There came a day when King Khosrow Parviz yearned for the hunting grounds and resolved to array a hunt of unprecedented magnificence, matching the royal traditions of the ancient monarchs of Iran. Three hundred noble steeds with golden bridles were brought forth for the renowned king, while eleven hundred and sixty spear-bearing footmen, clad in silk brocade over their mail, marched alongside. A thousand and forty men held swords and staves to clear the way, followed by five hundred falconers bearing trained falcons, hawks, and royal eagles. Three hundred champion horsemen rode behind the falconers and cheetah-keepers, leading seventy lions and leopards tethered in golden chains and wrapped in Chinese brocade, their mouths sewn with golden threads. A hundred greyhounds with golden collars, capable of catching swift gazelles on the plain, bounded in the procession.
Behind them came two thousand musicians mounted on camels adorned with golden crowns, their harps and instruments prepared to fill the hunting fields with song. Five hundred camels carried the royal tents, pavilions, thrones, and banquet halls, while three hundred young princes of royal blood rode beside their monarch, wearing armlets, torques, and jewel-encrusted golden belts. Two hundred young attendants held burning censers of agarwood and ambergris, filling the air with fragrance, while another two hundred carried bouquets of narcissus and saffron. A hundred water-bearers sprinkled musk-scented water along the path so that no cloud of dust might touch the blessed sovereign.
When news reached Shirin that the King’s brilliant cortege was passing by the palace, her heart swelled with the memories of past days. She clad herself in a musk-scented yellow robe, brightened her cheeks like pomegranate blossoms, wrapped herself in a crimson Roman silk cloak embroidered with gold and jewels, and placed a royal Pahlavi crown upon her head. She ascended to the roof of Khosrow's grand palace—she who had known no joy in the spring of her youth—and waited until the King drew near. When her eyes fell upon Parviz, tears gushed from her lashes down her cheeks. Standing tall, she spoke in sweet, mournful accents, invoking their ancient love: 'O mighty lion and brave commander! Where is all that deep love and those bloody tears, when beholding Shirin was your only cure? Where are those long nights spent in longing, when your eyes wept yet your lips smiled? Where are all our sacred covenants, our solemn vows and pledges?' Tears of sorrow drenched her azure garments.
At the sight of her, Khosrow's heart melted; tears filled his eyes, and his complexion turned pale as the setting sun. He dispatched forty noble Roman eunuchs with a golden-bridled steed to escort Shirin to the golden harem and jewel-adorned chambers. The King then rode forth into the wild plains, surrendering to the joys of the hunt, wine, and music. Having taken his fill of sport across mountain and plain, he returned triumphantly toward the city. The people decorated the streets and walls; the blast of trumpets and the strain of songs filled the air. Khosrow returned to his high palace in full majesty.
Shirin stepped forth from the harem, kissed the King's feet and chest, and bowed down before him. Khosrow turned to the High Mobad, requesting that no ill thoughts be harbored, and commanded that this fair lady be given to him in wedlock. Thus, according to the ancient rites and sacred customs of the monarchs of old, Shirin was united with Khosrow Parviz in royal marriage, bringing joyous tidings to the world.
#1
چنان بد که یک روز پرویز شاه
✦
همی آرزو کرد نخچیرگاه
“It came to pass that one day King Parviz yearned to ride forth unto the royal hunting grounds.”
#2
بیاراست برسان شاهنشهان
✦
که بودند از او پیشتر در جهان
“He prepared the expedition after the fashion of the supreme monarchs who had governed the world before him.”
#3
چو بالای سیصد به زرین ستام
✦
ببردند با خسرو نیک نام
“More than three hundred steeds adorned with golden bridles were led alongside the renowned Khosrow.”
#4
هزار و صد و شست خسرو پرست
✦
پیاده همی‌رفت ژوپین بدست
“Eleven hundred and sixty devoted attendants marched on foot, javelins in hand.”
#5
هزار و چهل چوب و شمشیر داشت
✦
که دیبای در بر زره زیر داشت
“A thousand and forty men held staves and swords, wearing Roman silk brocade over their coats of mail.”
#6
پس اندر بدی پانصد بازدار
✦
هم از واشه و چرغ و شاهین کار
“Behind them came five hundred falconers, skilled with hawks, falcons, and royal eagles.”
#7
ازان پس برفتند سیصد سوار
✦
پس بازداران با یوزدار
“Thereafter rode three hundred horsemen following the falconers and cheetah-keepers.”
#8
به زنجیر هفتاد شیروپلنگ
✦
به دیبای چین اندرون بسته تنگ
“Seventy lions and leopards were bound in chains, wrapped tightly in fine Chinese brocade.”
#9
پلنگان و شیران آموخته
✦
به زنجیر زرین دهن دوخته
“Trained leopards and lions had their jaws muzzled with chains of gold.”
#10
قلاده بزر بسته صد بود سگ
✦
که دردشت آهو گرفتی بتگ
“A hundred hounds wore collars of gold, swifter than gazelles across the open plain.”
#11
پس اندر ز رامشگران دوهزار
✦
همه ساخته رود روز شکار
“Behind them walked two thousand musicians, their instruments attuned for the hunt.”
#12
به زیر اندرون هریکی اشتری
✦
به سر برنهاده ز زر افسری
“Each musician rode a camel, wearing upon his head a crown of gold.”
#13
ز کرسی و خرگاه و پرده سرای
✦
همان خیمه و آخر چارپای
“Carrying thrones, royal pavilions, outer tents, and equipment for the beasts,”
#14
شتر بود پیش اندرون پانصد
✦
همه کرده آن بزم را نامزد
“Five hundred camels marched ahead, all designated to serve that grand banquet.”
#15
ز شاهان برنای سیصد سوار
✦
همی‌راند با نامور شهریار
“Three hundred young princes of noble blood rode alongside the renowned monarch.”
#16
ابا یاره و طوق و زرین کمر
✦
بهر مهره‌ای در نشانده گهر
“Adorned with armlets, torques, and golden belts, every jewel-bead set with precious stones.”
#17
دوصد برده تامجمر افروختند
✦
برو عود و عنبر همی‌سوختند
“Two hundred slaves kindled censers, burning aloe-wood and ambergris before the King.”
#18
دوصد مرد برنای فرمانبران
✦
ابا هریکی نرگس و زعفران
“Two hundred obedient youths walked ahead, each bearing narcissus and saffron.”
#19
همه پیش بردند تا باد بوی
✦
چو آید ز هر سو رساند بدوی
“They marched ahead so that whenever a breeze stirred, it would carry sweet fragrance to him.”
#20
همه پیش آنکس که با بوی خوش
✦
همی‌رفت با مشک صد آبکش
“All walked before the one who bore sweet scents, alongside a hundred water-bearers with musk-infused water,”
#21
که تا ناورد ناگهان گرد باد
✦
نشاند بران شاه فرخ نژاد
“Lest a sudden whirlwind rise and cast dust upon that monarch of blessed line.”
#22
چو بشنید شیرین که آمد سپاه
✦
به پیش سپاه آن جهاندار شاه
“When Shirin heard that the host of the world-ruling king had arrived before the palace,”
#23
یکی زرد پیراهن مشک بوی
✦
بپوشید و گلنارگون کرد روی
“She put on a musk-scented yellow robe and flushed her cheeks like pomegranate blossoms.”
#24
یکی از برش سرخ دیبای روم
✦
همه پیکرش گوهر و زر بوم
“Over it she draped a cloak of crimson Roman silk, its whole fabric woven with gold and gems.”
#25
به سر بر، نهاد افسر خسروی
✦
نگارش همه پیکر پهلوی
“Upon her head she placed a royal crown, fashioned entirely after Pahlavi motifs.”
#26
از ایوان خسرو برآمد ببام
✦
به روز جوانی نبد شادکام
“She ascended to the roof of Khosrow's palace—she who in her youth had known no happiness.”
#27
همی‌بود تاخسرو آنجا رسید
✦
سرشکش ز مژگان به رخ برچکید
“She stood waiting until Khosrow arrived below, tears trickling from her lashes onto her cheeks.”
#28
چو روی ورا دید برپای خاست
✦
به پرویز بنمود بالای راست
“When she beheld his face, she stood upright and showed her tall, graceful stature to Parviz.”
#29
زبان کرد گویا بشیرین سخن
✦
همی‌گفت زان روزگار کهن
“She opened her speech with sweet words, recounting tales of their ancient days of love.”
#30
به نرگس گل و ارغوان را بشست
✦
که بیمار بد نرگس وگل درست
“With tears she washed the rose and red pomegranate blossoms, for her narcissus eyes were sorrowful while the blossoms were fresh.”
#31
بدان آبداری و آن نیکوی
✦
زبان تیز بگشاد برپهلوی
“With such radiance and beauty, she loosed her eloquent tongue in the Pahlavi tongue:”
#32
که تهما هژبرا سپهبد تنا
✦
خجسته کیا گرد شیراوژنا
“'O mighty lion, champion general! O blessed monarch, lion-subduing hero!”
#33
کجا آن همه مهر و خونین سرشک
✦
که دیدار شیرین بد او را پزشک
“Where is all that devotion and those bloody tears, when beholding Shirin was your only remedy?”
#34
کجا آن همه روز کردن به شب
✦
دل و دیده گریان و خندان دو لب
“Where are those long days spent yearning into night, with weeping heart and eyes, yet smiling lips?”
#35
کجا آن همه بند و پیوندما
✦
کجا آن همه عهد و سوگند ما
“Where are all our ties and affection? Where are all our sacred covenants and solemn vows?'”
#36
همی‌گفت وز دیده خوناب زرد
✦
همی‌ریخت برجامهٔ لاژورد
“Thus she spoke, shedding amber tears mixed with blood upon her lapis lazuli robe.”
#37
به چشم اندر آورد زو خسرو آب
✦
به زردی رخش گشت چون آفتاب
“At her words, tears welling in Khosrow's eyes, his face turned pale as the glowing sun.”
#38
فرستاد بالای زرین ستام
✦
ز رومی چهل خادم نیک نام
“He dispatched forty noble Roman attendants with a golden-harnessed steed for her,”
#39
که او را به مشکوی زرین برند
✦
سوی خانهٔ گوهر آگین برند
“To conduct her to the golden harem and escort her unto the gem-bedecked palace.”
#40
ازان جایگه شد به دشت شکار
✦
ابا باده ورود و با میگسار
“From that spot the King departed for the hunting plain, accompanied by wine, songs, and cupbearers.”
#41
چو از کوه وز دشت برداشت بهر
✦
همی‌رفت شادی کنان سوی شهر
“Having reaped his share of joy from mountain and plain, he returned rejoicing toward the city.”
#42
ببستند آذین بشهر و به راه
✦
که شاه آمد از دشت نخچیرگاه
“They decorated the city and the highways with splendor, celebrating the King's return from the hunt.”
#43
ز نالیدن بوق و بانگ سرود
✦
هوا گشت ز آواز بی‌تار و پود
“With the sounding of trumpets and the chorus of songs, the very air seemed filled with music.”
#44
چنان خسروی برز و شاخ بلند
✦
ز دشت اندر آمد به کاخ بلند
“With such majestic grandeur, the lofty branch of royalty returned from the wilderness to his high palace.”
#45
ز مشکوی شیرین بیامد برش
✦
ببوسید پای و زمین و برش
“Shirin emerged from the royal harem, kissed his feet, the ground before him, and his breast.”
#46
به موبد چنین گفت شاه آن زمان
✦
که بر ما مبر جز به نیکی گمان
“The King then addressed the High Priest, saying: 'Think of us with naught but goodness;”
#47
مرین خوب رخ را به خسرو دهید
✦
جهان را بدین مژدهٔ نو دهید
“Give this fair-faced maiden to Khosrow in marriage, and give the world this glad news.'”
#48
مر او را به آیین پیشی بخواست
✦
که آن رسم و آیین بد آنگاه راست
“He claimed her according to ancient customs, for that custom and rite was then deemed right and just.”