو گلنار چهر
“When nine years elapsed under the turning sky, his pomegranate-blossom cheeks withered into pale yellow.”
#23
غمی شد ز مرگ آن سر تاجور
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بمرد و به شاهی نبودش پسر
“The crowned monarch fell ill and passed away, leaving no son ready to assume the kingship.”
#24
چنان نامور مرد شیرین‌سخن
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به نوی بشد زین سرای کهن
“Thus that famed and sweet-spoken man departed in his youth from this ancient abode.”
#25
چنین بود تا بود چرخ روان
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توانا به هر کار و ما ناتوان
“Such has been the way of the revolving sphere since time began—all-powerful in every turn, while we remain helpless.”
#26
چهل روز سوکش همی داشتند
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سر گاه او خوار بگذاشتند
“For forty days they observed his mourning, leaving the crown and throne vacant and disdained.”
#27
به چندین زمان تخت بیکار بود
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سر مهتران پر ز تیمار بود
“For all this time the throne lay empty, and the hearts of the nobles were filled with sorrow and anxiety.”
#28
نگه کرد موبد شبستان شاه
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یکی لاله رخ دید تابان چو ماه
“The Mobad looked into the king's royal chamber and beheld a tulip-cheeked maiden shining like the full moon.”
#29
سر مژه چون خنجر کابلی
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دو زلفش چو پیچان خط مغولی (؟)
“Her eyelashes were sharp as Kabuli daggers, her twin locks twisted like Mongolian script.”
#30
مسلسل یک اندر دگر بافته
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گره بر زده سرش برتافته
“Her hair braided tightly link by link, knotted and intertwined in radiant glory.”
#31
پری چهره را بچه اندر نهان
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ازان خوب‌رخ شادمان شد جهان
“Within her secret womb, the fairy-faced maiden carried a child; at this news, the world rejoiced.”
#32
چهل روزه شد رود و می خواستند
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یکی تخت شاهی بیاراستند
“When forty days had passed, they called for harps and wine, and prepared a royal throne.”
#33
به سر برش تاجی برآویختند
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بران تاج زر و درم ریختند
“Above her couch they suspended the royal crown, scattering gold and coins over it.”
#34
چهل روز بگذشت بر خوب‌چهر
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یکی کودک آمد چو تابنده مهر
“When another forty days passed over the fair maiden, a child was born like the shining sun.”
#35
ورا موبدش نام شاپور کرد
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بران شادمانی یکی سور کرد
“The Mobad named him Shapur, holding a grand feast to celebrate the joyous event.”
#36
تو گفتی همی فره ایزدیست
✦
برو سایهٔ رایت بخردیست
“You would say the Divine Glory rested upon him, shielded by the banner of wisdom.”
#37
برفتند گردان زرین کمر
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بیاویختند از برش تاج زر
“The golden-girdled warriors assembled and suspended the crown of gold over the infant king.”
#38
چو آن خرد را سیر دادند شیر
✦
نوشتند پس در میان حریر
“When the little infant was nursed to contentment, they wrapped him gently in fine silk.”
#39
چهل روزه را زیر آن تاج زر
✦
نهادند بر تخت فرخ پدر
“They placed the forty-day-old infant beneath that golden crown upon his blessed father's throne.”