As the shining sun rose from the mountain bright

The troops moved on, united in their might

At dawn, they saw the hero standing near

And from that place, they took the path so clear

The commander sent a reader to recite

Who read to the wise and learned in light

As the wise leader with the priests did stand

The proud warriors and joyful ones in hand

With joy, they came to the hero strong

The wise and clear-minded joined along

Sam’s sharp tongue opened with words so bright

With a smile full of laughter, a heart full of light

First, he praised the world’s eternal king

And woke the priest’s heart from slumbering

He spoke: 'From the just and pure divine Lord'

Our hearts are full of hope, fear, and accord

Hope in forgiveness, and fear of the sin

To gaze upon the commands deep within

Praise him as much as you are able to do

Be before him night and day, as is due

The Lord who moves the sun and moon so bright

Shows the soul the path of goodness and light

The world runs joyful on its feet so fair

He gave both courts, in justice and care

Spring, July, and autumn bring their turn

The tree of bounty bears fruit in return

At times, youth brings color and scent to behold

At times, you see the old, face sorrowful and cold

None shall pass his command or decree

The earth will not yield without his plea

At the time the tablet and pen were made

He inscribed on all of existence's trade

The world was increased by the union so wise

For from one alone, increase will not arise

From the lofty heavens, the word came down

The whole world is this, from root to crown

Time adorned the world for the people bright

And through it, desires are granted in light

If you are not matched in this world so vast

You remain powerful, hidden, steadfast

And another who bears the God's faith so true

I have not seen a young one in his place anew

Especially when born of a great seed

Though without a mate, he remains indeed

What is better than a young hero so strong

Who becomes a bright soul in a child lifelong

When the time of departure will rise for him

A new day will come through his child, so grim

In the world, the name of the child remains

For this one is Zal's son, and that one is Sam's

For him, the crown and throne will be bright

With the name gone, but with fortune’s might

Now, this is my entire tale untold

It is my garden of flowers, pure and bold

For patience and wisdom fled from me

Tell me what is it that consumed my plea

I did not say this until sorrow came

Not until a little sorrow reached my brain

The entire palace of Mehrab is my love

Its earth like the rotating sky above

My heart was tamed by the daughter of Sindokht

What would one say to this tame Sam?

May the king, Manuchehr, be tamed by speech

Is youth mistaken for sin or belief?

Whether high or low, when matched in quest

They set their face towards faith and the best

In this way, the wise man has no war

For he follows the path of faith, and shame no more

What will the wise priest say now?

What do the sages know in this matter somehow?

The lips of priests and leaders were sealed tight

Speech was bound on the lips of the wise in sight

For Zahhak, Mehrab was not fit in mind

The king’s heart was filled with gold, of a kind

No one dared open their mouth to speak

For none had heard sweet words with venom's streak

When the general did not hear their word, he thought

He rose, and a new idea he sought

I know how you will investigate this scheme

With this idea, you may criticize me, it seems

But whoever has pride in his soul so pure

Must listen to much reproach, that’s for sure

If you show me this in your way

You shall find a path opening, I say

I will do in this world in your stead

What none among the great has done with the lowly, instead

With goodness, truth, and righteousness, I will stand

And bring no harm to you with evil hand

All the priests arranged their response bright

They desired his happiness and calm, with delight

For we are each your servant, one by one

Not from awe, but from the things we’ve done

Although Mehrab is not of this rank

He is great, with strength and not so frank

He knew that from the essence of the dragon’s lore

And even though a king among the Arabs, for sure

If the king’s doubt does not arise

There will be no shame for his lineage, no disguise

A letter must go to the hero so grand

Just as you know it, with clear intent at hand

You, yourself, possess more wisdom than we

Your mind and thoughts are deeper, as we see

Perhaps someone will send a letter to the king near

To send it and observe his decision clear

Manouchehr, in agreement with the rider Sam

Does not stray from the path with such a plan

The general called the writer before him in sight

His heart was full, and he swept away the night

He ordered a letter to be sent to Sam's way

With tidings of joy, greetings, and sway

From the first line, praise spread far and wide

To the just one who created the world with pride

From him comes joy, from him comes power

The Lord of Saturn, Venus, and the sun’s flower

The Lord exists and the Lord does not exist

All are His servants, and the God is one, persist

From Him, winds send warm greetings to Sam

The Lord of Kubal, of the sword and of the man

He who moves like a hawk in the time of dust

And like a falcon in battle, he does trust

The one who brings the wind to the battlefield’s face

Spilling blood from the black clouds’ embrace

The one who strives for the crown and the golden belt

The one who shows Zal upon the golden pelt

In manliness, skill is made from skill itself

Wisdom arises from all the arts, and wealth

I am to him as one of his servant, true

With love in my soul and heart full too

I was born to my mother in the way she saw fit

From the heavens, hardships came and bit

My father was in luxury, in fur and in fame

While I was carried by Simorgh to the Indian frame

I needed him who brought the hunt so near

And counted me among the children, without fear

The wind burned my skin away

Time after time, dust from my eyes was sewn

They kept calling me, the son of Sam

To the throne of Sam, and I in my den

As God thus steers within His will

The revolving wheel of fate runs still

No one escapes the justice of God

And though he may flee, he rises above the fog

If the spear seeks the teeth of a brave heart

It will tear through the sound, like a lion’s art

Captured by the command of the Almighty's reign

Though his teeth may be like anvils of pain

A task came upon me, breaking my soul

Such that it could not be praised in the hall

If the father is brave and devoid of fear

Then hearing the servant's secret is clear

I became weeping from the daughter of Mehrab

As I became roasted, sharp on the blazing slab

The dark star of the night is my companion

I am he by the sea, with the shore as my union

I reached pain from my own self's core

Such that all of the assembly would weep evermore

Although my heart has seen so much oppression

I cannot speak except at your expression

What now will the world’s hero command?

I will open from this pain and hardship, unplanned

The pact cannot be broken by the general's father

Only by this task, a command to gather

For I make the daughter of Mehrab my bride

I will uphold truth by the faith I guide

Thus, by this pact, he went before the group

And when I return from the Alborz mountain's loop

That no wish would be broken in your heart's space

Now within this, my heart is bound in place

A rider, like the form of Azar Goshasp

From Kabul, he went toward Sam on two steeds

He ordered and said, if one should remain

You must not utter a word, not even in vain

With your other leg, step forth and go

Ride on swiftly, until the foreteller you know

The messenger went ahead of him, swiftly went

Beneath him, the steel saddle was bent

As he approached the wolf-like men

Each from afar, the general did ken

He went around like a mountain’s crest

Like a leopard, stalking the prey's nest

Thus, he spoke to his mournful friends

About the work of the riders, their ends

That a rider from Kabul has come so fleet

His saddle was made of Zabili’s leather seat

The messenger of Zal is indeed true

He must first be informed of what to do

From Dastan, Iran, and the royal crown

He was seeking words, his request to renown

At that moment, a rider approached him near

Holding in his hand, a letter so clear

He descended and kissed the earth below

He recalled the Creator of all we know

He asked for, and received, the letter from Sam

The messenger spoke, recounting the plan

The general opened the letter’s seal

And descended from the mountain’s steel

He read through the words of Dastan with care

He grew silent, frozen in the air

He did not like the wish that he heard

He sought a different course with a new word

Thus, the answer was given, it appeared clear

Words worthy of the gem are all sincere

Like the bird of life, the teacher shall be

Thus, the heart seeks its wish through destiny

From the hunt, he returns home at last

His heart filled with thoughts that had grown vast

He thought, if I say this, it's not wise

Do not judge if knowledge doesn't rise

Toward the rulers, leaders of the land

I will be foolish and a breaker of the stand

And if I say yes, your wish shall be true

The heart will be swayed by what it pursues

From this bird, bred in the den of a demon's lair

What can be said of the lineage it bears?

His head was weighed down by thoughts so heavy

He slept, but peace was not found within him, ready

The more difficult the speech is for the slave

The more weary the heart, the more the body will cave

It is opened more within the hidden heart

As the Creator commands the world to start