(But as to faithless reprobates); the souls (of the evil dead) shall meet those evil men who serve their evil rulers, who speak with evil words, and harbour evil consciences, these souls (in Hell) shall come with evil food (to welcome them), and in the Lie's abode their dwelling verily shall be ! 162:1 If this word does not simply mean 'a band,' one might suspect a relation of root with bãnayen. The Pahlavi has expressively and freely badtûm here, and vîmarîh in the next verse, with a like word in Y. XXX, 6. This enemy may have been roughly dubbed 'the polluted,' or even 'diseased one;' analogous occurrences are not wanting. 162:2 I cannot agree to rendering ashâ 'really,' when applied in an evil sense. The sacred word may mean 'really' when applied to the righteous, but then, in that case, the reality indicated has an element of sanctity in it, and that of no low order. I am also not aware that riténa is applied in an evil sense in the Rig-veda. The use of Asha, like that of Vohu Manah and Khshathra, &c., is obvious in the Gâtha; the six sacred words were, like the theme of a symphony, brought in at every opportunity, with all shades of meaning from those of proper names to those of adverbs. With slight change of text to a nom., we might render, 'He who seeks to please the evil-minded, O Thou A.!' 162:3 Comp. Y. XXXIII, 2, 162:4 I cannot agree that arapâ should be read rapâ for the sake of a syllable in the metre. The line has more than eleven syllables here, as the Vedic Trishtup often has. Moreover the ancient writing before the Pahlavi translator read likewise arapâ, and the sense demands it. 162:5 Or, 'may I obtain.' 162:6 See Y. LIII, 9. 162:7 See the first verse. 163:1 I would gladly accede to a subjunctive 2nd singular intensive here in a causative sense, but a 3rd singular precedes, and a 3rd singular follows. I cannot therefore recognise a subjunctive in a precative, or imperative, sense here. I think the word is a nominative, as its position in the verse corresponds well to that form. It may mean 'delivering against us many a wound.' 163:2 Possibly 'for us in (this) land.' 163:3 Comp. Y. XLIV, 13. 163:4 Comp. Y. XXX, 2. 163:5 See mazistô in the first verse. 163:6 The Pahlavi mûn rêshînêd pavan Drûg. 163:7 The Pahlavi translator gave as our first rendering here: Andarg harvîsp-gûnŏ darvandânŏ min hamkhâkîh andarg yemalelûnam; [aîgh, min dôstîh î levatman valmansân gavîdâk yehevûnam]. 163:8 The Pahlavi has arêshkŏ = envy. 164:1 The Pahlavi gave us our first surmise as to the general meaning of vãs; it renders kâmak. 164:2 Or, 'by that which is the evil's Faith.' 164:3 The Pahlavi translator gave us our first general indication here as elsewhere; he has shîrînîh and karpîh. Reading 'Mazdau,' we have 'Mazda (is our source of) abundance and refreshment.' 164:4 See the fourth verse. 164:5 The Pahlavi has, however, khûp shinâsakîh. I differ with hesitation; possibly views may be harmonised. 164:6 Compare Y. XXIX, 3, where Asha answers. I cannot well accept mrûitê as an infinitive. Geldner has keenly pointed out that fraêshyâ is inclined to unite with an infinitive, but so are other forms of ish and vas. Moreover the infinitive does not so naturally fall to the end of the sentence in Gâthic or Vedic. (See above, note on Y. XXXIV, 1.) If an infinitive is insisted upon (so long since) let us at least bring the word into more usual shape, using the Pahlavi translator, as in one of his most valuable offices, as an indirect evidence, where his translation is at fault as a rendering. He has: Frâzŏ avŏ zak î Lekûm farmâyêm, Aûharmazd, va Ashavahistŏk râî yemalelûnam. He had 'mrûvê' before him, which might be an infinitive. 165:1 I think that khshmâvatô equals simply 'yourself' here, as often (so mavant = me); otherwise 'of your disciple,' which would be feeble. Professor Jolly has, V.S., s. 97, 'damit wir ihn verkündigen möchten den Glauben, welcher der euere ist, o Ahura.' 165:2 See the ninth verse. 165:3 Ahura is elsewhere addressed in close connection with human beings; here the human subject is half lost in Vohûman and Asha. I hardly think that it is wise to change the text without MSS. A lost verse may have relieved all difficulty. 165:4 Others 'the good doctrine,' or again 'the good repute;' but as to the latter, frasasti is coupled so constantly in the later Avesta with yasna, and vahma, &c., that I do not feel at liberty to depart from that sense. The Pahlavi has also vâfrîgânîh, quite in harmony with the connection. 165:5 This verse is clearly an answer to the questions contained in verse 7. It is a half answer, even if we render dau (dâo) as a subjunctive. As the question in verse 7 certainly concerns a chief of some kind, I cannot see how we can avoid rendering sarem analogously. We need one who gives a refuge rather than one who receives it. Compare the Pahlavi, and also the Persian, sar. The Pahlavi p. 166 translation gives its evidence without intermission for this meaning, a fact largely overlooked. 166:1 I think that the connection fairly proves this meaning; and it has likewise the powerful support of the Pahlavi translation: Hamâi vad avŏ vîspŏ farmânpatŏ hômanânî [aîgh, Frashostar [ ] vad tanû î pasînŏ hamâî salîtâîh yehabûn]. 166:2 It is not to be forgotten that su is the root of Saoshyant. 166:3 Comp. Y. XXXI, 15. 166:4 Or 'gives;' compare peresâ avat yâ mainis ye dregvâitê khshathrem hunâitî. Professor Jolly, V.S., s. 36: 'Nicht soll wer das Rechte redet, die Herrschaft dem Lügner überlassen.' 166:5 Yâhî remains a singular, whereas we should expect a dual; (can it be such, the form being altered, as so often by later reciters, to accommodate the metre?) For Gâmâspâ and yukhtâ as duals compare utayûitî tevîsht. Yâhî probably refers to Vîstâspa (Y. XLVI, 14). Was it an especial epithet for the kings? The later Persian kings took prominent places in battle. If the duals are not admitted, my rendering would be, 'the souls are united with the reward through the (influence and example of the) valiant Gâmâspa.' Perhaps Gâmâspô is to be read. 167:1 This is probably the foundation for the later identification of Vohû Manah and the faithful disciple. 167:2 Here all is conjectural. The Pahlavi reports an adjective from a form of man (or a participle). They who think upon the throne (to seize it) do so with dying power. Wilder conjectures have been made; but the Pahlavi translators seldom wilfully guessed. They took the shattered results of their predecessors, and worked them feebly over; hence their great value, and the unimportance of their errors. They used what intelligence they possessed in redelivering what they heard and read. Vazdanghâ cannot well be taken in an evil sense, as it is used in a good sense elsewhere. The connection mãzâ with râ has long circulated; mãzâ avêmî râ (?). As the souls of the departed are thought of, perhaps 'undying' is the meaning; compare avemîra (for form) with the Zend avimithris. 167:3 See Yast XXII by Darmesteter, as supplemented. 167:4 So the Pahlavi; otherwise 'their bodies shall so lie.' 167:5 Verse 12 belongs to the next chapter. Next: Yasna L Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism « Previous: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... Index Next: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasna L » Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism

Then they [i. e. the gods] said to the Ear: * Sing for us the Udgltha/ ' So be it/ said the Ear, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the...

Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the Mind: ' Sing for us the Udgltha/ c So be it/ said the Mind, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in...

And ere it wholly grew inaudible Because of distance, passed another, crying, "I am Orestes!" and it also stayed not. "O," said I, "Father, these, wha...

Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the In-breath (prana): c Sing for us the Udgitha.' e So' be it/ said the In-breath, and sang for them. Whatever...

Languages diverse, horrible dialects, Accents of anger, words of agony, And voices high and hoarse, with sound of hands, Made up a tumult that goes...

Thus one of the Wicked curses the other, who has caused him to commit such Wickedness; the Inferior his Superior that has given him Offence, [and...

The Evil, then, is not an actual thing, nor is the Evil in things existing. For the Evil, qua evil, is nowhere, and the fact that evil comes into...

They said to Speech: c Sing for us the Udgitha. 'So be it/ said Speech, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in speech, that it sang for the...

As unto those who are too reverential, Speaking in presence of superiors, Who drag no living utterance to their teeth, It me befell, that without...

For the old Enemy is subtile and strong, who still assaults the Soul again, to try how he may afflict and deceive it; if he cannot overwhelm it with S...

It is to be laid down that being belongs to the Evil as an accident and by reason of something else, and not from its own origin, and thus that that...

But that the astringent and bitter spirit sitteth still in its seat at the hinder gums on the tongue, and thrusteth forth the word at the mouth, and y...

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the...

Souls vary in worth; and the difference is due, among other causes, to an almost initial inequality; it is in reason that, standing to the...

Observe now the Depth of the divine Birth; they see well enough. there is no Sulphur in God, but it is generated from him, and there is such a Virtue...

Now when these evil, devilish spirits (understand the centre of the genitrix) moved or boiled in God's Salitter, and made havock, or spoiled all...

Aûharmazd, by whom the creatures of the evil spirit were seen, creatures terrible, corrupt, and bad, also considered them not commendable (bûrzisnîk).

The Evil, then, is not even in Angels. But by punishing sinners are they evil? By this rule, then, the punishers of transgressors are evil, and those ...

But, that afterwards the astringent and bitter qualities awaken behind, and coimage afterwards to the framing of the word, signifieth that indeed all ...

If this be so, how do we explain the teaching that evils can never pass away but "exist of necessity," that "while evil has no place in the divine...