When he had tarried long at Gang-bihisht,
And yearned to look again on Kai Káús,
He put the country from the sea of Chín
Up to Kibchák in charge of Gustaham,
Son of Naudar, gave him a countless host,
And said to him: “Be ware of heart and glad.
Stretch forth thy hand o'er Chín and o'er Makrán,
Dispatching letters unto all the folk,
And seeking tidings of Afrásiyáb;
It may be that the world is rid of him.”

Whatever was of value in the land—
Such as dínárs and precious stones uncut,
Musk, camphor, golden trappings for the steeds,
Slave-boys and horses, thrones and necklaces,
Brocade of Chín and carpeting, and all
The produce of the country of Makrán—
The monarch drave before him on the way,
In wagons drawn by forty thousand oxen,
While all men said: “None ever saw such wealth,
Nor hath there been such wealth as this before!”
The army was so great that day and night
The troops were passing over hill and vale,
And they who reached a station saw no break
In those behind them. Thus Khusrau reached Chách,
And hung the crown above the ivory throne;
Then as he tarried one week more in Sughd
Khúzán and Talímán appeared before him;
He marched thence to Bukhárá while the earth
Was hidden by his troops. In rest and feasting
One week was spent, the next, lamenting sore
Past times, he donned new raiment and approached
The Fane of Fire built with its towers by Túr,
The son of Farídún. He showered gold
And silver on the archmages and flung jewels
In numbers on the Fire. Then, fain to go,
The happy Sháh went with contented heart,
And crossing the Jíhún arrived at Balkh,
Experienced in this world's salts and sours;
Then, after he had tarried there a week,
Pursued his march, and left in every city
A noble of exalted rank with troops.
The people decorated way and waste
Where'er the Sháh was passing with his host.
As he neared Tálikán and the Marvrúd
The world was full of sounds of flute and harp,
The people decorated all their cities,
And called for wine and harp and minstrelsy;
They poured down drachms and saffron from above,
Musk and dínárs were strewn from end to end.
Thence by the road to Nishápúr the Sháh
Conveyed the treasure, troops, and elephants.
On all the mendicants within the city,
And all that lived by toil, he lavished drachms;
Two score and fifteen purses were expended.
He went thence on the road to Dámaghán,
And all the way he scattered drachms and gold.
The monarch rested for a sennight there,
Inspecting horses, elephants, and troops,
And at the week's end went to Rai by roads
Filled everywhere with minstrel, harp, and wine.
For two weeks he did justice and gave gifts,
And with the third departed to Baghdád,
Dispatching camel-posts from Rai to go
To Kai Káús at Párs to let him know.