With the dawn of spring blooming across the plains, King Bahram Gur rode forth for his eighth grand hunt, accompanied by his trusted counselor Ruzbeh and a thousand select cavaliers. As they reached the hunting grounds, the vast expanse lay covered in herds of wild onagers. It was the season of courtship, and the beasts were locked in fierce yet joyful rivalries, battling and nuzzling one another, staining the spring soil ruby-red in their energetic displays.
Bahram unclasped his royal Kayanid bow from its quiver, carefully notched its ebony tips, and invoked the holy name of Victorious God. He watched patiently from atop his steed as a mighty male onager triumphed over its rivals and mounted a female in triumphant joy. Smiling at the spectacle, Bahram drew the bowstring back to his ear and loosed a single, devastating shaft.
The arrow struck the male onager with terrifying momentum; the iron broadhead and feathered fletching tore through its torso and pinned both the male and female together to the earth in an instantaneous, breathtaking strike. The assembled warriors, awestruck by this sublime display of archery, erupted in joyous acclamation. They showered blessings upon their monarch, praying that the evil eye remain forever banished from his royal glory, and extolling Bahram as a sovereign without equal in both crown and courage.
#1
به هشتم بیامد به دشت شکار
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خود و روزبه با سواری هزار
“Upon his eighth hunt he arrived at the chasing plain, accompanied by Ruzbeh and a thousand horsemen.”
#2
همه دشت یکسر پر از گور دید
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ز قربان کمان کیان برکشید
“He beheld the entire plain filled with wild onagers, and drew his Kayanid bow from the quiver.”
#3
دو زاغ کمان را به زه بر نهاد
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ز یزدان پیروزگر کرد یاد
“He set the bow's notches to the string and remembered the Victorious God.”
#4
بهاران و گوران شده جفت جوی
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ز کشتن به روی اندر آورده روی
“It was spring, and the onagers were seeking mates, pressing their faces together in passion.”
#5
همی پوست کند این ازآن آن ازین
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ز خونشان شده لعل روی زمین
“They nipped at each other's hides, until the surface of the earth turned ruby-red with their blood.”
#6
همی بود بهرام تا گور نر
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به مستی جدا شد یک از یک دگر
“Bahram bided his time until a brave male onager parted from the rest in its mating passion.”
#7
چو پیروز شد نره گور دلیر
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یکی ماده را اندر آورد زیر
“When that brave male onager emerged victorious, it mounted upon a female.”
#8
به زه داشت بهرام جنگی کمان
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بخندید چون گور شد شادمان
“Bahram held his war-bow strung; he smiled as the wild onager became joyful.”
#9
بزد تیر بر پشت آن گور نر
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گذر کرد بر گور پیکان و پر
“He loosed an arrow into the back of that male onager; point and fletching passed straight through the beast.”
#10
نر و ماده را هر دو بر هم بدوخت
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دل لشکر از زخم او بر فروخت
“It pinned both male and female together, and the army's heart caught fire at his shot.”
#11
ز لشکر هرانکس که آن زخم دید
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بران شهریار آفرین گسترید
“Whoever among the troops witnessed that shot bestowed glowing praise upon the monarch,”
#12
که چشم بد از فر تو دور باد
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همه روزگاران تو سور باد
“Saying: 'May the evil eye be far from your divine glory, and may all your days be a celebration!”
#13
به مردی تواندر زمانه نوی
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که هم شاه و هم خسرو و هم گوی
“In manliness you stand peerless in the era, for you are at once king, monarch, and hero!'”