When spring attired the plains in silk and velvet, the warriors of Turan girded themselves for war. An endless host gathered from the Turks, Chin, and the mace-bearing lords of the East—an army so colossal that neither its flanks nor its center could be discerned, even as the star of King Nowzar’s youthful reign began to wane.
As the thunder of the Turanian war-bands reached the banks of the Oxus (Jayhun), tidings came to King Nowzar. Leaving their radiant palaces, the Iranian warriors marched out onto the open plains. Qaren the fierce commander took the vanguard toward Dehestan, with Nowzar following behind, while rumors of war filled the lands. When the host arrived before the fortress of Dehestan, the rising dust blotted out the sun, and the royal pavilions of Nowzar were raised upon the plain.
Afrasiab, capitalizing on the moment, wasted no time. He selected two of his foremost warlords—Shamasas and the brave Khazarvan—assigning them thirty thousand seasoned horsemen to ride toward Zabulistan and attack the heartland of Dastan. News had reached him that the mighty Sam son of Nariman had passed away, and that Zal the White-haired was consumed with grief, raising a tomb for his father. Joyful at the thought that Iran's divine fortune had fallen asleep, Afrasiab arrived at Dehestan and pitched his command tents opposite Nowzar's camp. His army numbered four hundred thousand battle-ready horsemen, so vast that the desert sands seemed to boil with ants and locusts, whereas Nowzar stood with only one hundred and forty thousand.
Surveying the forces under the cover of night, Afrasiab dispatched a swift courier bearing a letter to his father, King Pashang. He declared that victory was within their grasp, as the formidable Sam was gone, Zal was immobilized by mourning, and the Iranian host was ripe for destruction. Urging that no time be lost while opportunity favored them, Afrasiab noted that Shamasas was already riding for Nimruz. Receiving the scroll, the swift messenger spread his wings like a bird of prey and sped toward the court of King Pashang.
#1
چو دشت از گیا گشت چون پرنیان
✦
ببستند گردان توران میان
“When the desert turned to fine silk with springtime grass, the champions of Turan girded their loins.”
#2
سپاهی بیامد ز ترکان و چین
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هم از گرزداران خاور زمین
“An army marched from the Turks and China, as well as the mace-bearing warriors of the East.”
#3
که آن را میان و کرانه نبود
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همان بخت نوذر جوانه نبود
“An army without middle or bounds, while the fortune of Nowzar was no longer young and thriving.”
#4
چو لشکر به نزدیک جیحون رسید
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خبر نزد پور فریدون رسید
“When the army reached near the Jayhun River, news arrived for the son of Fereydun's lineage.”
#5
سپاه جهاندار بیرون شدند
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ز کاخ همایون به هامون شدند
“The world-ruler's warriors marched out, moving from the royal palace into the open plains.”
#6
به راه دهستان نهادند روی
✦
سپهدارشان قارن رزم‌جوی
“They set their face upon the road to Dehestan, led by their battle-seeking commander Qaren.”
#7
شهنشاه نوذر پس پشت اوی
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جهانی سراسر پر از گفت و گوی
“King Nowzar marched right behind him, while the whole world was filled with rumors of war.”
#8
چو لشکر به پیش دهستان رسید
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تو گفتی که خورشید شد ناپدید
“When the army arrived before Dehestan, you would say the sun itself had vanished in the dust.”
#9
سراپردهٔ نوذر شهریار
✦
کشیدند بر دشت پیش حصار
“They pitched the royal pavilion of King Nowzar upon the plain in front of the fortress.”
#10
خود اندر دهستان نیاراست جنگ
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برین بر نیامد زمانی درنگ
“He did not array for battle inside Dehestan, and without the slightest delay...”
#11
که افراسیاب اندر ایران زمین
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دو سالار کرد از بزرگان گزین
“Afrasiab chose two chieftains from among the prominent lords against Iran.”
#12
شماساس و دیگر خزروان گرد
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ز لشکر سواران بدیشان سپرد
“Shamasas and Khazarvan the warrior—to whom he entrusted a body of cavalry riders.”
#13
ز جنگ آوران مرد چون سی هزار
✦
برفتند شایستهٔ کارزار
“Thirty thousand warlike men, all worthy of battle, set forth.”
#14
سوی زابلستان نهادند روی
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ز کینه به دستان نهادند روی
“They directed their path toward Zabulistan, driven by vengeance against Dastan.”
#15
خبر شد که سام نریمان بمرد
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همی دخمه سازد ورا زال گرد
“Tidings had spread that Sam son of Nariman was dead, and Zal the hero was building his tomb.”
#16
ازان سخت شادان شد افراسیاب
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بدید آنکه بخت اندر آمد به خواب
“Afrasiab grew exceedingly joyful at this, seeing that Iran's fortune had gone to sleep.”
#17
بیامد چو پیش دهستان رسید
✦
برابر سراپرده‌ای برکشید
“He arrived before Dehestan and pitched his pavilion directly opposite Nowzar's camp.”
#18
سپه را که دانست کردن شمار!
✦
برو چارصد بار بشمر هزار
“Who could count his army? Count four hundred times a thousand upon it!”
#19
بجوشید گفتی همه ریگ و شخ
✦
بیابان سراسر چو مور و ملخ
“You would say all the sand and rock boiled; the desert was covered with them like ants and locusts.”
#20
ابا شاه نوذر صد و چل هزار
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همانا که بودند جنگی سوار
“With King Nowzar were one hundred and forty thousand warrior horsemen in total.”
#21
به لشکر نگه کرد افراسیاب
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هیونی برافگند هنگام خواب
“Afrasiab looked upon the armies, and dispatched a swift courier at bedtime.”
#22
یکی نامه بنوشت سوی پشنگ
✦
که جستیم نیکی و آمد به چنگ
“He wrote a letter to Pashang: 'We sought good fortune, and now it has come to our hands.'”
#23
همه لشکر نوذر ار بشکریم
✦
شکارند و در زیر پی بسپریم
“'If we hunt down Nowzar's host, they are mere prey to be crushed beneath our feet.'”
#24
دگر سام رفت از در شهریار
✦
همانا نیاید بدین کارزار
“'Furthermore, Sam has departed from the king's realm, and surely will not come to this battle.'”
#25
ستودان همی سازدش زال زر
✦
ندارد همی جنگ را پای و پر
“'Zal the White-haired is building his tomb, having neither power nor heart for battle.'”
#26
مرا بیم ازو بُد به ایران زمین
✦
چو او شد، ز ایران بجوییم کین!
“'My only fear in Iran was of him; now that he is gone, we shall take our revenge upon Iran!'”
#27
همانا شماساس در نیمروز
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نشستست با تاج گیتی فروز
“'Surely Shamasas is now in Nimruz, sitting adorned with the world-illuminating crown.'”
#28
به هنگام هر کار جستن نکوست
✦
زدن رای با مرد هشیار و دوست
“'It is wise to seek the right moment for every deed, and consult with prudent friends.'”
#29
چو کاهل شود مرد هنگام کار
✦
ازان پس نیابد چنان روزگار
“'When a man grows lazy at the moment of action, he will never find such opportunity again.'”
#30
هیون تکاور برآورد پر
✦
بشد نزد سالار خورشید فر
“The swift messenger courier spread his wings like a bird and sped unto the sun-glorious ruler.”