Quotations from Firdovsi's “Shahname” in the translation of Fakhraddin Yagub bin Mohammed Fakhri’s “Khosrov and Shirin” poem

Abstract

Turkmen poet Fakhraddin Yagub bin Mohammed who lived in the 14th century translated Nizami Ganjavi's poem “Khosrov and Shirin” into Turkish at the request of Isa bek. The translator gave a wide publicity to some motifs which were not reflected in Nizami’s poem or just touched superficially, especially to those parts with regards to the conflicts of Khosrov Parviz and Bahram Chubin and made it to be differed from the original being close to historical sources and to the poem of “Shahname”. It is no coincidence that the Ruler reminded Sultan Mahmud, Firdovsi, and his "Shahname" to Fakhri, stating that he did not dare to undertake a very difficult and responsible task, such as translating Nizami's poem. Isa bey wants to leave a valuable work after him.
In his translation, Fakhri chose and translated those parts about Bahram Chubin that were not found in the poem of “Khosrov and Shirin”. Those couplets in the article have been taken from Firdovsi's “Shahname” and compared with Fakhri’s translation.

Those parts in Fakhri’s translation, such as where Bahram Chubin insults Chinese Khakan, his victory over Goyturk Khakan, his coming to the throne by defeating Khosrov Parviz’s troops, as well as Khosrov’s coming to the throne second time with support from the Rum Lord Geysar and defeating Bahram, Bahram’s marriage with the daughter of Chinese Khakan and at last being killed by the person named Gulun, were given in comparison with “Shahname”.
Fakhri wanted to get acquainted Turkish readers with the full text of the “Khosrov and Shirin” poem, and provided some details of Nizami Ganjavi's briefing. It was also an important event in the literary process of that time.