Whenas Bahrám Gúr sat upon the throne
The sun acclaimed him while the Sháh adored
The Maker—the all-seeing, watchful World-lord,

The Lord of victory and majesty,
The Lord of increase and of loss—then said:—
“From Him have I received the throne and crown,
For He hath fashioned fortune, and my hopes
And fears are all in Him. I give Him thanks
For all His benefits; do ye too praise Him,
And strive to keep His covenant unbroken.”
The Íránians answered: “We are girt for service.
May this crown prove right glorious to the Sháh,
And may his heart and fortune live for ever.”
Their praises done, all scattered gems before him.
Thus said Bahrám: “O chiefs experienced
In daily good and ill! we all are slaves,
And God is One, sole-worthy to be worshipped.
From fear of evil days we will secure you,
And not expose you to malignant Need.”
He spake. They rose and homaged him anew.
They spent the night in converse, and at sun-rise
The Sháh sat peacefully upon his throne,
The Íránians came to audience, and he said:—
“Ye chieftains famed and favoured by the stars!
Put we our trust in God and joy in Him,
Boast not and root out of the world our hearts.”
He spake and then those Glories of his court—
His chiefs—called for their steeds. The Sháh, the
third day,
Sat on the throne, and said: “Religious usage
Must be observed. We witness to God's being,
And make our souls familiar with the Faith.
There is a Resurrection, Heaven, and Hell,
And we can not escape from good and ill.
Ascribe not Faith or knowledge to the man
That doubteth of the Day of Reckoning.”
The fourth day, donning on the ivory throne
The well-loved crown, he said: “Men, not my
treasures,
Are my delight. This Wayside Inn I ask not,
And grudge not going, for the other world
Is everlasting and this transitory.*

Abstain from greed and trouble not thyself.”
The fifth day he said thus: “I have no joy
In others' toils for mine aggrandisement;
We toil in quest of jocund Paradise;
He that hath sown but seed of good is blest.”
The sixth day said he to his subjects: “Never
May we ensue defeat; we will protect
Our troops from foes and make malignants tremble.”

The seventh day, when he took his seat, he said:—
“Ye chiefs wise, wary, and experienced!
Since with the vile we practise villainy
We will have conversation with the wise.
Ye that are cold to me shall fare still worse
Than with my sire, but ye that do my will
Must not experience sorrow, pain, and toil.”
The eighth day, when he took his seat, he bade
Call Jawánwí of those about the court,
And said to him: “To every mighty man,
To every chief and clime, indite for me
A letter couched in just and loving terms,
And say: ‘Bahrám hath mounted on the throne
With joy—a lord of bounty and of right,
A shunner of all fraud and knavery—
For he hath Grace and stature, love and justice:
The Judge all-holy is in all his thoughts.
“I will accept,” he saith, “the obedient,
But fault-condoning maketh faults increase.
I sit upon my glorious father's throne,
I keep the customs of just Tahmúras,*

And treat all justly howsoe'er perverse.
I will be juster than mine ancestors,
And guide you to the Faith—that of Zarduhsht,
The prophet—quitting not my fathers' path.
I put the Faith of old Zarduhsht before me;
The way of that true prophet is mine own.
Be ye all sovereign in your own affairs,
And guard your marches and your loyalty,
Kings of your children and your women-folk:
Blest is the man that is both wise and pure.
If God accord us life and favouring stars
We will not fill our treasury with gold;
Such treasures keep the poor in travail. Read
This joyful letter which assureth you
Of lasting wealth and honour. To all kings
Our greeting, most to those whose warp and woof
Are love.”’”

They sealed the letters and made choice

Of glorious onvoys. Archmage, man of lore,
And wary cavalier, those letters bore.