When Yazdagird became the world's great king
He gathered all the soldiers of the realm,
Assumed the crown which once his brother wore,
At whose sad death he joyed, and thus harangued
Now when his power
Waxed strong his love waned as his greatness grew;
He scorned the sages and grew negligent
Of royal usages. The governors,
The paladins, the notables, and all
The learned and noble sages, were as wind
To him; his dark soul had grown tyrannous;
Both love and justice ceased within his heart;
He answered no petitions; he misprized
All men alike and paused not on their faults.
All that were at his gate as ministers—
The Lustre of his fortune and his crown—
Agreed to speak not of the land to him,
And all men writhed with fear and died of fright
Because of him. When envoys came, or subjects
That clamoured for redress, a minister,
When notified, would learn their business,
And then with warm and kindly words dismiss
The envoys shamefastly, and say: “The Sháh
Will not transact affairs; ye cannot see him.
I have acquainted him with all your case,
But in his judgments right hath little place!”