When the feast ended and cups of clear wine enlivened the spirits of the gathered nobles, King Khosrow Anushirvan addressed the sages and mobads of his court, commanding them to unlock the hidden treasures of their wisdom. For the King derived true comfort and delight from the profound discourses of learned minds. One by one, the wise men spoke, offering counsel and praise to the sovereign. Observing the King's earnest quest for wisdom, the young Bozorgmehr rose to his feet with utmost reverence. Praise descended from his lips as he asked Khosrow for royal permission to speak, humbly declaring that though he considered himself the least among scholars, he wished to unburden his mind before the throne. Khosrow looked upon the youth with favor and encouraged him to speak freely.
Bozorgmehr opened his mouth, pouring forth a stream of timeless wisdom. He declared that the finest speech is brief yet packed with profound meaning, whereas endless and foolish chatter degrades the speaker in the eyes of humanity. He characterized the mortal world as a transient inn, urging men to seek virtue rather than grieve over worldly accumulation. He praised truth as the origin of all light, while deceit stems only from inner weakness. The apex of all knowledge, Bozorgmehr taught, is the knowledge of God; when a soul embraces this divine wisdom, fear of evil vanishes, anchoring the spirit in eternity while the body walks the earth. He extolled moderation in expenditure, freedom from greed, and declared that a wise enemy is infinitely superior to an ignorant friend. True victory in life's battle, he proclaimed, lies in mastering one's own self and shunning useless words that produce nothing but smoke.
As Bozorgmehr's radiant discourse concluded, astonishment swept through the assembly. Aged scholars and grandees were left spellbound by the youth's unmatched intellect. King Khosrow was so deeply moved that he ordered Bozorgmehr's name to be inscribed at the very head of the imperial registers, causing the young counselor's fortune to ascend like the morning sun. When the elders further questioned him regarding loyalty to the crown, Bozorgmehr likened the just King to a devoted shepherd guarding his flock, declaring that obedience to the monarch's divine glory (Farr) is essential, whereas rebellion springs directly from Ahrimanic corruption. Filled with awe and praising both the King's justice and Bozorgmehr's wisdom, the assembly dispersed in exalted wonder.
#1
چو نان خورده شد جام می‌خواستند
✦
به می جان روشن بیاراستند
“When the meal was finished, they called for wine, adorning their bright spirits with the glowing bowl.”
#2
بدانندگان شاه بیدار گفت
✦
که دانش گشاده کنید از نهفت
“The vigilant King spoke to the sages, saying: 'Unveil your knowledge from concealment.'”
#3
هران کس که دارد به دل دانشی
✦
بگوید مرا زو بود رامشی
“'Whoever possesses wisdom in his heart, let him speak, for from it I gain serenity.'”
#4
ازیشان هران کس که دانا بدند
✦
بگفتن دلیر و توانا بدند
“Whoever among them was truly wise proved brave and capable in discourse.”
#5
زبان برگشادند برشهریار
✦
کجا بود داننده را خواستار
“They opened their tongues before the monarch, who was ever the seeker of learned minds.”
#6
چو بوزرجمهر آن سخنها شنید
✦
بدانش نگه کردن شاه دید
“When Bozorgmehr heard those speeches and saw the King's deep regard for wisdom,”
#7
یکی آفرین کرد و بر پای خاست
✦
چنین گفت کای داور داد و راست
“He offered praise and rose to his feet, saying: 'O Judge of justice and truth!'”
#8
زمین بنده تاج وتخت تو باد
✦
فلک روشن از روی و بخت تو باد
“'May the earth be a servant to your throne and crown, and may the heavens shine with your fortune!'”
#9
گر ای دون که فرمان دهی بنده را
✦
که بگشاید از بند گوینده را
“'If you command your servant to unlock the fetters from the speaker's tongue,'”
#10
بگویم و گر چند بی‌مایه‌ام
✦
بدانش در از کمترین پایه‌ام
“'I shall speak, though I am of small worth and stand at the lowest step of knowledge.'”
#11
نکوهش نباشد که دانا زبان
✦
گشاده کند نزد نوشین‌روان
“'It brings no blame when a wise man speaks freely before Nushirvan.'”
#12
نگه کرد کسری بداننده گفت
✦
که دانش چرا باید اندر نهفت
“Kasra looked upon the scholar and said: 'Why should wisdom remain in secret?'”
#13
جوان برزبان پادشاهی نمود
✦
ز گفتار او روشنایی فزود
“The youth displayed royal eloquence, and from his speech brightness increased.”
#14
بدو گفت روشن روان آنکسی
✦
که کوتاه گوید به معنی بسی
“He said: 'Enlightened of soul is he who speaks briefly yet conveys vast meaning.'”
#15
کسی را که مغزش بود پرشتاب
✦
فراوان سخن باشد و دیر یاب
“'He whose mind is hasty will speak much, but wisdom in his words will be hard to find.'”
#16
چو گفتار بیهوده بسیار گشت
✦
سخن گوی در مردمی خوارگشت
“'When futile talk becomes excessive, the speaker becomes despised among men.'”
#17
هنرجوی و تیمار بیشی مخور
✦
که گیتی سپنجست و ما بر گذر
“'Seek virtue and grieve not for worldly excess, for the world is an inn and we are merely passing through.'”
#18
همه روشنیهای تو راستیست
✦
ز تاری وکژی بباید گریست
“'All your radiance comes from truthfulness; over darkness and crookedness one must weep.'”
#19
دل هرکسی بندهٔ آرزوست
✦
وزو هر یکی را دگرگونه خوست
“'Every heart is a slave to desire, and from it each person forms a different nature.'”
#20
سر راستی دانش ایزدست
✦
چو دانستیش زو نترسی بدست
“'The crown of truth is the knowledge of God; when you know Him, you shall fear no harm.'”
#21
خردمند ودانا و روشن روان
✦
تنش زین جهانست وجان زان جهان
“'The wise, learned, and enlightened man has his body in this world, but his soul belongs to the next.'”
#22
هران کس که در کار پیشی کند
✦
همه رای وآهنگ بیشی کند
“'Whoever rushes precipitously in affairs seeks only excess in all his aims.'”
#23
بنایافت رنجه مکن خویشتن
✦
که تیمارجان باشد و رنج تن
“'Do not distress yourself for what cannot be attained, for it brings anguish to the soul and pain to the body.'”
#24
ز نیرو بود مرد را راستی
✦
ز سستی دروغ آید وکاستی
“'Truthfulness in a man stems from inner strength, while falsehood and flaw spring from weakness.'”
#25
ز دانش چوجان تو را مایه نیست
✦
به از خامشی هیچ پیرایه نیست
“'If your soul lacks the wealth of knowledge, no ornament is better than silence.'”
#26
چو بردانش خویش مهرآوری
✦
خرد را ز تو بگسلد داوری
“'When you become proud of your own wisdom, judgment and discernment sever themselves from you.'”
#27
توانگر بود هر کرا آز نیست
✦
خنک بنده کش آز انباز نیست
“'Wealthy is he who harbors no greed; blessed is the servant who has not taken greed as his companion.'”
#28
مدارا خرد را برادر بود
✦
خرد بر سر جان چو افسر بود
“'Moderation is the brother of wisdom, and wisdom sits upon the soul like a crown.'”
#29
چو دانا تو را دشمن جان بود
✦
به از دوست مردی که نادان بود
“'A wise man who is your mortal enemy is far better than a friend who is ignorant.'”
#30
توانگر شد آنکس که خشنود گشت
✦
بدو آز و تیمار او سود گشت
“'Rich has become he who is content, for greed and sorrow have become profits for him through restraint.'”
#31
بآموختن گر فروتر شوی
✦
سخن را ز دانندگان بشنوی
“'If you humble yourself to learn, you shall hear meaningful words from the wise.'”
#32
به گفتار گرخیره شد رای مرد
✦
نگردد کسی خیره همتای مرد
“'If a man's judgment is blinded by vanity in speech, no one will regard him as an equal.'”
#33
هران کس که دانش فرامش کند
✦
زبان را به گفتار خامش کند
“'Whoever forgets knowledge should seal his tongue in silence.'”
#34
چوداری به دست اندرون خواسته
✦
زر و سیم و اسبان آراسته
“'When you possess wealth in your hands—gold, silver, and adorned steeds—'”
#35
هزینه چنان کن که بایدت کرد
✦
نشاید گشاد و نباید فشرد
“'Spend as it is proper to spend; one ought neither to squander nor to tighten the grip too hard.'”
#36
خردمند کز دشمنان دور گشت
✦
تن دشمن او را چو مزدور گشت
“'When a wise man stays far from enemies, his enemy's body becomes like a hired servant unto him.'”
#37
چو داد تن خویشتن داد مرد
✦
چنان دان که پیروز شد در نبرد
“'When a man renders justice to his own self, know that he has emerged victorious in battle.'”
#38
مگو آن سخن کاندرو سود نیست
✦
کزان آتشت بهره جز دود نیست
“'Speak not that word wherein lies no profit, for from that fire your share will be nothing but smoke.'”
#39
میندیش ازان کان نشاید بدن
✦
نداند کس آهن به آب آژدن
“'Ponder not upon that which cannot be, for none knows how to temper iron with water alone.'”
#40
فروتن بود شه که دانا بود
✦
به دانش بزرگ و توانا بود
“'Humble is the King who is truly wise, great in knowledge and mighty in power.'”
#41
هر آنکس که او کردهٔ کردگار
✦
بداند گذشت از بد روزگار
“'Whoever knows the deeds of the Creator shall pass safely beyond the evil of time.'”
#42
پرستیدن داور افزون کند
✦
ز دل کاوش دیو بیرون کند
“'Increasing worship of the Judge expels the demon's temptation from the heart.'”
#43
بپرهیزد از هرچ ناکردنیست
✦
نیازارد آن را که نازردنیست
“'He refrains from all that ought not to be done, and harms not that which should not be harmed.'”
#44
به یزدان گراییم فرجام کار
✦
که روزی ده اویست و پروردگار
“'Let us turn to Yazdan in the end of all things, for He is the Sustainer and the Nourisher.'”
#45
ازان خوب گفتار بوزرجمهر
✦
حکیمان همه تازه کردند چهر
“From those sublime words of Bozorgmehr, all the sages refreshed their faces with delight.”
#46
یکی انجمن ماند اندر شگفت
✦
که مرد جوان آن بزرگی گرفت
“The whole assembly remained in absolute wonder that such a young youth could possess such immense greatness.”
#47
جهاندار کسری درو خیره ماند
✦
سرافراز روزی دهان را بخواند
“Kasra, the ruler of the world, gazed upon him in marvel, and called for his noble scribes and dispensers of royal favor.”
#48
بفرمود تا نام او سر کنند
✦
بدانگه که آغاز دفتر کنند
“He commanded that Bozorgmehr's name be recorded at the very head whenever they opened the royal ledgers.”
#49
میان مهان بخت بوزرجمهر
✦
چو خورشید تابنده شد بر سپهر
“Among the grandees, the fortune of Bozorgmehr shone brilliant as the sun across the high sky.”
#50
ز پیش شهنشاه برخاستند
✦
برو آفرینی نو آراستند
“They rose from before the King of Kings, adorning him anew with high praise and commendations.”
#51
بپرسش گرفتند زو آنچ گفت
✦
که مغز ودلش باخرد بود جفت
“They began to question him regarding his words, for his heart and mind were truly paired with wisdom.”
#52
زبان تیز بگشاد مرد جوان
✦
که پاکیزه دل بود و روشن‌روان
“The young man opened his eloquent tongue—he who was pure of heart and of enlightened spirit.”
#53
چنین گفت کز خسرو دادگر
✦
نپیچید باید به اندیشه سر
“He spoke thus: "From the just King, one must never turn away, even in the secrecy of thought.”
#54
کجا چون شبانست ما گوسفند
✦
و گر ما زمین او سپهر بلند
“For he is like the shepherd and we the flock; or if we are the earth, he is the lofty sky above."”
#55
نشاید گذشتن ز پیمان اوی
✦
نه پیچیدن از رای و فرمان اوی
“"It is unbecoming to breach his covenant, or to stray from his counsel and royal command.”
#56
بشادیش باید که باشیم شاد
✦
چو داد زمانه بخواهیم داد
“We must rejoice in his joy, if we expect justice and equity from the turning of Time.”
#57
هنرهاش گسترده اندرجهان
✦
همه راز او داشتن درنهان
“His virtues are renowned throughout the world; all his secrets ought to be kept closely hidden.”
#58
مشو با گرامیش کردن دلیر
✦
کزآتش بترسد دل نره شیر
“Grow not overly bold with his favored ones, for even the fierce lion's heart trembles before fire.”
#59
اگر کوه فرمانش دارد سبک
✦
دلش خیره خوانیم و مغزش تنک
“If a mountain were to treat his order lightly, we would judge its heart foolish and its brain hollow.”
#60
همه بد ز شاهست و نیکی زشاه
✦
کزو بند و چاهست و هم تاج و گاه
“All chastisement comes from the King, as does all goodness; from him are the fetter and pit, and likewise the crown and throne.”
#61
سرتاجور فر یزدان بود
✦
خردمند ازو شاد وخندان بود
“Upon the monarch's head rests the divine glory; the wise man is gladdened and joyful because of him.”
#62
ازآهرمنست آن کزو شاد نیست
✦
دل و مغزش از دانش آباد نیست
“Whoever takes no delight in him is of Ahriman's brood, whose heart and mind are void of wisdom."”
#63
شنیدند گفتار مرد جوان
✦
فروبست فرتوت را زو زبان
“They listened to the words of the youth; his wisdom bound the tongues of the aged sages in silence.”
#64
پراگنده گشتند زان انجمن
✦
پر از آفرین روز و شبشان دهن
“They dispersed from that grand assembly, their mouths filled day and night with blessings upon him.”