English
Rostam and Esfandiyar at Table
Esfandiyar answered him like this: too much talk gets nothing done.
My stomach is empty and half the day is gone; there has been enough fighting through words.
Bring out whatever food you have. Do not invite a man who only talks and talks.
When Rostam set to and began to eat, he was left amazed at how much he ate.
The hero Esfandiyar and all his warriors set roasted lambs before him from every side.
The prince ordered: bring the cup, and instead of aged wine, bring it raw and green.
Let us see now what Rostam will say over the wine, and what he will bring up about King Kavus.
The cupbearer brought a cup of wine so large it could have carried a ship across it.
Rostam drank it to the king's health and stirred up dust from that yellow spring.
The young cupbearer brought that same cup back, filled with royal wine.
Then Rostam said quietly to Pashutan: over wine there is no need for water.
Why pour water into the cup of wine and dull the sharp bite of the old vintage?
Pashutan said to the cupbearer: pour a cup of wine without water, and bring it.
He brought the wine and called for the musicians, still marveling at Rostam.
When the time to leave drew near, the red wine had lifted Rostam's spirits high.
The hero Esfandiyar said to him: may you be joyful as long as time endures.
May the wine and all you ate be sweet to you; may the brave man's soul stay full of strength.
Rostam said to him: you renowned one, may wisdom always be your teacher.
Every wine I drink with you turns sweet and becomes nourishment for the wise soul.
If you drive this grudge out of your mind, you will only grow in greatness and knowledge.
Come in from the plain to my house; be my guest for a while and be glad.
I will make good on everything I promised, and bring wisdom to guide you.
Rest a while, do not strive for evil; turn toward humanity and come to your senses.
The hero Esfandiyar said to him: do not sow a seed that will never grow.
Tomorrow you will see the skill of men, when I gird myself for the charge.
Do not praise your own body either. Go home and prepare for tomorrow's work.
You will see that on the field of battle I am just as I am with wine and cupbearer.
When I go from Zabol back to Iran, to the king and his brave men,
you will see more skill than talk from me; do not look for pity from me in this.
Rostam's heart filled with grief and worry; the world before him became like a tangled forest.
For if I let him bind my wrists, or if I raise my head and wound him,
both are cursed, evil deeds, a harmful new precedent and a bad one.
If he binds me, my name goes bad; and my end will come badly through Goshtasp.
Wherever anyone in the world tells the tale, the blaming of me will never grow old.
They will say Rostam was wounded by a young man, went to Zabol, and had his hands tied.
My name will turn to disgrace, and nothing of my color and scent will remain in the world.
And if he is killed on the field of battle, my face will turn yellow before the kings.
They will say that he killed a young king just because that king spoke harshly to him.
For that there would be curses after my death, and my name too would be counted godless.
And if I am the one killed by his hand, no color or scent will remain in Zabolestan.
The name of Dastan, son of Sam, will be broken; no one will take pride in Zabol anymore.
But at least my fine words will be spoken among the people from now on.
Then he said to that proud man: this worry has turned my face yellow.
You keep telling me to accept binding, but your chains and your plan will bring me only harm.
Unless heaven has a different word, for the turning sky is beyond all guessing.
You take in every counsel of the demons and lift no word of wisdom from it.
You are young in years and do not yet know the wicked trickery of a king.
You are single-hearted and have not seen the world; the king secretly works toward your death.
For if Goshtasp, by his fortune, is never satisfied with crown and throne,
he will send you running around the world, breeding hardship after hardship for you.
He has searched across the whole face of the earth, wisdom like an axe, his mind like a hatchet,
to find who in the world is renowned yet never turns his face from battle,
so that harm might come to you from that famous man, and the high crown and throne stay with the king.
Better that we curse that crown and make dust our pillow rather than follow this tale.
You keep reproaching my very soul; why not turn your heart to inquiry instead?
You are sowing trouble for your own body with your own hand; nothing but ill will comes from suspicion.
Do not do it, my prince, do not be so rash; do not chase after ruin like this.
Do not grieve my heart, my prince; bring no harm to your own life or to me.
Have shame before God and before my face; do not gamble away your own life.
You have no need to fight me, no need for this effort and this scheme of yours.
Fate has driven you with your army so that you will be destroyed by my hand.
A bad name of me will linger in the world; let the bad ending fall upon Goshtasp.
When the proud Esfandiyar heard this, he said to him: Rostam, famous man,
look at what the sages of old said, back when the soul was joined to wisdom:
that a deceiving old man is a stupid old man, no matter how victorious and wise he seems.
You keep casting your spells on me, hoping to slip the collar off your own neck.
You want everyone who hears this to be won over by your fine speech.
They would call me pure of heart but foul of intent, and call you the sober man who does good.
They would say he came with grace and good tidings and offered him some hope.
The commander turned his head from that talk, seeing that nothing was left but war.
He held all of Rostam's pleas as worthless, his tongue full of bitter words.
Know that I will not turn my head from the king's command, not for throne, not for crown.
Through him I find the good and the ugly of the world; through him is hell, through him is heaven too.
May all you ate be strengthening to you, and wounding to those who mean ill.
Now go pleasantly home to your palace; tell Dastan everything you have seen.
Ready all your weapons for the fight; from now on, do not measure words with me.
Come at dawn to fight me, and find your remedy; from now on, do not draw out this business over yourself.
Tomorrow you will see on the battlefield how the world turns black before your eyes.
You will learn how the combat of true warriors is on the day of war and battle.
Rostam said to him: you lion-natured one, if this is truly what you desire,
I will make you the guest of my horse Rakhsh's charge and cure your head with my mace.
You have heard talk in your own province and given credit to their words,
that the sword of brave men is useless against Esfandiyar on the battlefield.
Tomorrow you will see my spear and my reins gathered for the charge,
so that never again, with such a temper, will you go to battle against famous men.
The young man's lips filled with laughter, and the jewels of his teeth became slaves to that laugh.
He said to Rostam: you seeker of fame, why have you turned so sharp over this talk?
When you come to the field of battle tomorrow, you will see the combat of true warriors.
I am not a mountain with a mountain of a horse beneath me; I am one single man, yet worth a whole crowd.
If your head feels the wind of my mace, your mother will weep in bitter grief.
And if you are killed on the field, I will tie you to the saddle and carry you to the king,
so that no other subject will ever again seek battle against his sovereign.