Zal of gold went ahead, leading the way,

And behind him came the nobles with golden belts.

When Dastan, son of Sam, saw Kavous,

Sitting happily on his royal throne.

With bowed head and humble demeanor,

He walked to his seat and took his place.

He said, 'O master of the world,

Exalted above all nobles and chiefs.'

'No throne has heard, no crown has seen,

The revolving heavens have not witnessed a fortune like yours.'

'May you always be victorious and joyous,

Your mind full of wisdom, your heart full of justice.'

The famed king welcomed him warmly,

And seated him beside himself on the throne.

He asked him about the hardships of the long journey,

And about the warriors and the noble Rustam.

Zal of gold said to the king,

'May you, O king, always be blessed and victorious.'

'All are joyous and bright under your fortune,

With their heads held high under your throne.'

Then he recalled a tale,

And began speaking worthy words.

He said, 'O king of the world,

You are worthy of the throne and the crown of the greats.'

'Before you, there were kings,

But they never ventured down this path.'

'Many days have passed over me,

And the heavens have turned above the earth for many years.'

'Manuchehr departed this vast world,

Leaving behind treasures and palaces.'

'Likewise, from him came Nowzar and Kay Qobad,

And many greats whom we remember.'

'With mighty armies and heavy maces,

They never ventured to Mazandaran.'

'For that is the abode of the sorcerer demon,

A place of spells and magical traps.'

'It cannot be conquered with the sword,

Nor can it be won with wealth or wisdom.'

It cannot be unlocked with cunning and deceit,

Do not waste effort, treasure, or wealth in vain.

No one gains fortune by going there,

So abandon the thought of venturing now.

The army should not be led in that direction,

No king has ever held such an opinion.

If these noble ones are beneath you in rank,

They are still loyal servants of the just judge.

Do not sow a tree watered with the blood of nobles,

For its height and fruit will bring only curses.

Its harvest and stature will be accursed,

Such is not the way of the kings of old.

Kavous responded thus in return,

Saying, 'Your thoughts are not unwelcome to me.'

But I surpass Fereydun and Jam,

In valor, glory, and wealth.

Even greater than Manuchehr and Kay Qobad,

Who never turned their thoughts to Mazandaran.

My army, courage, and treasure surpass theirs,

The world lies beneath my sharp sword.

If knowledge has opened the world to us,

Why keep the earth hidden behind iron?

I will bring them all one by one into submission,

If I wield the sword and seize the throne.

If I leave no one alive in Mazandaran,

Or impose heavy taxes and tributes upon them.

So wretched and weak do they appear to me,

Whether sorcerers or demons, that gathering.

You will soon hear for yourself this news,

That the world will be emptied of their presence.

You, with Rostam, remain here as ruler,

Be the vigilant guardian of Iran.

The Creator of the world is my ally,

And the heads of the fierce demons are my prey.

If you will not be my ally in battle,

Do not command me to linger here in vain.

When Zal heard these words from the king,

He found no clear course for his actions.

He said, 'You are the king, and we are your servants,

We speak to you with care and devotion.'

Whether you decree justice or tyranny,

It is for you that we must take each step and breath.

I have emptied my heart of worries,

And spoken all that I knew to say.

One cannot shield oneself from death,

Nor sew shut the world's eye with a needle.

Even through caution, no one escapes fate,

The seeker of the world gains no exception from these three.

May the world always remain blessed for you,

And may my advice never cause you regret.

May you never regret your deeds,

May your heart, faith, and beliefs remain pure.

Swiftly, Zal bid the king farewell,

His heart filled with sorrow at his departure.

He left the presence of King Kavous,

The sun and moon seemed dark to his eyes.

The noble elders went with him,

Like Tous, Goudarz, Roham, and Giv.

Then Giv said to Zal, 'From God,

I ask only that He be our guide.'

To places beyond Kavous' reach,

I shall entrust him to no one.

May greed and longing stay far from you,

And may no enemy raise their hand against you.

Wherever we go or enter,

May we hear only His blessings for you.

After the Creator of the world,

The land of Iran places its hope in you.

For the sake of the warriors, you endured hardship,

And took on such a difficult path.

Then they embraced him tightly,

And prepared for the journey to Sistan.