English
The Death of Rostam
When, weary, he opened his eyes,
he saw the face of the treacherous Shaghad.
He knew this was Shaghad's scheme and doing,
the deceiver, the one who wished him harm.
He said to him: You wretched, cursed man,
your deed has laid a flourishing land in ruins.
You will come to regret these words,
you will writhe with remorse and never grow old in peace.
Go, be loyal and one with Faramarz,
wish him well with all your heart and soul.
The base Shaghad gave this answer:
The turning sky has finally paid you your due.
Why did you reach so far to shed men's blood,
to plunder and to fight on every side?
Now you will demand no more silver from Kabul,
and kings will no longer live in fear of you.
The hour has come for your time to end,
for you to be killed in the demons' trap.
Just then the ruler of Kabul came along the road,
crossing the plain into the hunting ground.
He saw the mighty hero so gravely wounded,
his wounds left open and unbound.
He said to him: O renowned commander,
what has befallen you here in this hunting field?
I will hurry and bring some physicians,
and weep bloody tears over your pain.
Perhaps your wounds may yet be healed,
so I need not wash my face in blood.
The great hero gave him this reply:
O man of evil nature, seeking your tricks,
my days for a physician are over;
do not shed your bloody tears on me.
No one lasts long; every time runs out,
no living soul ever passes beyond the sky.
I hold no more glory than Jamshid,
whom the tyrant Zahhak sawed in two.
Nor more than Fereydun and Kay Qobad,
the great ones and kings of blessed lineage.
Garui of Zereh cut Siyavash's throat with a dagger
when his time had come.
They were all sovereigns of Iran,
fierce lions in the heat of battle.
They passed away, and we lingered longer,
staying like a raging lion on the road.
My son Faramarz, who sees the world clearly,
will come and take my revenge from you.
Then he said to the vile Shaghad:
Now that such an ill has come upon me,
take my bow from the quiver,
and bring me that faithful companion of mine.
String it and set it before me with two arrows,
lest that lion, the hunter,
come from the plain to hunt
while I lie here, my body torn like this.
If it sees me it will do me harm;
a bow would serve me well then.
May no fierce lion tear my body apart;
let me a while yet cast my body on the earth.
Shaghad came, took the bow,
strung it and drew it once.
He laughed and set it before the hero,
glad at his brother's coming death.
With great effort the hero took up the bow,
and despite his wounds he fitted an arrow.
The brother was terrified of that arrow;
he came and made a tree his shield.
He saw a plane tree standing near,
one that had lived through many years.
Its trunk was hollow, but its fruit and leaves remained;
behind it the foul-minded man hid.
When Rostam saw this, he raised his hand,
and wounded as he was, he loosed the arrow.
He pinned the tree and his brother together;
as life left him, his heart blazed up.
Shaghad groaned after his wound,
and the hero cut his suffering short.
Rostam said: Thanks be to God,
for I have known God all my life.
Even now, with my soul upon my lips,
the day did not turn to night before my vengeance was done.
You gave me the strength that, before death,
I took my revenge from this faithless one.
He said this, and his soul left his body;
the whole company wept in grief over him.
Zavareh died in another pit;
not one rider was left, great or small.