King Khosrow Anushirvan summoned his wise dream-interpreter to private counsel to unwrap the mysterious vision that had troubled his sleep. Hearing the monarch's recount, the sage’s tongue unloosed with sudden clarity: within the sacred confines of the royal harem, disguised beneath fine garments and women's adornments, lurked a bold young man. The sage urged the Shah to clear the palace of all outsiders, bar the iron gates, and command every concubine of the harem to parade before him unveiled so that the intruder might be brought to light. The King sealed the palace and commanded the jasmine-scented, jewel-laden maidens of his inner quarters to step forward. When the first pass revealed no culprit, the King raged like a roaring lion; yet the sage insisted that the maidens step higher and cast aside their veils of modesty. Upon the second parade, a youth emerged from their ranks—tall as a cypress, handsome as a Kian prince, yet trembling like a willow branch, his heart completely bereft of hope for survival. It was then revealed that among the seventy maidens of that chamber was the noble daughter of the lord of Chaj, accompanied secretly by a devoted, musk-scented lover from her homeland who had followed her into the heart of the royal seraglio. Questioned by the stern Shah, the maiden desperately claimed the youth was her uterine brother who had only donned women's attire out of awe and shame before the royal presence. Hearing her bold plea, Nushinravan was left astonished by the audacity and fate of the two young lovers.
#1
جهاندار کسری ورا پیش خواند
✦
وزان خواب چندی سخنها براند
“Khosrow, ruler of the world, called him to his presence and spoke at length of that vision.”
#2
چوبشنید دانا ز نوشین روان
✦
سرش پرسخن گشت و گویا زبان
“When the wise sage heard Nushinravan's recount, his mind filled with insight and his tongue became eloquent.”
#3
چنین داد پاسخ که در خان تو
✦
میان بتان شبستان تو
“He answered: 'Within your own palace, amidst the beauties of your inner harem,'”
#4
یکی مرد برناست کز خویشتن
✦
به آرایش جامه کرده‌ست زن
“'There is a young man who has disguised himself as a woman through adornment and garb.'”
#5
ز بیگانه پردخته کن جایگاه
✦
برین رای ما تا نیابند راه
“'Clear the place of all strangers so that none may discover our design.'”
#6
بفرمای تا پیش تو بگذرند
✦
پی خویشتن بر زمین بسپرند
“'Command them to pass before you, treading their feet upon the ground.'”
#7
بپرسیم زان ناسزای دلیر
✦
که چون اندر آمد به بالین شیر
“'We shall then question that audacious intruder as to how he dared to step beside the lion's couch.'”
#8
ز بیگانه ایوانش پردخت کرد
✦
درکاخ شاهنشهی سخت کرد
“The King emptied his hall of outsiders and secured the gates of the royal palace.”
#9
بتان شبستان آن شهریار
✦
برفتند پر بوی و رنگ و نگار
“The beauties of the monarch's harem came forth, radiant with fragrance, colors, and adornments.”
#10
سمن بوی خوبان با ناز و شرم
✦
همه پیش کسری برفتند نرم
“The jasmine-scented fair ones, full of grace and bashfulness, all stepped gently before Khosrow.”
#11
ندیدند ازین سان کسی در میان
✦
برآشفت کسری چو شیر ژیان
“They found no such intruder among them, and Khosrow flew into a rage like a roaring lion.”
#12
گزارنده گفت این نه اندر خورست
✦
غلامی میان زنان اندرست
“The dream-interpreter said: 'This is not right; a youth is surely hidden among the women.'”
#13
شمن گفت رفتن بافزون کنید
✦
رخ از چادر شرم بیرون کنید
“The priest said: 'Exaggerate your stride and unveil your faces from the mantle of shame!'”
#14
دگر باره بر پیش بگذاشتند
✦
همه خواب را خیره پنداشتند
“Once more they passed before him, while all the maidens deemed the dream a foolish illusion.”
#15
غلامی پدید آمد اندر میان
✦
به بالای سرو و بچهر کیان
“Then a youth appeared in their midst, tall as a cypress and bearing the countenance of royal Kians.”
#16
تنش لرز لرزان به کردار بید
✦
دل از جان شیرین شده نا امید
“His body trembled like a willow branch, and his heart was utterly bereft of hope for his sweet life.”
#17
کنیزک بدان حجره هفتاد بود
✦
که هر یک به تن سرو آزاد بود
“In that chamber were seventy maidens, each as stately as a free cypress.”
#18
یکی دختری مهتر چاج بود
✦
به بالای سرو و ببر عاج بود
“Among them was a maiden, daughter of the ruler of Chaj, stature like a cypress and chest like ivory.”
#19
غلامی سمن پیکر و مشک‌بوی
✦
به خان پدر مهربان بد بدوی
“A jasmine-bodied, musk-scented youth from her father's house was deeply enamored of her.”
#20
بسان یکی بنده در پیش اوی
✦
به هر جا که رفتی بدی خویش اوی
“Serving like a bondman before her, he accompanied her wherever she went.”
#21
بپرسید ز و گفت کین مرد کیست
✦
کسی کو چنین بنده پرورد کیست
“The King questioned her, saying: 'Who is this man? Who is he that reared such a servant?'”
#22
چنین برگزیدی دلیر و جوان
✦
میان شبستان نوشین‌روان
“'How did you dare to select such a bold, young man into the middle of Nushinravan's harem?'”
#23
چنین گفت زن کین ز من کهترست
✦
جوانست و با من ز یک مادرست
“The woman answered: 'He is younger than I; he is young and born of the same mother as I.'”
#24
چنین جامه پوشید کز شرم شاه
✦
نیارست کردن به رویش نگاه
“'He dressed in these clothes because out of awe before the King he dared not look upon your face.'”
#25
برادر گر از تو بپوشید روی
✦
ز شرم توبود آن بهانه مجوی
“'If my brother hid his face from you, it was out of reverence for you; seek no pretense against him.'”
#26
چو بشنید این گفته نوشین‌روان
✦
شگفت آمدش کار هر دو جوان
“When Nushinravan heard these words, he marveled at the plight and audacity of both youths.”