Translation by Bartholomae, from I.J.S. Taraporewala, The
Divine Songs of Zarathushtra.
Notes in square brackets [] were added by JHP.
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1. For his holy Spirit and for Best Thought, deed, and word,
in accordance with Right Mazda Ahura with Dominion and Piety shall
give us Welfare and Immortality.
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| 2.
The best (work) of this most holy Spirit he fulfills with
the tongue through words of Good Thought, with work of his hands
through the action of Piety, by virtue of this knowledge: he,
even Mazda, is the Father of Right.
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| 3.
Thou art the holy Father of this Spirit, which has created
for us the luck-bringing cattle, and for its pasture to give it
peace (has created) Piety, when he had taken counsel, O Mazda,
with Good Thought.
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| 4.
From this Spirit have Liars fallen away, O Mazda, but not
the Righteous. Whether one is lord of little or of much, he is
to show love to the righteous, but be ill unto the Liar.
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| 5.
And all the best things which by this Holy Spirit thou hast
promised to the righteous, O Mazda Ahura, shall the Liar partake
of them without thy will, who by his actions is on the side of
Ill Thought?
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| 6.
Through this holy Spirit, Mazda Ahura, and through the Fire
thou wilt give the division of good to the two parties, with support
of Piety and Right. This verily will convert many who are ready
to hear.
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1. When at the Recompensings the Right shall smite the Liar,
so that what was long since made known shall be assigned to eternity
to Daevas and men, then will it exalt with thy blessings, Ahura,
him who prays to thee.
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NOTES:
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2. Tell me, for thou art he that knows, O Ahura: - shall the
Righteous smite the Liar before the retributions come which thou
hast conceived? That were indeed a message to bless the world.
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| 3.
For him that knows, that is the best of teachings which the
beneficent Ahura teaches through the Right, he the holy one, even
thyself, O Mazda, that knows the secret lore through the wisdom
of Good Thought.
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| 4.
Whoso, O Mazda, makes his thought (now) better, (now) worse,
and likewise his Self by action and by word, and follows his own
inclinations, wishes, and choices, he shall in thy purpose be
in a separate place at last.
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| 5.
Let good rulers rule us, not evil rulers with the actions
of the Good Lore, O Piety! Perfect thou for man, O thou most good,
the future birth, and for the cow skilled husbandry. Let her grow
fat for our nourishing.
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| 6.
She (Armaiti) will give us peaceful dwelling, she will give
lasting life and strength, she the beloved of Good Thought. For
it (the cattle) Mazda Ahura made the plants to grow at the birth
of the First Life, through Right.
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| 7.
Violence must be put down! against cruelty make a stand, ye
who would make sure of the reward of Good Thought through Right,
to whose company the holy man belongs. His dwelling place shall
be in thy House, O Ahura.
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| 8.
Is the possession of thy good Dominion, Mazda, is that of
thy Destiny assured to me Ahura? Will thy manifestation, O thou
Right, be welcome to the pious, even the weighing of actions by
the Good Spirit [Spenta Mainyu -JHP]?
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| 9.
When shall I know whether ye have power, O Mazda and Right,
over everyone whose destructiveness is a menace to me? Let the
revelation of Good Thought be confirmed unto me; the future deliverer
should know how his own destiny shall be.
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10. When, O Mazda, will the nobles understand the message? When
will thou smite the filthiness of this intoxicant, through which
the Karapans evilly deceive, and the wicked lords of the lands
with purpose fell?1
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1. Martin Schwartz tr: "When will they ban(ish) the filth
of that ditch/reciprocity-gift whereby ... the karapans commit
plunder", 'thus Yasna 48.10 contains no reference to intoxication,
let alone condemnation of haoma.' Flattery: 'the passage ... has
nothing remotely to do with sauma.' (Flattery & Schwartz,
Haoma and Harmaline, 1989, pp. 105, 6.)
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11. When, O Mazda, shall Piety come with Right, with Dominion
the happy dwelling rich with pasture? Who are they that will make
peace with the bloodthirsty Liars? To whom will the Lore of Good
Thought come?
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| 12.
These shall be the deliverers [Saoshyants -JHP] of the provinces, who exert
themselves, O Good Thought in their action, O Asha, to fulfill
their duty, face to face with thy command, O Mazda. For these
are the appointed smiters of Violence.
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| 1.
Ever has Bendva been for me the greatest obstacle, I who desire
to give satisfaction to those who are neglected, O Right, O Mazda.
With good Ada come to me, support me firmly. Prepare for him (his)
ruin, O Good Thought.
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| 2.
The perverter of this Bendva has long time impeded me, the
Liar who has fallen away from Right. He cares not that holy Piety
should be his, nor takes the counsel with Good Thought, O Mazda.
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| 3.
And in this belief (of ours), O Mazda, Right is laid down,
for blessing, in the heresy the Lie, for ruin. Therefore I strive
for the fellowship of Good Thought, I forbid all intercourse with
the Liar.
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| 4.
They who make the increase of violence and cruelty with their
tongues, the foes of cattle-nurture among its friends; whose ill
deeds prevail, not their good deeds: these (shall be) in the house
of the Daevas, (the place for) the Self of the Liar.
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| 5.
But he, O Mazda, - happiness and satiety be his who links
his own Self with Good Thought, being through Right an intimate
of Piety. And with all these (may I be) in Thy Dominion, Ahura.
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| 6.
I beseech you twain, O Mazda and the Right, to say what are
the plans of your will, that we may discern how we might teach
the Religion of such as you, O Ahura.
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| 7.
And this let Good Thought hear, O Mazda, let the Right hear,
do thou also listen, O Ahura, which men of the brotherhood, what
noble is it according to the Law who brings to the community fame.
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| 8.
On Frashaoshtra do thou bestow the most gladsome fellowship
with the Right - this I ask thee, O Mazda Ahura - and on myself
the hold on what is good in thy Dominion. To all eternity we would
be thy messengers.
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| 9.
Let the helper hear the ordinance, he that is created to bring
deliverance. The man of right words is no regarder of fellowship
with the Liar, if they that are partakers of Right are to make
their Selves partake in the best reward at the Judgment, O Jamaspa.
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| 10.
And this, O Mazda, will I put in thy care within thy House
- the Good Thought and the souls of the Righteous, their worship,
their Piety and zeal, that thou mayst guard it, O thou mighty
Dominion, with abiding power.
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| 11.
But these that are of an evil dominion, of evil deeds, evil
words, evil Self, and evil thought, Liars, the Souls go to meet
them with evil food; in the House of the Lie they shall be meet
inhabitants.
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| 12.
What help hast thou, O Right, for Zarathushtra that calls
upon me? What hast thou, Good Thought? -- for me who with praises
seeks your favor, O Mazda Ahura, longing for that which is best
in your possession.
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| 1.
(Zarathushtra:) Can my soul count on any one for help? Who
is there found for my herd, who for myself a protector, indeed,
at my call other than the Right and thyself. O Mazda Ahura, and
the Best Thought?
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2.
How, O Mazda, should one desire the luck-bringing cattle,
one who would fain it would come to him with the pasture?
(Mazda:) They that live uprightly according to the Right among
the many that look upon the sun, those whom they stand in judgment,
I will settle in the dwellings of the wise.
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| 3.
(Zarathushtra:) So this (reward) shall come to him through
the Right, O Mazda, (this reward) which by the Dominion and Good
Thought he promised, whomsoever by the power of his Destiny prospers
the neighboring possession that now the Liar holds.
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| 4.
I will worship you with praise, O Mazda Ahura, joined with
Right and Best Thought and Dominion, that they, desired of pious
men, may stand as Judges on the path of the obedient unto the
House of Song.
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| 5.
Assured by you, O Mazda Ahura and Right, are the pointings
of the hand - since you are well-disposed to your prophet - which
shall bring us to bliss, together with visible manifest help.
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| 6.
The prophet Zarathushtra, O Mazda, who lifts up his voice
in worship, as friend of Asha - may the Creator of Wisdom teach
me his ordinances through Good Thought, that my tongue may have
a pathway.
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| 7.
For you I will harness the swiftest steeds, stout and strong,
by the promptings of your praise, that ye may come hither, O Mazda,
Right, and Good thought.
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| 8.
Ever with verses that are recognized as those of pious zeal
I will come before you with outstretched hands, O Mazda, before
you, O thou Right, with worship of the faithful man, before you
with all the capacity of Good Thought.
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| 9.
With those prayers I would come and praise you, O Mazda and
thou Right, with actions of Good Thought. If I be master of my
own destiny as I will, then will I take thought for the portion
of the wise in the same.
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| 10.
Those actions that I shall achieve and those done aforetime,
and those, O Good Thought, that are precious in thy sight, the
rays of the sun, the shimmering uprisings of the days, all is
for your praise, O thou Right and Mazda Ahura.
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| 11.
Your praiser, Mazda, will I declare myself and be, so long,
O Right, as I have strength and power. May the Creator of the
world accomplish through Good Thought its fulfillment of all that
most perfectly answers to his will.
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