When news reached the wise sister of Bahram Chubin that her brother had returned from the battlefront with Khosrow, her soul was pierced with sorrow. Recognizing the fateful abyss into which his ambition was driving him, she cast aside her noble headband, wrapped herself in a modest servant's veil, and hastened to his presence with a heartbroken spirit. 'O mighty warrior,' she cried, 'how could you raise your blade against Khosrow Parviz? Even if the young king acts with the rash arrogance of youth, it does not become a seasoned commander like you to sever the path of reconciliation!'
Bahram Chubin angrily retorted that Khosrow was unfit to rule—devoid of battlefield valor, royal generosity, or true wisdom. He proclaimed that personal skill and inner virtue mattered more than imperial bloodline. Yet his sister confronted him with unyielding truth, invoking the ancient proverb of Balkh that true words are ever bitter to hear. 'Do not play the fool who sought the horns of a bull and lost his own ears and snout!' she warned him. 'None of our ancestors ever wore the royal crown of Iran. Remember the bounties of King Hormoz, who raised you to glory, bestowed upon you the plunder and crown of Saveh Shah, and made your name radiant across the earth. To turn against his line now is to invite the wrath of God and surrender your soul to the Div.'
She reminded him of the eternal order of the realm, stressing that the throne belonged solely to the lineage of Ardashir the Sasanian. 'If gold and legions alone granted the right to rule, then Saveh Shah of China would be king of Iran today! God raised you up to defend Iran, not to usurp its throne. Reflect upon Sam, the son of Nariman—the greatest warrior the world had ever known. When King Nowzar fell and the grandees of Iran begged Sam to place the turquoise crown upon his own head, he refused, declaring that the dust of Manuchehr's line was his only rightful seat, and he would never usurp the throne of his sovereign.'
Bahram listened to his sister's profound wisdom and bowed his head, acknowledging before God that every word she spoke was the absolute truth. Yet, with a heart heavy with grief and a mind consumed by destiny, he replied: 'Sister, your counsel is righteous, but my fate has already crossed the point of no return. My mind is shattered by torment. Whether I achieve supreme power or lay my head down in death—for death pierces even helmets of tempered steel—I must walk this dark path to its ultimate end.'
#1
چوخواهرش بشنید کامد ز راه
✦
برادرش پر درد زان رزمگاه
“When his sister heard that he had returned from the path, her brother full of pain from that battlefield,”
#2
بینداخت آن نامدار افسرش
✦
بیاورد فرمانبری چادرش
“That renowned lady cast off her coronet and brought forth a servant's veil.”
#3
بیامد بنزد برادر دمان
✦
دلش خسته ازدرد و تیره روان
“She came swiftly before her brother, her heart wounded with grief and her soul darkened.”
#4
بدو گفت کای مهتر جنگجوی
✦
چگونه شدی پیش خسرو بگوی
“She said to him: 'O warlike chieftain, tell me how you acted before King Khosrow.'”
#5
گر او ازجوانی شود تیزوتند
✦
مگردان تو درآشتی رای کند
“'If he in his youth becomes fierce and sharp, do not turn your mind away from peace.'”
#6
بخواهر چنین گفت بهرام گرد
✦
که او را زشاهان نباید شمرد
“Bahram the warrior spoke thus to his sister: 'He should not be counted among kings!'”
#7
نه جنگی سواری نه بخشنده‌ای
✦
نه داناسری گر درخشنده‌ای
“'He is neither a combat knight nor generous, nor wise in head, however radiant he appears.'”
#8
هنر بهتر از گوهر نامدار
✦
هنرمند باید تن شهریار
“'Virtue and skill are better than renowned lineage; the body of a ruler must be accomplished.'”
#9
چنین گفت داننده خواهر بدوی
✦
که‌ای پرهنر مهتر نامجوی
“The wise sister spake unto him: 'O accomplished and fame-seeking leader,'”
#10
تو را چند گویم سخن نشنوی
✦
به پیش آوری تندی وبدخوی
“'How often must I counsel you, yet you listen not, bringing forth only harshness and ill temper?'”
#11
نگر تاچه گوید سخن گوی بلخ
✦
که باشد سخن گفتن راست تلخ
“'Consider what the Speaker of Balkh said: that telling the truth is bitter.'”
#12
هرآنکس که آهوی تو باتوگفت
✦
همه راستیها گشاد ازنهفت
“'Whoever revealed your faults to your face, laid open all truths from concealment.'”
#13
مکن رای ویرانی شهر خویش
✦
ز گیتی چو برداشتی بهرخویش
“'Do not resolve to ruin your own city, once you have taken your own portion from the world.'”
#14
برین بریکی داستان زد کسی
✦
کجا بهره بودش ز دانش بسی
“'Regarding this, someone framed a tale—one who possessed a vast share of wisdom:'”
#15
که خر شد که خواهد زگاوان سروی
✦
بیکباره گم کرد گوش وبروی
“'That the donkey went seeking the horns of bulls, and lost its ears and snout all at once!'”
#16
نکوهش مخواه از جهان سر به سر
✦
نبود از تبارت کسی تاجور
“'Do not bring blame upon yourself from all the world; no one in your lineage was ever a crowned king.'”
#17
اگر نیستی درمیان این جوان
✦
نبودی من از داغ تیره روان
“'Were you not caught in the midst of this, young man, my soul would not be darkened with grief.'”
#18
پدرزنده و تخت شاهی بجای
✦
نهاده تو اندر میان پیش پای
“'While the father was alive and the royal throne intact, you stepped forward to usurp it.'”
#19
ندانم سرانجام این چون بود
✦
همیشه دو چشمم پر از خون بود
“'I know not what the end of this will be; both my eyes are ever filled with blood.'”
#20
جز از درد و نفرین نجویی همی
✦
گل زهر خیره ببویی همی
“'You seek naught but pain and curse; blindly you smell the flower of poison.'”
#21
چو گویند چوبینه بدنام گشت
✦
همه نام بهرام دشنام گشت
“'When they say Chubin became ill-famed, the whole name of Bahram turns to insult.'”
#22
برین نیز هم خشم یزدان بود
✦
روانت به دوزخ به زندان بود
“'Upon this lies the wrath of God as well, and your soul shall be imprisoned in Hell.'”
#23
نگر تا جز از هرمز شهریار
✦
که بد درجهان مر تو را خواستار
“'Consider who in the world sought your greatness, save King Hormoz?'”
#24
هم آن تخت و آن کالهٔ ساوه شاه
✦
بدست آمد و برنهادی کلاه
“'That throne and all those treasures of Saveh Shah came into your hands, and you placed the crown upon your head.'”
#25
چو زو نامور گشتی اندر جهان
✦
بجویی کنون گاه شاهنشهان
“'When you became renowned in the world through him, do you now seek the throne of King of Kings?'”
#26
همه نیکوییها ز یزدان شناس
✦
مباش اندرین تاجور ناسپاس
“'Acknowledge all goodness as coming from God; be not ungrateful toward this crowned monarch.'”
#27
برزمی که کردی چنین کش مشو
✦
هنرمند بودی منی فش مشو
“'Do not grow haughty over the battles you fought; you were talented, yet do not be arrogant.'”
#28
به دل دیو را یار کردی همی
✦
به یزدان گنهگار گردی همی
“'You have made the Div a companion to your heart, becoming a sinner before God.'”
#29
چو آشفته شد هرمز وبردمید
✦
به گفتار آذرگشسپ پلید
“'When Hormoz became disturbed and raged at the words of evil Azargashasp,'”
#30
تو را اندرین صبر بایست کرد
✦
نبد بنده را روزگارنبرد
“'You ought to have exercised patience; it was not a vassal's place to wage war.'”
#31
چو او را چنان سختی آمد بروی
✦
ز بردع بیامد پسر کینه جوی
“'When such hardship befell him, his vengeful son came from Bardaa.'”
#32
ببایست رفتن برشاه نو
✦
بکام وی آراستن گاه نو
“'You should have gone before the new King and decorated the new throne according to his desire.'”
#33
نکردی جوان جز برای تو کار
✦
ندیدی دلت جز به روزگار
“'The young prince did nothing except for your sake; your heart saw nothing but its own luck.'”
#34
تن آسان بدی شاد وپیروزبخت
✦
چراکردی آهنگ این تاج وتخت
“'You were at ease, happy and victorious; why did you aim for this crown and throne?'”
#35
تودانی که ازتخمهٔ اردشیر
✦
بجایند شاهان برنا و پیر
“'You know that from the seed of Ardashir, young and old kings remain to rule.'”
#36
ابا گنج وبا لشکر بی‌شمار
✦
به ایران که خواند تو را شهریار
“'Even with endless treasure and armies, who in Iran would call you King?'”
#37
اگر شهریاری به گنج وسپاه
✦
توانست کردن به ایران نگاه
“'If kingship could be claimed through wealth and host, and thereby look upon Iran,'”
#38
نبودی جز از ساوه سالار چین
✦
که آورد لشکر به ایران زمین
“'Then none but Saveh, the ruler of China, who brought his host against Iran's soil, would rule.'”
#39
تو راپاک یزدان بروبرگماشت
✦
بد او ز ایران و توران بگاشت
“'Pure God appointed you against him; he sought to tear Iran and Turan apart.'”
#40
جهاندار تا این جهان آفرید
✦
زمین کرد و هم آسمان آفرید
“'Since the World-Lord created this universe, making the earth and the heavens above,'”
#41
ندیدند هرگز سواری چوسام
✦
نزد پیش او شیردرنده گام
“'Never did men see a knight like Sam, before whom even fierce lions would not step.'”
#42
چو نوذر شد از بخت بیدادگر
✦
بپا اندر آورد رای‌پدر
“'When Nowzar fell through unjust fate, Sam upheld the counsel of his father.'”
#43
همه مهتران سام را خواستند
✦
همان تخت پیروزه آراستند
“'All the grandees desired Sam for king and adorned the turquoise throne for him.'”
#44
بران مهتران گفت هرگز مباد
✦
که جان سپهبد کند تاج یاد
“'He said to those nobles: Never may it be that the commander's soul desires the crown!'”
#45
که خاک منوچهر گاه منست
✦
سر تخت نوذر کلاه منست
“'The dust of Manuchehr's path is my throne; the crown of Nowzar's head is my helm.'”
#46
بدان گفتم این ای برادر که تخت
✦
نیابد مگر مرد پیروزبخت
“'I told you this, brother, because the throne is won only by the prosperous and blessed man,'”
#47
که دارد کفی راد وفر ونژاد
✦
خردمند و روشن دل و پر ز داد
“'Who possesses a generous hand, royal glory, noble birth, wisdom, an enlightened heart, and full justice.'”
#48
ندانم که بر تو چه خواهد رسید
✦
که اندر دلت شد خرد ناپدید
“'I know not what shall befall you, for wisdom hath vanished from your heart.'”
#49
بدو گفت بهرام کاینست راست
✦
برین راستی پاک یزدان گواست
“Bahram said to her: 'This is the truth, and pure God is witness to this truth.'”
#50
ولیکن کنون کار ازین درگذشت
✦
دل و مغز من پر ز تیمار گشت
“'Yet now the matter has passed beyond this gate; my heart and brain are filled with anguish.'”
#51
اگر مه شوم گر نهم سر بمرگ
✦
که مرگ اندر آید بپولاد ترگ
“'Whether I grow great or yield my head to death—for death even strikes the steel helm.'”