ABSTRACT
Now read the letter of Sháh Núshírwán, And muse upon it in thine ardent soul. He said : “ This letter grateful to the heart, Instructed, learned, well counselled, and abstruse, Is from the Sháh exalted and sun-faced. Great is he, heaven inclineth to his wish, The world-lord he, just and beneficent, Without reproach, the lavisher of treasure, Increaser of Kubád’s renown and throne, Transmitter of the crown of state and justice, Possessed of Grace and stature, fame and conduct, And all that he could wish for from the crown Of greatness, to Hurmuzd, our own pure son, Who heartily accepteth all our counsels, And is through God glad and victorious, For evermore a world lord crowned and throned. This lucky month upon the day Khurdád, With fair stars and world-brightening presages, We set upon thy head the crown of gold, As we ourselves received it from our sire, And give thee too the blessings which Kubád, The glorious, bestowed upon our crown. Be vigilant and master of the world, Be wise and noble and without offence, Increase in knowledge and incline to God, Because He is the Guider of thy soul. We have inquired of one of good discourse, One ancient both in wisdom and in years :— ‘ What man of us approacheth nearest God ? Who goeth by the straitest path to Him ? ’ He gave reply : ‘ Choose knowledge as thou wouldst That people should bless thee because the sage
26 THE SHÁHNÁMA OF FIRDAUSÍ
C. 1765 Deriveth not addition from the dust : Make thy pure spirit then approved by knowledge.’ Through knowledge doth the Sháh adorn the
throne : Mayst thou be sage and of victorious fortune. God grant thou never be a promise-breaker, For promise-breakers have the dust for shroud. See that thou punish not the innocent, Or listen to the words of slanderers. Let every ordinance of thine be just, For justice will delight thy spirit. Seek not, As thou wouldst be the lustre of thy throne, To compass falsehood with thy tongue. Secure A subject in the enjoyment of his wealth, For others’ havings are no friends of thine : Joy in the wealth that thou hast earned thyself. ’Tis thine to be the asylum for all folk, For overlord and underling alike. Reward the man that acteth uprightly ; Oppose withal the evil-doer. Although Thou mayst be held in honour in the world, Forget not travail, misery, and loss ; Be what one may this is a Wayside Inn Wherein it booteth not to feel at home. Seek worth and be associate with the wise If dost wish that fortune shall commend thee. By knowledge bind the hands of tyranny, As thou wouldst scape the evil of mishap, And dearly tender him who in thy presence Hath trodden under foot thy foeman’s life. The great men and the merchants of the city Must have their share of justice. When thou settest The crown of king of kings upon thy head Discern the worse way from the truly great. Keep ever in thy presence some wise man, And hold him as thy body and thy soul.
