And to the wise are these things clear as to the one discerning with his mind (not blinded by the perverter ). With Thy Good Mind and Thy (holy) Kingdom he follows the Righteous Order both in his words and his actions. And to Thee, O Ahura Mazda! such a man shall be the most helpful and vigorous being (for he serves with every power )! 40:1 Roth, 'wollen wir Worte künden—ungern gehört von denen, welche nach des Unholds Geboten,' &c. Hübschmann preferring 'wir sprechen Worte nicht anhörbar für diejenigen' (Casuslehre, s. 223). A dative of the pronoun is certainly more natural than the ablative as inst. But on the whole agushtâ seems better in its ordinary sense, although in so rendering we are obliged to supply a word. 40:2 Valmansân mûn pavan âfrîngânîh î Drûg zak î Aharâyîh gêhân barâ, marenkînênd. 40:3 The Pahlavi may be rendered as follows: Both these benedictions, which I (we) recite as yours [the Avesta and Zand], we are teaching by word to him who is no hearer, [to the destroyer of sanctity (the heretical persecutor) [ ]]. Those who utterly slay the world of righteousness through the benedictions of the Drûg [ ], even those might be an excellent thing, if they would cause progress in what belongs to Aûharmazd. 40:4 Read perhaps advayâo; see the Pahlavi. Otherwise 'the way' advâo as panthâs; but the participle does not agree. Compare for meaning kavím ádvayantam, sákhâ ádvayâs.* 40:5 The Pahlavi renders 'in the soul' freely by 'believes:' Pavan nikîrisnŏ la hêmnunêdŏ as pavan zak î agûmânîkîh. The general indications are to be observed. 40:* Is it a loc.? 41:1 Comp. chap. XXIX, 2, where the Ratu is discussed; here the word might be the abstract. 41:2 Roth 'dieser beiden Parteien (Yasna XXXI).' 41:3 He repels and condemns the evil, and he hallows and helps the good. 41:4 Most striking is the use of mainyu. It is 'the Spirit' = God. It is 'His Spirit.' It is also used of man's spirit. 41:5 Or, 'from the two arani;' but see ãsayâo in verse 2. The Pahlavi translator has avŏ patkârdârânŏ shnâkhtârîh; so uniformly. In Y. XLIII, 12, K5 and most MSS., except K4, and likewise excepting the printed B.V.S., read ranôibyô which excludes the dual form; also the fire is not mentioned there. It is however far from impossible that the present Pahlavi translation may be a growth beyond an earlier one more in accordance with arani. The strivers, or fighters, might describe the two rubbing-sticks (?). 41:6 Aîmar (sic), vigârdâr. This meaning suits the connection admirably. The word is otherwise difficult, and this general sense is followed by some who do not so often cite the Pahlavi translator. 41:7 See verse 1. 41:8 Roth, 'wie ich alle lebenden bekehren soll.' So also the general indication of the Pahlavi translator. Pavan hûzvânŏ î Lak—zîvandakân harvist-gûn hêmnund. Observe that the religious system contemplated universal proselytism. 42:1 The general indications karîtûntâr and bavîhûnam point to the proper sense. 42:2 Or, with Roth, 'wenn wirklich sich rufen lassen die Ahura-Mazdas.' Otherwise, 'O Mazda and the Ahuras.' Hübschmann also maintained that Mazdau was here a plural; (see his Y. XXX, 10.) 42:3 Roth, rendering ishasâ in accordance with the Pahlavi, 'erbitte ich.' 42:4 Mûn pavan zak î valman gûrdîh—khûshîdŏ Drûgŏ aê sufficiently indicates the proper sense. Roth, 'kraft deren wir den Unhold bemeistern mögen.' 42:5 The Pahlavi may he rendered thus: Since in that dispensation [in the final body], I shall be an invoker of Ashavahist, and of Aûharmazd also [ ]; and of her who is veneration 'Spendarmad' [ ], I desire [that best of things which is the reward], of Vohûman. Let also that authority which belongs to my people [ ] be from the strong one [ ] by whose fortitude [ ] the Drûg is overcome [ ]. 42:6 Literally, 'Ye gave.' 42:7 I am far from sure that the indication of the Pahlavi is not correct here. According to it, when properly understood, we have here an accusative with the infinitive; 'that I should establish.' Its own translation is however avŏ li yehabûnâi. Men = man or mãm; en(g) = ã the nasal vowel. The Pahl. translator recognises men elsewhere as = mînisnŏ. It was from no ignorance (!) of the particular word that he wrote 'li' here. 42:8 Or 'my prophet;' comp. rishi; that is, 'that with which my prophet is concerned.' 43:1 Or, possibly, 'which shall not be, or which shall be.' Is the subjunctive here used to express obligation? Roth has 'was nicht sein soll oder was sein soll.' Ner. may be rendered as follows: Tell it to me distinctly [ ], that which is the highest gift, and which is given to me through sanctity; [that is, because duty and righteousness are fulfilled by me, the best gift of thy reward (is gained) by this means; but how is it possible to make it (actually) one's own?]. Grant me the knowledge through the best mind; [that is, declare that intelligence to me which comes through good conduct], and by which also safety is (secured) to me [ ]. And declare either that which is not, or that which is, O Great Wise One, the Lord! [ ]. 43:2 An interval of silence seems here to intervene, or lost verses leave an unexplained transition. The sage turns again to the people. 43:3 Vaokât K4 (Barth.). 43:4 See verse 4. 43:5 The Pahlavi has Aûharmazd având (sic) khûdâyîh kand dên valman vakhshêd Vohûmanŏ. 43:6 The Parsi-persian MS. is as follows: Û hast buland, kih ân man âgahîhâ (sic) gû-î âskârah [ ] mânsar i tamâm raftanî; [kû, tamâm pêdâisn pah râh i mânsar bâz ân ‘hwêsî i Hôrmuzd rasêd], kih pah Ṣawâb dârad—bî-marg raftanî azas [ ]. Hôrmuzd—‘hudâî kand andar û afzayêd Bahman [Kûs pâdisâhî pah tan i mard—kandî (?) Hôrmuzd pah tan mihmân]. 44:1 Mûnas avŏ rôshanîh gâmîkhtŏ khvârîh. Hvâthrâ and khvârîh can hardly mean 'comfortable' here. 'Ease' is the later sense. 44:2 Raokebîs certainly means, with illuminating objects, stars or shining lights. 44:3 Hübschmann, 'der Schöpfer des Asha.'—Casuslehre, s. 190. 44:4 Pavan mînavadîkih vakhshînêd [ ] mûn kevanik ham khûdâî. 44:5 Compare the frequent expression 'spentem at Th###vâ meNhî,' in chap. XLIII. 44:6 Roth, 'vornehmsten.' 44:7 When I seized Thee (took Thee in) with my eye. The Pahlavi: Amatam [ ] pavan hamkashmîh avŏ ham vakhdûnd hômanih. 44:8 Dên ahvânŏ pavan kûnisnŏ khûdâî hômanih. Ner. may be rendered as follows: Thus thou wert thought at the first by me, O Great Wise One, the Lord! when thou wert engaged in the production of Gvahmana [ ]. In which (production) they apprehend the father of the Best Mind when they observe him with a full-faced look [ ]. (And thou art the father) of that creation which is manifestly righteous; [that is, thou makest the purer creation good in conduct]. Thou art a King in the world as to action; [that is, where it is fitting to confer a benefit, and also where it is fitting to inflict a punishment, in each of these thou art capable]. 45:1 His spenta mainyu; otherwise 'spiritual (understanding),' but mainyu is used elsewhere (verse 3 and 7) alone, and certainly not as an adjective even with a substantive understood. The rendering 'spirit' as 'Thy spirit' is suspiciously significant; but what is the help? We are forced by grammar so to translate. 45:2 The ablative has this force as in Ashât hakâ. 45:3 I can hardly accede to an infinitive here: -tê is a rare infinitive termination in Gâthic. Also the infinitive seldom falls to the end of the sentence. The Pahlavi has yâtûnêd, a present; but the Pahlavi should never be positively cited for the forms, as it is free. 45:4 Observe that we are forced by every dictate of logic and common sense to avoid the commonplace rendering here. Cattle do not have 'paths' made for them, nor do they cry aloud for an overseer, or complain at the appointment of one who does not appear to them promising; nor is it one main effort of religion 'to content the soul of cattle.' Cattle, as the chief article of wealth, are taken to signify all civic life. The 'path' is the path for the people to walk in, securing safety for soul and life and herds. The adhvan is 'the way' which 'is the religious characteristics and teachings of the prophets' (XXXIV, 13). 45:5 Observe that this cow (some would say 'ox') chooses her master, unlike other cattle. But observe also, what is more interesting, that she seems reconciled to the guardian appointed by Ahura. In Y. XXIX, 9, she actually 'wept' at the naming of the pusillanimous Zarathustra, desiring a kingly potentate. Now, however, we see that she must have dried her tears, as she is satisfied with the simple workman whom he represents notwithstanding high rank. 45:6 In the later Avesta this first vâstrya fsuyant is declared to be Zarathustra. 45:7 Mûn fsuîh pavan Vohûmanŏ. 46:1 Pahlavi davãsahak; Ner. pratârayitre. 46:2 Khûpŏ-hôshmûrisnîh. 'Judicial blindness' is everywhere indicated. (The wicked are kept from the sight of the truth.) Hübschm., Casuslehre, 'der frohen Botschaft.' 46:3 This seems implied. 46:4 Or, 'madest the worlds and the souls (?).' 46:5 Geldner admirably 'flesh.' The Pahlavi: tanû-hômandânŏ gân yehabûnd. Notice that 'bodily life or flesh' is mentioned after 'understanding.' Compare Y. XXX, 7, where Âramaiti gives 'a body' after previous creations. 46:6 The Pahlavi has the following interesting gloss: [That is, even the actions and teachings of the pious are given forth by thee; and this was also given in this wisdom of thy mind]. And when there is a person in whom there is a desire for the other world, that desire is granted to him by thee; [that is, what is necessary when he is arriving in the other world, this which is thus required (or desired) by him at that time, is given by thee—through that which is thy mind and wisdom]. Although not able to follow the indications of the Pahlavi fully, I think that there is no question but that we have an important statement in the last line. It does not seem to me possible to render less profoundly than 'where the wisher may place his choices,' his religious preferences and beliefs, including all moral volition. 47:1 Avŏ zak libbemman. 47:2 See verse 13. 47:3 Pavan hagisnŏ î: the Persian MS. (Haug XII, b) transliterates khêzisnŏ: Ner. has mano-utthânena (sic). Or, 'immediately.' 47:4 The evil as well as the good spirit is questioned. The two spirits of Y. XXX, 3-6 were here inspiring the conflict. 47:5 The Pahlavi unvaryingly in the sense of mihânŏ [-as gâs tamman yehevûnêdŏ]; Ner. paralokanivâsân. See Y. XXX, 9; XXXIII, 9; XXXIV, 6. A questioning which was lightly made would indicate a willingness to tamper with error. The Persian MS. following the Pahlavi has: Anga bang i buland ân i durûgh guftâr [Ganâ Mînû] wa ân ham i râst guftâr [Hôrmuzd], &c. But Neryosangh is more accurate or literal: Atra bumbâm* karoti [antar gagati], mithyâvaktâ vâ satyavaktâ vâ, &c. 47:6 Pavan zak î âshkârakŏ. 47:7 Nîhânîk. 47:8 Thou seest even the questions and decisions of our thoughts as to matters which are simple or difficult, permitted or occult. 47:9 I have not followed what may yet possibly be a valuable and correct hint of tradition. I render Neryosangh: He who asks through what is open [through righteousness], or he who asks through what is secret [through sin]; or he (also) who through, or on account of, a little sin which has been committed, commits the great one to secure a purification; [that is, who for the sake of purification necessary on account of a little sin which has been committed, commits a greater one, in order that the first may not p. 48 become known], upon these two, each of them, look with thy two eyes. [Over sins and righteous actions thou art in one way, everywhere and again, the Lord.] The concretes here may give the right indication. 48:1 See verse 5. 48:2 Man madŏ, mûnik yâmtûnêdŏ, 'What has come? And what is coming?' 48:3 Mûn âvâm. 48:4 Hakâ in the Indian sense. 48:5 Angardîkîh, the judgment; but Ner. vipâkatâ, consummation. 48:6 Neryosangh has as follows: Tad dvitayam tvattah* prikkhâmi, Svâmin! yad âgatam, âyâtika, yo* rinam dadate dânebhyah* punyâtmane [Hormigdâya yathâ yugyate dâtum], yeka, Mahâgñânin! durgatimadbhyah; katham teshâm asti vipâkatâ* evam [kila, yah tat kurute, tasmai nidâne prasâdadânam kim bhavati, yaska tat kurute, tasmaika kim bhavatî ’ti; me brûhi!] This seems to me very close, far more so than we have any right to expect as a general rule from a Parsi living in India, and only five or six centuries ago, too late for 'tradition,' and too early for close criticism. 48:7 Roth, 'Ich frage—was die Strafe ist?' 48:8 The head of a party seems to have been plotting to introduce a hostile sovereign. 48:9 Î dûs-kûnisnŏ. 48:10 The Pahlavi translator, nîvîdînêdŏ, (otherwise nivêkînêd, which I much suspect has become confused with nîvîdînêdŏ through a clerical blunder); Ner. labhate. They both refer vînastî to vid (so Justi) followed by most. Roth (Yasna XXXI, p. 11), 'der sein Brot nicht findet ohne Gewalthat an der Heerde.' 48:11 The Pahlavi translator sees the root han in the sense of p. 49 acquisition, and not from ignorance of the sense given above. In another place, he renders vigîd min; (see XLVII, 5.) 49:1 Neryosangh may be rendered as follows: Thus I ask thee: What is for him who seizes upon destruction, and who provides the sovereignty for the wicked [ ], and commits that evil action. O Lord! from which he does not acquire life even through a bribe* (so meaning), [ ] and who is a calamity to the man who acts for herds and men removing calamities from them [ ]? 49:2 Roth, 'der die Herrschaft über Hof Gau and Land um das rechte zu fördern hat.' 49:3 Pahlavi, Lak hâvand; Neryosangh, tvattulyo; Roth, 'deiner werth.' 49:4 I render the Sanskrit of Neryosangh thus (it improves on the Pahlavi): I ask (thee) thus: How [dost thou bestow] the sovereignty upon one when he is beneficently wise? [ ] (in the body) of him who, through the increase of sanctity, is no opposer (of prosperity) in provinces or villages; [that is, with him who is discharging his duty and performing acts of sanctity. He is this teacher's teacher, he does not contend]. Thine equal, O Great Wise One, the Lord! thus is he verily, who (is such) in action, [who is thus Thine equal through activity]. 49:5 Possibly mazyô has the sense of mazista in chap. L, 1. There 'the most prevailing' seems to be the proper rendering. 50:1 Literally, 'Which of the two (creeds as) the greater does the righteous (the believing saint) or the wicked (opponent) believe?' 50:2 See verse 12. 50:3 Or with others 'be Thou'; but the gloss of the Pahlavi translation contains an explanation which may well afford the true solution as in so many instances in which he is both consciously and inadvertently followed. It reads [aîghmânŏ barâ khavîtûnînŏ—]. May we not see an az = ah in the form, or at least a separate Iranian root, as also in azdâ (L, r), where the Pahlavi translator gives the same explanation admirably suited to the context. Neryosangh: Which is it, the pure of soul, or the wicked who teaches as the great one? [ ] The intelligent speaks to the intelligent [ ]. Be not thou ignorant after this; because (ignorance is) from the deceiver. Instruct us, O Great Wise One, the Lord! [ ] Furnish us with a sign through the Best Mind; [that is, make me steadfast in good conduct through the recognition of the dîn]. Such renderings may suffice to show that an examination of these ancient translations in our search for hints is imperative. Yet the practice prevails of omitting a knowledge of the Pahlavi language, on which not only the oldest translation of the Avesta, but also the irregular Sanskrit of Neryosangh, closely depends. 50:4 Jolly, 'Keiner von euch höre auf die Lieder and Gebote des Lügners.' Roth, 'Rath and Befehle.' 50:5 Compare evîdvâo in verse 17. 50:6 Dûs-rûbisnîh. 50:7 Sazêd sanêh, 'prepare the sabre.' It was however a two-handed weapon; see Y. LVI, 12, (4 Sp.). The Parsi-persian MS.: Wa ma kas aêdûn az sumâ kih û p. 51 darwand mânsar sunawad wa âmû‘htisn (sic); [kû az Âsmôkân (?) Awestâ wa Zand ma sunawad], kih andar—mahall sahar wa deh dehad bad-raftisn wa marg an i Âsmôgh; aêdûn (sic) ôsân Âsmôghân râ sâzad silâh. (Again very close.) 51:1 So conjecturally. 51:2 Compare chap. XXX, 2. 'Behold ye the flames with the better mind;' possibly, also chap. XXX, 1, the signs in the lights seen friendly.' 51:3 According to the grammatical forms the agent here must be a divine being, as ye manta ashem ahûbis (see verse 7) is characteristic of the Deity. The vocative, strange as it may seem, does not necessarily exclude Ahura, as the subject referred to in ye. Several analogous cases occur. The Deity may here however represent His prophet, as the Daêvas do their worshippers in the later Avesta. Some writers force the language into a reference to the human subject for the sake of the greatly to be desired simplicity. One places Ahurâ in the instrumental, a case in which the Almighty seldom appears. The above translation needs no alternative, as the language would be the same whoever ye refers to. 51:4 See note on verse 3, and read as alternative 'from the two arani.' As an inferior rendering of tradition I cite Neryosangh here: The matter should be heard (taking gûshtâ as a third singular in a subjunctive sense); [that is, a study should be made of it by him] who is even (in any degree) acquainted with the righteous design of Hormigda for both the worlds. He is independent in the literal truth of his words, in his freedom of speech, [and his fear has no existence]. Thy brilliant fire gives the explanation to the contenders. [It makes purity and impurity evident.] 52:1 I follow the admirable lead of the Pahlavi here, as the previous verse mentions veracity. Its indication is pavan frîfisnŏ, freely. 52:2 I differ with diffidence from the hint of the Pahlavi here (as elsewhere). It has shîvan = tears, which however is free for 'calamity' and 'sorrow.' Nom. sing.; see its position. 52:3 Anâk rûbisnîh yemalelûnêdŏ. This, placed together with such passages as XLVI, 11, XLIX, 11, and LI, 13, formed the basis for the more complete Yast XXII. 52:4 Others prefer 'place,' but see âyû in line b. 52:5 'Has led on'? 52:6 I cite Ner.: He who betrays the pure through his fraud, may (deceit) be (also his portion) at the last; [that is, let it be so afterwards; it is in his soul]. Long is his journey, and his arrival is in darkness; and evil food and increasing lawlessness is his [ ]. Darkness is your world, O ye wicked! your in-bred deeds, and your dîn, are leading you on. 52:7 That Ameretatât means more than long life is clear from amesha. 52:8 Afas nafsman patîh. The Gâthic would be more literally perhaps 'from His own Dominion.' 52:9 Sardârîh. 52:10 Vazdvarîh; Ner. pîvaratvam. 52:11 One naturally thinks of urvatha (vratha), as having something of the sense of vratyá. But usage compels also the sense of friendship. Hübschmann, Casuslehre, s. 259, 'der durch Gesinnung and Thaten sich ihm als freund erweist.' 52:12 Ner.: Mahâgñâni dadau Svâmî* avirdâdât* an irdâdât sampûrnatvam p. 53 punyâtmane [ ] nigam prabhutvam râgñe* âdhipatyena [ ] uttamena pîvaratvam manasâ [-tasmâi dadate], yo nigasya adrisyamûrteh karmanâ mitram. 53:1 So according to frequent indications. 53:2 Tanû aîtŏ. Ner.: Sa te—mitram asti nivedîtatanuh. 53:3 See chap. XXXIII, 14. The Pahlavi translator renders freely as follows: Manifest things (so possibly; otherwise 'manifestly') (are) these to (so a MS. not yet elsewhere compared) the wise when according to his understanding he disposes and reflects, [that is, he who meditates with thought upon that which his lord and dastur declares to him]. Good is the King for whom they would effect righteousness in word and deed, the man whose body is a bearer of Thee, O Aûharmazd! Next: Yasna XXXII Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism « Previous: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... Index Next: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... » Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism

And first then, in order that we may now resume that which I have said a thousand times already, there is no contradiction in saying that Almighty God...

No doubt, as regards that message, which is said to pass through one angel to another, we may take it as a symbol of a perfecting completed from...

IN the Theological Outlines, then, we celebrated the principal affirmative expressions respecting God--how the Divine and good Nature is spoken of as...

At length I send a word to thee, O Love of my heart, and recall to thy memory the many anxieties and solicitudes, which I have formerly undergone on...

Jesus continued again and said unto his disciples: "Yet further, O my disciples and companions and brethren, let every one be sober in the spirit...

Afterwards, Aûharmazd recited the Ahunavar thus: Yathâ ahû vairyô ('as a heavenly lord is to be chosen'), &c. once, and uttered the twenty-one words;...

Whoso then dwelleth under the help of the Most High, will abide under the shadow of the God of heaven. "'2. He will say unto the Lord: Thou art my suc...

1353 To say: Geb has raised thee up; this thy spirit has been guarded for thee. 1353 Thy mns-jar remains; thy mns-jar is caused to remain. 1353 Thou...

After them eighteen rivers flowed forth from the same source, just as the remaining waters have flowed forth from them in great multitude; as they...

2092 To say: Wake up, Osiris; let the weary god awake. 2092 The god stands up; the god is powerful over his body. 2093 Wake up, N.; let the weary god...

O Light, forget not my praise-singing. "'2. For Self-willed and his lion-faced power have opened their chops against me and have acted craftily agains...

1443 To say: The face of heaven is washed; the vault of heaven is bright; 1443 a god is brought to birth by the sky upon the arms of Shu and Tefnut,...

Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma, It knew only itself (atmanam): is the source of Kshatrahood. Therefore, even if the king attains...