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 58.

1.

The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Wherefore is it when one turns the ignorance and foolishness of an ignorant king back to knowledge and cleverness, on account of the sovereignty which is his; (3) and, as to a poor man, who is wise, one turns the knowledge and sagacity, which are his, back to foolishness and uselessness, on account of the poverty?'

4.

The spirit of wisdom answered (5) thus: 'On account of the deceit and violence of the fiend of greediness (6) men utter more words as to the manliness of every one whose wealth and power are more, and recount his deeds and actions more fully; (7) but, in the eyes of the angels and archangels, a poor man who is innocent and wise is better and more precious than a king or opulent man who is ignorant.'

CHAPTER 59.

1.

The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'What are the vices of priests? 3. What are the vices of warriors? 4. What are the vices of husbandmen? 5. And what are the vices of artisans?' 6. The spirit of wisdom answered (7) thus: 'The vices of priests are heresy, covetousness, negligence, trafficking (sudakih), attention to trifles, and unbelief in the religion.

8.

'The vices of warriors are oppression, violence, promise-breaking, unmercifulness (an-avokhshaga-vandih), ostentation (dakhshih), haughtiness, and arrogance.

9.

'The vices of husbandmen are ignorance, enviousness, ill-will, and maliciousness.

10.

'And the vices of artisans are unbelief, want of thanksgiving, improper muttering of prayers, moroseness, and abusiveness.'

CHAPTER 60.

1.

The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Of mankind which are more conversant with good and evil?'

3.

The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'Of mankind he whose sojourn and business are with the bad, and they provide him a name for good repute and goodness, is the man more conversant with good. 5. And he whose sojourn and business are with the good, and they provide him a name for disrepute, is the man more conversant with evil.

6.

'Because it is said, (7, 8) that whoever joins with the good brings good with him, and whoever joins with the bad brings evil (9) just like the wind which, when it impinges on stench, is stench, (10) and when it impinges on perfume, is perfume, -- (11) it is, therefore, notorious, (12) that he whose business is with the good receives good, (13) and he whose business is with the bad receives evil; (14) but, even then, both are to be considered as an experiment (auzmayishno).'

CHAPTER 61.

1.

The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which is the chief of men? Which is the chief of women? 3. Which is the chief of horses? Which is the chief of flying creatures? 4. Which is the chief of oxen? Which is the chief of wild animals? Which is the chief of grains?'

5.

The spirit of wisdom answered (6) thus: 'The man who is wise, who is steadfast in the religion, who is well-praising, who is true-speaking is chief over his associates.

7.

'The woman who is young, who is properly disposed, who is faithful, who is respected, who is good-natured, who enlivens the house, whose modesty and awe are virtuous, a friend of her own father and elders, husband and guardian, handsome and replete with animation is chief over the women who are her own associates.

8.

'The ox which is glorious, which is tall-eared, which has a herd of cows is chief over oxen.

9.

'The Chiharav is the chief of birds. 10. The horse which is swift is the chief of horses. 11. The hare is the chief of wild animals; and wheat; is the chief of grains.'

CHAPTER 62.

1.

The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'In what place stands Kangdez? 3. Where is the enclosure formed by Yim [Jamshed] constructed? 4. In what place lies the body of Sahm? 5. Where is the abode of Srosh? 6. In what place stands the three-legged ass? 7. Where is the Haoma grown, the preparer of the dead, with which they restore the dead and produce the future existence? 8. In which place is Gopaitoshah? 9. With what work is the Kar fish entrusted? 10. Where has the griffin bird a nest (ashiyan)? 11. In what place sits Chinamrosh, and what is his work?'

12.

The spirit of wisdom answered (13) thus: 'Kangdez is entrusted with the eastern quarter, near to Sataves, (14) on the frontier of Eranvej.

15.

'The enclosure formed by Yim [Jamshed] is constructed in Eranvej, below the earth. 16. And every species and seed of all the creatures and creations of Ohrmazd, the lord, whatever is better and more select of man and beast of burden, of cattle and flying creatures is brought thither'. 17. And every forty years one child is born from one woman and one man who are of that place; (18) their life, too, is three hundred years, (19) and their pain and disturbance are little.

20.

'The body of Sahm is in the plain of Peshandas, near to Mount Damawand. 21. And on that plain, except corn and the eatable things they sow and reap and live upon, there is not so much as a single other tree, or shrub, or plant; (22) and its golden color is mostly wormwood. 23. And the angels and archangels have appointed 99,999 guardian spirits [fravashis] of the righteous as a protection for the body of Sahm, (24) so that the demons and fiends may not injure it.

25.

'The abode of Srosh is mostly in Arezahi, and afterwards also in Sawahi and the whole world.

26.

'The three-legged ass sits amid the sea Varkash; (27) and as to water of every kind that rains on dead matter, the menstrual discharge, and other bodily refuse, when it arrives at the three-legged ass, he makes every kind clean and-purified, with watchfulness.

28.

'The Haoma, which is the preparer of the dead, is grown in the sea Varkash, in that which is the deepest place; (29) and 99,999 guardian spirits [fravashis] of the righteous are appointed as its protection. 30. The Kar fish, too, ever circles around it, and always keeps the frog and other noxious creatures away from it.

30.

'Gopaitoshah is in Eranvej, within the region of Xwaniratha. 32. From foot to mid-body he is an ox, and from mid-body to the top he is a man. 33. And at all times he sits on the sea-shore, (34) and always performs the ceremonial of the sacred beings, and pours holy-water into the sea. 35. On account of which, through the pouring of that holy-water, innumerable noxious creatures in the sea will die. 36. Because, if he does not specially perform that celebration of the ceremonial, and does not pour that holy-water into the sea where those innumerable noxious creatures shall utterly perish -- then, whenever the rain shall rain, the noxious creatures have to rain just like rain.

37.

'The nest of the griffin bird is on the tree opposed to harm, the many-seeded. 38. Whenever he rises aloft a thousand twigs will shoot out from that tree, (39) and when he alights he breaks off the thousand twigs and bites the seed from them. 40. And the bird Chinamrosh alights likewise in that vicinity; (41) and his work is this, that he collects those seeds which are bitten from the tree of many seeds, which is opposed to harm, and he scatters (parganded) them there where Tishtar seizes the water; (42) so that, while Tishtar shall seize the water, together with those seeds of all kinds, he shall rain them on the world with the rain.'

CHAPTER 63.

1.

The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which is that good work which is greater and better than all good works, and no trouble (anjinako) whatever is necessary for its performance?'

3.

The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'To be grateful in the world, (5) and to wish happiness for every one. 6. This is greater and better than every good work, and no commotion (angejinako) whatever is necessary for its performance.'

Peace and prosperity.

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