Thereafter to Bahrám Gúr tidings came:—
“Heaven hath apportioned to thy sire the grave;
Thy father, eminent midst kings, is dead,
And ta'en with him the name of sovereignty;
They have enthroned another and acclaimed him
As monarch by the title of Khusrau.
The warriors have bound themselves by oaths:—
‘We will not have a monarch of the race
Because Bahrám, the son, is like the sire,
And, skin and marrow, of his father's seed.’”
Báhrám Gúr, when he heard it, tore his cheeks,
So troubled was he at his father's death,
And for two se'nnights went up from Yaman
Wails from child, man, and woman. When Bahrám
Had sorrowed for a month he graced the throne.
Nu'mán drew near together with Munzir,
And Arabs of Yaman both great and small,
All shedding tears of sorrow with their Sháh,
While anguish wrought on them the effects of fire.
Then setting loose their tongues they counselled thus:—
“O virtuous and most exalted prince!
We came to this world to be turned to dust,
Came not in quest of any remedy.
All mother-born will die, and to God's justice
We must resign our hearts.”

Bahrám Gúr said

Thus to Munzir: “Already is the water
“Grown brackish in our stream! What time my race
Shall lose its royal title it will lose
Its Grace divine, men will send up in dust
The desert of the horsemen and convert
The country of the Arabs to a ditch.
Consider well, assist me, and deplore
My father's death.”

Munzir gave ear and answered

Right manfully: “This is my chance and this

My hunt-day on the waste. Sit on the throne,
Observe, and wear through all thy years the crown,
And bracelet.”

All the chiefs approved the course

Suggested by Nu'mán and by Munzir:
They left the presence and prepared for war.
Munzir gave orders to Nu'mán and said:—
“Go gather our brave Lions in a host—
Two thousand of Shíbán, ten of Kibtís,*

All dight for battle. I will show the Íránians
Who is the Sháh with treasure, crown, and troops!”
Nu'mán assembled him a mighty power
Of swordsmen and of spearmen, bade them raid,
And trample down the realm. To Taisafún
All the salt desert route shook with their hoofs,
The women and the children were made captive,
There was no helper, and the world was full
Of fire and harrying since the imperial throne
Was impotent. News came to Rúm and Chín,
To Turkistán, to Hind, and to Makrán:—
“The Íránian throne is void, and none is fit
To rule,” and all made ready, in despite
Of justice, to invade the land. They all
Stretched out their hands toward the Íránian throne,
And rose to claim the empire for their own.