#1
برآمد برین روزگاری دراز
✦
نبد گردیه را به چیزی نیاز
“A long time passed in this manner, and Gordiyeh stood in need of nothing.”
#2
چنین می همی‌خورد با بخردان
✦
بزرگان و رزم آزموده ردان
“Thus she drank wine in the company of the wise, the nobles, and battle-tested chieftains.”
#3
بدان مجلس اندر یکی جام بود
✦
نوشته برو نام بهرام بود
“In that assembly there was a goblet whereon the name of Bahram was inscribed.”
#4
بفرمود تا جام بنداختند
✦
وزان هرکسی دل بپرداختند
“She commanded that the goblet be cast away, so that everyone cleared their hearts of him.”
#5
گرفتند نفرین به بهرام بر
✦
بران جام و آرندهٔ جام بر
“They rained curses upon Bahram, upon that cup, and upon the one who had brought it.”
#6
چنین گفت که اکنون بر بوم ری
✦
به کوبند پیلان جنگی بپی
“Khosrow then declared: 'Now upon the land of Ray, war elephants shall crush the ground beneath their feet!'”
#7
همه مردم از شهر بیرون کنند
✦
همه ری بپی دشت و هامون کنند
“'They shall cast out all inhabitants from the city and turn all of Ray into a plain and desert underfoot.'”
#8
گرانمایه دستور با شهریار
✦
چنین گفت کای از کیان یادگار
“The noble counselor said to the monarch: 'O souvenir of the Kianians!'”
#9
نگه کن که شهری بزرگست ری
✦
نشاید که کوبند پیلان بپی
“'Consider that Ray is a mighty city; it is not fitting that war elephants crush it underfoot.'”
#10
که یزدان دران کار همداستان
✦
نباشد نه هم بر زمین راستان
“'For God will not agree with such a deed, nor will the righteous of the earth approvingly look upon it.'”
#11
به دستور گفت آن زمان شهریار
✦
که بد گوهری باید و نابکار
“The king then said to his minister: 'Then we require a base-born and wicked man...'”
#12
که یک چند باشد بری مرزبان
✦
یکی مرد بی دانش و بد زبان
“'...to serve as governor of Ray for a while—an ignorant fool with an evil tongue.'”
#13
بدو گفت بهمن که گر شهریار
✦
بخواهد نشان چنین نابکار
“Bahman said to him: 'If the monarch desires the description of such a villain...'”
#14
بجوییم و این را بجا آوریم
✦
نباید که بی‌رهنما آوریم
“'...we shall search and fulfill this wish, lest we act without a guide.'”
#15
چنین گفت خسرو که بسیارگوی
✦
نژند اختری بایدم سرخ موی
“Khosrow said: 'I require a talkative, ill-starred man with red hair...'”
#16
تنش سرخ و بینی کژ وروی زشت
✦
همان دوزخی روی دور از بهشت
“'...a red body, a crooked nose, a hideous face—a hellish visage far removed from paradise...'”
#17
یکی مرد بدنام و رخساره زرد
✦
بد اندیش و کوتاه دل پر ز درد
“'...a man of ill repute with a yellow face, malevolent, shallow-hearted, and full of grief...'”
#18
همان بد دل و سفله و بی‌فروغ
✦
سرش پر ز کین و زبان پر دروغ
“'...cowardly, base, devoid of light, his head full of malice and his tongue full of lies...'”
#19
دو چشمش کژ و سبز و دندان بزرگ
✦
براه اندرون کژ رود همچو گرگ
“'...his two eyes squinted and green, with large teeth, walking crookedly along the path like a wolf.'”
#20
همه موبدان مانده زو در شگفت
✦
که تا یاد خسرو چنین چون گرفت
“All the mobads remained astonished at him, wondering how Khosrow had formed such a precise image.”
#21
همی‌جست هرکس بگرد جهان
✦
ز شهر کسان از کهان و مهان
“Everyone searched throughout the world, inquiring in cities from low to high.”
#22
چنان بد که روزی یکی نزد شاه
✦
بیامد کزین گونه مردی به راه
“It so happened that one day someone came to the king, saying: 'I saw such a man on the road...'”
#23
بدیدم بیارم به فرمان کی
✦
بدان تا فرستدش خسرو به ری
“'...I shall bring him by royal decree so that Khosrow may send him to Ray.'”
#24
بفرمود تا نزد او آورند
✦
وز آنگونه بازی بکو آورند
“The king commanded that he be brought into his presence, so that such a strange spectacle might be seen.”
#25
ببردند زین گونه مردی برش
✦
بخندید زو کشور و لشکرش
“They brought such a man before him, and the country and army laughed at his visage.”
#26
بدو گفت خسرو ز کردار بد
✦
چه داری بیاد ای بد بی‌خرد
“Khosrow said to him: 'Of wicked deeds, what do you hold in your mind, o foolish villain?'”
#27
چنین گفت با شاه کز کار بد
✦
نیاسایم و نیست با من خرد
“He said to the king: 'I never rest from evil deeds, and wisdom has no part in me.'”
#28
سخن هرچ گویی دگرگون کنم
✦
تن و جان مردم پر از خون کنم
“'Whatever word you speak, I twist it into evil; I fill the body and soul of people with blood.'”
#29
سرمایهٔ من دروغست و بس
✦
سوی راستی نیستم دست رس
“'My sole capital is falsehood; I have no access or inclination toward truth.'”
#30
بدو گفت خسرو که بد اخترت
✦
نوشته مبادا جزین بر سرت
“Khosrow said to him: 'O ill-starred one, may nothing else ever be written upon your destiny!'”
#31
به دیوان نوشتند منشور ری
✦
ز زشتی بزرگی شد آن شوم پی
“They wrote the royal decree for Ray in the court; through his ugliness, that ill-omened man attained greatness.”
#32
سپاه پراگنده او را سپرد
✦
برفت از درو نام زشتی ببرد
“Dispersed troops were entrusted to him; he departed from court, taking with him a name of wickedness.”
#33
چوآمد بری مرد ناتندرست
✦
دل و دیده از شرم یزدان بشست
“When that unwholesome man arrived in Ray, he cleansed his heart and eyes of divine shame.”
#34
بفرمود تا ناودانهای بام
✦
بکندند و او شد بران شادکام
“He commanded that the rain gutters of the roofs be torn off, and he rejoiced in that act.”
#35
وزان پس همه گربکان رابکشت
✦
دل کد خدایان ازو شد درشت
“Thereafter he slaughtered all the cats, and the hearts of the householders grew bitter against him.”
#36
به هرسو همی‌رفت با رهنمای
✦
منادیگری پیش او بر بپای
“He marched to every quarter with a guide, with a herald standing before him proclaiming:”
#37
همی‌گفت گر ناودانی بجای
✦
ببینی و گر گربه‌ای در سرای
“'If you see a rain gutter left in place, or a cat inside a home...'”
#38
بدان بوم وبر آتش اندر زنم
✦
ز برشان همی سنگ بر سرزنم
“'...I shall set fire to that land, and rain down heavy stones upon their heads!'”
#39
همی‌جست جایی که بد یک درم
✦
خداوند او را فگندی به غم
“He searched out any place where a single dirham was kept, and plunged its owner into sorrow.”
#40
همه خانه از موش بگذاشتند
✦
دل از بوم آباد برداشتند
“All the houses were abandoned to mice, and people lost hope in their once-prosperous homeland.”
#41
چو باران بدی ناودانی نبود
✦
به شهر اندرون پاسبانی نبود
“When rain fell, there were no gutters; nor was there any watchman remaining in the city.”
#42
ازان زشت بد کامهٔ شوم پی
✦
که آمد ز درگاه خسرو بری
“Because of that hideous, evil-wishing, ill-omened governor who came to Ray from Khosrow's court...”
#43
شد آن شهر آباد یکسر خراب
✦
به سر بر همی‌تافتی آفتاب
“...that thriving city became entirely ruined, with the sun scorching down upon its ruins.”
#44
همه شهر یکسر پر از داغ و درد
✦
کس اندر جهان یاد ایشان نکرد
“The entire city was filled with scars and pain, and no one in the world remembered them anymore.”