#1
چو آگاهی آمد ز خسرو به راه
✦
به نزد بزرگان و نزد سپاه
“When news reached the grandees and the army along the road concerning Khosrow,”
#2
که شیرین به مشکوی خسرو شدست
✦
کهن بود کار جهان نوشدست
“That Shirin had entered Khosrow's royal harem, refreshing an old affair of the heart,”
#3
همه شهر زان کار غمگین شدند
✦
پر اندیشه و درد و نفرین شدند
“The whole city became sorrowful over this deed, filled with anxiety, pain, and complaints.”
#4
نرفتند نزدیک خسرو سه روز
✦
چهارم چو بفروخت گیتی فروز
“For three days they did not go near Khosrow; on the fourth, when the sun illuminated the world,”
#5
فرستاد خسرو مهان را بخواند
✦
بگاه گران مایگان برنشاند
“Khosrow sent word to invite the noble leaders and seated them in high positions.”
#6
بدیشان چنین گفت کاین روز چند
✦
ندیدم شما را شدم مستمند
“He said to them: 'For these past few days I saw you not, and I became sorrowful.”
#7
بیازردم از بهر آزارتان
✦
پراندیشه گشتم ز تیمارتان
“I grieved over your distress and grew anxious because of your sorrow.'”
#8
همی‌گفت و پاسخ نداد ایچ‌کس
✦
ز گفتن زبانها ببستند بس
“He spoke thus, yet no one gave any reply; their tongues were completely bound from speech.”
#9
هرآنکس که او داشت آزار و خشم
✦
یکایک به موبد نمودند چشم
“Everyone who held resentment and anger turned their eyes one by one toward the High Priest.”
#10
چو موبد چنان دید برپای خاست
✦
به خسرو چنین گفت کای راد وراست
“When the High Priest saw this, he stood up and spoke to Khosrow: 'O generous and righteous King!”
#11
به روز جوانی شدی شهریار
✦
بسی نیک و بد دیدی از روزگار
“In the days of youth you became monarch; you have seen much good and bad from time.”
#12
شنیدی بسی نیک و بد در جهان
✦
ز کار بزرگان و کار مهان
“You have heard much of good and bad in the world from the deeds of ancestors and great men.”
#13
کنون تخمهٔ مهتر آلوده شد
✦
بزرگی ازین تخمهٔ پالوده شد
“Now the seed of the nobles has been polluted, and greatness has been drained from this lineage.”
#14
پدر پاک و مادر بود بی‌هنر
✦
چنان دان که پاکی نیاید ببر
“If the father is pure and the mother lacks virtue, know for certain that purity will bear no fruit.”
#15
ز کژی نجوید کسی راستی
✦
که از راستی برکنی کاستی
“No one seeks truth from crookedness, for when you uproot truth, only loss remains.”
#16
دل ما غمی شد ز دیو سترگ
✦
که شد یار با شهریار بزرگ
“Our hearts are grieved because a huge demon has become the companion of the great monarch.”
#17
به ایران اگر زن نبودی جزین
✦
که خسرو بدو خواندی آفرین
“Were there no other women in Iran for Khosrow to bestow praise upon,”
#18
نبودی چو شیرین به مشکوی او
✦
بهر جای روشن بدی روی او
“That Shirin should reside in his harem? Everywhere his face would have been radiant!”
#19
نیاکانت آن دانشی راستان
✦
نکردند یاد از چنین داستان
“Your wise and truthful ancestors never made mention of such a story.'”
#20
چوگشت آن سخنهای موبد دراز
✦
شهنشاه پاسخ نداد ایچ‌باز
“When the Mobad's words grew long, the King of Kings gave no answer in return.”
#21
چنین گفت موبد که فردا پگاه
✦
بیاییم یکسر بدین بارگاه
“The Mobad then said: 'Tomorrow morning early, we shall all come to this court together,”
#22
مگر پاسخ شاه یابیم باز
✦
که امروزمان شد سخنها دراز
“Hoping that we might receive the King's answer, for today our speech has dragged on long.'”
#23
دگر روز شبگیر برخاستند
✦
همه بندگی را بیاراستند
“The next day at dawn they arose, all adorning themselves for royal service.”
#24
یکی گفت موبد ندانست گفت
✦
دگر گفت کان با خرد بود جفت
“One said the Mobad knew not how to speak; another said his words were joined with wisdom.”
#25
سیوم گفت که امروز پاسخ دهد
✦
سزد زو که آواز فرخ نهد
“A third said: 'Today he will give answer; it is fitting for him to raise a auspicious voice.'”
#26
همه موبدان برگرفتند راه
✦
خرامان برفتند نزدیک شاه
“All the priests took their way, walking gracefully toward the King.”
#27
بزرگان گزیدند جای نشست
✦
بیامد یکی مرد تشتی بدست
“The nobles chose their seating places; then a man arrived holding a basin in hand.”
#28
چو خورشید رخشنده پالوده گشت
✦
یکایک بران مهتران برگذشت
“As bright as the refined shining sun, he passed one by one before those nobles.”
#29
بتشت اندرون ریختش خون گرم
✦
چو نزدیک شد تشت بنهاد نرم
“Into the basin they poured warm blood, and as he drew near, he set the basin down softly.”
#30
از آن تشت هرکس بپیچید روی
✦
همه انجمن گشت پر گفت و گوی
“Everyone turned their face away from that basin, and the whole assembly filled with chatter.”
#31
همی‌کرد هر کس به خسرو نگاه
✦
همه انجمن خیره از بیم شاه
“Everyone kept looking at Khosrow, the whole assembly bewildered for fear of the King.”
#32
به ایرانیان گفت کاین خون کیست
✦
نهاده بتشت اندر از بهر چیست
“He said to the Iranians: 'Whose blood is this, placed in the basin for what purpose?'”
#33
بدو گفت موبد که خون پلید
✦
کزو دشمنش گشت هرکش بدید
“The High Priest said to him: 'It is polluted blood; whoever saw it became its enemy.'”
#34
چوموبد چنین گفت برداشتش
✦
همه دست بردست بگذاشتش
“When the Mobad spoke thus, they lifted it away, passing it from hand to hand.”
#35
ز خون تشت پر مایه کردند پاک
✦
ببستند روشن به آب و به خاک
“They cleansed the precious basin from the blood, washing it bright with water and soil.”
#36
چو روشن شد و پاک تشت پلید
✦
بکرد آنک او شسته بد پرنبید
“When the filthy basin became bright and clean, the servant filled the washed vessel with pure wine.”
#37
بمی بر پراگند مشک وگلاب
✦
شد آن تشت بی‌رنگ چون آفتاب
“Over the wine he scattered musk and rosewater; the color of the basin became radiant like the sun.”
#38
ز شیرین بران تشت بد رهنمون
✦
که آغاز چون بود و فرجام چون
“That basin was an emblem for Shirin, showing how the beginning was, and how the end became.”
#39
به موبد چنین گفت خسرو که تشت
✦
همانا بد این گر دگرگونه گشت
“Khosrow said to the Mobad: 'The basin indeed was this, though now it has turned into another form.'”
#40
بدو گفت موبد که نوشه بدی
✦
پدیدار شد نیکوی از بدی
“The Mobad replied: 'May you be immortal! Goodness has become apparent out of evil.”
#41
بفرمان ز دوزخ توکردی بهشت
✦
همان خوب کردی تو کردار زشت
“By your command you turned hell into paradise; likewise you rendered beautiful an ugly deed.'”
#42
چنین گفت خسرو که شیرین بشهر
✦
چنان بد که آن بی‌منش تشت زهر
“Khosrow said: 'Shirin in the city was like that ignoble basin of poison.”
#43
کنون تشت می شد به مشکوی ما
✦
برین گونه پربو شد ازبوی ما
“Now she has become a basin of wine in our harem, filled with perfume by our scent.”
#44
ز من گشت بدنام شیرین نخست
✦
ز پرمایگان نامداری نجست
“Shirin became ill-famed at first because of me; no nobleman sought renown through her.'”
#45
همه مهتران خواندند آفرین
✦
که بی‌تاج وتختت مبادا زمین
“All the grandees sang praises: 'May the earth never be without your crown and throne!”
#46
بهی آن فزاید که تو به کنی
✦
مه آن شد بگیتی که تومه کنی
“Goodness increases when you make it better; he becomes great in the world whom you make great.”
#47
که هم شاه وهم موبد وهم ردی
✦
مگر بر زمین سایهٔ ایزدی
“For you are at once King, High Priest, and Chief Guide—none other than the shadow of God upon the earth!'”