English
The Story of Bozorgmehr
Never think a dream is worthless; count it as one part of prophecy.
Especially when the king of the world dreams it, and his shining soul chooses its meaning.
The stars consult with the heavens and the moon, and scatter their messages along the way.
Bright souls see in sleep all that will come, like fire flickering over water.
One night King Nushirvan lay asleep, wise, alert, and in the prime of his fortune.
In his dream he saw a royal tree spring up before his throne.
It filled the king's heart with joy; he called for wine, the lute, and musicians.
But there, in that place of ease and delight, a sharp-tusked boar came and sat down.
Once seated, it settled to drinking wine, and asked for a share from Nushirvan's own cup.
When the sun raised its head from the sign of Taurus, from every side rose the lowing of cattle.
Kasra sat gloomy upon his throne, his heart full of sorrow from what he had seen.
They summoned the dream-interpreter and seated the sages upon their places.
The king told the guiding priests all that he had seen in his dream.
The interpreter gave no answer, for he had no knowledge of such a thing.
Yet whoever admits his ignorance stays clear of blame and disgrace.
When the king got no answer from the learned man, his troubled heart turned toward a remedy.
He sent a nobleman out in every direction to search through every land.
With each he sent a purse of gold as companion, hoping much for their return.
In every purse were ten thousand silver coins, so they might seek far and wide across the world.
To find a wise interpreter of dreams, one who had traveled far in every branch of knowledge,
who could unravel this dream of the king of the world and bring its hidden meaning out of its secret lock.
They would give him a purse stuffed full with gold and place him in the king's gratitude.
In every direction went a skilled priest, a shrewd and deeply learned rider.
One of the sages, named Azad-Sarv, came from Kasra's court to Merv.
He came and searched all through Merv, and found a priest teaching the Zend.
He was teaching the children the Zend, sharply, with anger and a loud voice.
One child there before him, the finest, was studying the Zend and mastering it.
They called him Bozorgmehr, his face marked with the seal of loving devotion to that book.
The priest turned his reins from the road, came, and asked the boy about the king's dream.
The teacher said, 'This is no task of mine; in every kind of knowledge, the Zend is my helper.'
When Bozorgmehr heard the priest speak, he listened closely and his face lit up.
He said to the master: this is my prey; reading dreams is my kind of work.
The man shouted at him: so you have already mastered your own book of knowledge!
The envoy said: wise sir, perhaps he truly knows; do not turn a knowing man away.
The teacher grew troubled over Bozorgmehr and said to him: tell what you have in mind.
He answered: I will say this to no one but the king, once he seats me before his throne.
The envoy gave him a horse and silver coins, and whatever else he needed, great or small.
The two set out together from Merv, striding gracefully like a pheasant among the roses.
So they went, proud and talking of the king, of his command, his glory, his crown and throne.
They reached a place where there was water, when it was time to eat and rest.
They stopped beneath a tree, ate something, and caught their breath.
Bozorgmehr fell asleep in that shade, a cloth drawn over his face.
The noble companion who traveled with him on the road was still awake.
He looked and saw a speckled snake that slid the cloth off the sleeping boy.
It sniffed him hard from head to foot, then softly left him and went toward the tree.
As the black snake climbed up the trunk, the boy woke from his sleep.
When the serpent heard him stir, it vanished into the slender branches.
The envoy was left in wonder and called on God's name many times.
He said to himself: this clever boy will one day rise to great heights.
Then they hurried from the thicket back to the road and moved on gracefully toward the king.
The envoy went ahead of the boy and stepped swiftly up to Khosrow's throne.
He said: king Nushinravan, you are the wakeful sleeper, and your fortune is young.
I went from your court to Merv, my king, wandering like a pheasant in a rose garden.
Among the students I found a boy; I brought him and hurried back at once.
He told the words he had heard from the boy, and the wonder he had seen with the black snake.
King Khosrow summoned the boy before him and spoke at length about the dream.
When the wise boy heard Nushinravan, his mind filled with words and his tongue grew eloquent.
He answered: within your household, among the beauties of your private chambers,
there is a young man who has dressed and adorned himself as a woman.
Clear that place of the stranger, follow this counsel of ours, so none may find a way in.
Order them to pass before you, to walk across the ground so their tracks can be studied.
Let us question that reckless intruder, how he dared come to the lion's own pillow.
He cleared the palace hall of strangers and locked down the royal court.
The lovely women of the king's harem came out, all fragrance, color, and adornment.
The jasmine-scented beauties, with grace and modesty, walked gently past Khosrow.
They saw no one out of place among them; Khosrow flared up like an enraged lion.
The dream-reader said, this is not proper: there is a young man hidden among the women.
The reader said, make them walk more slowly, and let them lift their faces from behind the veil of shame.
Once again they passed by in front, and all thought the dream a foolish thing.
A young man appeared among them, tall as a cypress, with the face of royalty.
His body trembled like a willow, his heart despairing of sweet life.
There were seventy slave girls in that chamber, each with a body like a free-standing cypress.
One was the eldest daughter, from Chaj, tall as a cypress with a bosom of ivory.
A jasmine-bodied, musk-scented young man had been dear to her in her father's house.
He served her like a slave; wherever she went, he was her own companion.
The king asked her: who is this man, and who is it that keeps such a servant?
That you should choose such a bold young man to keep inside Nushinravan's own harem.
The woman said: he is younger than me, a youth, and we share the same mother.
He wore such clothes because, out of awe of the king, he dared not lift his eyes to his face.
If my brother hid his face from you, it was out of respect for you; seek no other excuse.
When Nushinravan heard these words, the case of both the young people astonished him.
Then in a rage he told the executioner: both of these must be buried in the earth.
The executioner ran off with the two behind the curtain of King Nushinravan.
He hanged them there in the king's harem, upside down, covered in blood, their bodies full of guilt.
He gave the dream-reader a purse of gold, and a share of horses and fine garments.
The king marveled at his wisdom and took the measure of his words.
They entered his name in the royal registry, as a guide and teacher to the priests.
The name of Bozorgmehr shone bright, and the turning heavens smiled upon him.
Day by day his fortune grew greater, and the stern king's heart was glad in him.
The heart of King Khosrow was full of justice, his mind and soul flourishing with knowledge.
He kept wise priests at his court, and men of insight skilled in every branch of knowledge.
Seventy eloquent men were always present at the court, at rest and at meals.
Whenever he was free from the affairs of state, from justice and giving, from wine and the drinking of it,
he would ask each priest for some fresh words, and adorn his heart with learning.
In those days Bozorgmehr was young, a gifted speaker, a fine minister, handsome of face.
It was such that, among those priests and sages, the astronomers and the wise,
he learned their knowledge and surpassed them; his mind rose above even those philosophers.
It happened one day that the king sat at the feast and commanded, 'Summon these priests.'
'Let them be learned and eager for knowledge, eloquent, alert, and keen of memory.'
The clear-hearted priests came forward, sages who had sought out the secret of every science.
When the meal was done, they called for cups of wine, and with wine they brightened their bright souls.
The wakeful king said to the learned ones, 'Bring your knowledge out from hiding.'
'Whoever carries some wisdom in his heart, let him speak it to me, for it will bring me joy.'
Those among them who were wise were bold and able in speaking.
They opened their tongues before the king, for here was one who sought out the knowing man.
When Bozorgmehr heard these words, he saw the king looking toward knowledge.
He offered praise and rose to his feet, and said, 'O just and righteous judge,
may the earth be servant to your crown and throne, may the heavens shine from your face and fortune.
If you command this servant, and free the speaker from his silence,
I will speak, though I am of little worth and stand at the lowest rung of knowledge.
It is no fault for one who knows to loosen his tongue before Nushinravan.'
Khosrow looked and said to the learned youth, 'Why should knowledge be kept hidden?'
The young man showed royalty in his speech, and his words spread light.
He said to him: bright of soul is the one who says much in few words.
One whose mind is hasty speaks a great deal yet is slow to be understood.
When idle talk grows plentiful, the speaker is cheapened in the eyes of others.
Seek virtue and do not grieve over gaining more, for the world is a passing inn and we are only travelers.
All your brightness lies in honesty; over darkness and crookedness one should weep.
Every heart is a slave to its own desire, and each has a nature different from the rest.
The source of righteousness is the knowledge of God; once you know it, you fear no evil.
The wise and knowing one, bright in spirit: his body belongs to this world, but his soul to the next.
Whoever presses to be first in every task keeps scheming and striving for more.
Do not wear yourself out chasing what you cannot reach; it only torments the soul and exhausts the body.
A person's honesty comes from strength; from weakness come lies and shortcomings.
If your soul has no store of knowledge, no ornament suits you better than silence.
When you fall in love with your own learning, reason withdraws its judgment from you.
Whoever is free of greed is truly rich; happy the servant who has no greed as his partner.
Patience is the brother of reason, and reason is like a crown upon the soul.
A wise man who is your enemy is better than a friend who is a fool.
Whoever learns to be content has grown rich; for him greed and worry have turned to gain.
If you stay humble in learning, you will hear wisdom from those who know.
If a man's judgment is dazzled by mere talk, no one so dazzled can equal a true man.
Whoever lets his knowledge slip away silences his tongue from speaking.
When you hold wealth in hand, gold and silver and finely fitted horses,
spend as you must, neither too freely nor too tightly.
The wise man who keeps clear of his enemies makes their very bodies work for him like hired hands.
When a man gives his own self its due, know that he has won the battle.
Do not speak words that bring no gain; from such a fire you get nothing but smoke.
Do not fret over what cannot happen; no one knows how to stitch iron with water.
A king who is wise stays humble, and through knowledge he grows great and powerful.
Whoever understands that all is the work of the Creator will rise above the blows of ill fortune.
Worshiping the Judge increases your worth and drives the demon's meddling out of the heart.
He shuns whatever should not be done, and does not hurt the one who should not be hurt.
In the end let us turn to God, for He is the giver of daily bread and the sustainer.
At these fine words of Bozorgmehr, every sage's face grew bright.
The whole assembly stood amazed that so young a man had reached such greatness.
King Kasra was struck with wonder at him, and summoned the giver of daily bread.
He ordered that his name be set at the top whenever a record was begun.
Among the great ones, the fortune of Bozorgmehr rose like the shining sun in the sky.
They rose from before the king of kings and offered him fresh words of praise.
They began to question him about what he had said, for his mind and heart were paired with wisdom.
The young man opened his sharp tongue, for his heart was pure and his soul was bright.
He said: from a just king one should never turn one's head away in doubt,
for he is like a shepherd and we are the sheep; if we are the earth, he is the lofty sky.
One must not break his covenant, nor twist away from his counsel and command.
In his joy we should rejoice, and when we ask for justice from the age, we give it.
His virtues are spread across the world, yet all his secrets should be kept hidden.
Do not grow bold when he treats you with honor, for even a brave lion's heart fears fire.
If a man treats his command lightly, as though it were a mountain, we would call his heart foolish and his mind shallow.
All ill and all good come from the king, for chains and dungeon come from him, and so do the crown and the throne.
The crowned head carries the divine glory; the wise man is glad and smiling because of him.
Whoever is not glad of him belongs to the devil, his heart and mind not enriched by knowledge.
They listened to the young man's words, and the old men fell silent before him.
The gathering dispersed, their mouths full of praise for him, day and night.
The next week the bright-hearted king kept seeking out the man of knowledge.
He turned his heart away from the affairs of the world, longing instead to hear the words of the wise.
Whoever held high standing at the court, and was worthy of the king in his learning,
the eloquent speakers came forward, the young man and the seasoned old ones alike.
The proud young Bozorgmehr went in with the sages, his soul luminous.
The knowing, sharp-minded sages arrived near the lofty throne.
They turned their faces toward Bozorgmehr, whose presence made Khosrow's face light up.
One among them was the most learned; he questioned him about fate and destiny,
asking: how do such matters turn out in the end, and where does this all finally lead?
He answered: one man toils and searches, running day and night, hard at work,
yet his path to daily bread stays dark and narrow, and the water in his stream trickles slow.
Another, without any skill, sleeps upon fortune's throne while the tree showers roses over him.
Such is the law of fate and destiny: no amount of striving can outrun what is allotted.
The wise and nurturing Lord of the world shaped the star of our days this way.
Another asked: which thing is the greatest, and to whom does abundance rightly belong?
He answered: it is the one who knows the most, the one to whom knowledge comes for good ends.
Another asked: what is our finest quality, the goodness that best fits this world?
He answered: patience, generosity, kindness, and worthy conduct.
Above all, to keep your own head humble, and to give without hoping for reward.
To strive and search across the world, and to walk in step with your companions when the time is right.
Another asked: in a wise man, what is the true virtue at the hour of shame and battle?
He said: it is the one who sees his own faults and reforms his ways and beliefs.
Another asked: in living, what should you do so the body suffers least?
He answered: if the heart is patient along with reason, it will find peace.
In giving and taking he acts honestly, and shuts the door on crookedness and fault.
He forgives wrongs when he gains the upper hand; he is not hot-tempered or impatient.
Another asked: in a gathering, what is a person's best guard over himself?
He said: it is one who does not chase his desires away from generosity and good nature.
And one who does not grow careless in his work when he sees fortune increase.
Another asked: of a good nature's giving, which kind is best on both sides?
The kind that bears fruit in both worlds, that brings spring twice each year.
He said: it is the one who, having wealth, adorns his soul by giving it away.
And if the receiver thanks the giver, know that this is a merchant's trade.
Another asked: what is a man's true ornament, and which of the good qualities is most precious?
He answered: the generous man, when he does good to one who deserves it,
grows like a tall cypress, and once grown, is never brought low.
But if you rub the unworthy with musk, no scent will rise, no flower grows from a dry thorn.
If you ask words of the mute or a deaf man, it may bear fruit but never come to your bosom.
One said: in this passing world, no wise man lives free of pain and hardship.
What can we do to win a good name, and reach a good end from the very start?
He told him: go, keep far from sin, and wish for the whole world what you wish for yourself.
Whatever displeases you, do not bind it upon the body of friend or foe.
Another asked: effort beyond measure and thought, which of these two comes first?
He answered: to reason, nothing suits better than reflection.
You strive when work stands before you, only when you want your labor to bear fruit.
Another asked: who deserves praise, and when should one weep over the blameworthy?
He said: the one who holds the most hope, and also the most awe and fear, before the pure God.
Another asked: you man of bright wisdom, what passes over our heads from the turning sky?
Which of my days is the sweetest under this fickle, unsteady wheel of heaven?
The wise speaker answered again: whoever has become secure and free of need,
to whom the times have dealt fairly and kindly, it is fitting he remember only justice.
He asked further: which knowledge in the world makes us glad at heart?
He said: the one who is patient and forbearing; before him the shameless man is worthless.
Another asked: for one who seeks no harm, which trait is most useful?
He said: the one whose brain does not boil with rage, who shuts his eye in anger toward the guilty and lets it rest.
Another asked: what is it, O wise one, that pleases the mind of a wise man?
He said: the one who is full of wisdom feels no grief over what slips away from him,
and if he entrusts a dear one to the earth, he does not bind his pure heart to grief and pain.
And likewise the one who cuts his heart free from hope in unseen things, as a willow shakes off the wind.
Another asked: what fault in a king darkens the heart of the devout?
He answered: the wise say a king has four failings.
One is that he fears the enemy in battle; another that his heart is stingy in giving.
The third is that he casts aside the counsel of a wise man on the day of honor and combat.
The fourth is that his head is too hasty, so he seeks no calm or rest in his affairs.
He asked further: who is without flaw, and what is it that brings blame upon noble people?
He said: let us divide this rightly, for in this matter life and wisdom hold the throne.
For the noble, the faults are trickery and lies, and seeking glory through crookedness and injustice;
for the middling warrior, being a faultfinder with a head full of quarrel;
a base nature that fixes its desire on the king, needlessly wounding the devout heart;
letting the tongue run loose, eyes without the water of shame, and hiding a shout within a soft voice.
And a wise person who thinks it right to push wisdom away for the sake of appetite.
Another wise man asked: what is it in the world that stays free of harm?
He answered: first, the one who has come to know and to seek the pure God,
so that your thanks are to Him and your refuge is in Him, the Lord of day and night, of sun and moon.
And to surrender your heart, openly and in secret, to the command of the king of the world;
to nourish your body in comfort, yet shut its door firmly against toil and greed.
To protect your own people, and to spare the poor from their suffering.
Hand your child over to learning and wisdom, for the world should not be entrusted to the ignorant.
When a son is obedient to command, the father should treat him with kindness.
He was asked again: where does a true son stand in his father's eyes?
He answered: in his father's eyes, a fortunate son is as precious as life itself.
After death his name lives on, and that is why a guide is called his son.
He was asked again: about wealth, who do you think keeps his heart in order?
He answered: people are honored by their possessions, and also debased by them.
First, with wealth you reach your desires, and by having it you show a good nature.
But if you cannot use it when the need comes, then stone and royal jewel are all the same.
He asked again: among crowned kings of high name, whom do you call truly useful?
He answered: the king under whom a careful man feels safe,
and whose voice the wicked fear, while the land beneath his throne rests at ease.
He asked again: by what is a person truly rich, and who in this world is full of suffering and poor?
He said: rich is the one who is content with what the Lord of the high heavens has given him.
For one whose fortune brings no share, know there is no evil in the world worse than greed.
The great men were left astonished, and with one voice they blessed and praised him.
When a week had passed, on the eighth dawn the victorious king took his place on the throne.
He summoned those who were wise, skilled in speech and knowledge.
Each of them spoke in his own way, yet none of it pleased the king much.
Then Khosrow said to Bozorgmehr: lift the veil of shyness from your face.
The wise speaker opened his tongue and drew on every kind of knowledge.
First he blessed the king: may the crowned head be ever victorious.
Then he said: a person does not rise high unless he turns his head away from the path of harm.
When you wish to increase your knowledge, you need wisdom to find the right words.
In seeking a good name there must be courage, for time grows weary of the coward's heart.
And if you seek the throne, you need merit, just as a branch needs greenness and fruit.
When people ask about merit, it will not do to answer them by pointing to noble birth.
Lineage without merit is worthless and despised; a wise man made this into a parable:
if a rose has no scent, do not seek it in its color, for fire never yields a stream of water.
A king grows rich through what he gives away;
no hidden treasure keeps you standing firm.
If you seek virtue through fine speech, know this:
it is action that reveals the truth in you.
Whoever holds wisdom is humble at heart,
and the heavens nurture him in that wisdom.
So too a person is glad of heart
when the blood of crookedness is cleared from it.
Wisdom in this world is like the tree of loyalty,
and a king's heart longs to gather its fruit.
When you are content, your body finds ease;
when you give in to greed, you live in fear of it.
Do not do a kindness to someone
from whom you will get no reward for that kindness.
Fortune befriends the open-hearted;
blessed is the one who is patient.
Whoever seeks to rise above the rest
must bring real skills before this judgment.
First, one needs good judgment and knowledge;
second, sound and proven experience.
Third, he needs a helper when it is time to act,
to weigh up both the good and the bad.
Fourth, if you hold to your purpose,
you will see the end from the very beginning.
Fifth, if there is strength in him,
and he puts his body to the effort, greatness follows.
On each of these matters the word is paired:
do not put a skill to work rashly, untested.
After that, when your helper is well suited,
your need is met at the right time.
Without effort, even a strong body
cannot bring its desires to fulfillment.
But when effort goes beyond all measure,
know that the one striving has lost hope.
Let me name the five traits of a wise man,
habits that bring him no suffering at all.
And how the fool makes a habit of seven things,
and from those seven he lives in suffering too.
First: whoever possesses wisdom
feels no grief over what has slipped away from him.
He is not overjoyed by what he has not gained,
nor does he burn with sorrow if it passes him by.
When he finds ease from hardship and harm,
he stays wary of what may not last.
When difficulty comes at him from any side,
he steps forward and never gives in to weakness.
As for the fool, we said there are seven ways:
first, that he turns his anger on the blameless.
He opens his treasure to the undeserving,
and gains no reward for it in either world.
Third: he is ungrateful to God,
and secretly does not know his own true self.
Fourth: he tells his secret to anyone at all,
and shouts it out at the top of his voice.
Fifth: with useless talk
he brings pain and harm upon himself.
Sixth: he trusts the untrustworthy,
seeking silk to be borne on a thorn.
Seventh: he digs in stubbornly on a lie,
and in shamelessness he looks for glory.
Know this, exalted king: from that man no one sees anything but harm.
When a man stays silent in a gathering, that silence leaves the heart at peace.
Lending your ear to the one who truly knows feeds the body and brings the heart both wisdom and sense.
Do not forget the words you have heard, for wise speech is a crown upon the royal throne.
If you want your knowledge to bear fruit, unlock your skill through the words you speak.
If you want your name spread everywhere, draw your tongue like a sword from its sheath.
When you sit with a wise man, the lowly rise above the powerful.
Knowledge is the light of soul and heart; take care never to drift toward falsehood.
When a speaker begins to speak, let him finish; do not cut in harshly.
When the tongue is honest with the heart, it shuts every door to shortcoming.
Even from idle talkers you can grow wise, if you do not speak the way you heard them speak.
Never think yourself free of the need for knowledge, no matter how hard its pursuit may be.
May the heart of King Nushirvan never grow too weary to keep learning.
Then the sharp-minded priest asked: What in this world is the finest deed?
The deed that gives a man light and frees him from the sorrows of the age.
He answered: whoever has wisdom reaps the reward of both worlds.
He said: and if a man has no wisdom? Wisdom is a shining robe of honor from God.
He answered: knowledge is best; the one who knows stands greatest among the great.
He said: and if he never seeks the path of knowledge, his soul will never be cleansed by that water.
He answered: a valiant man must count his own head as worth little.
If he has strength on the day of battle, he brings the enemy's head down into the dust.
He is dear to the king's heart, and lives forever glad and in command.
He said: and if he has no share of this, and does not follow the way of inquiry and faith?
He answered: better then that death place a dark helmet upon his head.
He asked again about the fruit of that tree the wise man plants in his spring garden:
What must we do so that everyone may benefit, or that we may walk within its shade?
He answered: whoever keeps his tongue from evil, his soul will suffer no pain.
He wounds no one's skin with his words, and stays a friend to all who gather with him.
Every hard task becomes easy for him, and enemy and friend become the same in his eyes.
He said again: the one who turns away from the road of harm is great and worthy of honor.
He answered like this: a bad deed is like a tree that bears bad fruit.
If someone speaks gently, no harshness will reach his ears.
Know that the ear suffers from the tongue; if you don't want to cause pain, weigh your words.
Likewise a man who serves the king should speak little and sit only where he belongs, before the throne.
He should flee from the evils not yet come, as a bird or beast flees a trap.
Third, even if he has the power to do wrong, a truly wise man keeps clear of it.
He should not reach for what should not be done, nor hurt one who should not be hurt.
He should let no chance for good slip past him, and not count on a day that has not yet arrived.
Toward an enemy he is more wary than a hunted creature; toward a friend he is steady as arrow and feather.
A joy that ends in sorrow has little worth for the wise.
Put aside comfort and laziness; strive, and turn the weariness of your body into a feast.
For here no gain comes to you without effort, just as no treasure exists without a guardian.
Much was said on this matter, and the heart of the sleeping man woke up.
May the world live on through Nooshin-Ravan, forever a ruler and his fortune young.
The priests, the margraves, and the alert, wise men called down blessings on him.
They praised the king of the world greatly, and each went away in joy.
Two more weeks passed for the king, and one day he set aside the affairs of the army.
He ordered the priests, the nobles, and the wise men to come gracefully to the palace.
The king asked about origin and lineage, about sharpness, calm, culture, and justice.
About kingship and the justice of heroes, about the beginning and the good outcome of the stars.
He sought discourse from these priests and questioned them on whatever mattered.
Then the king said to Bozorgmehr: bring the shining jewel out from its hiding place.
Bozorgmehr offered a blessing: O king of bright heart and fair face,
know that in this world no king ever set a crown on his head who was like you,
in justice and in wisdom, in crown and throne, in glory, in face, in judgment, and in fortune.
When a ruler practices restraint, how fine is restraint in one who wears the crown.
He fears God at the time of judgment, and does not act out of bias or in the manner of tyrants.
The king sets reason above impulse at the moment when anger rises in him.
The ruler's thought should be nothing but what pleases the Creator.
He knows all good and evil come from God, and seeks paradise as the reward for goodness.
A truthful tongue and a heart that seeks respect: through such a one the world keeps its honor.
Anyone who has a wise counselor stands light and easy in the gathering.
Eloquent, clear of heart, and just, he treats the lowly as lowly and the great as great.
No one who serves beneath the king should ever be allowed to be broken anywhere.
The king's crown rose high in glory only when the wise were honored at his side.
To guard the affairs of the court, and to poison the desires of the ill-wisher.
When the ruler is versed in every branch of knowledge, he keeps his divine grace intact.
No one who suffers a wrong should go to sleep still hurting, for harm may come to the king from it.
Whoever deserves punishment, being of low birth and evil nature,
the king should keep far from the company of others, yet without cruelty, so he is not worn down by him.
Whoever sits in the king's prison, be he guilty or an innocent man,
must be freed by God's command; strike the one who is guilty and set free the one who is not, and remember what each has done.
The commander keeps his army by good conduct, and gives rest from pain to those who cry for justice.
When you stay alert against the enemy, the heart of the schemer loses its footing.
You seal every breach in the kingdom in good time, before the battle even begins.
In anything that brings the king into disgrace, that disgrace touches his glory and his throne as well.
To turn away from such a thing against your own desire, and to call reason as witness to that choice.
To grow in love toward your child is like seeing your own face reflected in water.
It is fitting to learn manners and knowledge, so that your heart may find its light.
Open your treasury to him and do not let him ever feel his hardship.
Whenever he reaches out his hand to a wrong deed, the king should not break the child's heart.
When the hand of the wrongdoer stretches out, do not turn to shedding blood except by God's command.
And if you find enmity in his heart, tear him out of the garden like a weed.
For if he is left too long he grows strong, and through him the garden of kingship fills with harm.
When the world-seeker has glory and wisdom, he must not lend his ear to slanderers.
From a minister of evil nature and evil speech, ruin comes to the royal crown.
Do not listen to the words of the ignorant; when he speaks against justice, do not obey his command.
Everything should be set right and true; the demon must never be allowed to bring decline.
When the wise and pious hears these words, he makes reason the ruler over his heart.
The crown will bless the king, and the throne of kingship will stand firm through him.
The crown and throne take pride in him, while the ill-wisher loses all hope of fortune.
When this unsteady wheel of fate turns, a good name will remain of him as a keepsake.
May the soul of Nushirvan, so full of virtue, stay young for as long as the day exists.
The gathering was astonished by his words, and the judgment of all the wise men was outshone.
When Nushirvan heard these words, he raised the young man's daily allowance ever higher.
Those counsels brought tears to his eyes and filled his mouth with sweet, lustrous pearls of speech.
A whole assembly, their lips full of praise, departed from the palace of the king of the earth.
A week of days passed by like this, and on the eighth, when the light of the world blazed up,
it cast off the dark blue veil of night and adorned the world in golden brocade.
The king of kings sat down with the priests, the world-seasoned nobles who had proven themselves in action.
The chief priest of priests, Ardeshir, along with Shapur and the scribe Yazdgerd,
the astrologers and seekers of truth, the wise and clear-minded speakers.
The young orator Bozorgmehr came before Nushirvan the king.
The king of the world said to the learned men: with whom lies this hidden knowledge,
through which the faith of God grows strong and the royal throne is freed of flaw?
When the chief priest of priests heard this, he opened his lips from among the nobles,
and answered thus: through the king's justice, the glory of crown and throne shines bright.
When with justice he unlocks his treasury, his name lives on, lofty, after his death.
Second, one who washes his tongue of lies and does not seek the light of the world through crookedness.
When a commander is just and merciful, the age lies at peace under his crown.
Third, that when a guilty subordinate apologizes, the king forgives him again.
Fourth, the ruler with fair speech, whose name does not grow old in the world.
He always speaks the truth, in matters great and small, and never turns from his own principles for any task.
Fifth, he holds the same love for the servant of his throne as he does for his own good fortune.
Sixth, in speech, whoever is wise, his tongue is capable of expressing his knowledge.
His heart never tires of learning, though thought may burn the very mind with its fire.
Every person is set free by wisdom, just as one grows and flourishes under a good star.
Do not cut your heart from wisdom, generous king; wisdom nurtures both good name and good ending.
Base in spirit and poor in knowledge is the one who says: I will make myself so great that none in the world is my equal.
Then the scribe Yazdgerd spoke thus: O wise king, receptive to knowledge,
For a king to spill blood is a shameful thing,
to let his heart be swayed by a few words of gossip.
And when a ruler is thoughtless and rash,
the schemer finds his chance to act.
He picks a fight with the wise,
and sharpens his heart out of pure ignorance.
When the heart of the world's king fills with greed,
his soul takes the demon as its partner.
And likewise, if a governor is hot-headed,
no fine work will ever come from his commands.
Then there is the soldier who, at the hour of battle,
fears for his life but does not fear disgrace.
The rich man whose heart is narrow and grasping,
the belly of the earth would hide him better.
When a poor man acts as though he were a hero,
he is neither a fit underling nor worthy of high rank.
When an old man does wrong, it is ugly to see;
after death his soul will be full of fire.
When a young man is lazy in his work,
the heart of the age grows weary of him.
If a youth loses his health,
may he have neither strength nor spirit left.
When Bozorgmehr had heard these fine words
and adorned his mind with knowledge,
he said to the king with the sun-bright face:
May the shining heavens turn as you desire.
Know this: whoever possesses wisdom
nourishes his soul with knowledge.
There are ten blameworthy failings in ten kinds of people,
most blameworthy in the eyes of the seeker of knowledge.
First, the ruler who deals in lies:
he holds no radiance before the wise man.
Second, the commander who guards the treasury,
or the soldier who turns his back on hardship.
Next, the scholar who does not fear sin
whenever something pleasant tempts him.
The physician who is himself sick in body:
how can he keep harm away from the patient?
Then the poor man who boasts of some possession
that is not even worth mentioning.
And the base man who begrudges everyone
their peace and sleep, even clear water from the sea.
Yet if the sweet breeze blows a favor your way,
he will pile the credit for it onto his own head.
Seventh, the wise man who, when he grows angry,
fixes both his eyes on other people's belongings.
Eighth, showing the way to a fool,
or handing over the workshop to a lazy person.
And the witless one who never finds wisdom,
yet regrets his own bad words too late.
The heart of the foolish man clings to desire
in just this way, my good-natured one.
Like fire that finds sulfur to feed on,
when it is nursed within a reed-bed.
May the heart of Nushin-Ravan live long,
and may the great lords of the world be his servants.
A week of that month passed like this as well,
and the victorious king took his place upon the throne.
On one side sat the priest who was his minister,
and on the other Yazdgerd the scribe.
The priests gathered all around him, and among them spoke young Bozorgmehr.
Then the king said to Bozorgmehr: 'You who are full of knowledge and goodwill,
words that benefit the soul can raise even a worthless man to greatness.'
A speaking treasure loses nothing by being shared; listening brings a man joy.
The chief priest said to Bozorgmehr: 'You who are more renowned than the heroes of the heavens,
what is it that harms you when you have more of it, and helps you grow when you have less?'
He answered: 'Eat less; your body will feel at ease and your soul will thrive.
But when it comes to good deeds, do more, and in that contest you will lead the field.'
Then Yazdgerd the scribe spoke: 'You who are eloquent and quick to learn,
what are the three faults a heart secretly holds, yet everyone claims to be free of them?'
He answered: 'First of all, you must wash your heart clean of the habit of finding fault in others.
No one in this world is without flaw, whether it shows openly or stays hidden.
When someone is greater than you, you feel envy; when someone is lesser, you shed tears of scorn over them.
The third is the tale-bearer and the two-faced man, who stir up dust even from still water.'
Like a speaker who talks out of place: he speaks, and his glory and standing slip away from him.
And the one who will not listen to a matter through to the end understands nothing and believes nothing.
The wise man sets no hopes on a thing that, once lost, would twist him with rage.
Then the chief of the priests asked: 'What stands higher than the knowledge of the wise?
No one in the world is without longing, whether it is open or concealed.
And that longing has its own visible path, which reveals a man's true means and standing.
Which road proves useful to you, and which brings pain, hardship, and harm?'
He answered: 'The road runs two ways; your crossing depends on what you long for.
One way is the return from this world to the dust, a long road full of fear and dread.
Reason will be your guide in this matter, through the why and how of such questions.
Reason is a robe of honor from God; look and see who deserves that robe.
A strong body without reason as its companion has no buyer anywhere in the world.
Where there is no reason, it is as if there is no soul at all; reason is the pure soul, and God is its witness.
Once a man has learned the foundations of manhood, he rises high in honor and in battle.
Of all knowledge, first turn toward God, who is and always will remain.
Believe in Him, and you will find your heart's desire; you will reach the place you hurried toward.'
Another kind of knowledge is this: to earn your food and gather what is worth gathering.
Eat and dress, but turn your heart to God; in this way keep to God's command.
If one day you find yourself in need, do not boast of your fields, your treasure, or your elephants.
Of all trades, choose the one whose name will never stain your honor.
Build a strong friendship with someone who will help you in hard times.
In a gathering, choose silence if you want everyone to praise you.
When you speak, say only what you have learned, what you burned your soul to master.
Weigh your words, not your coins and treasure, for to a man of knowledge wealth is a small thing.
Be alert when you speak; make your mind the bow and your words the arrow.
When battle comes to you, stay sharp and guard your body against the enemy.
When your foe draws up his line before you, keep your judgment steady and your calm.
When you face an equal in combat, do not let your face go pale with fear.
You win if you strike first; your head is brought low if you falter.
When you spur your horse, stay clear headed and keep an eye on your rival's weapon.
If the fight grows fierce, do not turn away; in battle choose alert companions.
But if you know you cannot match him, do not push on; keep your wits and pull back from the fight.
In the same way keep your body fit for eating; let nourishment not turn to harm.
Eat in a way that does no harm; too much food will not make you stronger.
Do not overload yourself with food from every side; eat so that appetite still returns to you.
With wine, too, keep to a joy that is measured, for no one praises a drunken man.
When you please God, you are worthy: the world is like a body, and you are its eye.
Remember the Creator often; build your worship on that remembrance.
Keep careful track of the times: for work by day, for rest by night.
Since you know you were shaped from dust, do not forget the way of the pure God.
Do not make worship less than eating; stay fresh, even if the world is old.
Lean toward good and count each gift; give thanks for all of it to the Creator.
Never circle around evil in any way; turn to good, if you are wise.
The most praised person in the world is the one whose goodness is the same in the open and in secret.
Do not put desire ahead of judgment and reason, for after that reason will not look your way.
If you want your effort to bear fruit, never turn your head away from your teachers.
Teach your child the craft of the scribe, for as long as you and your kin exist it is a true asset.
The scribe's art lifts a young man to the throne; it makes the unworthy worthy of good fortune.
Of all the trades the scribe's is the most honored, for by it a fallen man is raised high.
When a scribe has both skill and sound judgment, he inevitably takes a seat beside the king.
He guards his body from hardship, and gains boundless treasure from the king.
When eloquence joins with a fine hand, his thought grows richer in meaning.
From words he chooses the briefest, and in writing he shows what is most pleasing.
A scribe should be wise, patient, and quick to remember what is said.
Alert and fitting for the king, his tongue silent from evil, his body chaste.
Enduring, learned, truthful, loyal, pure, and bright of face.
When he comes before the king with these virtues, it is fitting that he sit nowhere but in the place of honor.
When the king heard these words from him, his heart bloomed fresh like a flower in spring.
Khosrow said to the chief priest: Go and prepare a new rank for him.
Ask for money and a robe of honor worthy of him, for his words have settled in my heart.
The next week, when the sun raised its crown, he came and sat upon the ivory throne.
Together with famed priests and nobles, world rulers and clear-minded sages.
The world ruling king summoned them, and also the fortunate scribe of the army.
And from the philosophers and the great men, experienced leaders from every land.
Along with Saveh and Yazdgerd the scribe, and before them the sharp minded Bahman.
Then the king said to Bozorgmehr: Open your heart and show me the way.
Tell me all the truth you know; do not seek honor in the world through crookedness.
How should my command be served, my judgment and my covenant upheld?
When these great ones learn of it in the world, they will repeat what they heard to their companions.
The clear minded man spoke thus to the king: You who stand higher than the azure dome,
in serving the king of the earth, a wise man seeks nothing but the path of faith.
There should be no delay in the kings' command, and the king's heart should never be made anxious.
Whoever is an enemy to the king, his soul is a servant of the devil.
A heart that does not hold the king dear, better it had neither core nor skin.
Know that the king is the peace of the world; when we do good, he grants us the means.
He has the power over both good and ill, yet he does not reach out for vengeance or to shame anyone.
Do not set your own child above the king; keep his counsel in your heart as dear as life.
In a city where the king's love reigns, no need or want can find its way.
Through his glory, misfortune passes over you, for his fortune nurtures nothing but good.
The world's heart smiles because of the king, for on his face shines the divine grace.
When you enjoy his bounty, strive always to keep your ear ready for his command.
If in your thoughts you turn away from him, fortune will never look on you kindly.
When he keeps you close, do not grow proud; and if he sends you far, do not turn wicked.
If a servant suffers hardship from the king, remember that with hardship come honor and treasure.
He must not grow tired of his duties, nor turn sharp at a single cold word.
If a servant's power grows great through the glory and name of the world ruling king,
and if the king asks a tax of one in ten, that is fair; it should be done as he wishes.
The one most dear to the king is he who, when he sees his own power growing,
gives back to the treasury what he has, so no grief or trouble touches the crown.
Whatever remains comes from God as a blessing; the man who knows God gives thanks and praise.
And further, he keeps the king's secret in his heart and tells it not to sun or moon.
Whoever grows slack in obeying the king's command only brings ruin upon himself.
Blamed is the blossom of that tree which scatters no fruit upon the crown and throne.
Do not speak ill of his people before him, or you will lessen your own standing with him.
And if he asks, do not tell everything you know; do not lose your dignity through too much talk.
Anyone who tells many lies gains no radiance in the presence of kings.
Words that do not fit with reason, take care not to lay them before the king.
There is more knowledge in the world than the ear has ever heard, open or hidden.
The one whom the king of the world has disgraced keeps his soul forever filled with pain.
The truly honored one in the world is he at whom the king's lips smile.
When the king favors you, do not act arrogant, even if you have served him long.
However long your service lasts, know this: he has no need of you.
If he grows angry with you over something, turn to apology and do not utter a word.
If he raises up another the same way, that one, no doubt, becomes a servant like you.
And if you are unaware of the fault, carry your heart bared before the king.
Otherwise, hold no resentment in your heart; do not show him your face, and cut your path away.
In splendor he will see through you and read your hidden self: your crooked heart, your clouded soul.
After that you will find no kindness from him, and never hear his warm words again.
Think of a king as a sea: the servant is the sailor, and skill is the ship.
Speech is the anchor, wisdom the sail; that is how a wise man crosses the sea.
He turns that very sail into a shade, one that gives both shelter and substance.
Someone whose soul lacks wisdom would do well not to enter a king's service.
Even if the king were a mountain of fire, life could still be sweet for his servant.
Fire burns and scorches in anger, but glows bright and warm when pleased.
One moment it brings milk and honey; the next, like a stinging poison.
A king's work is like the sea; at his command the moon shines from the sky.
From the sea, one man scoops only sand in his palm, while another finds pearls in their shells.
Long live the world under Nushin-Ravan; may Saturn forever move at his command.
Khosrow watched and listened to the reciter, and his heart grew glad at the sight of him.
Whenever the king said 'well done,' four purses would be given; such was his bounty.
When he said 'bravo, splendid,' forty purses of coins would come from his treasury.
When the treasurer settled accounts with the king, each purse held ten thousand silver coins.
The king of kings kept saying 'bravo, splendid,' and each word he spoke was matched with coins.
The radiant treasurer brought the coins in purses and set them before Bozorgmehr.
On this tale I built my words, and turned to the story of Mahbud the minister.
Never rest for a moment from learning, and never let your heart doubt knowledge.
When you say, 'I have paid wisdom's full price, I have learned all I needed to learn,'
Fate plays a clever trick and sits you down again before a teacher.
Now hear this tale from the storyteller, who recites it from the words of old.