The archimages, the investigators,
And counsellors assembled, called to them
Hurmuzd, the atheling, and seated him
Among the chiefs. Then Búzurjmihr began:—
“O prince fair-starred and fair to look upon!
What know'st thou that will brighten the pure soul
And wisdom, and be fruitful for the body?”
He answered: “Knowledge is the best, for great
Among the great is one of understanding.
In knowledge is man's safety; it restraineth
The hands of Áhriman from ill, and next
Come patience and munificence whereby
The body gaineth fame and ease.”

The sage

Then asked: “What showeth virtue to advantage,
And what will raise a man to high estate?”
Hurmuzd replied: “First, to be courteous
To all in good and ill; next, to endeavour
To grieve as little as one can the hearts
Of every one; and, thirdly, to deal justly
Within the world and so gain self-content.”
On that pure-hearted prince of goodly mien
Gazed Búzurjmihr, the questioner, and said:—
“Now will I speak concerning needful topics.
Count them upon thy hands, remember all
That I shall ask, and make a just response
To them in that same order. Bring to bear
High-mindedness and justice for, if thou
Art heedful of such matters, of a truth
Heaven's gate is oped to thee since I will question
At large that I may have response in full.
The Master of the world instruct thee! May
Thy wit be bright, good fortune by thy mate.
Now will I question thee of what I know
With fairness. Answer as thy knowledge is.
The wise man is discerned by his replies,
And compasseth his will in everything.

Inquiry is the lock, response the key;
Response discriminateth bad from good.
Who is the child dear in his father's eyes,
Fair of behaviour, and without offence?
What man is worthy of our heart's compassion,
So that one needs must weep at his distress?
What man repenteth of his own good deed,
And that too from the bottom of his heart?
Who is the man deserving of my blame
When I shall make inquiry of his acts?
Who would do better if he shunned the world
Because his quiet days are at an end?
What maketh for our happiness in life,
And what do we recall most willingly?
Which is the time to praise? What profiteth
Us most? Who is the dearest of our friends,
Whose voice doth make a pleasance of the heart?
Who is the man with most friends in the world,
That joy in him in public and in private?
Who too is he that hath most enemies,
And most malignantly disposed to him?
* What is the thing, the most injurious,
For which when done there is good cause to weep?
Of all the things that mortals cherish here
What is the most unstable of them all?
Who is the tyrant that is unashamed,
The man most loveless and irreverent?
Whose words produce most ruin in the world,
And cause the greatest trouble to his friends?
What is the matter that entaileth shame,
And evil on a man through his own words?”
For one whole day till night rose o'er the hills
The sage's words produced no weariness,
But when the darkness brought the time for lights
The chiefs' heads darkened with bewilderment,
And, when the Sháh grew weary of his words,
He paused for a reply. The great Hurmuzd
Rose to his feet and fitly praised the Sháh:—
“Ne'er may the Sháh be lacking to the world,
But still abide upon the imperial throne;
Ne'er may we see the crown, the royal state,
And throne of ivory, devoid of thee;
In their excusings may the strong be dust
Before thee, heaven thine antidote from harm.
Now will I make reply to Búzurjmihr,
And solve his questions with a right good will.
The sage first questioned me concerning sons,
And so it is with them I must begin.
A son doth make his father glad of heart,
And freeth it from griefs, if he affect
His sire, incline to goodness, and be just.
Next, of the pitiable man, for whom
The eyelids drop their tears: this is the magnate
Whose fortune hath been scattered and he now
Is thrall to one unworthy. This man's case
Is one to be deplored with bitterness,
Because he hath a miscreant for his lord.
Again, the man that doeth benefits
To thankless folk is all solicitude,
And one forgetful of good done to him
Would make a fool of wisdom. Then the sage
Inquired for whom 'tis goodlier to seek
A resting-place by flight from tyranny?
The wise man is at liberty to quit
The country where the monarch is not just;
Escape is needful from an unjust king,
Because he bringeth Doomsday on the world.
The sage inquired: ‘In what rejoicest thou?’
'Tis in a brother or some charming fere.
He then inquired: ‘What is the time to praise?’
The time when we are quit of enemies:
'Tis well to praise that ever more and more.
Moreover for thy question touching friends,
'Tis good to have the aidance of all such.
If they be wealthy shelter 'neath their cloaks,
And toil with them if they be mendicants.
The humbler and the nobler that one is
The more do his friends' hearts rejoice in him.
The sage next asketh me: ‘Who hath a foe
By whom his heart is ever vexed and hurt?’
The man whose tongue is bold to utter ill
Is very apt to make him enemies.
* ‘What is of things the most injurious,’
Thou saidest, ‘and at last a cause for tears?’
When passion hath the mastery of thy heart
It passeth with the passing of a breath,
But with fruition cometh penitence;
So handle not the blossom of desire.
‘What,’ he inquired, ‘is that inconstant thing
Whose feet I seek to clutch and grasp its head?’
It is the friendship of a foolish man
Of evil nature and unstable counsels;
And furthermore he saith: ‘Who is the tyrant
That is all shameless and remediless?’
Call him remediless if he use guile,
A tyrant if he acteth shamelessly.
As for the man whose very trade is lies,
I term him tyrannous and despicable.
‘Whose words,’ thou saidest, ‘are the cause of ruin,
Cause grief and harm but leave the speaker scath-less?’
The traitor and the worthless double dealer
Fill wise men's hearts with pain. The sage in­quired:—
‘What is the fault that causeth one most shame,
And maketh him repent of his own words?’
The foolish talker's who doth bear himself
Vaingloriously within the sight of men,
But is, when he is private and alone,
Repentant for the words that he hath spoken,
Yet, when he next shall speak, will boast again.
The man without accomplishment is honoured
If he exceedeth not his limitations.
Those were the questions, these are my replies.
The blessings of the world be on the Sháh,
May all tongues speak according to his will,
And may his noble heart be glad and blest.”
The king of kings was lost in wonderment
At him and lauded him right royally;
All were rejoiced that were assembled there,
The monarch's heart was set at large from care.