#1
چو آگاه شد غاتفر زان سخن
✦
که خاقان چینی چه افگند بن
“When Ghatfar became aware of what the Khagan of China was setting in motion,”
#2
سپاهی ز هیتالیان برگزید
✦
که گشت آفتاب ازجهان ناپدید
“He selected a host from the Hephthalites so vast that the sun was hidden from the world.”
#3
زبلخ وز شگنان و آموی و زم
✦
سلیح وسپه خواست و گنج درم
“From Balkh, Shaghnan, Amuy, and Zam, he demanded weapons, troops, and treasure.”
#4
ز سومان وز ترمذ و ویسه گرد
✦
سپاهی برآمد زهرسوی گرد
“From Suman, Termez, and Visehgard, armies mustered from every direction.”
#5
ز کوه و بیابان وز ریگ و شخ
✦
بجوشید لشکر چو مور و ملخ
“From mountain, desert, sand, and stony waste, the army seethed like ants and locusts.”
#6
چو بگذشت خاقان برود تَرَک
✦
توگفتی همی تیغ بارد فلک
“When the Khagan crossed the Tarak River, you would say the heavens were raining blades.”
#7
سپاه انجمن کرد بر مای و مرغ
✦
سیه گشت خورشید چون پر چرغ
“The army assembled at May-o-Morgh; the sun grew dark as the wing of a raven.”
#8
ز بس نیزه وتیغهای بنفش
✦
درفشیدن گونه گونه درفش
“From the multitude of spears and dark blades, banners of every tint gleamed brightly.”
#9
بخارا پر از گرد وکوپال بود
✦
که لشکرگه شاه هیتال بود
“Bukhara was filled with dust and maces, serving as the encampment for the King of the Hephthalites.”
#10
بشد غاتفر با سپاهی چو کوه
✦
ز هیتال گرد آوریده گروه
“Ghatfar advanced with an army like a mountain, a host gathered from all Heptal.”
#11
چو تنگ اندرآمد ز هر سو سپاه
✦
ز تنگی ببستند بر باد راه
“When the hosts closed in from every side, their tight ranks blocked the path of the wind.”
#12
درخشیدن تیغهای سران
✦
گراییدن گُرزهای گران
“The flashing of the leaders' swords and the wielding of heavy maces filled the air.”
#13
توگفتی که آهن زبان داردی
✦
هوا گُرز را ترجمان داردی
“You would say the iron had found a tongue, and the air acted as the interpreter for the maces.”
#14
یکی باد برخاست و گردی سیاه
✦
بشد روشنایی ز خورشید و ماه
“A wind arose bearing black dust; all radiance was snatched from sun and moon.”
#15
کشانی وسغدی شدند انجمن
✦
پر از آب رو کودک و مرد وزن
“The Kushanians and Sogdians gathered together, their eyes filled with tears—women, children, and men alike.”
#16
که تا چون بود کارآن رزمگاه
✦
کرا بردهد گردش هور وماه
“Watching to see how the battlefield would fare, and to whom fate and the revolving orb would grant victory.”
#17
یکی هفته آن لشکر جنگجوی
✦
بروی اندر آورده بودند روی
“For a whole week those battle-seeking armies stood face to face in relentless conflict.”
#18
به هر جای برتوده‌ای کشته بود
✦
ز خون خاک وسنک ارغوان گشته بود
“Everywhere lay heaps of slain; soil and stone turned red as pomegranates with blood.”
#19
ز بس نیزه و گُرز و کوپال و تیغ
✦
توگفتی همی سنگ بارد ز میغ
“From the sheer vastness of spears, maces, weapons, and swords, you would say stones rained from the clouds.”
#20
نهان شد بگرد اندرون آفتاب
✦
پر از خاک شد چشم پران عقاب
“The sun was lost within the dust, and the eye of the soaring eagle was filled with soil.”