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Menog-i Khrad ('The Spirit of Wisdom')

Translated by E. W. West, from Sacred Books of the East, volume 24, Oxford University Press, 1880.

CHAPTER 28.

1.
'The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Who is the more forgiving (vakhshayaniktar)? 3. What is the more in strength? 4. What is the swifter? 5. What is the happier? 6. What is the more miserable?'
7.
The spirit of wisdom answered (8) thus: 'Ohrmazd, the lord, is the more forgiving. 9. He saw the nine thousand years' mischief among his own creatures, owing to Ahriman, yet afterwards, through justice and forgiveness, he does not then smite him for it.
10.
'And the celestial sphere is the more in strength. 11. 'The intellect of mankind is the swifter. 12. The souls of the righteous are the happier. 13. And those of the wicked are the more penitent.'

CHAPTER 29.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'What is it necessary to keep with more regard and more protection?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'It is necessary to keep a young serving-boy (rasik), a wife, a beast of burden, and a fire with more protection and more regard.'

CHAPTER 30.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which of any living existence (zivendag-I) is the worse? 3. And in wisdom who is the more unforeseeing?'
4.
The spirit of wisdom answered (5) thus: 'A life of him is the worse, who lives in fear and falsehood. 6. And in wisdom he is the more unforeseeing, who does not provide for the spiritual existence, and attends to the worldly one.'

CHAPTER 31.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'What is the business of the priests, warriors, and husbandmen, each separately?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'The business of the priests is to maintain the religion properly; (5) and to perform the ceremonial and invocation of the sacred beings well and with attention, (6) and the decrees, decisions, custom, and control, as revealed by the pure, good religion of the Mazda-worshippers. 7. To make people aware of the goodness of good works; (8) and to show the way to heaven, and the danger and avoidance of hell.
9.
'The business of the warriors is to defeat the enemy; (10) and to keep their own country and land (bum) unalarmed and tranquil.
11.
'And the business of the husbandmen is to perform tillage and cultivation; (12) and, to the extent of their ability, to keep the world invigorated and populous.'

CHAPTER 32.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'What is the business of the well-endeavoring, the artisans?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'The business of the artisans is this, (5) that as to that work which they do not understand, they do not bring a hand to it; (6) and that which they well understand (hu-danend), they perform well and with attention; (7) and they demand wages lawfully. (8). For as to him who persists in doing that work which he does not understand, it is he by whom that work is spoiled and becomes useless; and when, moreover, he is a man whose work makes himself satisfied, it then becomes even an origin of sin for him.'

CHAPTER 33.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'As to a ruler, (3) a chieftain, (4) a friend, (5) a kinsman, (6) a wife, (7) a child, (8) and a country, which is the worse?'
9.
The spirit of wisdom answered (10) thus: 'That ruler is the worse, that is not able to keep the country unalarmed, and the people untroubled. 11. That chieftain is the worse, who is defective in ability, unthankful unto agents (kartaran), and no helper and interceder for a servant (ashak). 12. That friend is the worse, who is not fit to be relied upon. 13. That kinsman is the worse, who is no helper in illness (khastanak). 14. That wife is the worse, with whom it is not possible to live with pleasure. 15. That child is the worse, who is no bringer of renown. 16. And that country is the worse, in which it is not possible to live in happiness, fearlessness, and permanence.'

CHAPTER 34.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Has the creator Ohrmazd produced the creation of anything whatever for the worldly existence, unto which Ahriman is not able to bring disturbance?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'To him who is a wise and contented man it is but little possible to bring disturbance.'

CHAPTER 35.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'How many are those people whom it is necessary to consider as rich, and how many are those who are poor?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'These are the people it is necessary to consider as rich: -- (5) one is he who is perfect in wisdom; (6) the second, whose body is healthy, and he lives fearlessly; (7) the third, who is content with that which has come; (8) the fourth, he whose destiny is a helper in virtue; (9) the fifth, who is well-famed in the eyes of the sacred beings, and by the tongues of the good; (10) the sixth, whose trust is on this one, pure, good religion of the Mazda-worshippers; (11) and the seventh, whose wealth is from honesty.
12.
'And these are the people to be considered as poor: -- (13) one is he with whom there is no wisdom; (14) the second, whose body is not healthy; (15) the third, who lives in his fear, terror, and falsehood; (16) the fourth, who is not ruling in his own body; (17) the fifth, whose destiny is no helper; (18) the sixth, who is infamous in the eyes of the sacred beings, and on the tongues of the good; (19) and the seventh, who is old, and no child and kindred exist.'

CHAPTER 36.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which sin is the more heinous?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'Of the sin which people commit, unnatural intercourse is the more heinous. 5. The second is he who has suffered or performed intercourse with men. 6. The third, who slays a righteous man. 7. The fourth, who breaks off a next-of-kin marriage. 8. The fifth, who destroys the arrangement of an adopted son (sator). 9. The sixth, who smites the fire of Warharan. 10. The seventh, who kills a water-beaver [baprako-i avik = Av. bawrish upapo]. 11. The eighth, who worships an idol. 12. The ninth, who believes and wishes to worship in every religion. 13. The tenth, who consumes anything which is received into his custody, and becomes an embezzler. 14. The eleventh is he who, through sinfulness, provides support for wickedness. 15. The twelfth, who does no work, but eats unthankfully and unlawfully. 16. The thirteenth, who commits heresy (zandikih). 17. The fourteenth, who commits witchcraft. 18. The fifteenth, who commits apostasy (aharmokih). 19. The sixteenth, who commits demon-worship. 20. The seventeenth, who commits theft, or abetting (avagitih) of thieves. 21. The eighteenth, who commits promise-breaking. 22. The nineteenth, who commits maliciousness. 23. The twentieth, who commits oppression to make the things of others his own. 24. The twenty-first, who distresses a righteous man. 25. The twenty-second, who commits slander. 26. The twenty-third, who commits arrogance. 27. The twenty-fourth, who goes to a professional courtesan. 28. The twenty-fifth, who commits ingratitude. 29. The twenty-sixth, who speaks false and untrue. 30. The twenty-seventh, who causes discontent as to the affairs of those who are departed. 31. The twenty-eighth, whose pleasure is from viciousness and harassing the good. 32. The twenty-ninth, who considers sin as to be urged on, and a good work as a day's delay. 33. And the thirtieth, who becomes grieved by that happiness which is provided by him for anyone.'

CHAPTER 37.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Through how many ways and motives of good works do people arrive most at heaven?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: The first good work is liberality. 5. The second, truth. 6. The third, thankfulness. 7. The fourth, contentment. The fifth, wanting to produce welfare for the good, and becoming a friend to every one. 9. The sixth, being without doubt as to this, that the sky and earth and every benefit of the worldly and spiritual existences are owing to the creator Ohrmazd. 10. The seventh, being so as to the unquestionableness of this, that all misery and affliction are owing to Ahriman the wicked, who is accursed. 11. The eighth, freedom from doubt as to the resurrection and future existence. 12. The ninth, who for love of the soul effects a next-of-kin marriage. 13. The tenth, who arranges adoption. 14. The eleventh, who practices regular industry. 15. The twelfth, who is without doubt in this pure, good religion of the Mazda-worshippers. 16. The thirteenth, who is kindly regardful as to the ability and means of every one. 17. The fourteenth, who perceives the kind regard of the good, and becomes himself, also, kindly regardful as to the goodness which one wants among the good. 18. The fifteenth, who seeks the affection of the good. 19. The sixteenth, who keeps malice and uncharitableness far from his mind. 20. The seventeenth, who bears no improper envy. 21. The eighteenth, who forms no desire of lust. 22. The nineteenth, who produces no discord with any one. 23. The twentieth, who brings no distress into the affairs of a departed and unassisted one (avijit). 24. The twenty-first, who lets no wrath into his body. 25. The twenty-second, who commits no sin on account of disgrace. 26. The twenty-third, who forms no desire of lethargy on account of laziness. 27. The twenty-fourth, who is without doubt as to the sacred beings. 28. The twenty-fifth, who is without doubt as to the existence of heaven and hell, and the account which is to be rendered by the soul, the glory which is in heaven, and the misery which is in hell. 29. The twenty-sixth, who abstains from slander and envious looks. 30. The twenty-seventh, who causes the happiness of himself, and gives happy advancement also to others. 31. The twenty-eighth, who becomes the help of the good, and accuser of the bad. 32. The twenty-ninth, who restrains himself from deceit and evil (dushih). 33. The thirtieth, who does not speak false and untrue. 34. The thirty-first, who restrains himself firmly from promise-breaking. 35. The thirty-second, who, for the sake of seeking his own benefit and happiness, causes the abstinence of others from evil. 36. And the thirty-third, who provides lodging accommodation for the sick and secluded and traders.'

CHAPTER 38.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Wherefore is it when they do not allot the happiness of the worldly existence according to worthiness, and they make the soul a seizer upon the spiritual existences by worthiness of action?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'On account of the compassion of Ohrmazd, the lord, as regards the creatures, he allots all happiness alike among the good and alike among the bad. 5. But when it does not always come upon them, it is on account of the oppression of Ahriman and the demons, and the extortion of those seven planets.
6.
'And they make one a seizer upon the spiritual existences, by worthiness of action, on this account, because the wickedness of anyone arises through the performance of his own actions.'

CHAPTER 39.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which power is the more seemly? 3. In wisdom who is the more complete? 4. And in disposition who is the more faithful? 5. Whose speech is the more proper? 6. In whose mind is the goodness little? 7. And as a friend who is the worse? 8. In whose mind is the pleasure little? 9. In heart who is the more seemly? 10. In endurance who is the more approvable? 11. Who is not to be considered as faithful? 12. What is that which is worth keeping with every one? 13. And what is that which is not to be kept with any one? 14. What is to be preserved in conversation? 15. Who is he that is not to be accepted as a witness? I6. And unto whom is it necessary to be obedient? 17. What is it more necessary to mind and to keep praising? 18. What is that which is not to be made unrespected in any way? 19. What is he who, in his own degree, is said to be such as Ohrmazd and the archangels? 20. And what is he who, in his own degree, is such as Ahriman and the demons?'
21.
The spirit of wisdom answered (22) thus: 'In power he is the more seemly who, when he indulges his wrath, is able to allay the wrath, and not commit sin and gratify himself. 23. And in wisdom he is the more complete who is able to preserve his own soul. 24. In disposition he is the more faithful, in whom there is nothing whatever of deceit and pretense. 25. The speech of him is the more proper who speaks more true. 26. Goodness is little in the mind of a man of wrath. 27. As a friend, malicious man who is a fighter is worse. 28. And pleasure is little in the mind of him who is an envious man. 29. In heart he is the more seemly who abandons the worldly existence and seizes the spiritual one; (30) and by his own will accepts righteousness as a yoke (val chavarman). 31. And in endurance he is the more approvable who, contentedly and with a will accepts, as a yoke, the misery and affliction which come upon him from Ahriman and the demons and the vile; (32) and it, in no way, harasses his own soul. 33. He is not to be considered as faithful who has no fear of the sacred beings, nor shame as to mankind. 34. Those which are worth keeping with every one are peace and affection. 35. And those which are not to be kept with any one whatever are malice and discord. 36. All these three are to be preserved in conversation: good thoughts, good words, and good deeds in one's own thinking, speaking, and doing. 37. These three are not to be accepted as a witness: a woman, a young serving-boy, and a man-slave. 38. These are such as must be personally obedient and do service: (39) the wife unto the husband, (40) and the child unto the father and mother, the chieftain and high-priest, the teacher, the adopted son, and secluded kindred. 41. And unto rulers, chieftains, and teachers one is also to be obedient. 42. The sacred beings it is more necessary to mind and to keep praising. 43. And one's own soul is not to be made unrespected in any mode, (44) and is always to be kept in remembrance. 45. The judge who exercises true justice, and takes no bribe, is, in his own degree, such as Ohrmazd and the archangels. 46. And he who exercises false justice is said to be, in his own degree, such as Ahriman and the demons.'

CHAPTER 40.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'What is the colder and what is the warmer? 3. What is the brighter and what is the darker? 4. What is the fuller and what is the emptier? 5. What end is the more fruitless? 6. What is that thing of which no superfluity arises for any one? 7. What is that which no one is able to deprive one of? 8. What is that thing which it is not possible to buy at a price? 9. What is that thing with which every one is always satisfied? 10. What is that with which no one whatever is satisfied? 11. What is that one wish that Ohrmazd, the lord, contemplates as regards men? 12. What is that one wish that Ahriman, the wicked, contemplates as regards men? 13. What is the end of the worldly existence and what is the end of the spiritual one?'
14. The spirit of wisdom answered (15) thus: 'The heart of the righteous is the warmer, and that of the wicked the colder. 16. Righteousness is the brighter, and wickedness the darker. 17. The hope and protection which pertain to the sacred beings are the fuller, and those which pertain to the demons are the emptier. 18. The end of the world-arranging and spirit-destroying man is the more fruitless. 19. It is knowledge of which no one knows a superfluity. 20. It is learning and skill which no one is able to deprive one of. 21. It is understanding and intellect which it is not possible to buy at a price. 22. It is wisdom with which every one and one's own self are untroubled and satisfied. 23. It is stupidity and ignorance with which every one and even one's own self are troubled and not satisfied.
24.
'That one wish which Ohrmazd, the lord, contemplates as regards men is this, (25) that "ye shall fully understand me; for every one who fully understands me, comes after me and strives for my satisfaction." 26. And that one wish which Ahriman contemplates as regards men is this, (27) that "ye shall not understand me;" for he knows that whoever fully understands that wicked one, does not go after his evil deeds, (28) and nothing whatever of power and help for him arises from that man.
29.
'And as to that which is asked by thee 'concerning the spiritual and worldly existences, the worldly existence is, in the end, death and, disappearance, (30) and of the spiritual existence, in the end, that of a soul of the righteous is undecaying, immortal, and undisturbed, full of glory and full of enjoyment, forever and everlasting, with the angels and archangels and the guardian spirits [farohars] of the righteous. 31. And the [Chinwad] bridge and destruction and punishment of the wicked in hell are for ever and everlasting. 32. And the wicked soul, apart from the punishment, contemplates the existence, and even the appearance, with the demons and fiends just as, in the worldly existence, a healthy man does that with him who is very grievously sick.'

CHAPTER 41.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which man is the mightier? 3. Which road is the more dreadful? 4. Which account is the more perplexing? 5. Which tie is the pleasanter? 6. Which work is the more regrettable? 7. And which gift is the more unprofitable?'
8.
The spirit of wisdom answered (9) thus: 'That man is the mightier who is able to struggle with his own fiends; (10) and, in particular, he who keeps these five fiends far from his person, (11) which are such as greediness, wrath, lust, disgrace, and discontent. 12. The road in passing over the Chinwad bridge is the more dreadful. 13. The account for a soul of the wicked is the more perplexing. 14. The tie of children is the pleasanter and more desirable. 15. That work is the more regrettable which they do for the ungrateful. 16. And that gift is the more unprofitable which they give to the unworthy.'

CHAPTER 42.

1.
The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'How many kinds of man are there?'
3.
The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'There are three kinds of man, (5) one is man, one is demi-man, and one is demi-demon.
6.
'A man is he who is without doubt as to the creativeness of Ohrmazd, the destructiveness of Ahriman, and the existence of the resurrection and future existence; and also as regards every other happiness and misery, in the worldly and spiritual existences, (7) that its origin is from both of those beings, from Ohrmazd and Ahriman. 8. And his belief is in this one pure, good religion of the Mazda-worshippers; (9) and he does not believe in, and does not hearken unto, any heterodoxy.
10.
'A demi-man is he who performs the affairs of the worldly and spiritual existences according to his own opinion, self-conceitedly and obstinately; (11) be they duties and good works by the will of Ohrmazd, or be they by the will of Ahriman, they proceed from him.
12.
'A demi-demon is he in whom there is only as it were the name of man and the human race, but in his doing of every action he is then like unto a two-legged demon. 13. He understands no worldly and no spiritual existence, (14) he understands no good work and no sin, (15) he understands no heaven and no hell, (16) and even the account which is to be rendered by the soul he does not think of.'