Not much time passed in this era,

When color appeared in the joyous spring.

A child like a fairy was born from her,

With a face like an Azari idol.

They told King Kavus,

That a fortunate-footed moon (beautiful woman) had given birth.

A blessed child has appeared,

Now, the throne should be drawn upon the clouds (a metaphor for great joy).

The world became full of talk about that beauty,

That no one had heard of such hair and face.

The world's ruler named him Siavash,

And bestowed upon him the revolving sky (destiny).

Because he (Kavus) counted the high heavens (astrology),

He knew good and bad, how and how much (fate).

He saw the stars disturbed for that child,

He became sad when he saw his fate sleeping (inauspicious).

He foresaw harm for him from good and evil,

He sought refuge with God from his fate.

Thus, as time passed,

Tahmtan (Rostam) came before the king.

He said thus: 'This lion-like child,

I should raise him in my land.'

Since your caretakers are not sufficient (or capable),

There is no nurse/guardian like me for him in the world.'

The great king pondered much on that,

It did not seem heavy upon his heart (he agreed).

He entrusted him (the child), dear to his heart, to Rostam,

The world-seeking, worthy hero.

Tahmtan took him to Zabolestan,

And made his dwelling place in a garden.

Horsemanship, arrows, bow, and lasso,

Reins, stirrups, and all the details of riding.

The setting for gatherings and wine drinking,

As well as falcons, hawks, and the work of hunting.

Of justice and injustice, throne and crown,

Of speaking of war and commanding armies.

He taught him all the arts, one by one,

He endured much hardship and brought it to fruition.

Siavash became such that in the world,

No one among the great was like him.

When some time passed and he grew up,

He became capable of wrestling with lions.

He said thus to the glorious Rostam:

That I have a need to meet my king.

You endured much hardship and pained your heart,

You taught me the arts of kings.

My father should now see from me,

The arts taught by the mighty one (Rostam).

The lion-hearted one (Rostam) prepared his affairs,

And sent messengers swiftly from all sides.

Of horses and attendants, silver and gold,

Of affection, throne, crown, and belt.

Of clothing and furnishings,

He brought everything that could be brought from all sides.

Whatever of this was not in Rostam's treasury,

He sent and quickly brought from the world.

He sent him off in such a manner,

That the army became a spectacle for Siavash.

Tahmtan (Rostam) went with him constantly,

So that the commander would not be sad.

They adorned the world with ceremony,

As they desired the pleasure of the renowned one (Kavus).

They mixed all the gold with ambergris,

And poured it down from the dome onto heads.

The world became full of joy and wealth,

The doors and walls of every street were adorned.

Beneath the hooves of the swift horses were coins,

Not a single person in Iran was sad.

All the horse's mane from side to side,

Was perfumed with musk, wine, and saffron.

When news reached King Kavus,

That Siavash had arrived with glory (divine grace).

He ordered Giev and Tus with the army,

To go with iron trumpets and drums.

All the renowned ones gathered,

Such as Gorgin and Kharad, the army breakers.

They all went to greet him from their places,

To meet Siavash of fortunate opinion.

When the warriors saw the king's glorious son,

There was a shout, and they cleared the way.

Attendants with censers and sweet fragrance,

Stood watching him with outstretched hands.

Three hundred were standing at every corner of the gate,

And Siavash, the noble, was in the midst.

They scattered much gold and jewels,

And all of them recited praises.

When he saw Kavus on the ivory throne,

With a shining ruby crown on his head,

First, he offered praise and performed obeisance,

For a while, he whispered secrets to the earth (bowed low).

And after that, he came before the king,

The commander (Kavus) took his head into his embrace.

He remained astonished at the sight of him,

And kept invoking the name of God upon him.

With that few years and so much wisdom,

As if his soul was nurtured by wisdom.

He offered much praise to the Creator of the world,

And recited and rubbed his face on the ground (in reverence).

He kept saying, 'O Creator of the heavens,

Lord of wisdom and Lord of kindness.'

All the goodness in the world is from you,

I will first receive praise from my son.

He inquired about Rostam and honored him,

And seated him on that turquoise throne.

All the nobles of Iran with gifts,

Went joyfully to the king.

They were astonished by Siavash's glory,

And recited praises to the Creator.

He ordered that before him, the Iranians,

The warriors should gird their loins (prepare for service).

In his palace, garden, and field,

They turned the world to joy.

They arranged a celebration in every place,

They called for wine, music, and musicians.

He ordered a feast such that in the world,

No one among the great had done before him.

For a week, they were joyful in that manner,

On the eighth day, he opened the treasuries.

The king ordered a treasure of everything,

Of affection, sword, throne, and crown.

Of Arabian horses with leopard saddles,

Of armor and coats of mail for war.

Of dinars and bags of dirhams,

Of brocade and jewels, both great and small.

Except for a crown, as it was not the time for a crown,

A crown was not fitting for that child.

He gave it to Siavash and gave him promise,

He gave him much hope of goodness.

Thus, he tested him for seven years,

In every matter, he was nothing but pure-born (noble).

On the eighth, he ordered a golden crown,

A jeweled cap and belt.

They wrote a decree on silk,

According to the custom of the great and the glory of the Kayanian dynasty.

The king gave him the land of Kohistan,

For he was worthy of greatness and position.

Thus they called him before,

That you would call him beyond the Oxus (river).

A time also passed over this,

It so happened that Sudabeh, full of adornments,

Suddenly saw Siavash's face,

Became full of thought and her heart blossomed (with desire).

It became such that you would say it is woven thread,

Or ice placed before fire.

She sent someone near him,

That secretly tell this to Siavash:

That in the harem of the king of the world,

It would not be surprising if you suddenly entered.

The messenger went and gave him the message,

The honorable one (Siavash) became upset by that action.

He said to him, 'I am not a man of the harem,

I do not seek to be bound and am not deceitful.'

The next morning, Sudabeh went,

She strode quickly to the king of Iran.

She said to him, 'O commander of the army,

That the sun and moon have not seen one like you.'

There is no one on earth like your son,

May the world be joyful through your connection.

Send him to your harem,

To your sisters and your relatives.

All the veiled ones, out of affection,

Have hearts full of blood and faces full of tears.

They will offer him prayers and bring gifts,

They will bring the tree of worship to fruition.

The king said to her, 'This speech is fitting,

Go, you have the affection of a hundred mothers.'

The commander (Kavus) called Siavash and said,

That blood, lineage, and affection cannot be hidden.'

Behind my veil, she is your sister,

Like Sudabeh herself, a kind mother.

The pure God created you such,

That whoever saw you brought affection upon you.

Especially since she is of your blood,

Imagine how she is when she sees you from afar.

Then see the veiled ones,

Stay for a while so that they may offer blessings.

When Siavash heard the king's words,

He kept looking at him in astonishment.

For a while, he pondered in his heart,

He tried to cleanse his heart from doubt.

He suspected that his father,

Was investigating what he had in mind.

For he is very knowledgeable and eloquent,

Wise, insightful, and suspicious.

He hesitated and kept the secret to himself,

He began to consider the consequences of his intention.

That if I go to his harem,

I will have much discourse (trouble) from Sudabeh.

Siavash answered thus: 'O King,

You gave me command, throne, and crown,

From that place where the high sun,

Rises and makes the earth honored.

Like you, no king placed a crown upon his head,

In goodness, knowledge, custom, and way.

Associate me, O King, with the Mobads and the wise,

The elders and experienced men.

And also the spear, mace, arrow, and bow,

So that I may fight in the ranks of the ill-intentioned.

And also the ways of kings and court,

And also feasts, battles, wine, and wine-drinking.

What should I learn in the king's harem?

Women do not show the way in knowledge.

If the king's command is thus,

It is customary for him to go before me.

The king said to him, 'O son, be happy,

Always let wisdom be your foundation.'

I have rarely heard speech of such goodness,

The mind increases when you hear this.

Do not keep any bad thoughts in your heart,

Arrange all joy and dispel sorrow.

See the veiled children once,

Perhaps they will become a little happy.

Behind the veil is your sister,

Full of affection, like Sudabeh, a mother.

Siavash said thus: 'From morning,

I will come and do whatever he mentioned.'

There was a man named Hirbod,

Whose heart, mind, and opinion were cleansed of evil.

Who did not leave any idol temple untouched,

He held the key to the veiled door.

The commander of Iran said to the wise man,

When the sun draws its sword from hiding (rises).

Go carefully before Siavash,

See what that wise one commands.

He ordered Sudabeh that before him,

She should bring gifts of jewels, musk, and fragrance.

The attendants also with the sisters,

Should scatter emeralds upon saffron.

When the sun raised its head from the mountains,

Siavash went before the king.

He offered blessings and performed obeisance to him,

The commander spoke with him in private.

When it was finished, he called Hirbod,

And spoke some appropriate words.

He said to Siavash, 'Go with him,

Adorn your heart with a new meeting.'

The two of them went together to one place,

With joyful spirits and hearts empty of sorrow.

When Hirbod lifted the curtain from the door,

Siavash was still fearful of evil.

The entire harem came to greet him,

They came full of joy and prepared for a feast.

There were cups everywhere, from side to side,

Full of musk, dinars, and saffron.

They kept scattering dirhams under his feet,

They mixed agate and emeralds.

The ground was covered with Chinese brocade,

Covered with beautiful pearls on the earth.

Wine, lutes, and the voices of musicians,

Were all above the heads of the great officers.

The harem was adorned like a paradise,

Full of beautiful women and riches.

When Siavash approached the palace,

He saw a shining golden throne.

On it, they had made decorations of turquoise,

Adorned with royal brocade.

On that throne, Sudabeh, moon-faced,

Like a paradise, full of color and fragrance,

Was sitting like the shining Canopus of Yemen,

The tips of her curly hair were all wavy.

She had placed a tall crown on her head,

Hanging down to her fragrant ankles.

An attendant with golden sandals in hand,

Was standing humbly with lowered head.

When Siavash went from before the curtain,

Sudabeh quickly came down from the throne.

She came gracefully and paid him homage,

She held him in her embrace for a long time.

He kissed his eyes and face for a long time,

The king was not satiated from seeing him.

He kept saying a hundred times, 'Thanks to God,'

I offer prayers day and night in three watches.

That no one has a son like you,

Nor does that king have a connection (lineage).

Siavash understood what that affection was,

Such friendship is not from the divine path.

He quickly went to his sister,

For that place was not suitable (for him).

His sisters offered blessings upon him,

They seated him on a golden chair.

He stayed with his sisters for a long time,

He gracefully came back towards the throne.

The entire harem became full of conversation,

That this is the head and crown of culture-seeking.

You would say he is not like other people,

His soul scatters wisdom.

Siavash went before his father and said,

That I saw in the hidden harem.

All the goodness in the world is for you,

You should not seek excuses from God.

From Jamshid, Fereydun, and Hoshang Shah,

You are superior in treasure, sword, and throne.

The king became happy from his words,

He adorned the palace like a joyous spring.

They prepared wine, lutes, and flutes,

They cleared their hearts from worldly concerns.

When night appeared and the day became dark,

The renowned king went into the harem.

The investigating king said to Sudabeh,

That you should not hide this secret from me.

Speak of Siavash's culture and wisdom,

Of his stature, appearance, and speech.

He is pleasing to you and is indeed wise,

He is better from hearing about him than from seeing him (or perhaps, he is as good as his reputation).

Sudabeh, the king's equal, said to him,

The sun and moon have not seen (one like him) in this world.

Who is like your son in the world?

Why should this matter be spoken of in secret?

The king said to her, 'If he reaches manhood,

He should not be seen by the evil eye.'

Sudabeh said to him, 'If I say,

My opinion will be agreeable to your opinion.'

I will give him a wife from my own lineage,

I will not give him (one) from the renowned common people.

So that she will bring him a son in the world,

Like him, in the midst of the great.

I have daughters like you,

From your lineage and your pure connection.

If (he wants one) from the lineage of Kay Arash and Kay Pishin,

He will happily offer blessings.

He said to her, 'This is indeed according to my wish,

Greatness in the end is my name.'

Siavash went to the king in the evening,

He kept offering blessings upon the crown and throne.

The father began to speak secrets with his son,

He began to hide (the matter) from strangers.

He kept saying, 'From the Creator of the world,

I have one secret desire.'

That my name remains as a remembrance from you,

That a king comes from your lineage.

Just as I have become renewed from you,

You will open your heart at the sight of him.

Thus I found the sign of your star,

From the words of the astrologer Mobads.

That from your lineage there would be a king,

Who would be a remembrance in the world.

Now choose one from among the great ones,

Look behind the veil of Kay Pishin.

In the house of Kay Arash, there is also (suitable lineage),

Adorn from every side and try your hand (choose).

He said to him, 'I am the king's servant,

I am obedient to his command and opinion.'

Whomever he chooses is proper,

The world's ruler is king over his servants.

Sudabeh should not hear this,

She would say otherwise and not believe this.

There is no such talk with Sudabeh,

I have no business in her harem.

The king laughed at Siavash's words,

He was not aware of the water under the straw (hidden danger).

The woman (Sudabeh) said to him, 'You must choose,

Do not think at all about him or the gathering.'

For her words were kindness,

They were a safeguard for your life.

Siavash became happy from his words,

His secret was freed from worry.

He began to praise the king of the world,

He bowed in prayer before his throne.

Secretly from the scheming Sudabeh,

He was constantly worried and heartbroken.

He knew that this was also her doing/words,

His skin was tearing from him because of her (metaphor for extreme distress).