________________
206
BAHMAN YAST.
37. Or, in those last times, it becomes allowable to perform a ceremonial (yazisn) with two men, so that this religion may not come to nothing and collapse?; there will be only one in a hundred, in a thousand, in a myriad, who believes in this religion, and even he does nothing of it though it be a dutys; and the fire of Váhrâm, which will come to nothing and collapse, falls off from a thousand to one care-taker, and even he does not supply it properly with firewood and incense; or when a man, who has performed worship and does not know the Nirangistân 3 (code of religious formulas '), shall kindle it with good intentions, it is allowable.
38. 'Honourable* wealth will all proceed to those of perverted faith (kêvid-kêshân); it comes to the transgressors, and virtuous doers of good works, from the families of noblemen even unto the priests (môg-mardân), remain running about uncovered ; the lower orders take in marriage the daughters of nobles, grandees, and priests; and the nobles, grandees, and priests come to destitution and bondage. 39. The misfortunes of the ignoble will overtake greatness and authority, and the helpless and ignoble will come to the foremost place and advancement; the words of the upholders of religion, and the seal and decision of a just judge will become the
1 The Pâz. MSS. add, and helplessness.'
· The Pâz. MSS. add, and the prayers and ceremonies that he orders of priests and disciples they do not fulfil.'
: The name of a work which treats of various ceremonial details, and appears to be a portion of the Pahlavi translation of the seventeenth or Húspâram Nask, containing many Avesta quotations which are not now to be found elsewhere.
• The Pâz. MSS. have misread azîr damik, 'underground,' instead of a zarmik.
Digitized by
Digitized by Google
