As time passed over the young King Shapur, the splendor of the world-illuminating crown shone ever brighter above him. During those years, Tayar the Ghassanid—a lion-hearted warlord whose sword struck fear into the heavens—assembled a vast, composite army of Romans, Arab tribes from Qadisiyyah and Bahrain, along with rebellious Kurds and Persians. Sweeping down upon Ctesiphon like a ravaging storm, Tayar put the entire region to plunder and uprooted all who held land or lineage.
Among the captive spoils was Princess Nushah, a maiden fair as the spring and a cherished descendant of King Narseh. Tayar's forces seized her from her royal palace and carried her away into captivity, plunging all of Ctesiphon into turmoil and grief. For a full year, Nushah remained in Tayar’s hands, her heart soaked in blood from sorrow, until she gave birth to a daughter as radiant as the moon. Beholding the regal majesty in the child's countenance, Tayar named her Malekeh, for she was worthy of a crown.
When Shapur reached twenty-six years of age, he stood as a sun-like Kayanid monarch of formidable resolve. Riding out to the plain, he inspected his army and selected twelve thousand elite champions. Providing each warrior with a swift dromedary while leading their warhorses by hand, and guided by a hundred trackers, Shapur bound his waist for war and gave chase to the Ghassanid king. Shapur launched a crushing assault upon the enemy host, cutting down countless invaders. Seeing his army shattered, Tayar fled in panic, leaving behind vast numbers of captives. The remnants of Tayar’s host locked themselves inside a stronghold in Yemen, where cries of terror echoed from the women and children inside. Shapur encircled the fortress of Yemen so tightly that not even an ant or mosquito could slip through. For a full month, night and day, the siege raged unabated, leaving Tayar's garrison desperate as their provisions and fodder dwindled to nothing.
#1
چو یک چند بگذشت بر شاه روز
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فروزنده شد تاج گیتی فروز
“As time passed over the King's days, the crown that illuminates the world grew ever brighter.”
#2
ز غسانیان طایر شیردل
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که دادی فلک را به شمشیر دل
“Out of the Ghassanids came Tayar the lion-hearted, who with his sword daunted even the heavens.”
#3
سپاهی ز رومی و از قادسی
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ز بحرین و از کرد وز پارسی
“He assembled an army of Romans, Qadis, Bahrainis, Kurds, and Persians.”
#4
بیامد به پیرامن طیسفون
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سپاهی ز اندازه بیش اندرون
“He advanced around the perimeter of Ctesiphon with an army beyond all measure.”
#5
به تاراج داد آن همه بوم و بر
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کرا بود با او پی و پا و پر
“He gave all that region to plunder, striking down anyone who had roots, feet, or wings.”
#6
ز پیوند نرسی یکی یادگار
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کجا نوشه بد نام آن نوبهار
“Among the lineage of Narseh was a cherished descendant named Nushah, a maiden fair as the spring.”
#7
بیامد به ایوان آن ماه‌روی
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همه طیسفون گشت پر گفت‌وگوی
“He came to the palace of that moon-faced maiden, and all Ctesiphon was filled with clamor and turmoil.”
#8
ز ایوانش بردند و کردند اسیر
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که دانا نبودند و دانش‌پذیر
“They carried her away from her palace into captivity, for they were foolish and heeded no wisdom.”
#9
چو یک سال نزدیک طایر بماند
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ز اندیشگان دل به خون در نشاند
“When she remained near Tayar for a year, her heart was soaked in blood with grief and worry.”
#10
ز طایر یکی دختش آمد چو ماه
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تو گفتی که نرسیست با تاج و گاه
“She bore a moon-like daughter to Tayar, who seemed as if Narseh himself sat upon crown and throne.”
#11
پدر مالکه نام کردش چو دید
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که دختش همی مملکت را سزید
“Her father named her Malekeh when he saw that his daughter was worthy of royalty and the realm.”
#12
چو شاپور را سال شد بیست و شش
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مهی‌وش کیی گشت خورشیدفش
“When Shapur reached twenty-six years of age, he became a grand Kayanid monarch, splendid as the sun.”
#13
به دشت آمد و لشکرش را بدید
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ده و دو هزار از یلان برگزید
“He rode out to the plain, inspected his army, and selected twelve thousand valiant warriors.”
#14
ابا هر یکی بادپایی هیون
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به پیش اندرون مرد صد رهنمون
“Each warrior was provided with a swift camel, and a hundred expert guides rode ahead.”
#15
هیون برنشستند و اسپان به دست
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برفتند گردان خسروپرست
“The king-devoted champions mounted the dromedaries, leading their warhorses by hand, and set forth.”
#16
ازان پس ابا ویژگان برنشست
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میان کیی تاختن را بببست
“Then Shapur mounted with his elite guard, girding his royal waist for the raid.”
#17
برفت از پس شاه غسانیان
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سرافراز طایر هژبر ژیان
“He rode out after the Ghassanid king, the proud Tayar, that raging lion.”
#18
فراوان کس از لشکر او بکشت
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چو طایر چنان دید بنمود پشت
“He slew many from Tayar’s army; when Tayar saw this, he turned his back and fled.”
#19
برآمد خروشیدن داروگیر
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ازیشان گرفتند چندی اسیر
“A loud roar of battle and capture echoed, and they took many prisoners from their ranks.”
#20
که اندازهٔ آن ندانست کس
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برفتند آن ماندگان زان سپس
“None knew the endless count of captives; the remnants of the enemy fled thereafter.”
#21
حصاری شدند آن سپه در یمن
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خروش آمد از کودک و مرد و زن
“That enemy host took refuge inside a fortress in Yemen, as cries of panic rose from children, men, and women.”
#22
بیاورد شاپور چندان سپاه
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که بر مور و بر پشه بربست راه
“Shapur brought up so vast an army that he blocked the path even to ants and mosquitoes.”
#23
ورا با سپاهش به دژ در بیافت
✦
در جنگ و راه گریزش نیافت
“He caught Tayar and his host inside the fort; the enemy found no way to fight nor any path to escape.”
#24
شب و روز یک ماهشان جنگ بود
✦
سپه را به دژ بر علف تنگ بود
“Day and night for a full month they fought, as fodder and provisions grew scarce inside the fortress.”