#1
چنین گفت بهرام کای مهتران
✦
جهاندیده و سالخورده سران
“Bahram spoke thus, saying: 'O noble leaders, world-experienced and venerable elders!'”
#2
پدر بر پدر پادشاهی مراست
✦
چرا بخشش اکنون برای شماست
“'From father to father, the kingship belongs to me; why is its bestowal now in your hands?'”
#3
به آواز گفتند ایرانیان
✦
که ما را شکیبا مکن بر زیان
“The Iranians responded with loud voices: 'Do not ask us to endure further hardship and loss!'”
#4
نخواهیم یکسر به شاهی ترا
✦
بر و بوم ما را سپاهی ترا
“'We do not desire thee as our king at all, nor do we want thy armies over our land!'”
#5
کزین تخمه پرداغ و دودیم و درد
✦
شب و روز با پیچش و باد سرد
“'For from thy lineage, we have suffered scars, smoke, and pain, spending nights and days in distress and bitter cold winds.'”
#6
چنین گفت بهرام کاری رواست
✦
هوا بر دل هرکسی پادشاست
“Bahram replied: 'This is a fair debate, for passion and desire hold sway over every heart.'”
#7
مرا گر نخواهید بی‌رای من
✦
چرا کس نشانید بر جای من
“'If you do not want me, why place someone else upon my throne without my consent?'”
#8
چنین گفت موبد که از راه داد
✦
نه خسرو گریزد نه کهتر نژاد
“The Mobad spoke thus: 'By the path of justice, neither a king nor a noble follower strays from wisdom.'”
#9
تو از ما یکی باش و شاهی گزین
✦
که خوانند هرکس برو آفرین
“'Be thou one among us, and help select a king upon whom everyone shall bestow praise!'”
#10
سه روز اندران کار شد روزگار
✦
که جویند ز ایران یکی شهریار
“For three days time was spent in this task, searching through Iran for a worthy sovereign.”
#11
نوشتند پس نام صد نامور
✦
فروزندهٔ تاج و تخت و کمر
“Then they recorded the names of one hundred renowned men, luminaries worthy of the crown, throne, and royal belt.”
#12
ازان صد یکی نام بهرام بود
✦
که در پادشاهی دلارام بود
“Among those hundred, one name was Bahram, who was destined to bring peace and comfort to the kingdom.”
#13
ازین صد به پنجاه بازآمدند
✦
پر از چاره و پرنیاز آمدند
“From those hundred candidates, they reduced the count to fifty, full of resourcefulness and eager desire.”
#14
ز پنجاه بهرام بود از نخست
✦
اگر جست پای پدر گر نجست
“Among the fifty, Bahram remained foremost at the top, whether he walked in his father's footsteps or chose his own path.”
#15
ز پنجاه بازآوریدند سی
✦
ز ایرانی و رومی و پارسی
“From fifty, they reduced the count to thirty, selecting from Iranians, Romans, and Persians.”
#16
ز سی نیز بهرام بد پیش رو
✦
که هم تاجور بود و هم شیر نو
“Even among thirty, Bahram stood foremost—a prince crowned with majesty and a fierce young lion.”
#17
ز سی کرد داننده موبد چهار
✦
وزین چار بهرام بد شهریار
“From thirty, the wise Mobad reduced the chosen to four, and among these four, Bahram remained a true candidate for king.”
#18
چو تنگ اندرآمد ز شاهی سخن
✦
ز ایرانیان هرک او بد کهن
“When the talk of kingship grew decisive and close, the elders among the Iranians spoke out.”
#19
نخواهیم گفتند بهرام را
✦
دلیر و سبکسار و خودکام را
“They declared: 'We do not want Bahram! He is rash, headstrong, and self-willed!'”
#20
خروشی برآمد میان سران
✦
دل هرکسی تیز گشت اندران
“A great clamor arose among the leaders, and every heart burned with passion and strife.”
#21
چنین گفت منذر به ایرانیان
✦
که خواهم که دانم به سود و زیان
“Monzer spoke to the Iranians, saying: 'I wish to understand the truth of this profit and loss.'”
#22
کزین سال ناخورده شاه جوان
✦
چرایید پر درد و تیره‌روان
“'Why are you so filled with grief and dark-spirited toward this youthful prince who has not yet tasted power?'”
#23
بزرگان به پاسخ بیاراستند
✦
بسی خسته دل پارسی خواستند
“The nobles prepared their response, summoning many heart-broken and tortured Persians to state their case.”
#24
ز ایران کرا خسته بد یزدگرد
✦
یکایک بران دشت کردند گرد
“All those across Iran whom Yazdegerd had tortured and mutilated were gathered one by one upon that plain.”
#25
بریده یکی را دو دست و دو پای
✦
یکی مانده بر جای و جانش به جای
“One stood with both hands and feet severed, barely clinging to life where he remained.”
#26
یکی را دو دست و دو گوش و زبان
✦
بریده شده چون تن بی‌روان
“Another had both hands, ears, and tongue cut off, reduced to a living corpse.”
#27
یکی را ز تن دور کرده دو کفت
✦
ازان مردمان ماند منذر شگفت
“Another had his shoulder-blades torn away; at the sight of these victims, Monzer stood amazed in horror.”
#28
یکی را به مسمار کنده دو چشم
✦
چو منذر بدید آن برآورد خشم
“Another had both eyes gouged out with iron nails; when Monzer saw this, he erupted in fierce wrath.”
#29
غمی گشت زان کار بهرام سخت
✦
به خاک پدر گفت کای شوربخت
“Bahram was filled with bitter grief at the sight, crying out to his father's grave: 'O wretched father!'”
#30
اگر چشم شادیت بر دوختی
✦
روان را به آتش چرا سوختی
“'If thou didst close thine eyes to joy in life, why didst thou burn thy soul in the fires of hell with such cruelty?'”
#31
جهانجوی منذر به بهرام گفت
✦
که این بد بریشان نباید نهفت
“The world-seeking Monzer said to Bahram: 'This evil done to them cannot be concealed or ignored.'”
#32
سخنها شنیدی تو پاسخ‌گزار
✦
که تندی نه خوب آید از شهریار
“'Thou hast heard their words; now respond with wisdom, for harsh anger ill befits a king.'”