[en] A room-temperature laser based on a ${\text{Fe}}^{2+}:\text{ZnS}$ single crystal has been studied. The crystal was pumped by a nonchain electric-discharge HF laser with a light pulse FWHM of $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->140\text{ns}$. The pump spot diameter on the crystal surface $(d)$ varied from 3.9 to $11.6\text{mm}$. The slope efficiency at these values of $d$ was 37% – 39 %, respectively. The maximum laser energy was $380\text{mJ}$ (at $d=11.6\text{mm}$) with the total efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump energy of $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->19\text{\%}$. A further increase in the laser energy was not achieved because the crystal was destroyed at an incident pump energy and power of $3.4\text{J}$ and $\sim <!--\; ???\; -->24\text{MW}$, respectively. The damaged region has a form of a long narrow channel shifted from the entrance surface inside the active element. (lasers)