Khosrau asked
once: "Where do you come from, say?"
Farhad replied: "From regions far away."
Khosrau: "In what crafts does you land excel?"
Farhad: "We purchase grief and souls we sell."
Khosrau: "By selling soul what do you gain?"
Farhad: "Our bards this custom don't disdain."
Khosrau: "Your soul from love is well high fleeing?"
Farhad: "My soul? I love with all my being."
Khosrau: "Shirin's affection do you prize?"
Farhad: "O yes, I prove it with my sighs!"
Khosrau: "Is she the moon that shines at night?"
Farhad: "Though drowsy, still I see her light."
Khosrau: "When will your heart forget her glow?"
Farhad: "When I am buried, lying low."
Khosrau: "When she appears, you trembling, sigh?"
Farhad: "To please her in the dust I'd lie."
Khosrau: "But if she wounds you in the eye?"
Farhad: "I'll give both eyes without a cry!"
Khosrau: "If someone offers her his heart?"
Farhad: "My sword of steel will do its part!"
Khosrau: "She never will become your own!"
Farhad: "A glimpse of her is a joy enough alone!"
Khosrau: "If all your chattels she demands?"
Farhad: "I'll give her all, as she commands."
Khosrau: "But if she orders - go away!"
Farhad: "My head then at her feet I'll lay!"
Khosrau: "Forget this friendship, do you hear?"
Farhad: "Can friendship be destroyed by fear?"
Khosrau: "Be calm, it is a day-dream, see?"
Farhad: "Nay, calmness not made for me!"
Khosrau: "Give up your love, and bear your lot."
Farhad: "For me love without love is nought."
Khosrau: "With patience men condole for sure."
Farhad: "Some men endure, I don't endure."
Khosrau: "By what great sorrow are you torn?"
Farhad: "Our parting makes me weep and mourn."
Khosrau: "Would you desire to have a wife?"
Farhad: "Alone I can no more bear life."
Khosrau: "Give up Shirin, you must obey!"
Farhad: "Shirin is mine, that's my last say!"
Khosrau: "Her name to mention do not dare!"
Farhad: "You see and hear Farhad's despair!"
Khosrau: "And if I come to love Shirin?"
Farhad: "The world will burn to ashes clean!"
Khosrau could give Farhad no fair reply,
And thought: it's best to stop with him to vie.
Confused, the Shah had surely to admit
Not having ever met such ready wit!
The Shah proposed of gold a heavy sum,
To this proposal proud Farhad was dumb!
The Shah's sharp spoken was firm and sound,
Instead of gold he tried a stony mound:
"Upon our roadway stands a mountain tall,
With pain men cross this giant stony wall.
Your work will be to dig through stone and lay
For people's easement a convenient way.
No man can undertake this work; they say
That you alone can do it, so I pray.
In honour of Shirin you do the work,
My promise to reward you I'll not shirk."
Fulfil my cherished wish, and ease my load -
Through these great mountains dig a well-paved road.
You will be worthy of my gratitude,
I'll grant you everything that vainly you pursued.
You will be housed with honour at my place,
You will be promoted owing to my grace."
Farhad stretched iron muscles: "I obey,
The obstacles I'll duly clear away,
But if in this great labour I succeed,
There's one condition that the Shah must heed:
Tomorrow, if you wish, I can begin,
But on condition - you'll give up Shirin!"
The Shah enraged with what Farhad had said,
Was just preparing to chop off his head -
Then thought: "Khosrau is not on terms with fear,
Farhad will hew not earth but stone rock sheer,
If it were earth to dig and cart away -
Then that alone would take him many a day."
So, "I agree", said Shah Khosrau with heat,
"To compromise it is meanness and deceit.
Well, start to work and show your boldly dig and drill!"
Farhad provoked by this insulting speech -
"Just Shah", said he, "how this high mount to reach?"
He showed the mountain looming far away,
That mountain's name is Bisutun today.
The mountain was of mighty granite stone,
To be of utmost hardness it was known.
He hoped the promise of the Shah held good,
And toward the mountain ran as whirlwinds would.
He left the palace, flying like a wind
Toward Bisutun, and never looked behind.
He reached the mountain, without cry and moan,
And with his pick began to break the stone.
So, bit by bit, he hewed some figures fine,
Most beautiful, or wonderful design:
He made the sculptured figure of Shirin -
As with a sculptor's chisel, firm and keen.
Then with the pick's sharp point he drew alone
Khosrau, Shabdiz, upon the mountain stone.
Before these busts you see the sculpturing man
Who died, according to a villain's plan:
Khosrau betrayed his vow, his word he broke,
Sent to Farhad a hag, who dealt the fatal stroke.
Translated by Olga Moisseyenko
next
|