When King Yazdegerd the Sinner was afflicted with a relentless, agonizing nasal hemorrhage that no physician could stem, a wise Mobad stepped forward and warned him: 'O King, you have strayed from the path of the Almighty, believing you could evade the clutch of death. Your only salvation lies in journeying toward the Spring of Su, humbling yourself upon its warm earth, and weeping before the pure Creator.' The King took the priest's counsel to heart and set forth in a procession of three hundred litters, tormented day and night by the stream of blood flowing from his nose until they neared the mystical waters.
Upon arriving at the shore of the Spring of Su, Yazdegerd dismounted his litter, applied some of the sacred water to his head, and called upon Yazdan, the Bestower of All Goodness. In an instant, the hemorrhaging ceased, and his pain evaporated. Yet, instead of offering heartfelt gratitude to the Divine, the King was instantly overtaken by monstrous pride. He scoffed, questioning why he had humbled himself so low, and attributed his sudden recovery entirely to his own strength and majesty.
No sooner had he surrendered to vanity than a cosmic marvel emerged from the depths of the blue waters: a magnificently sculpted white Water Horse, compact of limb and broad of rump, snorting with the fury of a wild lion, possessing dark eyes, foam-flecked lips, and black, solid hooves. Yazdegerd ordered his warriors to capture the beast, but the host and shepherds stood paralyzed in absolute dread of the dragon-like steed. Enraged by their fear, the King took up the bridle and saddle himself and approached the creature. Miraculously, the steed stood motionlessly, allowing the King to bit him, cinch the saddle tight, and prepare him for riding.
However, as Yazdegerd stepped behind the horse to tie its tail, the rock-hooved beast roared like thunder and delivered a terrible double-kick straight to the King's chest. Yazdegerd fell to the earth, his crown rolling into the dust as his spirit departed his shattered frame. The wild Water Horse then vanished like a sudden gust of wind, plunging back into the azure spring, leaving the spectators spellbound by the divine spectacle.
A immense wail rose from the army as they tore their garments and cast dust upon their heads. The Mobad carefully embalmed the royal corpse with camphor and musk, wrapped it in fine silk, and sealed it within a golden coffin upon a sandalwood litter to be transported to Pars. Thus did fate remind humankind that worldly dominion is fleeting, and that true power lies only in reverence to the Divine.
#1
بدو گفت موبد که ای شهریار
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بگشتی تو از راه پروردگار
“The priest said to him: 'O King, you have departed from the path of the Creator.'”
#2
تو گفتی که بگریزم از چنگ مرگ
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چو باد خزان آمد از شاخ برگ
“'You claimed you could flee the clutch of death, as autumn winds blow leaves from the branch.'”
#3
ترا چاره اینست کز راه شهد
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سوی چشمهٔ سو گرایی به مهد
“'Your only remedy is to travel in a litter along the Shahd road toward the Spring of Su.'”
#4
نیایش کنی پیش یزدان پاک
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بگردی به زاری بران گرم خاک
“'Offer prayers before pure Yazdan, and roll in supplication upon that warm earth.'”
#5
بگویی که من بندهٔ ناتوان
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زده دام سوگند پیش روان
“'Say: I am a helpless servant, laying my soul's oath before You.'”
#6
کنون آمدم تا زمانم کجاست
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به پیش تو این داور داد و راست
“'Now I have come to learn my appointed hour, before You, the Judge of truth and justice.'”
#7
چو بشنید شاه آن پسند آمدش
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همان درد را سودمند آمدش
“When the King heard this, it pleased him, and he deemed that counsel beneficial for his pain.”
#8
بیاورد سیصد عماری و مهد
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گذر کرد بر سوی دریای شهد
“He summoned three hundred litters and sedans, setting out toward the Sea of Shahd.”
#9
شب و روز بودی به مهد اندرون
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ز بینیش گه‌گه همی رفت خون
“Night and day he remained inside the litter, while blood constantly poured from his nose.”
#10
چو نزدیکی چشمهٔ سو رسید
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برون آمد از مهد و دریا بدید
“When he drew near the Spring of Su, he stepped out of the litter and beheld the waters.”
#11
ازان آب لختی به سر بر نهاد
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ز یزدان نیکی دهش کرد یاد
“He poured a handful of that water upon his head, remembering Yazdan, the Bestower of Good.”
#12
زمانی نیامد ز بینیش خون
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بخورد و بیاسود با رهنمون
“In a moment, the blood ceased flowing from his nose; he drank, rested, and found guidance.”
#13
منی کرد و گفت اینت آیین و رای
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نشستن چه بایست چندین به جای
“Yet pride seized him, and he scoffed: 'What custom was this, to sit humbled in such a place?'”
#14
چو گردنکشی کرد شاه رمه
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که از خویشتن دید نیکی همه
“As the King of the realm turned arrogant, attributing all good health solely to himself,”
#15
ز دریا برآمد یکی اسپ خنگ
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سرین گرد چون گور و کوتاه لنگ
“There emerged from the sea a white steed, rounded of haunch like a wild ass, short of leg,”
#16
دوان و چو شیر ژیان پر ز خشم
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بلند و سیه‌خایه و زاغ چشم
“Bounding full of rage like a fierce lion, tall, black-testicled, with brilliant blue-grey eyes,”
#17
کشان دم در پای با یال و بش
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سیه سم و کفک‌افگن و شیرکش
“Dragging its tail behind its feet, mane flowing, black-hooved, foam-spewing, a slayer of lions.”
#18
چنین گفت با مهتران یزدگرد
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که این را سپاه اندر آرید گرد
“Yazdegerd said to his nobles: 'Encircle this horse with the army and capture it!'”
#19
بشد گرد چوپان و ده کره‌تاز
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یکی زین و پیچان کمند دراز
“The shepherds and horse-trainers gathered around, carrying a saddle and a coiled long lasso.”
#20
چه دانست راز جهاندار شاه
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که آوردی این اژدها را به راه
“How could the King know the secret of the world-lord, who had brought forth this dragon-beast?”
#21
فروماند چوپان و لشکر همه
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برآشفت ازان شهریار رمه
“The shepherd and all the army stood paralyzed in awe, while the King grew wroth at them.”
#22
هم‌انگاه برداشت زین و لگام
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به نزدیک آن اسپ شد شادکام
“At once he took up the saddle and bridle, approaching the horse with joy and confidence.”
#23
چنان رام شد خنگ بر جای خویش
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که ننهاد دست از پس و پای پیش
“The white steed became so docile where it stood that it moved neither foot forward nor back.”
#24
ز شاه جهاندار بستد لگام
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به زین بر نهادن همان گشت رام
“It accepted the bridle from the ruler of the world, remaining calm as he placed the saddle.”
#25
چو زین بر نهادش برآهخت تنگ
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نجنبید بر جای تازان نهنگ
“When he placed the saddle and pulled the girth tight, that swift sea-monster did not stir.”
#26
پس پای او شد که بنددش دم
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خروشان شد آن بارهٔ سنگ سم
“He stepped behind its legs to tie its tail, but that stone-hooved charger bellowed with rage;”
#27
بغرید و یک جفته زد بر برش
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به خاک اندر آمد سر و افسرش
“It roared and struck a double-kick upon his chest, casting his head and crown into the dirt.”
#28
ز خاک آمد و خاک شد یزدگرد
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چه جویی تو زین بر شده هفت‌گرد
“From dust came Yazdegerd, and unto dust he returned; what do you seek from this revolving sphere?”
#29
چو از گردش او نیابی رها
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پرستیدن او نیارد بها
“Since you cannot escape its turnings, worshipping it is of no worth.”
#30
به یزدان گرای و بدو کن پناه
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خداوند گردنده خورشید ماه
“Turn to Yazdan and seek refuge in Him, the Lord of the revolving sun and moon.”
#31
چو او کشته شد اسپ آبی چوگرد
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بیامد بران چشمهٔ لاژورد
“When the King was slain, the Water Horse sped like dust back toward the azure spring.”
#32
به آب اندرون شد تنش ناپدید
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کس اندر جهان این شگفتی ندید
“Its body vanished into the water; no one in all the world had witnessed such a wonder.”
#33
ز لشکر خروشی برآمد چو کوس
✦
که شاها زمان آوریدت به طوس
“A wail arose from the army like the roar of war-drums: 'O King, your appointed hour has come at Tus!'”
#34
همه جامه‌ها را بکردند چاک
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همی ریختند از بر و یال خاک
“They tore all their garments to shreds and poured dust upon their chests and manes.”
#35
ازان پس بکافید موبد برش
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میان تهیگاه و مغز سرش
“Thereafter, the Mobad split his chest, his flanks, and the marrow of his skull,”
#36
بیاگند یکسر به کافور و مشک
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به دیبا تنش را بکردند خشک
“Filled them completely with camphor and musk, and dried his body with silk.”
#37
به تابوت زرین و در مهد ساج
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سوی پارس شد آن خداوند تاج
“In a golden coffin upon a litter of teak wood, the lord of the crown was borne toward Pars.”
#38
چنین است رسم سرای بلند
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چو آرام یابی بترس از گزند
“Such is the way of this lofty abode: when you find peace, beware of calamity.”
#39
تو رامی و با تو جهان رام نیست
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چو نام خورده آید به از جام نیست
“You may be tranquil, but the world is not at peace with you; when the drink is consumed, nothing is better than the goblet.”
#40
پرستیدن دین بهست از گناه
✦
چو باشد کسی را بدین پایگاه
“Worshipping the faith is far better than sinning, when one holds such a lofty station.”