English
The Reign of Yazdgerd
When the former king passed on, Yazdgerd took the throne,
in the month of Esfand, on the day named Ard.
What did that eloquent, brave man say
when he grew weary of the turning days?
He said: If only my mother had never borne me,
if only the high heavens had never wheeled above my head.
Caught in a tight circle between two spinning spheres,
what can I say? There is nothing to do but stay silent.
Neither the days of greatness nor the days of need
last long for anyone.
If you look closely, time does not belong to us;
no one holds the power to sit in judgment over it.
Set out the feast, fill the cup and drink;
do not so much as name the sorrows of the world.
Even if the turning heavens raise you high in the saddle,
in the end your pillow will be dust.
Do not bind your heart to endless grief,
and never feel too safe beneath the lofty sky.
When it toys with elephant and lion,
know that it does so out of sheer indifference.
You will lose your life while it lives on;
the tale runs long, so do not boast.
You are no greater than Fereydun,
nor grander in throne and crown than Parviz.
Look deeply at what this soaring wheel of seven spheres
did at last to Yazdgerd.
When he sat glad upon the royal seat
and placed the crown of greatness on his head,
he said: from the turning of the swift heavens,
I am the pure son of Nushirvan.
Kingship is mine, father to father;
the sun, the Ear of Grain, the House of Pisces are mine.
I will grant honor to whoever is lower than me,
and I will not wrong the one who stands high.
I seek not only greatness and wisdom,
but also battle, fierceness, and manly courage.
For no one keeps their strength and fortune forever,
nor their treasure, nor the royal diadem, nor the throne.
What you need is a lasting name, not mere pleasure;
cast aside desire and raise your name high.
In this way, for twice eight years,
the moon and the sun passed above his head.