Kārnāmag ī Ardašēr ī Pābagān ‘Book of the Acts of Ardašēr son of Pābag’ (KAP) recounts many events pertaining to the life and deeds of the founder of the Sasanian dynasty Ardašēr ī Pābagān. It’s not in the shape of a chronicle, but rather like a romance (as for Hedayat, it is a “biographie romancée”).
The original KAP has undergone several revisions. Our KAP begins with the phrase “In the (original) KAP it was thus written” (Haug, 111). The text, however, goes back to the Sasanian times. It was so popular that, Abān (eighth-ninth century) translated it into Arabic, poetic couplets ( سیره اردشیر ‘The Biography of Ardašēr’, Fihrist , 260).
The KAP was not the only text concerning Ardašēr. Here we give a list of treatises (supposedly) written by or concerning him. Some of them survive in Arabic and or Persian translations:
- *handarz ī Ardašēr (ī Pābagān) ‘Testament of Ardašēr (son of Pābag)’ عهد اردشیر
- Miskawayh reproduced it in his History.
- It is also included in the ms. Köprülü 1608 (Istanbul) (see Grignaschi, 1967, 46-90; Abbas, 1967) and in the book Alghurrah.
- Also in the book of Abi: نثر الدرر، آبی، تصحیح منیزه محمد المدنی و حسین نصار، جلد ۷، قاهره، ۱۹۹۰
- We also find a summary of the Testament in the Rasāel al-bulaghā: منتخب من عهد أردشیر بن بابک الملک فی السیاسه، رسائل البلغا، م. کردعلی ،۱۹۱۳ (۱۹۴۶ ) ۳۸۲-۸۴
- *handarz ī Ardašēr pus ī xvēš Šābuhr ‘The Testament of Ardašēr to his son Šābuhr’ عهد اردسیر (بابکان) الی ابنه سابور
- It is preserved in Arabic (Grignaschi, 1973, 196-80).
- Ferdōsī put it into Persian verse (Šāhnāma, 190-94).
- See Fihrist , 740
- ‘A Story of Abursām, minister of Ardašēr’ قصه ابرسام وزیر اردشیر
- We find it in an Arabic historical codex about Persian kings. (Grignaschi, 1973, 142)
- *ēvēn ī Ardašēr ‘(Book of) Manners (written for) Ardašēr’
- In an abridged Arabic version of this book, it is said that, Ardašēr commissioned to extract for the Library (of Staxr) a Book on the tranquil life and rules concerning food and drink, and also the sweetness of education and the virtues. (Grignaschi, 1967, 91-102)
- There is also a booklet about the division of men into four classes. (Grignaschi 1973, 172-ذکر ما کان من اردشیر فی تصنیف أهل المملکه 75 )
- ‘Book about the organisation of the society (/country)’
- In the Fihrist (741), it is said of a book which Ardašēr ordered to be selected from the libraries of books written by wise men about organisation (Arab. tadbīr, Pers. rāyēnišn ). There is an abridged version of it in an Arabic codex.
- (Grignaschi, ذکر ما وضع اردشیر من أس الملک و مهنه السلطان , 1973)
- There is also a version in the Šāhnāma: تدبیر ساختن اردشیر در کار پادشاهی، ۱۷۹-۸۵
- ‘The conduct of wars, storming of castles (and cities), discovering on ambush, commissioning spies, the vanguard, the brigades, and (frontier) garrisons’ ادب الحروب و فتح الحصون و تربیص الکمین و توجیه الجواسیس و الطلائع والسرایا و وضع المسالح
- According to Fihrist (738), it was a translation of what was written for Ardašēr. The Arabic translation has not survived.
- ‘Formal speech of Ardašēr son of Pābag after his final victory over local kings’
- There is an Arabic version of it:
- Grignaschi, 1973, 142: خطبه اردشیر بابک حین استوسق (کذا) له و توطد له السلطان
- There is also a Persian translation of it in Šāhnāma:
- ۱۸۵- شاهنامه، اندرز کردن اردشیر مهتران ایران ،۸۶
- ۱۸۶- شاهنامه، اندرز کردن اردشیر مردمان ایران را ، ۸۸
- ‘Address presented by the chief of people in reply to Ardašēr’s speech’
- For the Arabic version see Grignaschi, 1973, فتکلم رئیس اهل المملکه : 142
- For the Persian version see Šāhnāma : ۱۸۸- ستودن خراد اردشیر را، ۸۹
- *nāmagīhā ī Ardašēr ‘The Letters of Ardašēr (to local kings, ...)’
- Some of these letters survive in Arabic translation.
- مروج الذهب و معادن الجواهر، مسعودی، ترجمهٔ ا. پاینده، جلد ۱، تهران، ۱۳۴۴، ۲۴۳
- *nāmag ī Tōsar ‘The Letter of Tōsar (high priest in the time of Ardašēr)’
- Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ translated it into Arabic, but it’s unfortunately lost. However there is a Persian version of it, which was translated from Arabic by the son of Esfandyar, and embodied in his History of Tabarestan. Some passages of the Letter are comparable to the Testament of Ardašēr.
- Fugitive passages and sayings belonging to (/or attributed to) Ardašēr (in Arabic)
- In Grignaschi, 1967, 108-110: فصول فی المعروف من حکماء الفرس
- In Tha’alibi:
- تاریخ ثغالبی مشهور به غرر اخبار ملوک الفرس و سیرهم، ۱، ترجمه م. فضائلی، تهران، ۱۳۶۸، ۳۰۵-۶
- Also: René R. Khawam: Propos des Arabes sur la vie en société, traduits directement des textes arabes, Paris, 1964, 172-74.
- Some of these sayings were assigned, in Arabic, to the category of tawqi‘āt. (See Tafazzoli, تاریخ ادبیات پیش از اسلام، ۱۳۶۷، ۲۳۹ -۴۰ )
- ‘Ardašēr, the king of Babylon and … ’ — (lost)
- In Fihrist (718-19): کتاب اردشیر ملک بابل و اربویه وزیوه (ارتونه وزیره؟)
- ‘Ardašēr and Mynq’ (a Manichaean treatise)— (lost)
- In Fihrist (80): رساله اردشیر و مینق
- ‘Conversation between Jāmāsp and Ardašēr’ — in Persian گفتگوی جاماسپ و اردشیر
- It is an apocryphal text.
The Testament is preserved only in Arabic version(s).
It is possible that this story was an extract from the original KAP.
Below is the transcription of the Pārsīg text accompanied with the English translation, based on Raham Asha Kārnāmag ī Ardašēr ī Pābagān, The Book of the Acts of Ardašir son of Pābag, Ermān, Paris, 1999, with minor modifications.
harv kē xvānād ud hamōzād ud kār veh huramīhā aziš kunād!
ped nām ud nērōg ud ayyārīh ī dādār Ohrmazd ī rāyumand ī farrumand. tandrustīh ud dagrzīvišnīh ī harv vehān ud frārōnkunišnān, nāmcištīg ōy kē rāy nibēsīhed.
I
(1) ped “kārnāmag ī Ardašēr ī Pābagān” ēdōn nibišt ēstād kū pas az marg ī Aleksander ī hrōmīg, Ērānšahr dvēst-u-cahal kadagxvadāy būd.
(2) Spāhān ud Pārs ud kustīhā ī aviš nazdīktar ped dast ī Ardavān sālār būd.
(3) Pābag marzbān ud šahriyār ī Pārs būd ud gumārdag ī Ardavān, ×ud ped Staxr nišast.
(4) ud Pābag rāy ēc frazend ī nāmburdār nē būd.
(5) ud Sāsān šubān ī Pābag būd, ud hamvār abāg gōspendān būd, ud az tōhmag ī Dārāy ī Dārāyān būd; ud andar dušxvadāyīh ī Aleksander, niyāgān ō virēg ud nihānravišnīh ēstād ud abāg kurdagān šubānān raft.
(6) Pābag nē dānist kū, Sāsān az tōhmag ī Dārāy ī Dārāyān zād ēsted.
(7) Pābag šab-ē ped xvamn dīd cōn ka xvaršēd az sar ī Sāsān bē tāft ud hamāg gēhān rōšnīh grift.
(8) anī šab ēdōn dīd cōn ka Sāsān ped pīl-ē ī ārāstag ī spēd nišast ēstād ud harv kē andar kišvar pērāmōn ī Sāsān ēstend, namāz aviš barend, ud stāyišn ud āfrīn hamē kunend.
(9) anī sidīgar šab hamgōnag ēdōn dīd cōn ka ādur <ī> farrōbay ud gušnasp ud burzēnmihr ped xānag ī Sāsān hamē vaxšend ud rōšnīh ō hamāg gēhān hamē dahend.
(10) Pābag ka-š ped hān ēvēnag dīd, abd sahist.
(11) u-š dānāgān ud xvamnvizārān ō pēš xvāst ud hān ī harv sē šab xvamn cōn dīd ēstād pēš avēšān guft.
(12) xvamnvizārān guft kū:
«hān kē ēn xvamn pediš dīd, ōy ayāb az frazendān ī hān mard kas-ē ō pādixšāyīh ī gēhān rased, cē xvaršēd ud pīl ī spēd ī ārāstag cērīh ud tuvānīgīh ud pērōzīh, ud ādur farrōbay dēn-dānāgān (ī) meh-mardān - ī muvmardān-; ādur gušnasp, artēštārān ud spāhbedān, ud ādur burzēnmihr vāstryōšān ud varz-kirdārān ī gēhān, ud hāmōyēn ēn pādixšāyīh ō hān mard ayāb frazendān ī hān mard rased.»
(13) Pābag ka-š hān soxan ašnūd, kas frēstīd ud Sāsān ō pēš xvāst ud pursīd kū: «tū az kadām tōhmag ud dūdag hē? az pidarān ud niyāgān ī tō kas būd kē pādixšāyīh ud sālārīh kird?»
(14) Sāsān az Pābag pašt ud zēnhār xvāst kū: «-m vizend ud zyān mā kun.»
(15) Pābag pedīrift, ud Sāsān rāz ī xvēš, cōn būd, pēš Pābag guft.
(16) Pābag šād būd ud framūd kū: «tan ped ābzan kun!»
(17) ud Pābag framūd kū dā dast-ē jāmag, peymōzan ī xvadāyvār, aviš āvurd hend ud ō Sāsān dād hend kū: «peymōz!»; Sāsān hamgōnag kird.
(18) ud Pābag Sāsān rāy framūd kū dā cand rōz ped xvarišn ud dārišn ī nēk ud sazāgvār parvard.
(19) u-š pas duxt ī xvēš ped zanīh dād.
I
(1) In the Book of the Acts of Ardašēr son of Pābag it was written thus: After the death of Alexander the Greek, the Aryan Land (Ērānšahr) had two hundred and forty local kings.
(2) Spāhān, Persis and the districts adjacent to them were in the hands of Ardavān the chief.
(3) Pābag was margrave and governor of Persis and appointee of Ardavān. ×Pābag resided in Staxr.
(4) Pābag had no child bearing (his) name.
(5) Sāsān was the shepherd of Pābag, and was always with the cattle. He was of the lineage of Dārāy son of Dārāy (= Darius III Codomannus). In the misrule of Alexander, his ancestors were in flight and concealment, and went together with the nomadic shepherds.
(6) Pābag did not know that Sāsān was born of the lineage of Dārāy son of Dārāy.
(7) One night, Pābag had a dream such that the sun shone from off the head of Sāsān, and the whole world lit up.
(8) Another night, he saw in a dream such that Sāsān was mounting an equipped white elephant, and everyone in the land stood around Sāsān, paid him homage, eulogized and praised him.
(9) The third night, in the same way, he saw that the (three major) Fires, (that is) Farrōbay, Gušnasp and Burzēnmihr were flaming in the house of Sāsān and were giving light to the whole world.
(10) When Pābag saw (in dream) such, it seemed wonderful to him.
(11) He summoned to his presence the wisemen and dream interpreters, and told them the dreams during those three nights as he had seen them.
(12) The dream-interpreters said thus:
“The one of whom these dreams were seen, or one of the children of that man, will attain the sovereignty of the world. In fact, the sun and the equipped white elephant (are signs of) mastery, power and victory; the Fire Farrōbay denotes the knowledge of the Daēnā of eminent men, that is, the Magians; the Fire Gušnasp, warriors and generals; Burzēnmihr, husbandmen and farmers of the world. And all these indicate (that) the sovereignty will reach that man or his children.”
(13) When Pābag heard those words, he sent someone, summoned Sāsān to his presence and asked: “Of what lineage and family are you? Was there anyone of your forefathers and ancestors who exercised sovereignty and leadership?"
(14) Sāsān sought from Pābag pledge and mercy: “Do me no harm and damage!"
(15) Pābag accepted. Sāsān told Pābag his secret as it was.
(16) Pābag was delighted, and ordered: "Take a bath!”
(17) And Pābag ordered that a suit of kingly clothes and garments be brought and given to Sāsan: "Put them on!" and Sāsān did so.
(18) Pābag ordered Sāsān to be cherished for some days with good and befitting food and upkeep.
(19) And gave him then his own daughter in marriage.
II
(1) jahišn ud abāyed-būdan rāy, andar zamān hān kenīzag ābustan būd ud Ardašēr aziš zād.
(2) Pābag ka-š tanvār ud cābukīh ī Ardašēr bē dīd, dānist kū: «hān xvamn ī-m dīd rāst būd»,
(3) u-š Ardašēr ped frazendīh pedīrift ud grāmīg dāšt ud parvard.
(4) ud ka (Ardašēr) ō dād ī hangām ī frahang rasīd, ped dibīrīh ud asvārīh ud abārīg frahang ēdōn frahaxt kū andar Pārs nāmīg būd.
(5) ka Ardašēr ō dād ī pānzdah-sālag rasīd, āgāhīh ō Ardavān mad kū: «Pābag rāy pus-ē ast ī ped frahang ud asvārīh frahaxtag ud abāyišnīg.»
(6) u-š nāmag ō Pābag kird kū:
«amāh ēdōn ašnūd kū, ašmāh rāy pus-ē ast ī abāyišnīg; ud ped frahang ud asvārīh abēr frahaxtag. (7) u-mān kāmag kū, ō dar ī amāh frēstēh ud nazdīk ī amāh āyēd dā abāg frazendān ud vāspuhragān baved. u-š ped frahang ī-š ast ah an pādāšn framāyem.»
(8) Pābag az hān cōn Ardavān meh ud kāmgārdar būd, juttar kirdan ud hān framān bē spuxtan nē šāyist.
(9) u-š andar zamān Ardašēr, ārāstag abāg dah bannag ud vas tis ī abd-sahist ud sazāgvār ō pēš ī Ardavān frēstīd.
(10) ud Ardavān ka-š Ardašēr dīd šād būd ud grāmīg kird,
(11) (u-š) framūd kū, harv rōz abāg frazendān ud vāspuhragān ī xvēš ō naxcīr ud cōgān šaved. Ardašēr hamgōnag kird.
(12) ped yazdān ayyārīh, ped cōgān ud asvārīh, catrang ud nēvardašēr ud abārīg frahang az avēšān hāmōyēn cēr ud nibardag būd.
(13) rōz-ē Ardavān abāg asvārān ud Ardašēr ō naxcīr šud ēstād.
(14) gōr-ē andar dašt bē vidard. Ardašēr ud pus ī meh ī Ardavān az pas ī hān gōr tāxt <hend> ud Ardašēr andar rasīd; tigr-ē ēdōn ō gōr zad kū tigr dā parr ped eškamb andar šud, ud didīgar sōg bē vidārd. gōr abar gyāg murd.
(15) Ardavān ud asvār frāz rasīd hend. ka-šān zanišn ped hān ēvēnag, abd sahist, ud pursīd kū:
«ēn zanišn kē kird?»
(16) Ardašēr guft kū:
«man kird.»
(17) pus ī Ardavān guft kū:
«nē, cē man kird.»
(18) Ardašēr xēšm grift, u-š ō pus ī Ardavān guft kū:
«hunar ud mardānagīh ped stambagīh ud duš-šarmīh ud drōv adādestānīhā ō xvēš kirdan nē tuvān. ēn dašt nēk, ud gōr ēdar vas. an ud tū ēdar didīgar uzmāyišn kunem, ud nēkīh ud dilīh ud cābukīh ped dīd āvarem.»
(19) Ardavān az hān dušxvār sahist; ud pas az hān Ardašēr nē hišt ō asp nišastan.
(20-21) u-š Ardašēr ō āxvarr ī stōrān frestīd, ud framūd kū:
«niger kū, rōz ud šab, az nazdīk ī stōrān ō naxcīr ud cōgān ud frahangestān nē šavēh!»
(22) Ardašēr dānist kū Ardavān dušcašmīh ud vadkāmagīh rāy gōbed.
(23) u-š andar zamān, dādestān cōn būd, nāmag ō Pābag nibišt.
(24) Pābag ka-š nāmag dīd, andōhgen būd.
(25) u-š ped pesox ō Ardašēr kird, nibišt kū:
«tō nē dānāgīhā kird ka ped tis-ē kē zyān nē aziš šāyist būdan, abāg vazurgān stēzag burd, ud soxan drust-ēvāzīhā aviš guft. (26) nūn-z būzišn gōb ped pidīg māndag hangār! (27) cē dānāgān guft ēsted kū: “dušmen ped dušmen hān nē tuvān kirdan cē adān mard az kunišn ī xvēš aviš rased.” (28) ēn-z guft ēsted kū: “az hān kas must-abarmānd mā bāš ka jud az ōy nē vizīred.” (29) ud tū xvad dānē kū, Ardavān abar man ud tō ud vasān mardōm ī gēhān ped tan ud gyān ud xīr ud xvāstag kāmgārdar pādixšāy ast. (30) nūn-z handarz ī man ō tō ēn saxttar kū: ēkānagīh ud framānburdārīh kun! xvēštan varz ō vinībūdīh mā abespār!»
II
(1) By necessary chance (lit. because of the chance of what is necessary to happen), the girl became pregnant, and Ardašēr was born of her.
(2) When Pābag saw the physique and nimbleness of Ardašēr, he realized: “The dream which I had seen was true."
(3) He adopted Ardašēr as his own child, held him dear and cherished him.
(4) When (Ardašēr) attained the age of education-time, he was so learned in writing, riding and other arts that he became renowned in Persis.
(5) When he attained the age of fifteen years, news came to Ardavān that “Pābag has a son who is educated in writing, riding, and he is exquisite."
(6) Ardavān addressed a letter to Pābag:
“We have so heard that you have an exquisite son, well-educated in writing and riding. (7) Our will is that you (should) send him to our court, and he may come near us, so that he may be with (our) children and princes, and I will order (to give) him reward for the education which he has.”
(8) Pābag could neither act otherwise nor defy the order, because Ardavān was greater and more powerful. (9) Immediately, he sent him before Ardavān with ten servants and many befitting wonderful things.
(10) Ardavān was delighted when he saw Ardašēr, and endeared him.
(11) He ordered that he should go, every day, to hunting and the (game of) polo with his own children and princes. Ardašēr did so.
(12) With the assistance of the Yazata, he became more proficient and dexterous than all of them in polo and riding, chess and backgammon, and other educational arts.
(13) One day, Ardavān had gone hunting with horsemen and Ardašēr.
(14) An onager passed by in the plane. Ardašēr and Ardavān’s elder son ran after the onager. Ardašēr aimed, and so shot an arrow at the onager that, the arrow penetrated right up to the feather into its belly and came out through the other side. The onager died on the spot.
(15) Ardavān and horsemen came up. When they saw a (bow-)shot in such a manner, it seemed wonderful to them, and they asked:
“Who fired this shot?”
(16) Ardašēr said:
“I did it.”
(17) Ardavān's son said: “No, for I did it.”
(18) Ardašēr was seized by anger. He said to Ardavān's son:
“One cannot appropriate virtue and manliness with impetuousity, shamelessness and false prejudice. This plain is good, and onagers here are in great numbers. Let, I and thou, organize a second test, and make manifest (our) goodness, bravery and agility.”
(19) It seemed harsh to Ardavān. Thereafter, he did not allow Ardašēr to sit on the horse.
(20-21) He sent Ardašēr to the stable of horses, and ordered:
“Take care not to go, by day or by night, from the side of the horses, to hunting, polo or the school!”
(22) Ardašēr realized that Ardavān was speaking because of envy and ill will.
(23) He immediately related the story as it had happened (in) a letter to Pābag.
(24) Pābag was saddened when he saw the letter.
(25) He wrote in reply to Ardašēr thus:
"You did not behave wisely, when you quarreled with great ones concerning a petty thing from which no harm could arise, and spoke coarsely to them. (26) Just now, beg pardon! consider it as a fatherly lapse! (27) For the wise have said that, ‘an enemy cannot do against his enemy that which happens to an ignorant man owing to his own deed’. (28) This also is said: ‘Be not insolent towards that person when there is no hope (to avoid) him!’ (29) You yourself know that Ardavān is a supreme sovereign over me and you and many people in the world, as to our body and life, property and wealth. (30) And now, here is my strict advice to you: Be loyal and show obedience! Do not give your dignity up to perdition!”
III
(1) Ardavān rāy kenīzag-ē abāyišnīg būd kē az abārīg kenīzagān āzarmīgdar ud grāmīgdar dāšt, ud ped harv ēvēnag peristišn ī Ardavān būd, hān kenīzag kird ēstād.
(2) rōz-ē ka Ardašēr ped stōrgāh nišast ud tambūr zad ud srūd, vāzīg ud huramīh kird, ōy (/ōh?) Ardašēr dīd ud pediš viyābān būd.
(3) ud pas az hān *abāz ī Ardašēr mad ud dōstīh ud dōšārm kird, peyvastag *hamē ped šab ka Ardavān ī bē-šudag-baxt bē xvaft, hān kenīzag ped nihān ō nazdīkīh ī Ardašēr šud ud dā nazd bām abāg Ardašēr būd ud pas abāz ō pēš ī Ardavān šud.
(4) rōz-ē Ardavān dānāgān ud axtarmārān ī ped dar būd <hend> ō pēš xvāst ud pursīd kū:
«cē hamē vēned ped tis ī haftān ud dvāzdahān, ud ēstišn ud ravišn ī stāragān, ud tis ī āvām <ī> xvadāyān ī šahr šahr, *ud mardōmān ī gēhān, ud tis ī man frazendān *ud mardōmān ī amāh?»
(5) axtarmārān-sālār ped pāsox guft kū:
«*kēvān ōbast(ag), ud stārag ī ohrmazd abāz bālist āmad; u-š az vahrām ud anāhīd, ped kust <ī> haftōring, ud <andar> šagr axtar marz jahend ud ō ohrmazd ayyārīh dahend. 6. ham cim rāy ēdōn nimāyed kū, xvadāy-ē pādixšāy-ē ī nōg ō pēdāgīh āyed ud vas sar-xvadāy ōzaned ud gēhān abāz andar ēv-xvadāyīh āvared.»
(7) did-iz murvnīšān-sālār ō pēš mad u-š guft kū:
«ēdōn pēdāg kū harv bannag mard kē az im rōz dā sē rōz az xvadāy ī xvēš bē virēzed, ō vazurgīh ud pādixšāyīh rased, abar hān ī xvēš xvadāy kāmaghanzām ud pērōzgar baved.»
(8) kenīzag hān soxan, cōn-š ō Ardavān guft, andar šab ka ō nazdīk ī Ardašēr āmad pēš ī Ardašēr abāz guft.
(9) Ardašēr ka hān soxan ašnūd, menišn ō virīxtan az ānōh nihād.
(10) u-š ō kenīzag guft kū:
«agar-t menišn abāg man rāst ud ēkānag ast, ēg-iz andar ēn sē rōz ī vizīdag ī dānāgān ud axtarmārān guft ēsted harv kē az xvadāy ī xvēš bē virēzed ō vazurgīh ud pādixšāyīh rased, ōr dā gēhān gīrem, bē šavem! (11) agar yazdān farrah ī Ērānšahr ō ayyārīh ī amāh rased, bē bōxtem, ō nēkīh ud xūbīh rasem; ēdōn kunam kū az tō farroxdar andar gēhān kas nē baved.»
(12) kenīzag hamdādestān būd ud guft kū:
«ped āzādīh dāram; ud harv cē tū framāyē, kunam.»
(13) kenīzag cōn nazd ō <bām> būd, abāz ō gāh ī xvēš nazdīk ī Ardavān šud.
(14) šab ka Ardavān xvaft ēstād, az ganz ī Ardavān šamšēr-ē ī hindūg ud zēn ī zarrēn ud kamar ī mēšsār ud abesar ī zarrēn ud jām ī zarrēn ī ped gōhr ud drahm ud dēnār vas, ud zreh ud zēnabzār ī peyrāstag ī vasyār ud abārīg vas tis stad ud ō pēš ī Ardašēr āvurd.
(15) Ardašēr asp do az bāragān ī Ardavān kē ped rōz-ē haftād frasang bē *ravend zēn kird, ēk xvad ud ēk kenīzag abar nišast, ud rāh ō Pārs grift ud ped avištāb hamē raft.
(16) ēdōn gōbend kū: andar šab frāz ō deh-ē mad.
(17) ud Ardašēr tarsīd kū mā agar mardōm ī deh vēnend, šnāsend ud griftār kunend. andar deh nē, bē ped kustag-ē ī deh vidard.
(18) u-š āmad do zan nišastag dīd.
(19) hān zan vāng kird kū:
«mā tars Ardašēr ī kay ī Pābagān, ī az tōhmag ī Sāsān, nāf ī Dārāy šāh! cē rast hē az harv vad. kas tō nē tuvān griftan. u-t xvadāyīh ī Ērānšahr vas sāl abāyed kirdan. avištāb dā ō drayāb, ud ka-z drayāb ped cašm vēned, mā pāyed! cē ka-t cašm ō zreh ōfted, az dušmenān abēbīm bavēh.»
(20) Ardašēr huram bē būd ud az ānōh ped avištāb bē raft.
III
(1) Ardavān had a desirable girl whom he held with more respect and esteem than other girls, and that girl had performed any kind of service of Ardavān.
(2) One day, when sitting in the stable, Ardašēr was playing the lute, singing, playing a game and enjoying himself, she saw Ardašēr, and became enamoured of him.
(3) Thereafter, she came after Ardašēr, befriended and showed him affection. Regularly every night when the unfortunate Ardavān slept, the maiden would secretly go near Ardašēr, be with him until dawn, and go back to Ardavān afterwards.
(4) One day, Ardavān summoned to his presence the wisemen and astrologers who were in the capital and asked them:
“What see you in the matter of the Seven (planets) and the Twelve (i.e. the Zodiac), the position and motion of the stars, (in) the affairs of the time of the kings of the different countries, the people of the world, and concerning my children and our people?”
(5) The chief of the astrologers answered:
“Saturn (has fallen into) dejection; the planet Jupiter has again come to exaltation. (The planets) Mars and Venus, in the direction of Ursa Major4 (i.e. in the northern side), are within the constellation Leo, (in their own) terms, and give assistance to Jupiter. (6) For this very reason, it seems that a new king and sovereign will appear, will kill many supreme rulers and will restore monarchy in the world.”
(7) Then the chief of the soothsayers came forward and said:
“It is so revealed that whichever servant who escapes from his master within three days from today, will reach greatness and sovereignty and will become successful and victorious over his own master.”
(8) The maiden retold those words to Ardašēr, as they were spoken to Ardavān, when she went near him at night.
(9) When Ardašēr heard those words, he set his mind on running away from there.
(10) He said to the maiden:
“If your heart be true and loyal to me, then come to overcome the world, let us go within these three special days, of which the wisemen and astrologers have said 'whoever will escape from his master will reach greatness and sovereignty'. (11) If the divine Fortune of Ērānšahr comes to our aid, we will escape and will attain benefit and goodness. I will act so that no one in the world shall be more fortunate than you."
(12) The maiden was of the same opinion, and said:
“Thank you; I will do whatever you say."
(13) Early in the daybreak, the maiden returned to her own place near Ardavān.
(14) At night, when Ardavān was asleep, she took away from the treasure of Ardavān an Indian sword, golden armours, sheep-headed belts, a golden crown, golden vessels set with gems, many coins, silver or gold, many ornamented coats of mail and horse-armours, and many other things.
(15) Ardašēr saddled two horses from amongst the steeds of Ardavān who would run seventy parasangs a day. He himself sat on one and the maiden on the other, took the road to Persis, and went in haste.
(16) It is thus said: At night, he arrived at a village.
(17) Ardašēr was afraid lest the people of the village see, recognize and capture him. He did not pass through the village, but by its side.
(18) And he saw two women sitting.
(19) (One of them) uttered in a loud voice:
“Fear not, O Kay Ardašēr son of Pābag, of Sāsān’s lineage, (of) the family of king Dārāy! For you have escaped from all evil. None can capture you. You ought to reign over the Aryan Land for many years. Hasten up to the sea! ‘Till you have not seen the sea with your eyes, do not stop! For as soon as your eye falls upon the sea, you will be fearless of the enemies."
(20) Ardašēr became glad and hastily left that place.
IV
(1) ka rōz būd, Ardavān kenīzag xvāst. kenīzag ped gyāg nē būd.
(2) stōrbān mad, ō Ardavān guft kū:
«Ardašēr abāg do bārag ī ašmāh nē ped gyāg ast.»
(3) Ardavān dānist kū:
«kenīzag ī man abāg Ardašēr virīxt, šud.»
(4) ka-š āgāhīh az ganz ašnūd dil hangrūdag kird.
(5) u-š axtarmārān-sālār xvāst, ud guft kū:
«zūd bāš bē niger dā hān vināhgār abāg hān jeh ī rūspīg kadām gyāg šud, ud kay šāyem griftan.»
(6) axtarmārān-sālār zamān handāxt, ud ped pesox ō Ardavān guft kū:
«māh az kēvān ud vahrām virēzed ō ohrmazd ud tīr, *ped kust ī xvadāy ī meyān ī asmān, azēr <ī> brāh ī mihr ēsted. (7) ud ēdōn pēdāg kū, Ardašēr virīxt, šud, u-š rōy ō kustag ī Pārs ast. agar dā sē rōz griftan nē šāyed, pas az hān griftan nē tuvān.»
(8) Ardavān andar zamān spāh cahār-hazār ārāst, rāh ō Pārs, pay ī Ardašēr grift. ka nēmrōz būd, ō gyāg rasīd kū rāh ī Pārs ānōh vidard.
(9) u-š pursīd kū:
«hān do asvār ī ō ēn kustag rōn āmad, cē zamān bē vidard <hend>?»
(10) mardōmān guft kū:
«bāmdād ka xvaršēd tēx abar āvurd, ēdōn cōn vād ī ardā humānāg bē vidašt <hend>. (11) u-šān varγ-ē (virōg-ē?) abēr stabr az pas hamē davist ī az hān nēkōgdar būdan nē šāyed. (12) dānem kū, dā nūn vas frasang zamīg šud. u-tān griftan nē tuvān.»
(13. Ardavān hambun-z nē pād, ud avištāft.
(14) ka ō anī gyāg-ē mad, az mardōmān pursīd kū:
«hān do asvār cē gāh bē vidard hend?»
(15) avēšān guft kū:
«nēmrōz, ēdōn cōn vād ī ardā hamē šud hend. u-šān varγ-ē hamvār (/hamvar?) hamē raft.»
(16) Ardavān škeft sahist ud guft kū:
«hangār kū asvār ī dogānag dānem, bē hān varγ cē sazed būdan?» u-š az dastvar pursīd.
(17) dastvar guft kū:
«hān farrah ī xvadāyīh ī ahanūn-z aviš nē rasīd, bē abāyed kū bē nixvārem. šāyed kū, pēš kū hān farrah aviš rased, šāyem griftan.»
(18) Ardavān abāg asvārān saxt avištāft.
(19) rōz ī did haftād frasang raft hend. u-š kāravān-ē grōh-ē ō pedīrag āmad.
(20) Ardavān az avēšān pursīd kū:
«hān do asvār kadām gyāg pedīrag būd?»
(21) avēšān guft kū:
“meyān ī ašmāh ud avēšān zamīg sīh frasang, (22) u-mān ēdōn sahist kū, ēk az avēšān asvārān varγ-ē ī vas vazurg ud cābuk abāg-iš ped asp nišast ēstād.”
(23) Ardavān az dastvar pursīd kū:
«hān varγ ī-š abāg ped asp, cē nimāyed?»
(24) dastvar guft kū:
«anōšag bed, Ardašēr farrah ī kayān aviš rasīd. ped ēc cārag griftan nē tuvān. pas xvēštan ud asvārān ranzag mā dāred, ud aspān mā ranzēned ud tabāh mā kuned. cārag ī Ardašēr az anī dar xvāhed.»
IV
(1) When day was dawning, Ardavān summoned the maiden. (But) she was not at her place.
(2) The horse-keeper came and said to Ardavān:
“Ardašēr with two steeds of yours is not at his place.”
(3) Ardavān realized:
“My maid has run away with Ardašēr."
(4) When he heard the news about the treasure, his heart lamented.
(5) He summoned the chief of the astrologers and said:
“Hurry up and look to where that sinner has gone with that whoring harlot, and when can I catch (them)?”
(6) The chief of the astrologers cast the time (/horoscope) and answered Ardavān:
“The Moon runs away from saturn and Mars, towards Jupiter and Mercury, in the direction of the lord (pole) of the middle of the sky, stands below the ray of the sun. (7) And it is so manifest that Ardašēr has run away towards Persis. If he cannot be caught within three days, it will be impossible to catch (him) thereafter.”
(8) Ardavān immediately prepared an army of four thousand and took the road to Persis in pursuit of Ardašēr.
(9) At midday, he arrived at a place where the road to Persis passed. And he asked:
“Those two riders who came towards this district, when did they pass by?”
(10) The people said: “
At dawn, when the sun lifted its sword, they passed just like the Righteous Wind. (11) A very big varγ was running after them, more beautiful than which is impossible to be. (12) We know that, by now, they have traveled many parasangs of land, and you cannot catch (them).”
(13) Ardavān did not wait at all, and hastened.
(14) When he came to another place, he asked the people:
“At what time did the two riders pass?"
(15) They said:
“At midday, they were going just like the Righteous Wind. And a varγ was running at their side.”
(16) Ardavān was stupefied, and said:
"Suppose we know the two riders, but that varγ, what can it be?" He asked the high priest.
(17) The high priest said:
“It is the royal Fortune, which has not reached him yet. It is necessary that we haste. Maybe, before that fortune reaches him, we can catch (him).”
(18) Ardavān ran very hurriedly.
(19) The next day, they traveled seventy parasangs. A troop of people came to meet him.
(20) Ardavān asked them:
“Where did you meet the two riders?"
(21) They said:
“Between you and them is thirty parasangs of land. 22. It seemed to us that a very big and excellent varγ was sitting on the horse with one of the riders.”
(23) Ardavān asked from the (religious) authority:
“That varγ which is with him on the horse, what does it indicate?”
(24) The high priest said:
“May you be immortal! The royal Fortune has reached Ardašēr. There is no solution to catching him. Then do not trouble yourself and horsemen, nor trouble and spoil the horses. Try to find an expedient for Ardašēr in another way!"
V
(1) Ardavān ka-š ped hān ēvēnag ašnūd, abāz vašt, ō gyāg ī nišast ī xvēš āmad.
(2) ud pas az hān spāh ud gund ārāst ud abāg pus ī xvēš ō Pārs, griftan ī Ardašēr <rāy> frestīd.
(3) ud Ardašēr rāh ō bār ī drayāb grift.
(4) ud ēdōn cōn hamē šud, cand mard az mardōmān ī Pārs kē az Ardavān mustgar būd hend, u-šān xīr ud xvāstag ud tan ī xvēš pēš ī Ardašēr dāšt ud ēkānagīh ud framānburdārīh pēdāgēnīd.
(5) ka ō gyāg ī Rāmišn-Ardašēr xvānend rasīd, mard-ē vazurgmenišn ī Banāg nām būd, az Spāhān, kē az dast ī Ardavān virīxt ēstād, ānōh bunag dāšt. xvad abāg šaš pus ud vas spāh ud gund ō nazdīk ī Ardašēr mad.
(6) Ardašēr az Banāg hamē tarsīd kū:
«mā agar-am gīred ud ō Ardavān abespāred.»
(7) pas Banāg ō pēš Ardašēr mad ud sōgand xvard ud abēgumānīh dād kū:
«dā zīvandag bavem, xvad abāg frazendān framānburdār ī tō bavem.»
(8) Ardašēr huram būd. ānōh rōstāg-ē ī Rāmišn-Ardašēr xvānend framūd kirdan.
(9) Banāg abāg asvārān ānōh hišt ud xvad ō bār ī drayāb šud.
(10) ka-š drayāb ped cašm bē dīd, andar yazdān spāsdārīh hangārd, u-š anōh rōstāg-ē ī Bōxt-Ardašēr nām nihād, ud dah ātaxš ī vahrām abar drayāb framūd nišāstan.
az ānōh abāz ō nazdīk ī Banāg ud asvārān āmad, ud spāh ārāst. ō dar ī ādur farrōbay ī kirbakkar šud ud āyaft aziš xvāst. ō kārezār abāg <pus ī> Ardavān mad ud hān spāh ī Ardavān <pus> hāmōyēn ōzad. ud xīr ud xvāstag ud stōr ud bunag aziš bē stad ud xvad ped Staxr nišast. Kirmān ud Makrestān ud Pārs kustag kustag spāh ped vas marag gird kird ud ō kārezār ī Ardavān āmad.
(11) cahār māhīgān harv rōz kārezār ud ōzanišn ī vas būd.
(12) Ardavān az kustag kustag cōn az Ray ud Dumbāvand ud Dēlumān ud Pedišxvārgar spāh ud āxvarr ārāst.
(13) az hān cōn farrah ī kayān abāg Ardašēr būd, Ardašēr pērōzīh vindīd, u-š Ardavān ōzad ud hāmōyēn xīr ud xvāstag ō dast ī Ardašēr mad ud duxt ī Ardavān ped zanīh grift, ud abāz ō Pārs mad. šahrestān-ē ī Ardašēr-Xvarrah xvānend kird, ud hān ī vazurg var kand ud āb cahār jōy aziš āvurd. ud ātaš ōy nišāst. kōf-ē ī stabr kand, ud rōd ī Varāzag rāyēnīd, vas deh, dastgird, ābādānīh kird, ud vas ātaš ī vahrām ānōh framūd nišāstan.
V
(1) Ardavān, when he heard in such a manner, turned back, and came to his own dwelling place.
(2) Afterwards, he prepared a military troop, and sent it, with his son, to Persis, in order to catch Ardašēr.
(3) Ardašēr took the road to the sea-shore.
(4) So as he was going, a few men from amongst the people of Persis who were complaining against Ardavān, offered their wealth and property, their body to Ardašēr, and made known their loyalty and obedience.
(5) When he reached a place called Rāmišn-Ardašēr, a magnanimous man of Spāhān, named Banāg, who had fled from the hand of Ardavān, dwelt there. He himself came near Ardašēr, with his six sons and many troops.
(6) Ardašēr was afraid of Banāg:
“Lest he will catch me, and hand me over to Ardavān.”
(7) Then Banāg came forward to Ardašēr, swore an oath and assured:
“Till I am alive, I myself with my children will be obedient to you."
Ardašēr was delighted. He ordered the building of a town called Rāmišn-Ardašēr.
(9) He left Banāg with the cavalrymen there, and himself went to the seashore.
(10) When he saw the sea with his eyes, he expressed gratitude to the Yazatas, and there founded a town named Bōxt-Ardašēr, and ordered to found ten Victorious Fire(-temples) over the sea (coast).
He came back thence to Banāg and cavalrymen, and prepared an army. He went to the House of the beneficent Fire Farrōbay and requested a boon from it. He engaged in battle with (the son of) Ardavān, and overwhelmed the entire army of Ardavān’s son, seized his wealth and property, horses and baggages, and settled himself in Staxr. He brought together an army of a large number of various regions, (such as of) Kirmān, Makrestān and Persis, ... and engaged in battle with Ardavān.
(11) There was much fighting and killing every day for four months.
(12) Ardavān requisitioned army and (cavalry) supplies from various regions, such as from Ray, Dumbāvand, Dēlumān and Pedišxārgar.
(13) As the royal Fortune was with Ardašēr, he gained victory over and killed Ardavān. All the wealth and property came to the hands of Ardašēr. He took Ardavān's daughter as wife, and came back to Persis. He founded a city called Ardašēr-Xvarrah, dug a large lake and brought out of it four water-courses, there established a Fire(-temple), excavated a huge mountain and made pass there the river Varāzag, founded many villages, landed estates and inhabited places, and ordered to establish there many Victorious Fires.
VI
(1) pas az hān, (Ardašēr) vas spāh ud gund ud *zāvar ham kird ud ō kārezār ī Kurdān, šāh ī māhīg, franaft.
(2) vas kārezār ud xūnrēzišnīh būd. ud spāh ī Ardašēr stōbīh pedīrift.
(3) Ardašēr az spāh ī xvēš viyābān bē būd. andar šab ō viyābān-ē mad kē-š ēc āb ud xvarišn nē būd. xvad abāg asvārān ud stōrān hamis ō gursagīh ud tišnagīh mad. u-š az dūr ātaš ī šubānān dīd.
(4) Ardašēr ō ānōh šud. mard-ē ī pīr ānōh dīd kē abāg gōspendān ped dašt ī kōf būd hend.
(5) Ardašēr hān šab ānōh šud. rōz ī didīgar, az avēšān rāh xvāst.
(6) avēšān guft kū:
«az ēdar sē frasang rōstāg-ē ast ī abēr ābādān ud vas-mardōm, ud pedīxīh ī vasyār ast.»
(7) Ardašēr ō hān deh šud. mard frestīd ud asvārān ī xvēš hāmōyēn ō dar xvāst.
(8) spāh ī māhīgān ped ēd dāšt kū:
«nūn az Ardašēr abēbīm bē būd hem. cē ped stōbīh abāz ō Pārs šud.»
(9) Ardašēr cahār-hazār mard ārāst, ud abar avēšān tāzišn, šabexūn kird. az Kurdān mard ē-hazār ōzad, abārīg xastag <ud> dastgīr kird. ud Kurdān šāh, abāg pusarān, brādarān, frazendān, vas xīr ud xvāstag ō Pārs visē kird.
VI
(1) Thereafter, Ardašēr assembled a large army and armed troops, and engaged in battle with Kurdān, the Median king.
(2) There was much combat and bloodshed, and the army of Ardašēr was harassed.
(3) Ardašēr strayed away from his army, and came at night to a desert, where there was neither water nor food. He himself, besides horsemen and horses, was given over to hunger and thirst. He saw from afar a fire of the shepherds.
(4) Ardašēr went thither. He saw there an old man with whom there were cattle over the plateau of a mountain.
(5) Ardašēr passed the night there. The next day, he enquired from them the road.
(6) They said:
“Three parasangs from here, there is a town, very cultivated, populous, and having immense prosperity.”
(7) Ardašēr went to that town, sent men and summoned all his cavalrymen to his presence.
(8) The Median army imagined that:
“We have been now fearless of Ardašēr, for he went back harassed to Persis.”
(9) Ardašēr prepared four thousand men and made an inroad night-raid over them, killed a thousand men of Kurdān’s (army), and wounded or captured the others. He dispatched to Persis the king Kurdān with his sons, brothers and children, with immense property and wealth.
VII
(1) andar rāh spāh ī Haftānbōxt (/Haftvād) ī Kirm-xvadāy pediš peykuftag, hān hāmōyēn xīr ud xvāstag ud bunag az hān asvārān ī Ardašēr bē stad, ō *Kujārān dastgird-ē ī Gulār nām, ānōh kū Kirm bunag dāšt, āvurd.
(2) Ardašēr ped hān menišn būd kū: «ō Armin ud Ādurbāyagān šavem.» cē Yazdāngird ī Syārazūrīg abāg vas spāh ud gund, az hān kust ī Syārazūr, mihrān kirdag, framānburdār aviš mad ēstād.
(3) bē az hān cōn stambagīh ud vināhgārīh ī Haftānbōxt pusarān ped spāh ī Ardašēr ašnūd, handēšīd:
«nazdist kār ī Pārs abāyed vīrāstan <ud> az dušmenān abēbīm būdan; pas šahr ī did pardāxtan. nūn ped hān *uzdahāg (/uzdēs) <pardāzem> ī ped Kujārān ēdōn cēr ud stahmag kū-š spāh-ē ī panzhazār, cē ped (…) enyā ped kustag-kustag ī būm ī Sind ud az karān ī drayāb frestīd ēstād.»
(4) Ardašēr spāh ud gund az kustagīhā abāz ō *Ardašēr-Xvarrah fre,stād.
(5) Haftānbōxt spāh ī xvēš hāmōyēn abāz ō dar xvāst.
(6) Ardašēr spāh ī vasyār abāg spāhbedān ō kārezār ī Kirm visē kird.
(7) gālān ī Kirm hāmōyēn xīr ud xvāstag ud bunag ō drubuštīh ud diz ī Kujārān nihād, ud xvad kōfīhā, gyāgīhā ī viškīdag nihān būd hend.
(8) asvārān ī Ardašēr āgāhīh nē būd; ō bun ī diz ī Gulār mad hend, ud diz bē parvast.
(9) ka šab būd, spāh ī Kirm abar avēšān zad, šabexūnīh kird, az asvārān ī Ardašēr vas ōzad ud asp, zēnabzār, xvāstag ud bunag aziš stad; asvārān ped afsōs ud riyahrīh ēvēnag, vad vāzag ud brahnag abāz ō pēš ī Ardašēr frestīd.
(10) Ardašēr ka-š ped hān ēvēnag dīd, abēr ped bēš būd. az šahr šahr, gyāg gyāg, spāh ō dar xvāst. ud xvad abāg spāh ī vas ō kārezār ī Kirm franaft. ud ka ō diz ī Gulār mad, spāh ī Kirm hāmōyēn ō diz nišast ēstād. ud Ardašēr pērāmōn ī diz nišast.
(11) Kirm xvadāy Haftānbōxt haft pus būd, ud harv pus-ē abāg hazār mard ped šahr šahr gumārd ēstād.
(12) andar hān gāh pus-ē ped Er(ā)hestān būd, abāg vas spāh, az tāzīgān ud mazūnīgān <ī> ped drayāb vidārag, mad ud abāg Ardašēr ō kušišn ēstād.
(13) spāh ī Kirm kē ped diz būd, hāmōyēn ō bērōn mad, abāg asvārān ī Ardašēr kušišn ud kārezār gyān-abespārīhā saxt kird, ud az harv do kustag vas ōzad,
(14) spāh ī Kirm bērōn mad, u-š rāh ud vidarag ēdōn bē grift kū ēc kas az spāh ī Ardašēr bērōn šudan ud xvard ī xvēš ud pedīxīh ī stōrān āvurdan nē šāyist; ud az do *ram, hāmōyēn mardōmān ud stōrān ō niyāz ud acāragīh mad hend.
VII
(1) On the way back, he encountered the army of Haftān-bōxt, the Worm’s king. Having seized the entire property, wealth and baggage from the cavalrymen of Ardašēr, they brought them to Kujārān, an estate of Gulār, wherein the Worm dwelt.
(2) Ardašēr thought thus: “I will go to Armenia and Ādurbāyagān (Azarbaijan).” For Yazdāngird of Syārazūr (“the Black Forest'), from that region of Syārazūr, with many corps and troops, having concluded a treaty (with him) had come to him for obedience.
(3) But, considering Ardašēr heard the violence and offense of the sons of Haftān-bōxt, he thought:
“First it is necessary to arrange the affairs of Persis and become fearless of the enemies; and then carry on with other land. Now, I will engage in combat with that Dragon (/idol) who, dwelling in Kujārān, is so prevailing and violent that he has sent an army of five thousand to various regions of the lands of Sind and the sea-shore.”
(4) Ardašēr sent back his corps and troops from (the different) regions to Ardašēr-Xvarrah.
(5) Haftān-bōxt recalled his whole army to his court.
(6) Ardašēr sent off a large army with generals to the Worm’s battle.
(7) The Worm’s attendants deposited the whole wealth and property and baggage in the fortifications of Kujārān, and hid themselves in split places in the mountains.
(8) The horsemen of Ardašēr had no information. They came to the bottom of the castle of Gulār, and surrounded the fortress.
(9) When night was falling, the army of the Worm assailed them, made a night-raid, killed many of the cavalrymen of Ardašēr, seized their horses, weaponry, property and baggage, and sent them back to the presence of Ardašēr with mockery, scorn, curse and naked.
(10) When Ardašēr saw that in such a manner, he became very afflicted. He summoned troops to his court from various lands and places, and engaged himself with an immense army in battle with the Worm. When he came to the castle of Kujārān, the whole army of the Worm was situated in the fortress. Ardašēr surrounded the castle.
(11) The Worm’s king, Haftān-bōxt, had seven sons, and had appointed each son, with a thousand men, over a city.
(12) At that time, one son who was in Erāhestān came with an immense army of Arabs and Omanites who (inhabit) on the shore of the (Persian) Gulf, and began to strive with Ardašēr.
(13) The Worm’s army, which was in the castle, came out entirely, struggled and battled, devotedly and harshly, against the cavalrymen of Ardašēr. Many were killed on both sides.
(14) The worm’s Army came out and so blocked the way and passage that no one of the army of Ardašēr could not go out to bring his own food and the horses’ nourishment. All men and horses, of the two groups, came to need and distress.
VIII
(1) Mihrag ī Anōšagzādān ī az ham Pārs, ka ašnūd kū «Ardašēr ped dar ī Kirm abardazišn, u-š abar spāh ī Kirm nē vindād», spāh ud gund ārāst, ō gyāg ī *Ardašēr-Xvarrah šud. u-š hāmōyēn xīr ud xvāstag ī ganz ī *Ardašēr-Xvarrah burd. ka-š mihrōdruzīh ī Mihrag ud abārīg mardōmān ī Pārs ped hān ēvēnag ašnūd, jār-ē ēn handēšīd kū: «az kušišn ī Kirm bē abāyed drang dādan (/pardaxtan); pas ō kušišn ud kārezār ī Mihrag šudan.»
(2) u-š spāh hāmōyēn abāz ō dar xvāst, ud abāg spāhbedān uskārd ud cārag ped bē bōxtan ī xvēš ud spāh nigerīd. pas az hān ped cāšt xvardan nišast.
(3) andar zamān tigr-ē <ī> cōbag az diz frōd mad, ud dā parr ped varrag ī abar xvān būd bē nišast.
(4) ped tigr ēdōn nibišt ēstād kū:
«ēn tigr asvārān ī varzāvand ī Kirm xvadāy vist. u-mān nē abāyīd kū vazurgmard<-ē> cōn ašmā bē zad hē, cōn-mān ō ēn varrag zad.»
(5) Ardašēr ka-š ped hān ēvēnag dīd, spāh az ānōh kand <ud> bē raft.
(6) spāh ī Kirm az pas ī Ardašēr avištāft ud gyāg tang abar avēšān ēdōn bē grift kū spāh ī Ardašēr bē vidardan nē šāyist. Ardašēr xvad tanīhā ō bār ī drayāb ōbast.
(7) ēdōn gōbend kū:
«farrah ī kayān ī ped dūr bē būd, nūn andar pēš ī Ardašēr ēstād, ud andak andak hamē raft dā Ardašēr az hān gyāg ī dušvidarag az dast ī dušmenān abēvizendīhā bērōn ānīd ud frāz ō deh(-ē) ī mānd xvānend rasīd. andar šab ō xānag ī brādar ī dō, ī ēk Burzag ud ēk Burzādur nām būd, mad. ō avēšān guft kū:
«an az asvārān ī Ardašēr ham, kē az kārezār ī Kirm ped stōbīh āmad ēstam, ud im-rōz espanz framāyed dādan dā āgāhīh ī spāh ī Ardašēr bē āyed kū ō kadām zamīg ōbast hend.»
(8) avēšān vas hangrūdagīhā ō Ardašēr guft kū:
«guzastag bavād Gennāg Mēnōg ī durvand kē ēn *uzdahāg (/uzdēs) ēdōn cēr ud pādyāvand kird ēsted kū hāmōyēn mardōm ī kustagīhā az dēn ī Ohrmazd ud amehrspendān viyābān kird ēstend, ud vazurg xvadāy-iz mard cōn Ardašēr ud spāh ī-š abāg, hāmōyēn az dast ī avēšān dušmenān, durvandān, uzdēs-peristagān sar ō stōbīh vardēnīd.»
(9) u-šān asp ī Ardašēr grift, ud andar srāy burd, ped āxvarr bast, ud ped jav ud kāh ud aspast nēk dāšt; Ardašēr ō nišast gāh ud gyāg, ped ēvēn, nīd ud bē nišāst.
(10) Ardašēr vas andōhgen būd ud hamē handēšīd. avēšān drōn yašt, ō Ardašēr xvāhišn kird kū:
«vāz framāy griftan ud xvarišn xvardan. andōh ud tēmār mā dār! cē Ohrmazd ud amehrspendān cārag ī ēn tis xvāhend ud ēn pedyārag ēdōn bē nē hilend, cē abāg stahmagīh ī Dahāk ud Frāsyāg ī tūr ud Aleksander ī hrōmīg, pas-iz yazdān pediš hunsand nē būd, u-šān ped varz ud farrah ī xvēš ēdōn vin ud abēdāg kird cōn hān ī gēhān āšnāg.»
(11) Ardašēr ped hān soxan menišn xvaš bē būd. vāz grift <ud> xvarišn xvard.
(12) u-šān may nē būd, bē (āb-)jō ō pēš āvurd, ud myazd rāyēnīd, ud āfrīnagān kird.
(13) Ardašēr ped vehīh ud dēndōstīh ud ēkānagīh ud framānburdārīh ī avēšān abē-gumān būd, u-š rāz ī xvēš ō Burzag ud Burzādur dād. ud guft kū:
«an xvad Ardašēr ham. nūn ēn nigered kū, cārag ī ēn ped bē abesinnistan ī ēn Kirm ud asvārān ī ōy cōn šāyed xvāstan?»
(14) avēšān ped pāsox guft kū:
«amāh ped tan ud gyān ud xīr ud xvāstag ud zan ud frazend jādag ī ašmā bayān ī Ērānšahr bē abāyed abespārdan, bē abespārem. bē amāh ēdōn dānem kū cārag ī ēn druz ēdōn šāyed xvāstan ka tū xvēštan ped ēvēnag <ī> mard ī dūr-šahrīg ārāstag kunēh ud ō vidār ī diz (šavēh), ud tan ī xvēš ped bannagīh ud peristišn ī ōy bē abespārēh. ud mard do ī hāvišt ī dēnāgāh ō ānōh barēh. ud ped-išān yazišn ud azbāyišn ī yazdān ud amehrspendān frāz gīrēh. ud ka hangām ī xvarišn xvardan ī hān Kirm baved, ēdōn kunēh kū, rōy ī vidāxtag <ī> dārēh, ped zafar ī hān druz rēzišn dā mīred. hān druz ī mēnōg ped yazišn ud azbāyišn ī yazdān bē šāyed zadan ud hān druz ī tanegirdīg ped rōy ī vidāxtag bē šāyed zadan.»
(15) Ardašēr hān soxan pesannīd ud ped xūb dāšt, ud ō Burzag ud Burzādur guft kū:
«an ēn kār ped ayyārīh ī ašmāh tuvān kirdan.»
(16) avēšān guft kū:
«harv kār ī ašmā framāyed, tan ud gyān bē abespārem.»
VIII
(1) When Mihrag son of Anōšagzād, of the same (region as Ardašēr, that is) Persis, heard that, “Ardašēr was involved in a battle at the Worm’s capital, and did not gain control over the Worm’s army”, he prepared an army, went to the place (called) Ardašēr-Xvarrah, and took away the whole wealth and property belonging to Ardašēr-Xvarrah's treasure. When (Ardašēr) heard in that manner of the oath-breaking of Mihrag and other men of Persis, finally he thought thus: “It is necessary to set back the battle with the Worm, and to engage the battle with Mihrag."
(2) He summoned the whole army to the court, deliberated with the generals, and examined the means for saving himself and his army. Thereafter, he sat down to have lunch.
(3) At once, a wooden arrow came down from the castle, went up to the wing into the lamb which was on the table.
(4) On the arrow it was written thus:
“This arrow was shot by the marvelous riders of the Worm’s king. As we did not wish to kill a great man like you, we shot it at this lamb.”
(5) When Ardašēr saw thus, he withdrew his army from there and departed.
(6) The Worm’s army hastened after Ardašēr and placed them in so tight a situation that Ardašēr’s army could not pass on. Ardašēr himself fell to the sea-shore.
(7) They say thus:
“The royal Fortune, which was afar, stood before Ardašēr and was moving, little by little, until it led Ardašēr unharmed out of the enemies’ hands and that impassable place, and arrived at a village called Mānd. At night, he came to the house of two brothers; one Burzag by name, and the other Burzādur. He told them:
“I am one of Ardašēr’s riders, who has come (here) harassed by the battle against Worm. Please give me shelter today, until the news of Ardašēr’s army arrives as to where they have fallen.”
(8) They said, most mournfully, to Ardašēr:
“Cursed be the deceitful Evil Spirit (= Angra Mainyu) who has made this dragon (/idol) so prevailing and powerful that he has deluded all the inhabitants of the lands from the Religion of Ahura Mazdā and Aməša Spəṇta (‘Holy Immortals’), and even a great king and man such as Ardašēr and his army have all been worried by those deceitful enemies, the idolaters.”
(9) They held the horse of Ardašēr, took him to the forecourt, kept him in the stable, held the good attention of him with barley, chaff and clover. They led and seated Aradašir, in a fit manner, to a sitting place.
(10) Ardašēr was very sad and constantly thinking. The (two brothers) consecrated Draonah ('sacred bread’), and asked Ardašēr:
“Please say grace and eat. Do not worry! Because Ahura Mazdā and Aməša Spəṇta will find the remedy of this affair, and will not thus let this adversary loose. Because, in spite of the tyranny of Aži Dahāka, the Turanian Fraŋrasyan, and Alexander the Greek, the Yazata were not contented with them, and made them so perished and disappeared by their own splendour and glory that it is well-known to the (men of) world.”
(11) Ardašēr's heart was comforted by these words. He said grace and ate.
(12) They had no wine, but brought forth beer, arranged the table, and recited the Āfrīnagān prayers.
(13) Ardašēr became certain of their goodness, friendship of Religion, loyalty and obedience. He divulged his secret to Burzag and Burzādur and said:
“I am Ardašēr myself. Now, contemplating that, how is it possible to find the solution to destroying the Worm and his riders?”
(14) They said in answer:
“If it is necessary to deliver one's body and life, property and wealth, women and children, for Your Majesty of Ērānšahr, we will deliver (all). But we so know that, it is possible to find the remedy of this Falsehood thus, that you dress yourself as a foreigner, (go) to the castle’s passage, deliver yourself over for his servitude and service, take thither two men, disciple and acquainted with the Religion; and with them undertake the worship and invocation of the Yazata and the Aməša Spəṇta. And when it is the time for the Worm’s feeding, you have that molten copper you possess poured into that Falsehood’s mouth, until it dies. It will be possible to smite the incorporeal Falsehood by the worship and invocation of the Yazata, and the corporeal Falsehood by the molten copper.”
(15) Ardašēr approved of that word, and considered it good, and said to Burzag and Burzādur:
“I can do this with your help.”
(16) They said:
“We will commit our bodies and lives to whatever you command.”
IX
(1) Ardašēr az ānōh abāz ō Ardašēr-Xvarrah mad, ud kār abāg Mihrag ī Anōšagzādān kird ud Mihrag zad, ud šahr ud gyāg, ud xīr ud xvāstag hāmōyēn ō xvēš kird. kārezār abāg Kirm kirdan rāy kas frēstīd ud Burzag ud Burzādur ō pēš xvāst; ud abāg uskārd. ud vas drahm ud dēnār ud peymōzan stad ud xvēštan ped brahmag ī xvarāsānīg ārāstag dāšt, ud abāg Burzag ud Burzādur ō bun ī diz ī Gulār mad ud guft kū:
«an mard-ē ī xvarāsānīg ham. az ēn varzāvand xvadāy āyaft-ē xvāham kū, ōy dar peristišn āyam.»
(2) avēšān uzdēs-peristagān Ardašēr abāg hān do mard *mehmān bē pedīrift ud, ped mān ī Kirm, gyāg kird.
(3) Ardašēr rōz sē ped hān ēvēnag peristišn ud ēkānagīh ī Kirm kirdan pēdāgēnīd, ud hān drahm ud dēnār ud jāmag ō peristagān dād. ēdōn kird kū, harv kē andar hān diz būd, abd sahist. ud āfrīn-kirdār būd hend.
(4) pas Ardašēr guft kū:
«ēdōn veh sahed ka, kirm sē rōz xvarišn ped dast ī xvad daham.»
(5) peristagān ud kārframānān hamdādestān būd hend.
(6) Ardašēr kas frestīd, spāh ī cahār-sad mard ī hunarumand ud gyān-abespār ped parvār ī hān gyāg, ped kōf, ped gyāg ī *viškīdag nihān framūd kirdan. ud framūd kū:
«*vahmān rōz ka az diz ī Kirm dūd vēned, marcābukīh ud hunarāvandīh kuned, ud ō bun ī diz āyed!»
(Ardašēr) xvad hān rōz rōy ī vidāxtag dāšt. Burzag ud Burzādur yazišn ud azbāyišn ī yazdān frāz grift.
(7) ud ka hangām ī xvarišn būd, Kirm ped ēvēnag ī harv rōz vāng kird.
(8) Ardašēr, pēš az hān, (uzdēs-)peristagān ud kārframānān ped cāšt mast ud abēbōy kird ēstād, ud xvad abāg rahīgān ī xvēš ō pēš ī Kirm šud. ud hān xūn ī gāvān ud gōspendān cōn harv rōz dād, ō pēš ī Kirm burd. ud ham cōn Kirm zafar abāz *viyāft kū xūn xvāred, Ardašēr rōy ī vidāxtag ped zafar ī Kirm andar rīxt.
(9) Kirm cōn rōy ō tan mad, ped do škāft, ud vāng ēdōn aziš bē mad kū, mardōmān ī andar diz hamāg ānōh mad hend. āšōb andar diz ōbast.
(10) Ardašēr dast ō spar ud šamšēr zad ud grān zanišn ud ōzanišn ped hān diz kird, ud framūd kū:
«ātaš kuned dā dūd ped avēšān asvārān dīdār baved!»
(11) rahīgān hamgōnag kird. ud asvārān ī ped kōf būd hend, cōn dūd az diz dīd, ped tāxtan ō bun <ī> diz, ayyārīh ī Ardašēr mad hend; ō vidār ī diz ōbast <hend> ud vāng kird kū:
«pērōz, pērōz bavād Ardašēr <ī> šāhān šāh ī Pābagān!»
(12) ud šamšēr ō kār grift. ud mardōm ī diz harv cē ōzad, enyā ped avištābišn ud kušišn ī kārezār az diz ōbast hend. ud hān ī abārīg zēnhār xvāst, ud ō bannagīh ud framānburdārīh mad hend.
(13) Ardašēr hān diz kandan ud avīrān kirdan framūd. ānōh rōstāg-ē ī *Kujārān xvānend kird. u-š ātaš ī vahrām ped hān gyāg nišāst. ud xīr ud xvāstag ud zarr ud asēm az hān diz ped hazār uštar bār kird ud ō Gōr visē kird. Burzag ud Burzādur bahr - dā pādāšn ī vazurg <ī> bannagān, gyānabespārān kirdārān dād - hān gyāg rōstāg-ē ped sālārīh ud kadagxvadāyīh aviš dād.
IX
(1) Ardašēr came thence back to Ardašēr-Xvarrah, engaged in warfare with Mihrag son of Anōšagzād and killed Mihrag, appropriated all his jurisdiction and place, property and wealth. To engage in battle with the Worm, he dispatched a person to Burzag and Burzādur, summoned (them) to his presence and deliberated with them. (Then) he took many silver and gold coins and garments, put on clothing like a Xvarāsānian, and came with Burzag and Burzādur at the bottom of the castle of Gulār, and declared:
“I am a man of Xvarāsān. I beseech a favour from the dignified lord that I have come to his service at this court.”
(2) The idolaters admitted as guests Ardašēr and the two men, and settled them in the House of the Worm.
(3) For three days, Ardašēr simulated service and loyalty to the Worm in that manner, gave the silver and gold coins, and also garments to the servants, and what he did seemed wonderful to everyone in the castle, and they praised him.
(4) Then Ardašēr said:
“It seems good that I may feed the Worm with my own hands, for three days."
(5) The servants and managers agreed.
(6) Ardašēr dispatched a person, and ordered an army of four-hundred valiant and life-devoting men to hide in the vicinity of that place, in split places in the mountains, and said:
“On such a day, when you see smoke from the Worm’s castle, be brave and valiant, and come to the castle’s bottom!”
On that day, Ardašēr had molten copper with himself. Burzag and Burzādur began to perform the worship and invocation of the Yazata.
(7) When the time of eating came, the Worm exclaimed as usual everyday.
(8) Ardašēr had, before this, made the idolaters and managers drunk and unconscious at lunchtime, and himself with his (two) servants went before the Worm, and brought before him the blood of cows and cattle as was given everyday. As soon as the Worm opened its mouth to drink the blood, Ardašēr poured the molten copper into its mouth.
(9) As the copper came to the Worm’s body, he was split apart into two, and such a sound came from him that all the men who (were) in the castle came thither. Turmoil befell in the castle.
(10) Ardašēr laid his hand on the shield and sword, and did grievous smiting and killing in that castle, and ordered:
“Make a fire, so that smoke may be visible to the riders!”
(11) The (two) servants did so. Just as the cavalrymen, who were on the mountains, saw the smoke from the castle, they came running to the castle’s bottom and exclaimed:
“May Ardašēr be victorious, victorious, king of kings, son of Pābag!”
(12) They drew their swords. The people of the castle were either killed or, in the hurry and strife of battle, fell out from the castle; and the others sought quarter and came to servitude and obedience.
(13) Ardašēr ordered to dig out and destroy the castle. He founded there a town called Kujārān. He established there a Victorious Fire(-temple), dispatched to Gōr property and wealth, gold and silver, from that castle, laden on a thousand camels. After he had given rewards to (his) servants, devoted ones and agents, he gave to Burzag and Burzādur, (for their) share, the authority and lordship of that town (founded) there.
X
(1) pas az hān <ī> Ardašēr hān Kirm ōzad būd, abāz ō Gōr āmad. u-š spāh ud gund ō kustag ī Kirmān, ud kārezār ī Bārezān mad.
pus ī Ardavān do abāg xvēštan dāšt, ud do ped virēg ō Kābul šāh šud ēstād <hend>. u-šān ō xvahār ī xvēš, cōn zan ī Ardašēr būd, nāmag nibišt <ud> peygām frestīd kū:
«rāst ast hān ī ašmā zanān rāy gōbend kū ka tō marg ī xvēšān ud hamtōhmagān, ī ēn vināhgār ī yazdān-dušmen asazāgīhā, ped marg ōzad, frāmōš kird. u-t mihr ud dōšārm ī abāg avēšān mustumandān brādarān, kē ped āzār ud saxtīh ud bīm ud sahm ud anāzarmīh ped uzdehīgīh šahr ī kārān griftār, ud hān do vadbaxt brādarān ī tō kē ēn mihrōdruz ped bann ud zēndān pādifrāh frēstīd kē marg ped āyaft hamē xvāhend, u-t hāmōyēn az daxšag bē hišt, u-t menišn abāg ōy mihrōdruz rāst bē kird. u-t ēc tēmār ud handēšišn ī amāh nēst. (2) zad *bād hān kas kē pas az imrōz ped ēc zan ped gēhān vistāx ud abēgumān baved. (3) nūn ēn kū, agar-it hambun-z mihr ī amāh ast, cārag ī amāh xvāh ud kēn ī pidar ud hān ī xvēšāvandān ud hamtōhmagān frāmōš mā kun. ud ēn zahr gīr ī-mān abāg mard ī abēgumān ī xvēš ō nazd ī ašmāh frēstīd, az ēn mard stāned, ud ka-tān tuvān, pēš az xvarišn ō hān vināhgār ud mihrōdruz dahed, dā andar zamān mīred, ud hān ī tō harv do brādar ī bastag višāyē, ud amāh-iz abāz ō šahr ud būm ud gyāg ī xvēš āyem. ud tō ruvān vahištīg ud nām ī jāyēd(ān)ag ō xvēš kird bed. ud abārīg zanān andar gēhān, kunišn ī xūb ī tō rāy, nāmīgdar ud grāmīgdar bavend.»
(4) duxt ī Ardavān ka-š hān nāmag ped hān ēvēnag dīd, abāg zahr ī-š aviš frēstīd, handēšīd kū:
«hamgōnag abāyed kirdan, ud hān *do brādar ī vadbaxt az bann rastag kirdan.»
(5) rōz-ē Ardašēr az naxcīr gursnag ud tišnag andar ō xānag mad. u-š vāz grift ēstād. ud kenīzag hān zahr abāg pist ud šakar gumixt ud ō dast ī Ardašēr dād, ped ēn kū:
«ahī az abārīg xvarišn framāyē xvardan, cē ped garmīh ud ranzagīh nēk.»
(6) Ardašēr stad ud xvardan kāmist.
(7) ēdōn gōbend kū, varzāvand ādur ī farrōbay ī pērōzgar ēdōn cōn āluh-ē ī suxr andar parrīd ud parr ō pist zad, ud hān jām az pist hamis az dast ī Ardašēr ō zamīg ōbast.
(8) Ardašēr ud ziyānag harv do ka ped hān ēvēnag dīd, sturd bē būd hend. gurbag ud sag ī andar xānag būd hend, hān xvarišn bē xvard ud abar <gyāg> murd hend.
(9) Ardašēr dānist kū: «hān zahr būd ped *ōzadan ī man ārāst ēstād.» (Ardašēr) andar zamān mōbedān-mōbed ō pēš xvāst ud pursīd kū:
«hērbed, kē ped gyān ī xvadāyān kōxšed, ped cē dārēh, u-š cē kunišn?»
(10) mōbedān-mōbed guft kū:
«anōšag baved, ō kāmag rased, ōy kē ped gyān ī xvadāyān kōxšed, margarzān; bē ōzanišn.»
(11) Ardašēr framūd kū:
«ēn jeh ī jādūg ī durvand ī zadag-zādag ō haspānvar bared ud framāy ōzadan!»
(12) mōbedān-mōbed dast ī ziyānag grift ud ō bērōn āmad.
(13) ziyānag guft kū:
«im rōz haft māhīgān ast dā ābustan ham. Ardašēr āgāh kuned! cē agar an margarzān ham, ēn frazend ī andar eškamb dāram ped margarzān abāyed dāštan?»
(14) mōbedān-mōbed ka-š hān soxan ašnūd, vašt ud abāz ō pēš Ardašēr šud. ud guft kū:
«anōšag baved, ēn zan ābustan ast. jār-ē dā hān ka bē zāyed, ōzadan nē abāyed. cē agar ōy margarzān, hān frazend ī az tōhmag ī ašmāh bayān ī andar eškamb ped margarzān dāštan ud ōzadan nē abāyed.»
(15) Ardašēr xēšm rāy <ī> dāšt, guft kū:
«ēc zamān mā pāy u-š ōzan!»
(16) mōbedān-mōbed dānist kū Ardašēr xēšm vas; ud az hān ō pašīmānīh rased.
(17) u-š hān zan nē ōzad. u-š ped xānag ī xvad burd. u-š nihān kird. u-š ō zan ī xvad guft kū:
«ēn zan grāmīgīhā dār, ō kas tis-iz mā gōb.»
(18) ka zamān ī zādan frāz mad, aziš pus-ē ī abēr abāyišnīg zād. u-š Šābuhr nām nihād. u-š hamē parvard dā ō dād(ag) ī haft sālag mad.
X
(1) After Ardašēr had killed that Worm, he came back to Gōr. And his army and troops, came to the region of Kirmān, and engaged in battle with Bārezān.
He held with himself two sons of Ardavān; the two other sons had gone, by flight, to the king of Kābul. They wrote a letter to their sister as she was the wife of Ardašēr and sent a message:
“What is said concerning you women is true; when you have forgotten the death of your kinsmen and relatives, whom this sinner and enemy of the Yazata has murdered. Your friendship and love with those unhappy brothers who, in torment and difficulty, fear and terror and dishonour are captive in exile, and in the country of (other) people, and with the two unfortunate brothers of yours whom, this oath-breaker holds in chains and in prison by way of punishment, who are beseeching death as a favour, you have kept all out of your memory. You have made your heart in accord with this Mihr-druz. You have no grief nor apprehension for us. (2) May that man be smitten who will, from today onwards, be trusting and confident in any woman in the world. (3) Now, (the request) is that, if you have any friendship with us at all, find us a solution, and do not forget the revenge of (our) father, the relatives and kinsmen! Take the poison which we have sent with our confident man before you, take it from this man, and when it will be possible for you, give it, before meal, to that sinner and oath-breaker, so that he may die immediately, and you will release your two captive brothers, and we two may come back to our country, land and place. Your soul will become worthy of paradise, and you will appropriate eternal fame, and other women in the world will be more renowned and more respected thanks to your good deed.”
(4) When Ardavān's daughter saw that letter (written) thus, and the poison which was sent to her, she thought:
“It is necessary to do accordingly, and deliver the four unfortunate brothers from fetters.”
(5) One day, Ardašēr came home from hunting, hungry and thirsty, and said grace. The maid mixed the poison with the flour and liquor, and gave it in Ardašēr's hand, on (the pretext) that:
“Please take it before the other food, for it is good in heat and tiredness."
(6) Ardašēr received it, and was willing to take it.
(7) It is so related that: The splendid Victorious Fire Farrōbay, flew inside as a red eagle and beat its wing on the flour , and that cup together with the flour (inside it) fell from Ardašēr's hand on the ground.
(8) When Ardašēr and the young woman saw thus, both became stupefied. The cats and dogs that were in the house ate that food and died on the spot.
(9) Ardašēr realized: “It was poison, and it had been prepared to kill me." Immediately, he summoned the chief of the Magi (mōbedān mōbed) to his presence, and asked:
“O Hērbed (‘priestly teacher'), what do you consider a person who has attempted the life of kings, and what is to be done with him?"
(10) The chief of the Magi said:
“May you be immortal, and (your) desire! Whoever has attempted the life of kings, is worthy of death, (and) is to be killed.”
(11) Ardašēr ordered:
“Take this prostitute, sorceress, wicked, smitten-in-the-birth woman off to the cemetry and command to kill her!”
(12) The chief of the Magi held the woman's hand, and came out.
(13) The woman said:
“Today, it is seven months that I am pregnant. Inform Ardašēr! For if I am worthy of death, you ought not consider this child, which I have in my womb, worthy of death."
(14) When the chief of the Magi heard this word, he returned and went back near Ardašēr, and said:
“May you be immortal! This woman is pregnant. We ought not to kill her until such time as she will bring birth (her child). For, if she is worthy of death, we ought not to consider that child, who is of Your Majesty's seed, in (her) womb, worthy of death, and kill (it).”
(15) Ardašēr, considering he was angry, said:
“Do not wait any moment, and kill her!”
(16) The chief of the Magi realized: Ardašēr is full of anger, and, hereafter, he will come to repentance.
(17) He did not kill the woman, took her away to his house, and hid her. He said to his wife:
“Keep this woman respectfully, and say nothing to any one!"
(18) When the time of childbirth came forth, a quite exquisite child was born of her. She named him Šābuhr, and nourished him until he attained the age of seven years.
XI
(1) Ardašēr rōz-ē ō naxcīr šud. u-š asp ō gōr māyag hišt. ud hān gōr ī nar ō tēx ī Ardašēr mad. u-š gōr ī māyag rastār kird, ud xvēštan ō marg abespārd.
(2) Ardašēr hān gōr hišt, ud asp <ō> vaccag abgand.
(3) gōr ī māyag ka-š dīd kū, asvār asp ō vaccag abgand, mad, u-š vaccag rastār kird, ud xvēštan ō marg abespārd.
(4) Ardašēr ka-š ped hān ēvēnag dīd, bē mānd, u-š dil-sōzag būd. ud asp abāz vašt, ud handēšīd kū:
«vāy ō mardōm bavād, kē-z abāg adānīh ud agōbāgīh ī ēn cahārbāy ī gung, pas mihr ī ēk ō did ēdōn spurrīg kū gyān ī xvēš zan ud frazend rāy bē abespāred.»
hāmōyēn, u-š hān <zan ud hān> frazend ī-š andar eškamb dāšt, ayād būd. ud ped pušt ī asp ēdōn cōn ēstād ped buland vāng bē grist.
(5) spāhbedān ud vazurgān ud āzādagān ud vāspuhragān ka-šān hān ēvēnag dīd, škeft bē mānd hend. ud hamāg ō pēš ī mōbedān-mōbed šud hēnd.
«ēn cē sazed būdan ka Ardašēr ped vidang ēdōn zarīg ud bēš ud andōh aviš rasīd ī ped hān ēvēnag ka griyed?»
(6) mōbedān-mōbed ud ērān-spāhbed ud puštebān-sālār ud dibīrān-mahist ud dar-handarzbed ī vāspuhragān ō pēš ī Ardašēr šud hend, ud ped rōy ōbast, ud namāz burd, ud guft kū:
«anōšag baved, ped ēn ēvēnag xvēštan andōhgen kirdan ud bēš ud zarīg ō dil kirdan mā framāyed! agar kār-ē hān mad ēsted ī ped mardōm-kārīh cārag kirdan šāyed, amāh-iz āgāh framāy kirdan dā tan ud gyān ud xīr ud xvāstag ud zan ud frazend ī xvēš pēš dārem. ud agar vizend hān ast ka-t cārag kirdan nē šāyed, xvēštan ud amāh mardōmān ī kišvar zarīgumand ud bēšumand mā framāyed kirdan!»
(7) Ardašēr ped pāsox guft kū:
«-m nūn juttarīh nē mad ēsted. bē-m im rōz andar dašt az cahārbāy ī gung ī agōbāg ud adān ī-m xvad ped ēn ēvēnag bē dīd, u-m hān zan ud hān frazend, ī-š andar eškamb ī mādar abēvināh, abāz ayād būd ud ped ōzadan ī avēšān handēšīdār ud cīdār ham kū pe-z ruvān vināh (ī) grān šāyed būdan.»
(8) mōbedān-mōbed ka-š dīd kū Ardašēr az hān kār ō pašīmānīh mad, ped rōy ōbast, u-š guft kū:
«anōšag baved! framāyed dā pādifrāh ī vināhgārān ud margarzānān ud framān-ī-xvadāy-spōzgārān ped man kuned!»
(9) Ardašēr guft kū:
«cim ēdōn gōbēh? tō cē vināh jast ēstād?»
(10) mōbedān-mōbed guft:
«hān zan ud hān frazend ī-š ašmā framūd kū: ‘bē ōzan!’, u-mān nē ōzad ud pus-ē zād ī az harv nōgzādān ud frazendān ī xvadāyān nēkōgdar ud abāyišnīgdar ast.»
(11) Ardašēr guft kū:
«cē hamē gōbē?»
(12) mōbedān-mōbed guft kū:
«anōšag baved! hamgōnag ast cōn-am guft.»
(13) Ardašēr framūd kū, dahān ī mōbedān-mōbed purr az yākand ī suxr ud murvārīd ī šāhvār ud gōhr kirdan.
(14) andar ham zamān kas mad kē Šābuhr ō ānōh nīd.
(15) Ardašēr ka-š Šābuhr frazend ī xvēš dīd, ped rōy ōbast ud andar Ohrmazd xvadāy ud amehrspendān ud farrah ī kayān ud ādurān šāh ī pērōzgar vas spās hangārd ud guft kū:
«hān ō <ī> man mad, ō ēc xvadāy ud dehbed nē mad kē pēš az hazārag ī Sōšāns ud ristāxēz ud tan ī pasēn būd kē-m frazend ēdōn nēkōg az murdagān abāz mad.»
(16) u-š ham gyāg šahrestān-ē ī *Valāš-Šābuhr xvānend, framūd kirdan. ud dah ātaš ī vahrām ānōh nišāst ud vas xīr ud xvāstag ō dar ī ādurān šāh frestīd, ud vas kār ud kirbag framūd rāyēnīdan.
XI
(1) One day, Ardašēr went hunting. He drove (his) horse towards a female onager. The male onager came in front of the point of Ardašēr, rescued the female onager, and committed himself to death.
(2) Ardašēr let the (she-)onager escape, and drove (his) horse against the young (onager).
(3) When the female onager saw that, the horseman drove the horse towards her young, she came, rescued the young onager, and committed herself to death.
(4) Ardašēr, when he saw this, remained (puzzled), was moved with compassion. He turned back his horse, and reflected:
“Woe be to the mankind who, in spite of ignorance and speechlessness of these dumb quadrupeds, their friendship one for the other is so perfect that, (the male onager) committed his life for his mate and (the she-onager for her) child.’’
He remembered (his wife) and the child which had in her womb. And, being on horseback, he wept with a loud voice.
(5) When the generals, magnates, nobles and princes saw in this manner, they were amazed, and they all went near the chief of the Magi.
— “What can it be that, in distress, so grief, pain and sorrow have come over Ardašēr that he is weeping in such a manner?”
(6) The chief of the Magi, the generalissimo of Ērān, the chief of the guards, the chief of the scribes, the court administrator of the crown property went to Ardašēr, and said:
“May you be immortal! Please, do not make yourself sorrowful, and take pain and grief to heart, in this manner! If it has come into being) as an event which is possible to remedy through human act, please inform us also, so that we may present our body and life, property and wealth, wife and child; but if the injury is so that it is impossible for you to remedy, please do not make yourself and us - the people of the region(s)-, grieved and afflicted.”
(7) Ardašēr said, in reply:
“Recently, no adversity has come to me. But, today, what I myself saw, in this manner, in the plain, of dumb, speechless, ignorant quadrupeds, reminded me again that wife, and the child that was, innocent, in the mother's womb; and I am thoughtful and mournful for killing them, that it can be a grievous sin even concerning the soul.”
(8) When the chief of the Magi noticed that Ardašēr has come to repentance of that act, he fell prone, and said:
“May you be immortal! Please order that, they impose on me the punishment proper to sinners, those who are worthy of death, and those who disregard the orders of the king!"
(9) Ardašēr said:
“Why do you say so? What sin has occurred through you?"
(10) The chief of the Magi said:
“I had not killed the woman and the child whom you have ordered to kill, and a son has been born, who is more beautiful and more exquisite than all the newborn and children of kings.”
(11) Ardašēr said:
“What are you saying?”
(12) The chief of the Magi said:
“May you be immortal! It is just what I said."
(13) Ardašēr ordered to fill the mouth of the priest with red rubies, royal pearls, and gems.
(14) At the same time, there came someone who led Šābuhr thither.
(15) When Ardašēr saw his son, Šābuhr, he fell prone, and offered much thanks unto Ahura Mazdā the Lord, the Aməša Spəṇta, the royal Fortune, and the Victorious Fire the king, and said:
“That which has come unto me, came to no king or ruler who was before the millenium of Saošyant (= the last Savior), the resurrection of the dead, and the Tan-i-pasēn (“the ultimate body'), that such a beautiful child has come to me back from amongst the dead.”
(16) He ordered to set up on the same place a city called Valāš-Šābuhr, and established ten Victorious Fires there, and sent immense property and wealth to the House of the sacred Fire the king, and ordered to perform many meritorious deeds.
XII
(1) pas az hān Ardašēr ō kustag kustag šud, ud vas kārezār ud ōzanišn abāg sar-xvadāyān ī Ērānšahr kird. u-š hamvār ka-š kustag-ē xūb kird, did-iz kustag ō abāz-sārīh ud aburdframānīh ēstād. abar hān xīr abēr cayišnīg ud handēšīdār būd kū: «mā agar-am az abargar nē brihēnīd ēsted kū Ērānšahr ped ēv-xvadāyīh bē šāyed vināristan.»
(2) u-š handēšīd kū: «az dānāgān ud frazānagān, kēdān ud kundāgān, bē abāyed pursīdan, agar ēdōn kū farrah ī amāh nē brihēnīd ēsted xvadāyīh ī Ērānšahr rāyēnīdan kirdan, hunsand ud bārestān abāyed būdan. ēn kārezār, xūn-rēzišnīh bē abāyed hištan, ud xvad az ēn ranz ī āvām āsān kirdan.»
(3) u-š mard-ē az avistvārān ī xvēš ō pēš ī kēd ī hindūgān frēstīd, ped pursišn kirdan ī ārāstan ī Ērānšahr ped ēv-xvadāyīh.
(4) mard ī Ardašēr ka ō pēš ī kēd ī hindūgān rasīd, kēd ham cōn mērag dīd, pēš kū mērag soxan guft, ō mērag guft kū:
«tō xvadāy ī pārsīgān ped ēn kār frēstīd kū: ‘xvadāyīh ī Ērānšahr ped ēv-xvadāyīh ō man rased?’ nūn abāz vard, šav, ēn soxan ī man aviš gōb kū: ēn xvadāyīh ō do tōhmag, ēk az tō, ud ēk az dūdag ī Mihrag ī Anōšagzādān, enyā vinārd(an) nē šāyed.»
(5) mērag abāz ō pēš ī Ardašēr mad. ud az rāyēnišn ī kēd ī hindūg guft - kū, Ardašēr āgāhēnīd. (6) Ardašēr ka-š hān soxan ašnūd guft kū:
«hān rōz mā bavē kū, az tōhmag ī Mihrag ī zad-ruvān kas ped Ērānšahr kāmgār baved. cē Mihrag ī grān-tōhm(ag) ud anāg-tōhm(ag) dušmen ī man būd ud frazendān ī-š ast hamāg dušmen ī man ud frazendān ī man hend. agar ō nērōgumandīh rasend ud kēn ī pidar xvāhend, ped frazendān ī man vizendgār bavend.»
(7) Ardašēr, xēšm ud kēn rāy, ped gyāg ō Mihrag šud ud hāmōyēn frazendān ī Mihrag framūd zadan ud ōzadan.
(8) duxt-ē ī Mihrag ī si-sālag būd *dāyagān ped nihān ō bērōn ānīd, u-šān varzegar mard-ē abespārd kū, parvared ud gōš aziš dāred. varzegar hamgōnag kird ud kenīzag nēkōgīhā parvard.
(9) ka sāl ēcand būd, kenīzag ō dād ī zanān mad, ud <ped> *tanvār ud dīdan ud cābukīh ud pez zōr ud nērōg ēdōn būd kū az hāmōyēn zanān veh ud frāzdar būd.
XII
(1) After that, Ardašēr went to the various regions, engaged in many battles and carnages with the supreme rulers of Ērānšahr, and whenever he had put one region in order, another region rose up in rebellion and disobedience. He became very mournful and thoughtful concerning this matter; “Perhaps it has not been predestined for me by the Supreme Worker (abargar) that I should establish monarchy in Ērānšahr.”
(2) And he thought: “It is necessary to ask the wise ones and sages, magicians (/foretellers) and astrologers, if it has not been predestined (for us) from our Fortune to establish the kingdom of Ērānšahr, we ought to be content and patient, we ought to abandon this battle and bloodshed, and to relieve ourselves from the troubles of the time.”
(3) He sent one from among his reliable men to the Indian magician, in order to put questions about the organization of Ērānšahr as monarchy.
(4) When Ardašēr's man came to the Indian magician, the moment the magician saw the young man, before the man had begun to speak, he said to the young man:
“The king of the Persics has sent you, with the commission (to ask) 'will the kingdom of Ērānšahr come to me as monarch?' Now, return, go and tell him these words of mine: This kingdom (appertains) to two seeds, one of yours, and one of the family of Mihrag son of Anōšagzād; otherwise it is not possible to be established.”
(5) The young man came back to Ardašēr, and related the directions of the Indian magician – that is, he informed Ardašēr.
(6) When Ardašēr heard those words, he said:
"May it not be that day when one of the seed of Mihrag, may-his-soul-be-smitten, will become sovereign over Erān šahr. For, Mihrag of grievous seed and of evil seed was my enemy, and his children are all my and my children's enemies. If they arrive at powerfulness (lor, matureness), and seek vengeance for (the death of their) father, they will cause injury to my children.”
(7) On account of anger and revenge, Ardašēr went, on the spot, to (the house of) Mihrag, and ordered all the children of Mihrag be smitten and killed.
(8) The wet-nurse brought out a three year old daughter of Mihrag, and put her in a farming man's care to foster and to take care of her. The farmer did accordingly, and fostered the maiden nicely.
(9) When some years had passed, the maiden attained the age of marriage, and she became so in physique, appearance, and sprightliness, and even in strength and power that she was better than and ahead of all the young women.
XIII
(1) jahišn ud zamān brihēnišn rāy, rōz-ē Šābuhr ī Ardašērān ō hān šahr āmad, ō naxcīr šud. ud pas ī naxcīr, xvad abāg nōh asvār ō hān deh mad kē kenīzag pediš būd.
(2) jahišn rāy kenīzag ped sar ī cāh būd ud āb hamē hixt, ud cahārbāyān rāy āb hamē dād.
(3) varzegar ped kār-ē šud ēstād.
(4) kenīzag ka-š Šābuhr ud asvārān dīd, āxist, ud namāz burd ud guft kū:
«drust ud veh ud ped drūd āvared. bē framāyed nišast(an), cē gyāg xvaš ud sāyag ī draxtān xunak ud hangām garm, dā an āb hanzam, xvad ud stōrān āb xvāred.»
(5) Šābuhr māndagīh ud gursagīh ud tišnagīh rāy xēšmēn būd. u-š ō kenīzag guft kū:
«bē, jeh <ī> rīman. ō amāh āb ī tō ped kār nē abāyed!»
(6) kenīzag ped tēmār <bē> šud ud ped kustag-ē bē nišast.
(7) Šābuhr ō asvārān guft kū:
«hēzag ō cāh abganed ud āb āhanzed, dā amāh vāz gīrem, ud stōrān āb dahed!»
(8) asvārān hamgōnag kird, hēzag ō cāh abgand ud vazurgīh ī hēzag rāy ī purr āb būd ul kašīdan nē šāyist.
(9) kenīzag az dūr gyāg hamē nigāh kird.
(10) Šābuhr ka-š dīd kū asvārān hēzag az cāh hixtan nē šāyist, xēšm grift, ud ō sar ī cāh šud ud dušnām ō asvārān dād. guft kū:
«-tān šarm ud nang bād kē az zan-ē abādyāvanttar ud vadhunardar hed!»
(11) u-š arvēs az dast ī asvārān stad, ud zōr ped arvēs kird, u-š hēzag az cāh ul hixt.
(12) ped zōr ud hunar ud nerōg ī Šābuhr kenīzag abd sahist.
(13) cōn-š dīd kenīzag ped zōr ud hunar ud nērōg ud šāyendagīh <ī-š> būd xvēš hēzag az cāh ul hixt, davān ō pēš ī Šābuhr mad, ud ped rōy ōbast, ud āfrīn kird ud guft kū:
«anōšag baved, Šābuhr ī Ardašērān ī mardān pahlum!»
(14) Šābuhr bē xannīd u-š ō kenīzag guft kū:
«tū cē dānēh kū an Šābuhr ham?»
(15) kenīzag guft kū:
«man az vas kas ašnūd kū andar Ērānšahr asvār-ē ast az zōr ud nērōg ud tanvār ud dīdan ud cābukīh ēdōn cōn tō Šābuhr ī Ardašērān.»
(16) Šābuhr ō kenīzag guft kū:
«rāst gōb kū tū az frazendān ī kē hēh?»
(17) kenīzag guft kū:
«an duxt ī ēn varzegar ham ī ped ēn deh māned.»
(18) Šābuhr guft kū:
«nē rāst gōbē. cē duxtar ī varzegarān ēn hunar ud nērōg ud dīdan ud nēkōgīh ī tō ast nē baved. nūn, bē ka rāst gōbēh enyā hamdādestān nē bavem.»
(19) kenīzag guft kū:
«agar-am zēnhār dahed ped tan ud gyān ī man, dā rāst bē gōbem.»
(20) Šābuhr guft kū:
«zēnhār, ud mā tars!»
(21) kenīzag guft kū:
«man duxt ī Mihrag ī Anōšagzādān ham, ud az bīm ī Ardašēr rāy ō ēn gyāg ānīd ham. az haft frazend ī Mihrag, bē man dā anī kas nē mānd ēsted.»
(22) Šābuhr varzegar (rāy) frāz xvand. ud kenīzag ped zanīh pedīrift. ud andar ham šab abāg būd. brihēnišn rāy (kū, abāyed būdan) ped ham šab abar Ohrmazd ī Šābuhrān ābustan būd.
XIII
(1) By chance, and for the sake of Time's destiny, one day, Šābuhr son of Ardašēr came to that land, and went hunting. After the hunt, he himself with nine horsemen arrived at the village where the maiden was there.
(2) By chance, the maiden was on the kerbstone of the well, and was drawing up water, and was giving water to the beasts.
(3) The farmer had gone out for some business.
(4) When the maiden saw Šābuhr and the horsemen, she rose, and paid (them) homage, and said:
“Hail to you, you are welcome, health be upon you. Please sit down! For, (this) place is of a pleasant (climate), the shade of trees is cool, and the season is warm, till I draw up water, and you and the horses may drink water.”
(5) Šābuhr got angry because of fatigue, hunger and thirst, and to the maiden he said:
"Out, dirty whore! We do not need your water."
(6) The maiden went away in sorrow, and sat in a spot.
(7) Šābuhr said to the horsemen:
“Do you throw the bucket into the well, and draw (up) water and give water to the horses until I say grace.”
(8) The horsemen did accordingly, threw the bucket into the well, (but) because of the large size of the bucket which was full of water, they could not draw (it up).
(9) The maiden was looking at them) from a distance.
(10) When Šābuhr saw that the horsemen could not draw the bucket up from the well, he got angry, went to the kerbstone of the well, and insulting the horsemen, he said:
“Shame and disgrace be to you who are weaker and more incompetent than a woman!”
(11) He took the rope from the horsemen's hands, and exercised force on the rope, and drew up the bucket from the well.
(12) The vigour, skill and strength of Šābuhr seemed marvelous to the maiden.
(13) When the maiden saw, with the vigour, skill, strength and ability which belonged to him, drew up her bucket from the well, came running to Šābuhr, fell prone, invoked blessings (on him), and said:
“May you be immortal, Šābuhr son of Ardašēr, the best of men!"
(14) Šābuhr laughed, and said to the maiden:
“How do you know that I am Šābuhr?”
(15) The maiden said:
“I have heard of many a one thatو there is no cavalryman, in Ērānšahr, in vigour and strength, physique and appearance, and sprightliness, like you, Šābuhr son of Ardašēr.”
(16) Šābuhr said to the maiden:
“Tell the truth, of whose children are you?”
(17) The maiden said:
“I am a daughter of the farmer who dwells in this village.”
(18) Šābuhr said:
“You do not tell the truth. For, a farmer's daughter does not have such skill and vigour, appearance and beauty as you have. Except if you tell the truth, we shall not come to terms.”
(19) The maiden said:
“If you give quarter, unto my body and life, then I will tell the truth.”
(20) Šābuhr said:
“(I give you) quarter, fear not!"
(21) The maiden said:
“I am the daughter of Mihrag son of Anōšagzād, and am brought to this place, for fear of Ardašēr. Of the seven children of Mihrag no one has remained but me."
(22) Šābuhr summoned the farmer, and took the maiden in marriage. In the same night, he went to bed with the girl. For the sake of Destiny, – that is, the Necessity - , in that same night, the girl became pregnant with Ohrmazd son of Šābuhr.
XIV
(1) Šābuhr kenīzag āzarmīg ud grāmīg dāšt ud Ohrmazd ī Šābuhrān aziš zād.
(2) Šābuhr Ohrmazd az pidar ped nihān dāšt, dā hān ka ō dād ī haft sālag mad.
(3) rōz-ē abāg aburnāy-zādagān ud vāspuhragān ī Ardašēr, Ohrmazd ō asprēs šud ud cōgān kird.
(4) Ardašēr abāg mōbedān-mōbed, artēštārān-sālār, ud vas āzādān ud vazurgān ānōh nišast, ō avēšān hamē nigerīd.
(5) Ohrmazd az avēšān aburnāyagān ped asvār(īh) cēr ud nibardag būd.
(6) abāyed būdan rāy, ēk az avēšān cōgān ō gōy zad, ud gōy ō kanār ī Ardašēr ōbast.
(7) Ardašēr ēc tis nē pēdāgēnīd ud aburnāyagān tušt mānd hend. ud škōh ī Ardašēr rāy kas nē ayārīd frāz *šudan.
(8) Ohrmazd vistāxīhā šud ud gōy abar grift, ud vistāxīhā zad ud vāng kird.
(9) Ardašēr az avēšān pursīd kū:
«ēn rēdak kē ast?»
(10) avēšān guft kū:
«anōšag baved! amāh ēn rēdak nē dānem.»
(11) Ardašēr kas frāz kird ud rēdak ō pēš xvāst. guft kū:
«tū pus ī kē hē?»
(12) Ohrmazd guft kū:
«an pus ī Šābuhr ham.»
(13) u-š ham zamān kas frēstīd, Šābuhr xvānd ud guft kū:
«ēn pus ī kē ast?»
(14) Šābuhr zēnhār xvāst.
(15) Ardašēr bē xannīd; u-š Šābuhr zēnhār dād.
(16) Šābuhr guft kū:
«anōšag baved! ēn pus ī man ast. u-m az ēn and sāl abāz az ašmāh ped nihān dāšt.»
(17) Ardašēr guft kū:
«ē axvēškār! cim ka-t az haft sālag abāz frazend ī ēdōn nēkōg az man ped nihān dāšt?»
(18) u-š Ohrmazd grāmīgēnīd ud vas dāšn ud peymōzan aviš dād ud spāsdārīh andar yazdān kird.
(19) u-š guft kū:
«humānāgīh ī ēn hān ast ī kēd ī hindūg guft.»
XIV
(1) Šābuhr kept the girl honoured and respected. Ohrmazd son of Šābuhr was born of her.
(2) Šābuhr concealed Ohrmazd from his father, until he attained the age of seven years.
(3) One day Ohrmazd went to the race-course with the boys and princes of Ardašēr, and played (the game of) polo.
(4) Sitting there with the chief of the Magi, the chief commander of the army, many nobles and magnates, Ardašēr was watching them.
(5) Ohrmazd was far more adroit than those boys.
(6) For the sake of Necessity, one of them struck the polo-stick to the ball, and the ball fell by the side of Ardašēr.
(7) Ardašēr looked as if nothing was the matter. The boys were silent. Because of Ardašēr's Majesty, no one dared go forward.
(8) Ohrmazd went confidently, grasped the ball, struck it with confidence, and exclaimed.
(9) Ardašēr asked them:
“Who is this youngling?"
(10) They said:
“May you be immortal! We do not know this youngling."
(11) Ardašēr sent forth someone, and summoned the page to his presence, and said:
“Whose son are you?"
(12) Ohrmazd said:
“I am Šābuhr's son.”
(13) He immediately sent someone, and summoned Šābuhr, and said:
“Whose son is this youngling?"
(14) Šābuhr sought quarter.
(15) Ardašēr laughed, and gave quarter to Šābuhr, who (then) said:
“May you be immortal! This is my son. I have concealed him from you since so many years.”
(17) Ardašēr said:
“O undutiful! Why did you conceal from me for seven tears such a handsome child?”
(18) He endeared Ohrmazd, and gave him many gifts and garments, offered grace to the Yazata,
(19) and said:
“This is suggestive of what the Indian magician said.”
XV
(1) pas az hān ka Ohrmazd ō xvadāyīh rasīd, hāmōyēn Ērānšahr abāz ō ēv-xvadāyīh tuvānist āvurdan, ud sar-xvadāyān ī kustag kustag Ohrmazd ō framānburdārīh āvurd.
(2) az Hrōm ud Hindūgān sāg ud bāz xvāst ud Ērānšahr ōh peyrāyišnīgdar ud cābukdar ud nāmīgdar kird. kēsar ī hrōmīgān šahriyār, ud *tegin ī Kābul, ī hindūgān šāh, ud turk xāgān, ud abārīg sar-xvadāyān ī kustag kustag ped drūd ud šīrēnag ō dar āmad hend.
frazaft ped drūd, šādīh ud rāmišn.
Col.:
anōšag-ruvān bavād Ardašēr ī šāhān šāh ī Pābagān, ud Šābuhr ī šāhān šāh ī Ardašērān, ud Ohrmazd ī šāhān šāh ī Šābuhrān! ēdōn bavād, ēdōndar bavād!
anōšag-ruvān Rustahm Mihrābān kē ēn pecēn nibišt būd! ēdōn bavād!
XV
(1) Thereafter, when Ohrmazd attained to reign, he could bring the whole of Ērānšahr back to monarchy, and Ohrmazd brought the supreme rulers of the various regions to obedience.
(2) He exacted tribute and tax from Rome and India. Thus he made Ērānšahr more embellished, more sprightly and more renowned. Caesar, that is the Roman (/Byzantine) emperor, *Tegin of Kābul, that is the Indian king, and the Turkish Xāgān, and the other supreme rulers of the various regions came to the court, with sweet welcome.
Finished with health, peace and joy.
Colophon
Immortal-souled be king of kings Ardašēr son of Pābag, and king of kings Šābuhr son of Ardašēr, and king of kings Ohrmazd son of Šābuhr! May it be so, may it be more so!
Immortal-souled Rustahm Mihrābān who had written this copy! May it be so!
Audio