English
The Reign of Fariborz
Happy is Fariborz, the king of kings,
to whom every ruler paid their tribute.
All the land of Iran rejoiced in him;
every ruin was rebuilt and flourished.
From Egypt, Palestine, and Hamavaran
costly gifts were sent to him.
Kia Ladan, that man of strength and craft,
whom Ferdowsi named Pooladvand.
In Assyria there was a great lord,
a filthy dog, a sorcerer, an old wolf.
Fariborz fought against the king of Tur;
when fortune turns, even skill becomes a flaw.
He was taken captive in that battle,
and by treachery his head was cruelly cut off.
When that fight took the name of Gerui Zereh,
the whole world closed in on him from every side.
No horse, no armor, no sword, no weapon:
it was all nothing but trickery and mockery.
Surely this battle was the work of Garsivaz,
though they mistook it for stubborn bravery.