________________
YASNA XLIX.
163
Bendva's evil judge doth cause me to hesitate and ponder (in my earnest course of propagation and reform), a deceiver as he is, (estranged) from the Righteous Order, and receiving from it (not happiness) but many a wound. The bountiful and perfect. Piety he has not maintained nor strengthened for this : land, nor questions with Thy Good Mind hath he asked' (to gain him light), O Lord !
3. But (all is not yet lost!); for this religious choice (our holy creed, for which our last lost battle has been fought), O Mazda! Thy blessed Order (our guardian help) has yet been set to save and bless us. (But) for (that evil) Judge, the Demon-of-the-Lie, (is set) to deal (for him) her wounds. Therefore do I pray (the more) for the sheltering leadership of Thy Good Mind (within our folk and our commanders). And all the allies of the wicked I abjure ?
4. They who with evil scheme and will shall cherish and help on the Wrath of Rapine, and with her Rama S, and (not by silent favour, but) with their
I would gladly accede to a subjunctive and singular intensive here in a causative sense, but a 3rd singular precedes, and a 3rd singular follows. I cannot therefore recognise a subjunctive in a precative, or imperative, sense here. I think the word is a nominative, as its position in the verse corresponds well to that form. It may mean 'delivering against us many a wound.'
• Possibly 'for us in (this) land.' • Comp. Y. XLIV, 13. • Comp. Y. XXX, 2. o See mazist in the first verse. • The Pahlavi mûn rêshînêd pavan Drug.
? The Pahlavi translator gave as our first rendering here : Andarg harvîsp-gnð darvandânð min hamkhâkîh andarg yemalelanam; [aigh, min dostih î levatman valmansân gavidák yehevūnam). • The Pahlavi has arêshko=envy.
M 2
Digitized by Google
Digitized by