Shahnameh , Zahaak

Farnoosh Shamsian / Shahnameh, Avesta, etc
  • Created on 2021-04-16 18:43:45
  • Modified on 2021-11-18 08:49:09
  • Translated by Davis, Warners
  • Aligned by Farnoosh Shamsian
فارسی
English
English

یکی مرد بود اندر آن روزگار
ز دشت سواران نیزه گزار
گرانمایه هم شاه و هم نیک مرد
ز ترس جهاندار با باد سرد
که مرداس نام گرانمایه بود
بداد و دهش برترین پایه بود
مرو را ز دوشیدنی چارپای
ز هر یک هزار آمدندی به جای‏
همان گاو دوشا به فرمانبری
همان تازی اسپان همه گوهری
بز و شیرور میش بد همچنین
به دوشندگان داده بد پاک دین‏
به شیر آن کسی را که بودی نیاز
بدان خواسته دست بردی فراز
پسر بد مرین پاک دین را یکی
که از مهر بهره‌ش نبود اندکی‏
جهانجوی را نام ضحاک بود
دلیر و سبکسار و ناباک بود
کجا بیوراسپش همی خواندند
چنین نام بر پهلوی راندند
کجا بیور از پهلوانی شمار
بود در زبان دری ده هزار
ز اسپان تازی به زرین ستام
ورا بود بیور که بردند نام‏
شب و روز بودی دو بهره به زین
ز راه بزرگی , نه از راه کین‏
چنان بد که ابلیس روزی پگاه
بیامد بسان یکی نیکخواه‏
دل مهتر از راه نیکی ببرد
جوان گوش گفتار او را سپرد
بدو گفت پیمانت خواهم نخست
پس آنگه سخن برگشایم درست
جوان ساده‌دل بود پیمانش کرد
چنان کو بفرمود سوگند خورد
که راز تو با کس نگویم ز بن
ز تو بشنوم هر چه گوئی سخن
بدو گفت جز تو کسی کدخدای
چرا باید ای نامور درسرای
چه باید پدر که‌ش پسر چون تو بود
یکی پندت از من بباید شنود
زمانه برین خواجه سالخورد
همی دیر ماند , تو اندر نورد
بگیر این سر مایه‌ور گاه اوی
تو را زیبد اندر جهان جاه اوی
گر این گفته من چو آری بجای
جهان را تو باشی یکی کدخدای
چو ضحاک بشنید و اندیشه کرد
ز خون پدر شد دلش پر ز درد
به ابلیس گفت : این سزاوار نیست
دگر گوی کین ازدر کار نیست‏
بدو گفت اگر بگذری زین سخن
بتابی ز سوگند و پیمان ز بن
بماند به گردنت سوگند و بند
شوی خوار و ماند پدرت ارجمند
سر مرد تازی به دام آورید
چنان شد که فرمان او برگزید
بپرسید کین چاره با من بگوی
چه رویست راه و بهانه مجوی
بدو گفت من چاره سازم تو را
به خورشید سر بر فرازم تو را
مران پادشا را در اندر سرای
یکی بوستان بد گرانمایه جای
گرانمایه شبگیر برخاستی
ز بهر نیایش برآراستی
سر و تن بشستی نهفته به باغ
پرستنده با او نبردی چراغ
One of the desert spear-armed Bedouins
Of noble birth then lived a virtuous king ,
Just , highborn , generous , and hight Mardas ,
Who sought his God with reverence and sighs ,
He kept a thousand head of all milch cattle ,
Goats , camels , sheep , and kine—a gentle breed—
With Arab steeds , all timid beauties they ,
And grudged the milk to none . He had a son
Whom much he loved—Zahhak , a gallant prince ,
But hasty . People called him Biwarasp .
Ten thousand is " biwar " in ancient Persian ,
And he possessed ten thousand Arab steeds
With golden equipage—a famous stud .
Most of his days and nights he spent on horseback
Engaged in superintendence not in war .

One day Iblis approached him as a friend
And led his wits astray . The youth gave ear
With pleasure and all unsuspectingly
Gave to Iblis heart , reason , and pure soul ,
And heaped the dust on his own head . Iblis
Exulted seeing that the youth was snared
And gulled the simpleton with specious words ,
Thus saying : " I could tell thee many things
Known to myself alone . "

The youth made answer :
" Tell me at once , my worthy monitor ! "

Iblis replied : " First promise , then my story . "
The guileless youth swore as Iblis dictated :
" Thy secret shall be kept , thy bidding done . "

Then said Iblis : " Great prince ! shall any rule
Here but thyself ? What profiteth a sire
With such a son ? Now hearken to my rede :
The lifetime of this ancient potentate
Continueth , thou art shelved . Seize on his court
And goods . His place will suit thee , thou shalt be
King of the world if thou durst do my bidding . "

Zahhak looked grave ; to shed his sire ' s blood grieved him .
He said : " Not so , suggest some other course :
This cannot be . "

" Then thou , " Iblis rejoined ,
" Art perjured and wilt still be despicable ,
Thy father honoured . "

Thus he snared the Arab ,
Who asked : " What must I do ? I will obey . "

Iblis replied : " Leave me to scheme . Thy head
Shall touch the sun . I only ask thy silence ;
No help need I , myself am competent ,
But keep the sword of speech within the scabbard . "

Now in the palace was a jocund garth ,
And thither used Mardas to go at dawn
To bathe him ere he prayed , without a slave
To light him on his way
. .
In those days , in the land of the Arabs , there was a good and fine king who sighed with fear before God . His name was Merdas , and he was a man of great generosity and justice .

Each of the herds he had entrusted to his shepherds numbered a thousand , whether of cows , or Arab horses , or goats , or milk-giving sheep , and he freely gave milk to anyone who needed it .

This righteous man had a son , whose character had very little kindness in it . He was an ambitious youth named Zahhak , brave , turbulent in his moods , and of an evil disposition . Everyone called him Bivarasp , a Pahlavi word meaning " ten thousand horses , " because he had ten thousand Arab horses , all with golden bridles . He spent most of his days and nights riding them , not into battle so much as to demonstrate his wealth and greatness .

One day at dawn Eblis appeared before Zahhak , presenting himself as a friendly well-wisher , and the youth was charmed by his conversation . Eblis said , " First I want your promise that our talk will be confidential , and then I will tell you what I have to say . " The young man greeted him kindly , and answered , " I will tell no one about anything I hear from you . "

Eblis said , " Listen to my advice . No one but you should be in charge here ; with a son like you , why should an old , worn-out father go on ruling for so long ? Take his place , you’re the person best fitted for his position . If you listen to my advice , you will be the ruler of the world . " Zahhak heard him out and considered his words , but the thought of shedding his father’s blood troubled his heart . He said , " This is wrong ; give me different advice , this is not something I can do . " Eblis said , " If you don’t follow my advice , you’re breaking your promise ; you’ll stay as a wretched subject and your father will stay as ruler . "

And so he led the Arab into his trap , and Zahhak decided to obey him . He said , " Tell me how to do it , what’s the best way to accomplish this ? Don’t make excuses now . " Eblis replied , " I will take care of how it’s to be done ; Your head will rise in heaven , like the sun . " King Merdas owned a fine orchard , and he would go there in the dawn’s darkness , to wash his head and body , and to pray . The servant who accompanied him did not bring a lamp .

( 104 ) 26% FAR
( 289 ) 74% FAR - ENG

( 255 ) 54% FAR - ENG
( 221 ) 46% ENG

( 255 ) 54% FAR - ENG
( 221 ) 46% ENG