In the name of the Lord of both wisdom and mind

To nothing sublimer can thought way find

The world's king was full of kindness and grace

When he heard the words of the wise and the informed

That Afrasiab had come with a hundred thousand

Chosen from the Turks, numbered and brave riders

Towards the city of Iran he has set his face

And because of him, the country became full of talk and rumors

The heart of King Kavus became heavy because of that

That from the feast his thoughts turned towards war

He held a gathering of Iranians

Those who were well-wishers of the Kayanian dynasty

He said to them thus: 'Afrasiab'

From wind and from fire, from earth and from water

It is as if God did not create him

But rather the heavens have fashioned him differently

That he makes so many promises with oaths

He holds his tongue as a hostage to goodness

When he gathers people who seek revenge

He turns away from his promise and his oath

No one but me can avenge him

I will make the bright day dark for him

Unless I erase his name from the world

Or else, like an arrow from a bow, suddenly

He will raise an army and wage war on Iran

He will destroy much of this land

The Mobed said to him, 'What need is there for an army?'

'When you yourself must go to the battlefield?'

Why should you give your wealth to the wind?

Why should you open up so much in the treasury?

Twice this famous leader of yours

You entrusted to the sharpness of your enemy

Now look and choose a champion

Worthy of war and worthy of revenge

He answered them thus: 'I'

I see no one in this gathering

Who has the strength and power of Afrasiab

I must go like a ship on the water

You return, so that I now

May turn my heart to this guidance

Siavash made his heart full of thought because of that

He made his soul like a forest of thoughts

He said in his heart, 'I will prepare this battlefield'

'I will speak well and ask the king'

Perhaps the just one will grant me little deliverance

From Sudabeh and the words of my father

And if I bring fame from this deed

I will bring such an army into my trap

He went with his belt before Kavus Shah

He said to him, 'I have this position'

That I will seek battle with the king of Turan

I will bring the heads of the leaders into the dust

Such was the will of the creator of the world

That he would sacrifice his life in the land of Turan

With wicked thought and intention

Where will the evil times return?

His father agreed with him in this matter

That Siavash should gird his loins for this vengeance

He became happy with him and caressed him

He built a new throne for him

He said to him, 'Treasure and jewels are before you'

'You say the army is entirely your own'

From speech and action and from praise

That they recite over you in the land of Iran

Say that the elephant-bodied one should be called to you

And relate many good stories

He said to him, 'No elephant is your equal'

'And no crocodile is like the dust of your Rakhsh'

You are both skilled and silent in the world

For you are the guardian of Siavash

When iron binds the ore in the mine

It will be opened when you gird your loins

Siavash came, his belt fastened around his waist

He spoke to me like a roaring lion

He desires the war with Afrasiab

You go with him, do not turn your face away from him

When you are awake, I will have sleep

When you find peace, I will hasten

The world is safe from your arrow and sword

The moon's head is beneath your wheel

Tahmtan said to him, 'I am a servant'

'I am a listener to whatever you say'

Siavash is my refuge and soul

The top of his crown is my sky

When he heard that, he praised him and said

'May wisdom be paired with your pure soul'

And after that, the roaring of pipes and drums

Rose up, and the commander of Tus came

The army gathered at the gate

The king opened the door of the treasury of dinars

From sword and mace and helmet and belt

Likewise, helmet and armor and lance and shield

To the treasury where there were uncut garments

He sent the key to Siavash

That you are the master over life and property

Prepare yourself, whatever you decide

He chose from those famous riders

Ten and two thousand brave warriors

Also from Pahlavi and Pars and Kuch and Baloch

From the Gilan warriors and the Dasht-e Sarvach

Ten and two thousand foot soldiers with shields

The king chose from the field of battle

From Iran, whoever was born

Was brave and wise and free

In stature and age they were like Siavash

Wise and awake and silent they were

From the warriors and the famous ones

Like Bahram and like Zangeh of Shaveran

Likewise, five Mobeds from the Iranians

Raised the Kavian banner

He ordered that all of them should go out

From Pahlou they went towards the plain and desert

You would say that there is no place on earth

Where the hoof of a horse does not tread on its dust

The Kavian banner in the sky

Like a shining moon in the midst

Kavus Shah went out from Pahlou

A swift turn of the army

A king made a rich blessing

That, 'O famous ones with auspicious feet'

'May nothing but fortune be your companion'

'May the face of your enemies be darkened'

'To go with a good star and health'

'And to return victorious and happy'

And from that place, the drum was fastened on the elephant

He gave orders to the warriors and himself mounted

Kavus Shah's eyes were full of tears

He was with him on the way for a day

Finally, they embraced each other

Both held each other like spring clouds

They shed tears of blood from their eyes

They raised a cry of lamentation

Their hearts testified in their going

That the meeting would not be after that

Such is the way of the revolving world

Sometimes it brings forth nectar, sometimes poison

Kavus set his face towards the court

Siavash with the war-seeking army

He led the army towards Zabulistan

With Piltan he drew towards Dastan

He spent some time with music and wine

Near the fortunate-footed Dastan

Sometimes with Tahmtan, the wine was in hand

Sometimes with Zavareh he chose to sit

Sometimes he was happy on Dastan's throne

Sometimes he was in the hunt and the bedchamber

When a month passed, he moved the army

Gou Piltan went, and Dastan remained

An army went with the champion

From Zabul, also from Kabul and the Indians

From every side where there was a famous army

He summoned them, and they came to the city of Herat

From them, he took many foot soldiers

He entrusted the baggage to Zangeh of Shaveran

He came towards Taleqan and Marurud

The sky, you would say, sent greetings to him

After that, he came near Balkh

He did not harm anyone with bitter words

And from that side, Garsivaz and Barman

Drew their army like a blowing wind

Sipahram was there, and Barman was in front

News came to them of the new leader

That an army and a young king have come

From Iran, with Gou Piltan the champion

A messenger to near Afrasiab

Threw (the news) like a ship on the water

That a heavy army has come from Iran

The commander Siavash and with him the leaders

The army's leader, like Rostam, Gou Piltan

With a dagger in one hand and a shroud in the other

You bring an army and do not delay so much

For a ship is moved from its place by the wind

He stirred up the messenger like fire

That he spoke in this way with the guide

Siavash from this side did not wait for a response

He drove the army towards Balkh like the wind

When the army of Iran came into difficulty

It was not possible to look for a response

The war-seeking Garsivaz looked

He saw no other way but to seek war

When the army from Iran came into straits

War arose at the gate of Balkh

Two heavy battles were fought in three days

Siavash came, illuminating the army

He sent foot soldiers to every gate

A heavy army entered Balkh

Sipahram, fleeing across the water

Went with the army to Afrasiab

Siavash entered Balkh with his army

He ordered a letter to be written to the king

Written with musk and rosewater and ambergris

As was fitting on silk

First, he praised the creator

From whom he became victorious and prosperous

Lord of the sun and the revolving moon

Elevator of crown and throne and helmet

Whomever He wills, He raises high

One He makes mournful and sad

Why not according to His command and how?

One must act wisely in this guidance

From that just one who created the world

He created both the manifest and the hidden

May there be blessing upon the sovereign

May the end of every task be good

I came to Balkh, happy and fortunate

By the glory of the world's possessor of crown and throne

Three days the time passed in this war

On the fourth, the Lord granted victory

Sipahram went to Termez, and Barman

Like an arrow, he leaped from the bow

Now, up to the Oxus is my army

The world is under the glory of my helmet

Afrasiab is in Sogd with his army

The army and its commander are on that side of the water

If only the sovereign gives the command

I will lead the army across and wage war

When the letter reached the king of Iran

His crown and throne reached to Saturn

He sought refuge in God and asked fortune from Him

So that that new tree might bear fruit

He wrote a reply with joy

Like a fresh spring in Ordibehesht (April/May)

That from the creator of sun and moon

The world's possessor and bestower of crown and throne

May your heart be forever joyful

Your heart free from pain and calamity

May you always be in victory and glory

Wearing the great helmet and the majestic crown

You led the army and desired war

For you have fortune and skill and righteousness

Still, the milk smells from your lips

That you drew the bow in the battle of Tuz

May your body always be skilled

Your bright heart's desire fulfilled

After you were victorious in war

One must be deliberate in one's actions

It is not proper to scatter the army

Measure the days and arrange the time

For that Turk is ill-natured and wicked

He is both of bad lineage and bad body

Also, he is with helmet and pomp

He raises his head above the shining moon

Do not at all hasten to seek war

Afrasiab himself will come to war with you

If he crosses the Oxus from this side

He will drag his own skirt in blood

He placed his seal upon the letter

At once he called the messenger before him

He gave it to him and ordered him to return

He hastened along the slopes and heights

The messenger arrived near Siavash

When he saw that letter of the king of Iran

He kissed the ground and made his heart happy

He freed his pure heart from every sorrow

When he became happy from the king's letter

He laughed and placed the letter upon his head

He kept his command awake

He did not turn his heart away from his promise

And from that side, the impudent Garsivaz

Came to the king of the Turks like dust

He spoke those impure and bitter words

That the commander Siavash has come to Balkh

An army heavy as the army leader Rostam

Many famous ones and warriors

From each one of us there were more than fifty

Proud with maces of buffalo horn

The foot soldiers were like fire

Shield-bearers with arrows and quivers they were

No eagle could fly like them

Sleep would not come to one of them

Three days and three nights it was in this manner

The heads and necks of the proud horses became weary

Of them, whoever was overcome by sleep

Was hastened from the battle at that moment

He would sleep and rise rested

And arrange a new battle

Afrasiab was enraged like fire

Saying, 'How much will you tell me of rest and sleep?'

He looked at Garsivaz in such a way

That you would say he wanted to cut him in two

He shouted and drove him away from his presence

Where he wanted to vent his anger upon him

He ordered that a thousand of the famous warriors

Be summoned and prepare for battle from the feast

Make the entire plain full of fortifications

Arrange the battlements in Sogd

In this way, the day passed in merriment

When the illuminator of the world disappeared from sight

Haste came to sleep and rest

Afrasiab rolled over on his garment