The matter of Zúrán and of the Jew
Is done, to wisdom now thy praise is due.
Just though thou art here is no tarrying;
Thy fame will be thy memory, O king!
The unjust sovereign, when all is done,
Will have but sepulchre and malison,
But if in heart thou dealest righteously
Know that the world hath gained new grace by thee;
So if, O chief! thou wilt have praise in death
Let wisdom be thy leaf that flourisheth.
Thus, through my words, though Núshírwán is dead,
His justice hath achieved fresh lustihead.
As soon as all the world acknowledged him
He used his greatness only to win praise,
Both great and small reposed in peace while wolf
And sheep were watered at one fount. The mighty
Did service to him and were fain to have
His name upon their diadems, the neck
Had respite from the clasp of habergeon,
The warriors loosed their coats of mail, the shoulder
Had ease from sparth and sword, and naught was heard
But sounds of mirth. None strove against the world-lord,
The tribute and the taxes everywhere

Were paid. He took toil easily and loved
The gear of chase and riding-ground. He sat
Within his palace arabesqued with gold,
And uttered counsel even in his cups.
He built a city on the road to Rúm
About two leagues in length. Within were mansions,
And halls and gardens, on one hand a river
And, on the other, heights. He built himself
A palace in the city with a hall
Of audience arabesqued with gold; the vaulting
Was all in gold and silver, with the gold
Inlaid with divers kinds of precious stones.
He built a cupola of ebony
And ivory with figures of the same
And teak. Artificers from Rúm and Hind,
Whoever was a master in his craft,
And had inherited his master's skill,*

With all the illustrious artists of Írán,
As well as from the province of Nímrúz,
He gathered in that city, for it was
At once a great seat and a place of trade.
The prisoners of war brought from Barbar,
From Rúm, and from the parts laid desolate,
He furnished with a dwelling-house apiece,
And made the city one of aliens.
The Sháh, the glory of the provinces,
Made of that city an attractive spot,
And, when complete, encircled it with hamlets.
The Sháh provided tracts of arable;
The soil was fruitful and the trees bore well.
He settled there the hostages from Lúch,
Gílán, and other ravaged provinces,
Assigning occupation to each man,
And gave to each a helper if alone.
He furnished artisans, field-labourers,
And men to measure and survey the land,
Along with traders and with devotees,
With men of station and with underlings.
He decked that city as 'twere Paradise;
The eye marked no unseemly spot therein.
He called the city by the name Súrsán,
For world-lords take delight in festivals.*

His only aim in public and in private
Was justice and the improvement of the world.
Since from the kingship time bare him away,
And made his crown another's to possess,
'Twill grant not thee an ever-during stay,
So purge thy heart of deeds of wickedness.
Know that this world is but a tricky show;
Man keepeth nothing be it high or low.