Thus spoke the proud king

That in all you have spoken, a secret lies

Then the king called for Zal

Whom he wished to speak to, to seek his wisdom

To ask him several things

And the hidden tales of old

The wise men, with awakened hearts, sat down

Along with Zal, the renowned sage

A priest asked Zal

To see through his sharpness the path of wisdom

Of the twelve tall cypress trees

That stand, vibrant, full of grace

From them, each has a dark branch

Neither more nor less will it be in Persian

Another priest spoke, saying, 'O exalted one'

Two noble, swift horses

One like the depths of the Caspian Sea

The other like shining, clear crystal

They both stirred and hastened

But they cannot find one another

Another spoke, saying, 'These thirty riders'

Where will they pass, before the king'

One will fall short as you count them

Yet they are still thirty when you look again

The fourth spoke, saying, 'Where the meadow'

Is filled with green grass and flowing streams

A man with a large, sharp scythe

Will enter the meadow with strength

Farewell to both dry and wet plants

It does not take anything from that work's head

Another said, 'Two cypress trees have been raised'

From the sea with waves, they are brought forth

One bird has its nest among them

It rests at night, this one on the roof

When it flies away, the dry leaf falls

And on it, it sits, spreading the fragrance of musk

Of those two, one is always wet

The other, wilted, is sorrowful

Another asked, 'On the mountain's heights'

I found a town, firm and strong

The people from that town walk proudly

While the thorny wilderness holds them to the desert

They built structures, reaching to the moon

And became devoted to the frontiers

From that town, nothing passes through their hearts

No one reckons with remembering words

A sudden catastrophe arises from nowhere

Their land and home vanish in secret

Their town requires sustenance

And long-lasting plans are needed

Seek these words in the proper curtain

Reveal them openly to the wise

If you make these secrets clear

You will turn the black earth into fragrant musk