Two se'nnights passed away and then the Sháh
Relinquished public business for a day,
And bade the archimages and great men
Assemble at the palace with the sages.

He asked about the body and its birth,
About wrath, peace, the intellect, and justice,
About the sovereignty, the crown, and power,
And how good fortune doth begin and end.
He questioned those archimages and inquired
Concerning that which pleased him. When the others
Had spoken as their knowledge was, but failed
To gratify the Sháh, he next addressed
Himself to Búzurjmihr and said: “Bring forth
The splendid jewel from its hiding-place.”
Then Búzurjmihr gave praises, saying thus:—
“O Sháh most loving and serene of heart!
Know that in all the world no king like thee
For justice, understanding, crown, and throne,
For Grace and mien, for counsel and for fortune,
Hath set the diadem upon his head.
The king that exerciseth self-control
Will be at rest from vengeance and from war
Because to shun unwarrantable deeds
Is better than to get a sorry heart.
How goodly is the saying of the sage:—
‘Self-discipline is goodly in a king.’
In seasons of dispute he feareth God,
Inclineth not to vengeance and to prowess,
And maketh wisdom ruler of his passions
When he is choleric. A monarch's thoughts
Should not displease the Master of the world
Through whom he doth discern 'twixt good and
evil,
And seeketh Paradise as virtue's meed.
A tongue truth-speaking and a reverent heart
Will be his glory in the world for aye,
While every one that is his counsellor
Will be a man of weight among the people,
Be eloquent, serene of heart, and just,
And give to small and great alike their due
According to the measure of their states.
The man that is the servant of the Sháh
Should not be damnified on that account,
And while a monarch holdeth sages dear
His crown will be exalted; but if he
Shall take the counsel of the ignorant
He will bring down his crown's head underfoot,
For knowledge frighteneth the fool away,
Who in his ignorance is combative.
The world-lord, whose informants are all wise,
Aware of what is going on at court,
And able thus to foil the malcontent,
Will be still glorious. None must sleep aggrieved
Lest ill befall the Sháh from that mishap,
Who should ban him deserving chastisement,
The misbegotten and the ill-disposed,
Lest such should trouble those that are offenceless.
All captives in the prisons of the Sháh,
The guilty and the innocent alike,
Should be enlarged by the decree of God,
Who thus directed in the Zandavasta.
If one be an ill-doer black and base
The face of earth should be relieved of him,
For while his evil day continueth
He will bring ruin on the homes of men.
The world-lord must rejoice in faith and right
So long as he is in the world as Sháh.
'Tis his to cleanse it from the wicked Dív
In public and in private by the sword.
The king that ruleth his troops well will be
Untroubled by the griefs of suppliants.
When thou art wary of thy foes in counsel
Thine evil-wishers will lose heart. Man all
The breaches of the realm ere war betide.
Whenas the Sháh is blamed for anything
Reproach too falleth on the crown and throne,
Through grief the wish is to be quit of him,
And to make wisdom testify thereto.
Let grow the love thou bearest to thy son,
Who is as 'twere the reflex of thy face
In water. Teach him wisdom and good sense,
And seek but to illuminate his soul.
Unlock for him the portal of thy treasures;
He must have no cause to bewail himself,
And when he putteth forth his hand to wrong
There is no need to break the prince's heart.
Recall him to the way with gentleness,
And keep a hold upon him from the first.
If in his heart thou find hostility
It is an ill weed; pluck it from his plot,
For if it bideth 'twill grow strong and fill
The garden of the sovereignty with tares;
But when the atheling hath Grace and sense
He must not hear the words of evil speakers;
Still when the hand can reach the miscreants
Haste not to bloodshed save at God's command.
Destruction cometh on the royal crown
Through rascal-ministers and wicked wives.
Give fools a hearing, but when they propose
An unjust action do not thou consent.
'Tis needful to fulfil all righteousness,
And clear thine own heart of perversity.
The sole adornment for the mighty Sháh
Is right, for 'tis the Dív that causeth wrong.
Now when the Sháh shall hearken to these words
He in his heart will witness unto wisdom,
The crown will call down blessings on the king,
The throne of empire be confirmed to him,
Both will rejoice in him, his foes despair
Of fortune; while this restless sky revolveth
His good name will be his memorial.
Now may the accomplished soul of Núshírwán
Be young while day endureth.”

At his words

The assembly was amazed, compared with them
The counsels of the wise seemed lustreless.
When Núshírwán had listened to this speech
His greatness greatened great although it was.

The counsels given filled his eyes with tears:
He filled the speaker's mouth with lustrous pearls.
Then from the palace with their lips all praise
The company departed on their ways.