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Pahlavi Texts, Part III (SBE24), E.W. West, tr. [1885], at sacred-texts.com


CHAPTER III.

1. The third subject is this, that it is necessary for man that he be continuously employed (masghûl) on his own work, and then the work becomes his own.

2. For it is declared in revelation, that every one who hereafter becomes employed 2 on his own work, if in the midst of that work any trouble and discomfort happen to him, obtains in that other world twelve recompenses 3 for every single instance. 3. If he becomes employed on iniquity (fasâd), and in the midst of that work any trouble and harm happen to him, he so 4 obtains in that other world only torment (’huqûbat) and punishment.

4. Similarly (maTHalâm), if any one be himself going, employed on his own work, and a robber falls

p. 260

upon him on the road, and carries off his property (qumâs), or he be slain 1, they give him back in that other world four things for each one 2 of whatever they have carried off. 5. If he be slain he becomes righteous, any sin that he has committed goes clean away from him, and they convey him to heaven. 6. But (ammâ) if he becomes faulty (bâtil) in any duty, and a robber falls upon him on the road 3, and carries off his wealth (mâl), or he be slain, when he descends to that other world 4 all the property that other carried off from him becomes just as though it were his who has carried it off from that person 5; and, besides, there occur, as a substitute (’hivaʓ̣) for that property, the punishment and torment they give him. 7. And if he be slain it is just as though he who has carried it off from that person were one who had innocently slain that person who arrives in hell as retribution (mukâfât) for sin.


Footnotes

259:2 B29 has 'hereafter may be.'

259:3 La omits 'recompenses.'

259:4 Lp, B29 omit 'so.'

260:1 Lp, B29, J15 have 'or they shall slay him anywhere.'

260:2 Lp, B29 omit the rest of this sentence.

260:3 Lp, B29 omit 'on the road.'

260:4 That is, to hell.

260:5 That is, the person robbed loses all claim to his property, on account of his neglect of duty.


Next: Chapter IV