Chapter XVIII

Pahlavi Texts, Part IV (SBE37), E.W. West, tr. [1892], at sacred-texts.com

p. 206

CHAPTER XVIII.

Sûdkar Nask.

1. The seventeenth fargard, Yêzî ¹, is about where he is who shall commit any of these five sins ², and, thereby perverted from the religion, has diminished his own life and destiny ³:—A human being when he contentedly reverences a demon in spiritual lordship (ahûîh) and priestly authority (radîh), one steadfast in religion when he so reverences one unsteadfast in religion, a teacher when he so reverences one who is no teacher and ignorant, one acquainted with the Gâthas when he so reverences one unacquainted with the Gâthas and unintelligent (anashnâs) ⁴, and a helpful one when he so reverences an unhelpful and unwise one.

2. This, too, where also they are who unlawfully slaughter a sheep, or beast of burden, which diminishes their life and destiny. 3. And so, too, those also who think scornfully of Aûharmazd, O pure and righteous Spîtâmân! and their own religion, the strength of the righteous and thy disciples.

4. Excellence that is perfect is righteousness.

Footnotes

206:1 The first word of the second hâ of the third Gâtha (Yas. XLVIII, 1), here written yezîk in Pahlavi.

206:2 B omits 'sins.'

206:3 Or 'glory.'

206:4 So in K, but both MSS. give this clause imperfectly.