Upon ascending the royal throne of Iran following his uncle, Shapur III convened the wise mobads, seasoned counselors, and nobles of the realm. He delivered a solemn sermon from the throne, decreeing that deceit and falsehood would find no quarter in his court, for true majesty springs only from sound counsel and unyielding truth. He exhorted his subjects to guard their tongues against foolish speech, to shun the poison of greed, to honor enduring wisdom, and to walk the golden path of moderation. He declared that the generous and balanced soul prospers in both this realm and the next, whereas the boaster and the villainous reap only shame and ruin.
The assembled lords praised the young monarch's justice and wisdom, offering prayers to Yazdan for his enduring fortune. For five years and four months, peace graced the land under his rule. Then came a day when the king rode forth to the hunting grounds, accompanied by hunting falcons, cheetahs, and hounds. After a triumphant hunt and a royal banquet, Shapur drank three goblets of crimson wine and retired to rest within his magnificent pavilion. As his army dispersed across the plain, an unheralded, violent tempest swept over the wilderness. The ferocious wind tore free a heavy wooden pavilion stake and struck the reclining king upon the head, ending his life in an instant. Thus Shapur the warrior perished, leaving the Kayanian crown to his successor—a grim testament to the fleeting nature of earthly glory and the inscrutable turnings of Fate.
#1
چو شاپور بنشست بر جای عم
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از ایران بسی شاد و بهری دژم
“When Shapur sat upon his uncle's throne, some in Iran were joyful, and a portion grieved.”
#2
چنین گفت کای نامور بخردان
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جهاندیده و رای‌زن موبدان
“He addressed them thus: 'O renowned wise men, world-tested counselors, and noble mobads!'”
#3
بدانید کان کس که گوید دروغ
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نگیرد ازین پس بر ما فروغ
“'Know that whoever utters a lie shall never find favor or glory in our presence.'”
#4
دروغ از بر ما نباشد ز رای
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که از رای باشد بزرگی به جای
“'Lies shall have no place in our counsel, for true greatness endures only through sound judgment.'”
#5
همان مر تن سفله را دوستدار
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نیابی به باغ اندرون چون نگار
“'Likewise, you will never find a friend to a mean soul adorned like a blossom in a garden.'”
#6
سری را کجا مغز باشد بسی
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گواژه نباید زدن بر کسی
“'Where a head is filled with abundant wisdom, one ought not to mock or taunt anyone.'”
#7
زبان را نگهدار باید بدن
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نباید روان را به زهر آژدن
“'One must strictly guard one's tongue, lest the soul be steeped in poison.'”
#8
که بر انجمن مرد بسیار گوی
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بکاهد به گفتار خود آب‌روی
“'For a man who speaks excessively in an assembly diminishes his own honor through his talk.'”
#9
اگر دانشی مرد راند سخن
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تو بشنو که دانش نگردد کهن
“'If a wise man imparts knowledge, listen carefully, for wisdom never grows old.'”
#10
دل مرد مطمع بود پر ز درد
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به گرد طمع تا توانی مگرد
“'The heart of a greedy man is full of pain; so far as you can, walk not near greed.'”
#11
مکن دوستی با دروغ آزمای
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همان نیز با مرد ناپاک‌رای
“'Do not strike a friendship with one tested in falsehood, nor with a person of corrupt intent.'”
#12
سرشت تن از چار گوهر بود
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گذر زین چهارانش کمتر بود
“'The nature of the body is fashioned from four elements; its passing beyond these four is brief.'”
#13
اگر سفله‌گر مرد با شرم و راد
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به آزادگی یک دل و یک نهاد
“'If a humble man possesses shame and generosity, he becomes of one heart and nature with the noble.'”
#14
سیم کو میانه گزیند ز کار
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بسند آیدش بخشش کردگار
“'Third is he who chooses moderation in affairs; he remains content with the portion granted by the Creator.'”
#15
چهارم که بپراگند بر گزاف
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همی دانشی نام جوید ز لاف
“'Fourth is he who squanders lavishly and seeks a reputation for knowledge through empty boast.'”
#16
دو گیتی بیابد دل مرد راد
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نباشد دل سفله یک روز شاد
“'The generous man shall gain both worlds, while the heart of the mean is not happy for a single day.'”
#17
بدین گیتی او را بود نام زشت
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بدان گیتی‌اندر نیابد بهشت
“'In this world he bears an evil name, and in the world to come he shall not enter Paradise.'”
#18
دو گیتی نیابد دل مرد لاف
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که بپراگند خواسته بر گزاف
“'The heart of the boaster who scatters wealth recklessly shall gain neither world.'”
#19
ستوده کسی کو میانه گزید
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تن خویش را آفرین گسترید
“'Praised is he who chose moderation and spread blessings upon his own person.'”
#20
شما را جهان‌آفرین یار باد
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همیشه سر بخت بیدار باد
“'May the Creator of the world be your helper, and may the head of your fortune ever be awake!'”
#21
جهاندارمان باد فریادرس
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که تخت بزرگی نماند به کس
“'May the Ruler of the World be our succor, for the throne of greatness abides with no man forever.'”
#22
بگفت این و از پیش برخاستند
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ز یزدان برو آفرین خواستند
“He spoke these words, and they arose before him, invoking blessings upon him from Yazdan.”
#23
چو شد سالیان پنج بر چار ماه
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بشد شاه روزی به نخچیرگاه
“When five years and four months had passed, the king went one day to the hunting ground.”
#24
جهان شد پر از یوز و بازان و سگ
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چه پرنده و چند تازان به تگ
“The world became filled with hunting cheetahs, falcons, and dogs—some flying above, others racing swiftly on foot.”
#25
ستاره زدند از پی خوابگاه
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چو چیزی بخورد و بیاسود شاه
“They pitched tent-poles to form a sleeping-quarters; when the king had eaten and taken his rest...”
#26
سه جام می خسروانی بخورد
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پراندیشه شد سر سوی خواب کرد
“He drank three cups of royal wine, became deep in thought, and turned his head toward sleep.”
#27
پراگنده گشتند لشکر همه
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چو در خواب شد شهریار رمه
“The entire army dispersed when the ruler of the flock fell asleep.”
#28
بخفت او و از دشت برخاست باد
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که کس باد ازان سان ندارد به یاد
“He slept, and a tempest arose from the wilderness such as no man could remember.”
#29
فروبرده چوب ستاره بکند
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بزد بر سر شهریار بلند
“It tore up the deeply driven tent-pole and struck it upon the head of the lofty king.”
#30
جهانجوی شاپور جنگی بمرد
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کلاه کیی دیگری را سپرد
“Shapur, the warlike world-seeker, died, surrendering the Kayanian crown to another.”
#31
میاز و مناز و متاز و مرنج
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چه تازی به کین و چه نازی به گنج
“Strive not, boast not, rush not, and grieve not! Why race in vengeance, or take pride in treasure?”
#32
که بهر تو اینست زین تیره‌گوی
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هنر جوی و راز جهان را مجوی
“For this dark orb is your only share; seek merit and virtue, but seek not the hidden secrets of the world.”
#33
که گر بازیابی به پیچی بدرد
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پژوهش مکن گرد رازش مگرد
“For if you discover it, you will writhe in pain; do not pry into its secrets, nor seek to uncover them.”
#34
چنین است کردار این چرخ تیر
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چه با مرد برنا چه با مردپیر
“Such is the manner of this dark sphere, whether with a young man or an old man.”