English
Section 7
From the army of the Turks, brave Human came before his brother like a lion.
He said: commander and chief of Afrasiab, on this field haste has caught up with us.
For seven days now this struggle has dragged on, with so many riders girded for war.
Wrapped in iron, hearts full of hatred, both eyes fixed on the land of Iran.
Why do you keep turning things over and over? Tell me what worries lie in your heart.
If your mind is set on war, then test it; if your mind is set on retreat, do not linger here.
For this would be a disgrace to you, commander; old and young alike would laugh at it.
This is the same army that once marched out to fight us and left, its color and glory gone.
For back then their whole battlefield lay slain, the earth from end to end a river of blood.
Our nobles are no fewer in horsemen now, and their house has no Rostam for a champion.
If you have no wish to shed their blood, if you will not rouse the army to fight,
then pick a force of warriors from the ranks, hand them to me, and watch me wage this war of vengeance.
When Piran heard Human's words, he said to him: do not rush, do not act with heat.
Know this, brother: the war-seeker who has come against us with an army
is the chosen chief of Kay Khosrow, the foremost of every champion and hero.
First, Kay Khosrow holds his head higher than my own king in every assembly.
Second, among the king's champions I know none who equals Gudarz in rank,
in loftiness and manliness, in shrewd judgment and wisdom.
Third, his liver is seared with scars, his heart full of blood from the loss of so many sons,
whose heads we severed from their bodies, when we sank the earth in dust and blood.
Now, as long as there is life in his body, he writhes over this vengeance like a coiling snake.
Fourth, he has brought his army down between two mountains and gathered it as a wall.
From every side you probe, there is no way in; think well, for this hardship will not be brief.
We must strive hard so that perhaps we may draw them out from that mountain foothold.
Perhaps they will grow weary and slacken, and rush too soon to open the battle.
When they lead their army out of the mountains, I will rain a storm of arrows on their heads.
We will ring them round like a wall, and fall upon them like a raging lion.
Then all our desire will turn out well, and our name will rise up to the sun.
You are the backbone of the army, the king's marshal, your crown lifted above the turning sky.
One who has no need of a lofty name, why should he circle round after mere greed?
And another thing: none of their famous warriors will come to face us without hesitation.
Whichever of their champions is the least known, the most restless of their fighting riders,
they will send from their army against you, seeking blood. If you lay him low on the ground,
your name will not rise high because of it, nor will the Iranians suffer any real harm.
But if he gains the upper hand and spills your blood, these brave Turks will be humbled.
Human looked hard at his brother's words, and thought his caution about the fight was foolish.
He answered thus: there is no rider from Iran who could stand and do battle with me.
This gentleness is simply your nature; for me, it is battle that I long for.
And if you have no urge to seek revenge, if the fire of war is not in your heart,
I will do whatever must be done on this field, and show my skills to the army of Iran.
I will saddle my swift dun horse and, at first light of dawn, ride out to seek my vengeance.