King Kasra Noshinravan, crowned with divine grace and justice, addressed his gathered chieftains and noble commanders with stern wisdom. Offering praise to Yazdan, he warned them against the creeping poison of ease and endless feasting, reminding them that valor withers when the dust of battle is forgotten. He declared that true treasure and lasting peace belong only to those who endure hardship, and swore that by God's strength, at the turn of the new moon, he would march an army toward Khorasan to cleanse the world of corruption and renew the kingdom with justice.
Awakened by the King's resolve, the nobles bowed their heads in humble apology, praising his sovereign majesty and pledging their unwavering obedience unto death. As the golden ruby of the crescent moon crested over the azure vault of heaven, the royal court filled with clamor. At dawn, when the sun bathed the earth in radiant gold, the war-horns blared, brass-plated drums were strapped upon massive war elephants, and heralds set forth.
Yazdgard the Scribe and Mobad Ardashir, the King's chief counselors, dispatched royal decrees to every realm, ordering all local lords to cease their revelry and prepare for war. Letters of state were likewise dispatched to the Khaqan of China and Faghanish. Then, Kasra led a host out from Ctesiphon so vast that no dry land remained visible under their march. From mountain peak to mountain peak, the earth bristled with banners and steel. As the vanguard swept into Gorgan, the rising dust blotched out the midday sun, and there the King tarried for a time, hunting in the high meadows while his legions prepared for the days to come.
#1
چنین داد پاسخ که یزدان سپاس
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کزو دارم اندر دو گیتی هراس
“He answered thus: 'Praise be to God, in whom alone I place my awe in both realms.'”
#2
که ایشان نجستند جز خواب وخورد
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فراموش کردند گرد نبرد
“'For they sought naught but sleep and feasting, and utterly forgot the dust of battle.'”
#3
شما را بر آسایش و بزمگاه
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گران شد چنینتان سر از رزمگاه
“'Your minds have grown heavy against the battlefield due to ease and the banquet hall.'”
#4
تن آسان شود هرک رنج آورد
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ز رنج تنش باز گنج آورد
“'Whoever endures toil shall attain ease; from bodily hardship, he gathers treasure.'”
#5
به نیروی یزدان سرماه را
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بسیجیم یک سر همه راه را
“'By the power of God, at the head of the month, we shall prepare and take to the road altogether.'”
#6
به سوی خراسان کشم لشکری
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بخواهم سپاهی ز هرکشوری
“'I shall lead an army toward Khorasan, and summon troops from every country.'”
#7
جهان از بدان پاک بی‌خوکنم
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بداد ودهش کشوری نو کنم
“'I shall cleanse the world of evil without malice, and renew the realm with justice and generosity.'”
#8
همه نامداران فروماندند
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به پوزش برو آفرین خواندند
“All the nobles were struck with awe; they offered apologies and chanted his praises.”
#9
که ای شاه پیروز با فر و داد
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زمانه به دیدار توشاد باد
“Saying: 'O victorious king of glory and justice, may Time itself rejoice at your sight!'”
#10
همه نامداران تو را بنده‌ایم
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به فرمان و رایت سرافگنده‌ایم
“'We nobles are all your servants; we bow our heads before your command and counsel.'”
#11
هرآنگه که فرمان دهد کارزار
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نبیند ز ما کاهلی شهریار
“'Whenever the King commands battle, he shall see no sloth or weakness in us.'”
#12
ازان پس چو بنشست با رای‌زن
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بزرگان وکسری شدند انجمن
“Thereafter, when he sat with his counselors, Kasra and the nobles gathered in assembly.”
#13
همی‌بود ازین گونه تا ماه نو
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برآمد نشست از برگاه نو
“Things continued in this wise until the new moon arose and rested upon its celestial throne.”
#14
تو گفتی که جامی ز یاقوت زرد
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نهادند بر چادر لاژورد
“You would say a goblet of yellow ruby was placed upon a veil of azure.”
#15
بدیدند بر چهرهٔ شاه ماه
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خروشی برآمد ز درگاه شاه
“When they beheld the moon upon the king's visage, a mighty clamor arose from the royal court.”
#16
چو برزد سر از کوه رخشان چراغ
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زمین شد به کردار زرین جناغ
“When the radiant lamp [the sun] raised its head above the mountain, the earth gleamed like a golden saddle-tree.”
#17
خروش آمد و نالهٔ گاو دم
✦
ببستند بر پیل رویینه خم
“The roaring sound of trumpets and buffalo-horns arose; they strapped brass drums onto war elephants.”
#18
دمادم به لشکر گه آمد سپاه
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تبیره زنان برگرفتند راه
“In endless waves the army entered the encampment, and beating their drums, they took to the road.”
#19
بدرگاه شد یزدگرد دبیر
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ابا رای‌زن موبد اردشیر
“Yazdgard the Scribe came before the court, along with Mobad Ardashir, the chief counselor.”
#20
نبشتند نامه به هر کشوری
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بهر نامداری و هرمهتری
“They wrote letters to every realm, to every chieftain and nobleman.”
#21
که شد شاه با لشکر از بهر رزم
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شما کهتری را مسازید بزم
“Stating: 'The King has marched with his army for battle; let none among you subjects prepare for feasting.'”
#22
بفرمود نامه بخاقان چین
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فغانیش راهم بکرد آفرین
“He commanded a letter to be sent to the Khaqan of China, and praised Faghanish as well.”
#23
یکی لشکری از مداین براند
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که روی زمین جز بدریا نماند
“He marched such a vast army out of Ctesiphon that nothing remained of the earth's surface except the sea.”
#24
زمین کوه تاکوه یک سر سپاه
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درفش جهاندار بر قلبگاه
“From mountain to mountain the earth was carpeted with soldiers, with the King's banner in the center.”
#25
یکی لشکری سوی گرگان کشید
✦
که گشت آفتاب از جهان ناپدید
“He led an army toward Gorgan so immense that the sun vanished from the heavens.”
#26
بیاسود چندی ز بهر شکار
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همی‌گشت درکوه و در مرغزار
“He rested for a time to engage in the hunt, roaming among the mountains and green meadows.”