Winfred P. Lehmann, Director :: PCL 5.112, 1 University Station S5490 :: Austin, TX 78712 :: 512-471-4566
Early Indo-European Texts
Avestan
Jonathan Slocum and Scott L. Harvey
This page contains a text in Avestan with an English translation. This particular text and its translation are extracted from a lesson in the Early Indo-European Online series, where one may find detailed information about this text (see the Table of Contents page for Old Iranian Online in EIEOL), and general information about the Avestan language and its speakers' culture.
Old Avestan: Yasna 29 (continued)
6 aṯ ə̄ vaocaṯ ahurō mazdå vīdvå vafūš vyānayā
nōiṯ aēvā ahū vistō naēdā ratuš ašāṯ-cīṯ hacā
aṯ zī θwā fšuyantaē-cā vāstryāi-cā θwōrəštā tatašā
7 tə̄m āzūtōiš ahurō mąθrəm tašaṯ ašā hazaošō
mazdå gavōi xšvīdəm-cā hvō urušaēibyō spəntō sāsnayā
kastē vohū manaŋhā yə̄ ī dāyāṯ ə̄əāvā marətaēibyō
8 aēm mōi idā vistō yə̄ nə̄ aēvā sāsnå gūšatā
Zaraθuštrō Spitāmō hvō nə̄ mazdā vaštī ašāi-cā
carəkərəθrā srāvayeŋ́hē hyaṯ hōi hudəmə̄m dyāi vaxəδrahyā
9 aṯ-cā gə̄uš urvā raostā yə̄ anaēšəm xšanmə̄nē rādəm
vācim nərəš asūrahyā yə̄m ā vasəmī īšā-xšaθrīm
kadā yavā hvō aŋhaṯ yə̄ hōi dadāṯ zastavaṯ avō
10 yūžə̄m aēibyō ahurā aogō dātā ašā xšaθrəm-cā
avaṯ vohū manaŋhā yā hušəitīš rāmąm-cā dāṯ
azə̄m-cīṯ ahyā mazdā θwąm mə̄ŋ́hī paourvīm vaēdəm
11 kudā ašəm vohu-cā manō xšaθrəm-cā aṯ mā mašā
yūžə̄m mazdā frāxšnənē mazōi magāi-ā paitī-zānatā
ahurā nū nå avarə̄ ə̄hmā-rātōiš yūšmāvatąm
Translation
| 6 | So the Wise Lord, the Knowing One, speaks the solemn words [inspired] by [his] insight: | |
|---|---|---|
| "There is no lord found by even one [among us], nor a paragon in accordance with any Truth. | ||
| Alas, the Fashioner has fashioned you for the benefit of the cattle breeder and the herdsman. | ||
| 7 | "The Lord [who is] allied with Truth fashioned the magic formula | |
| for [procuring] butter and milk for the cow.1 | ||
| This Wise (One) is beneficent towards the emaciated in accordance with the teaching. | ||
| Who is there for you who might set these [things] down for mortals by Good Mind?" | ||
| 8 | [Good Mind?: There is] this [one] found here for me who alone hears our [holy] teachings -- | |
| Zarathustra Spitama: he wishes to recite [praises] for us and for Truth, O Wise One, | ||
| If I shall give to him sweetness of voice." | ||
| 9 | And so the soul of the cow laments: "I who am to accept a powerless provider, | |
| A weak man's voice which I wish [to be] strong -- | ||
| When during my lifetime will he emerge, [the one] who lends to him a helping hand?" | ||
| 10 | [Zarathustra:] "O Lord, may you give strength to them2 through Truth, | |
| And that power, [which comes] through Good Mind, by which one may receive | ||
| comfort and peace. | ||
| For I myself, O Wise One, know You as the Primordial Provider of that." | ||
| 11 | [The Cow:] "Where are Truth, Good Mind, and [their] power? Know me, | |
| through the mortal one,3 | ||
| You, O Wise One, in Your concern for the great offering. | ||
| Come down to us now, O Lord, on account of our gift for those like you." |