When he had heard Bahman the ancient hero
Mused and replied: “Yea I have heard the message
And joy to see thee. Bear Asfandiyár
This answer from me: ‘Lion-hearted chief

And famed! the man whose soul is tenanted
By wisdom seeth matters in the gross,
And when he hath both valour and success,
Possessions, hoarded treasures, majesty,
With heroism and a lofty name,
And is the favourite of noble men,
As thou art at this moment in the world,
Should not be evil-minded. Let us worship
God and the right, not grasp the hand of ill.
A word when uttered inexcusably
Is but a tree that hath no fruit or scent,
And if thy soul shall tread the path of greed
Thy travail will be long and profitless.
'Tis well a prince should weigh his words, and well
To have no wish to utter aught amiss.
Thy servant used to joy in all that said:—
“No mother's son is like Asfandiyár.
In courage, wisdom, enterprise, and counsel
He will be greater than his ancestors.”
How famous is thy name in Hindústán,
In Chín and Rúm and in the land of warlocks!
I thank thee for thy counsels and give praise
By day and in three watches of the night.
I sought of God, what now I joy to find
Accorded me, that I might look upon
Thy cherished face, thy greatness, manhood, love,
That, seated side by side in joy, we twain
Might drain a goblet to the king of kings,
And now I have attained my whole desire—
The wish that I was instant to achieve.
I will appear before thee unattended
To hear from thee the Sháh's behest and bring
To thee the patents granted by just Sháhs
From Kai Khusrau right back to Kai Kubád.
Now, matchless hero! look upon my case,
My pains and actions, on the goodly deeds
That I have done, my hardship and my travail,
And how I have been servant to the Sháhs
From this day backward to the days of old.
If chains are to repay me for these toils,
And ruin from the monarch of Irán,
'Tis well for none to look upon the world,
Or only just to look and tarry not.
I will tell all my secrets when I come,
And speak in tones that all the world may hear.
Then if there should appear a fault in me—
A fault for which I ought to lose my head—
Then I will set a yoke on mine own shoulders,
And come afoot clothed in a leopard-skin;
But inasmuch as I am he that brake
Fierce elephants' necks and flung them to the Nile,
Forbear unseemly words to me and keep
Thy mischiefs to afflict the Dív's heart. Say not
What no one e'er hath said, use not thy courage
To encage the wind. The mighty cannot pass
Through fire at all, nor, save they swim, through water;
Thou canst not hide the shining of the moon,
Or mate the fox and lion. Pour not then
Contention o'er my path, who am myself
Adept therein. None hath beheld me fettered,
No savage lion ta'en my post. Act thou
As princes should. Consult not with the Dív.
Put from thy heart wrath and revenge for trifles,
And look not on the world with boyish eyes.
Rejoice then, cross the stream, and may God bless thee.
Do honour to my mansion at a feast;
Keep not aloof from me who am thy slave.
Just as I was a liege to Kai Kubád,
So now I joy, both heart and brain, in thee.
If thou wilt come to me with all thy host,
And pass two months with me in merriment,
Both man and beast shall rest from toil, foes' hearts
Grow blind with envy. Beast on land, and fowl
On water, wait thee if thou wilt but stay.
I shall behold thy warrior-might, and thou
Shalt with thy scimitar o'erthrow the lion
And pard. When thou art fain to lead the host
Íránward to the monarch of the brave,
I will unlock the ancient hoards which I
Have here collected by my scimitar,
And place at thy disposal everything
That I have gathered by my might of hand.
Take what thou wilt and give the rest away;
Make not a day like this a grief to me.
Then when the time shall come for thee to go,
And thou art anxious to behold the Sháh,
I will not separate my reins from thine,
And we will go to him in company.
By asking pardon I will soothe his wrath,
And kiss him on the head and feet and eyes.
Then will I ask the great but unjust Sháh:—
“Why should these hands of mine be put in bonds?”’
Retain my words in each particular,
And tell them to the great Asfandiyár.”