English
Bahram's Deathbed Counsel
When he knew there was no escaping death, he wept many tears of blood.
He spread a carpet in his hall and ordered that Bahram be brought before him.
He said to him: My noble-born son, you who have risen high in courage and knowledge,
Now kingship turns its face to me, since it has made my cheeks the color of my hair.
It has bent the tall cypress into a stoop and drained the red rose of its bloom.
Now that your day has come, be a ruler; be wise, and harm no one.
Take care never to turn away from someone seeking justice, and never pardon the crimes of tyrants.
Do not let your tongue circle around lies, if you want your crown to keep its shine.
Let your spirit be wisdom and your guide be modesty, your speech fine and your voice gentle.
May the victorious Lord be your friend, and may the hearts of your subjects be yours to win.
Set aside spite and stay far from passion; never let desire become your master.
The slanderer, the ignorant, the schemer, none of these should find their way to your presence.
From a fool you gain nothing but harm; see that you never even look at the ignorant.
Know this: the shameless, the endless talker, finds no honor in anyone's eyes.
Make wisdom your ruler and anger your slave; do not lose your temper with a devout man.
Take care that greed does not gather around you, for greed brings anger, fear, and need.
Practice patience and honesty in all things; cut crookedness and flaw from your heart.
Guard yourself so your name does not turn foul, for the ill-famed never see their wishes fulfilled.
Never turn from the path of wisdom; haste brings your heart regret.
Patience makes truths clear; you must not turn your head from the path of wisdom.
The patient do not fly into rage; they close their eyes to what should not be.
But if patience goes past its limit, the bold begin to think it weakness.
Whoever sits upon the throne should let wisdom mediate between the two roads.
Neither weak nor rash in your affairs, let wisdom be the guide of your soul.
Take care that faultfinding people find no honor near you.
Do not seek friendship from an enemy, even if he calls you his king.
He is a tree green in leaf but bitter in fruit; grip its trunk and only its top comes free.
Whether you are on the heights or in the depths, you must not give your head to deceit.
Hold no evil thought even in your heart; the ill-wisher meets an evil fate.
Wherever a commander breaks his word, the famed assembly laughs at him.
Hold to wisdom, for it is the adornment of your soul; keep your word and your promise.
It also adorns the crown, the treasury, and the army, mirroring the turning of the sun and moon.
Take care not to build your wealth by force, for this fleeting house will end for you too.
Take counsel with no one but the wise; do not stray from the ways of kings.
Frighten the ill-wisher with your army; look deeply, before and behind.
A flatterer who, to serve his own desire, praises someone who does not deserve it,
seeks your downfall through such words; do not let him grow old in your presence.
The one whose praise is truly useful, do not count him a mere man of this world.
For God asks for no flattery; and empty praise wears away the heart of the one it praises.
Whoever turns a blind eye to the guilty and lightly swallows his anger,
that guilt grows greater every day; then haste comes, and the heart fills with blood.
Whoever picks a fight with the sea's water is no wise man.
Let your heart be the archer and your tongue the arrow; do not take these words of mine lightly.
When the feathers are set and your aim is true, place the target where your will desires.
Align your tongue and your wisdom with your heart, and then speak however you wish.
Whoever has a brain in his head, all his counsel and speech are excellent.
Whenever you sit with a counselor, arrange your words in private, not before a crowd.
If your judgment is backed by experience, your days will always be growing.
Your soul grows more alert against the enemy, and your heart, mind, and judgment more world-conquering.
The one whose desire runs ahead of him, know that his judgment will never ring true.
If a friend finds you with a bright face, it adds color and fragrance to your name.
Turn a frowning face to your enemy; make the ill-wisher's face go pale.
Give whatever you wish to those who deserve it, for your treasure belongs to the worthy.
As far as you can, kill envy in your soul and heart, for envy brings hot, bloody tears.
Whenever a king gives way to envy, the pious condemn him.
When the fortunate scribe had written down the counsel, he brought it and set it before the vizier.
The king drew a cold breath, and then those ruby cheeks turned yellow.
When the crowned king's colored face grew dark, Bahram's heart was struck numb with that grief.
For forty days he was mourning and downcast, the high throne dusty and empty of use.
So it has always been while the sphere has turned: sometimes full of pain, sometimes full of love.
If you have any sense, do not count it a friend, for it will get its hands on your very skin in your pain.
The night of Ohrmazd has come, and the month of Dey; rest from speaking and lift the cup of wine.
Now set the affairs of Bahram's crown in order, for he did not remain long in his kingship.