#1
فرایین چو تاج کیان برنهاد
✦
همی‌گفت چیزی که آمدش یاد
“When Farayin placed the Kayanian crown upon his head, he spoke whatever came to his mind.”
#2
همی‌گفت شاهی کنم یک زمان
✦
نشینم برین تخت بر شادمان
“He said: 'I shall rule for a time and sit upon this throne in joy and triumph.'”
#3
به از بندگی توختن شست سال
✦
برآورده رنج و فرو برده یال
“'This is far better than sixty years of servitude, enduring toil with a bowed head.'”
#4
پس از من پسر بر نشیند بگاه
✦
نهد بر سر آن خسروانی کلاه
“'After me, my son shall ascend the throne and wear the royal crown of kings.'”
#5
نهانی بدو گفت مهتر پسر
✦
که اکنون به گیتی توی تاجور
“Secretly, his elder son said to him: 'Now that you are the crowned ruler of the world,'”
#6
مباش ایمن و گنج را چاره کن
✦
جهان بان شدی کار یکباره کن
“'Do not feel secure; secure the treasury and finalize your grasp on power without delay.'”
#7
چو از تخمهٔ شهریاران کسی
✦
بیاید نمانی تو ایدر بسی
“'For if anyone of royal blood should appear, you will not remain here for long.'”
#8
وزان پس چنین گفت کهتر پسر
✦
که اکنون به گیتی توی تاجور
“Then the younger son spoke to him: 'Now that you are the world's crowned lord,'”
#9
سزاوار شاهی سپاهست و گنج
✦
چو با گنج باشی نمانی به رنج
“'What befits kingship is an army and wealth; so long as you hold treasure, you shall suffer no ill.'”
#10
فریدون که بد آبتینش پدر
✦
مر او را که بد پیش او تاجور
“'Consider Fereydun, whose father was Abtin—who was the crowned lord before him?'”
#11
جهان را بسه پور فرخنده داد
✦
که اندر جهان او بد از داد شاد
“'He divided the realm among three blessed sons, and rejoiced in the world through his justice.'”
#12
به مرد و به گنج این جهان را بدار
✦
نزاید ز مادر کسی شهریار
“'Hold this world through brave men and wealth; no prince is born from a mother except by power.'”
#13
ورا خوش نیامد بدین سان سخن
✦
به مهتر پسر گفت خامی مکن
“This speech pleased Farayin not; he said to his elder son, 'Do not speak so foolishly.'”
#14
عرض را به دیوان شاهی نشاند
✦
سپه را سراسر به درگاه خواند
“He seated the muster-master at the royal court and summoned the entire army to his threshold.”
#15
شب تیره تا روز دینار داد
✦
بسی خلعت ناسزاوار داد
“From dark night until dawn, he gave away gold coins and bestowed many unworthy robes of honor.”
#16
به دو هفته از گنج شاه اردشیر
✦
نماند از بهایی یکی پر تیر
“Within two weeks, of King Ardashir's immense treasure, not even the value of an arrow's feather remained.”
#17
هر آنگه که رفتی به می سوی باغ
✦
نبردی جز از شمع عنبر چراغ
“Whenever he went to the gardens to drink wine, he used no lights except amber-scented candles.”
#18
همان تشت زرین و سیمین بدی
✦
چو زرین بدی گوهر آگین بدی
“Golden and silver basins were set out; and those of gold were studded with precious gems.”
#19
چو هشتاد در پیش و هشتاد پس
✦
پس شمع یاران فریادرس
“Eighty walked before him and eighty behind, following the candle-bearing companions.”
#20
همه شب بدی خوردن آیین اوی
✦
دل مهتران پرشد ازکین اوی
“Feasting through every night became his custom, and the hearts of the nobles filled with hatred for him.”
#21
شب تیره همواره گردان بدی
✦
به پالیزها گر به میدان بدی
“Through the dark nights he wandered constantly, whether in the orchards or in the polo grounds.”
#22
نماندش به ایران یکی دوستدار
✦
شکست اندر آمد به آموزگار
“Not a single friend remained to him in Iran, and ruin overtook his advisors.”
#23
فرایین همان ناجوانمرد گشت
✦
ابی داد و بی‌بخشش و خرد گشت
“Thus Farayin became ignoble—void of justice, lacking generosity, and devoid of wisdom.”
#24
همی زر بر چشم بر دوختی
✦
جهان را به دینار بفروختی
“He bound his eyes with gold and sold the world for mere gold coins.”
#25
همی‌ریخت خون سر بی‌گناه
✦
از آن پس برآشفت به روی سپاه
“He shed the blood of the innocent, and thereafter turned in fury against the army.”
#26
به دشنام لبها بیاراستند
✦
جهانی همه مرگ او خواستند
“Lips were readied with curses against him, and the entire world desired his death.”
#27
شب تیره هرمزد شهران گراز
✦
سخنها همی‌گفت چندان به راز
“In the dark of night, Hormozd Shahr-an-Guraz spoke many secret words with the nobles.”
#28
گزیده سواری ز شهر صطخر
✦
که آن مهتران را بدو بود فخر
“He was an elite horseman from the city of Istakhr, in whom the chieftains took great pride.”
#29
به ایرانیان گفت کای مهتران
✦
شد این روزگار فرایین گران
“He said to the Iranians: 'O nobles, this era of Farayin has grown unbearable!'”
#30
همی‌دارد او مهتران را سبک
✦
چرا شد چنین مغز و دلتان تُنُک
“'He treats the grandees with light contempt; why have your minds and hearts grown so frail?'”
#31
همه دیده‌ها زو شده پر سرشک
✦
جگر پر ز خون شد بباید پزشک
“'All eyes are filled with tears because of him; our livers bleed, and a healer is required.'”
#32
چنین داد پاسخ مرا او را سپاه
✦
که چون کس نماند از در پیشگاه
“The army answered him thus: 'Since no eligible heir remains before the throne,'”
#33
نه کس را همی‌آید از رشک یاد
✦
که پردازدی دل بدین بد نژاد
“'No one feels envy or hesitation to turn their heart away from this evil-born usurper.'”
#34
بدیشان چنین گفت شهران گراز
✦
که این کار ایرانیان شد دراز
“Shahr-an-Guraz said to them: 'This plight of the Iranians has dragged on too long.'”
#35
گر ایدون که بر من نسازید بد
✦
کنید آنک از داد و گردی سزد
“'If you will not turn against me in betrayal, do what is worthy of justice and heroism.'”
#36
هم اکنون به نیروی یزدان پاک
✦
مر او را ز باره در آرم به خاک
“'By the power of pure God, I shall cast him down from his mount unto the dust right now!'”
#37
چنین یافت پاسخ ز ایرانیان
✦
که بر تو مبادا که آید زیان
“He received this reply from the Iranians: 'May no harm ever come upon you!'”
#38
همه لشکر امروز یار توایم
✦
گرت زین بد آید حصار توایم
“'The entire army is your ally today; if ill comes to you from this, we shall be your shield.'”
#39
چو بشنید ز ایشان ز ترکش نخست
✦
یکی تیر پولاد پیکان بجست
“Hearing this from them, he at once drew forth a steel-tipped arrow from his quiver.”
#40
برانگیخت از جای اسپ سیاه
✦
همی‌داشت لشکر مر او را نگاه
“He spurred his black horse forward while the entire army watched him intently.”
#41
کمان رابه بازو همی‌درکشید
✦
گهی در بروگاه بر سرکشید
“He drew back the bowstring with his arm, pulling it now toward his chest and now past his ear.”
#42
به شورش‌گری تیر بازه ببست
✦
چو شد غرقه پیکانش بگشاد شست
“Amidst the commotion, he fixed the arrow to the notch; when the arrowhead was fully drawn, he released his thumb.”
#43
بزد تیر ناگاه بر پشت اوی
✦
بیفتاد تازانه از مشت اوی
“Suddenly he struck the arrow into Farayin's back; the whip fell from the usurper's fist.”
#44
همه تیرتا پر در خون گذشت
✦
سرآهن ازناف بیرون گذشت
“The entire shaft plunged in blood up to its feathers, and the iron tip emerged from his navel.”
#45
ز باره در افتاد سر سرنگون
✦
روان گشت زان زخم او جوی خون
“Headlong he tumbled from his horse, and a stream of blood gushed forth from that mortal wound.”
#46
بپیچید و برزد یکی باد سرد
✦
به زاری بران خاک دل پر ز درد
“He writhed in agony and breathed a cold sigh, falling piteously upon the dust with a heart full of pain.”
#47
سپه تیغها بر کشیدند پاک
✦
برآمد شب تیره از دشت خاک
“The army drew their swords every one, as dark night enveloped the dusty plain.”
#48
همه شب همی خنجر انداختند
✦
یکی از دگر باز نشناختند
“All through the night they wielded their daggers, unable in the darkness to tell friend from foe.”
#49
همی این از آن بستد و آن ازین
✦
یکی یافت نفرین دگر آفرین
“Each seized spoils from the other; one earned curses, while another received praise.”
#50
پراگنده گشت آن سپاه بزرگ
✦
چومیشان بددل که بینند گرگ
“That vast host was dispersed and fled, like faint-hearted ewes catching sight of a wolf.”
#51
فراوان بماندند بی شهریار
✦
نیامد کسی تاج را خواستار
“For a long space they remained without a sovereign, and no one stepped forward to claim the crown.”
#52
بجستند فرزند شاهان بسی
✦
ندیدند زان نامداران کسی
“Long did they search for offspring of the royal line, yet found not a single survivor among those illustrious lords.”