Pahlavi Texts, Part III (SBE 24) · 24 of 187

Chapter XIX

1.The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: ‘Is living in fear and falsehood worse, or death?’

3.The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: ‘To live in fear and falsehood is worse than death. 5. Because every one’s life is necessary for the enjoyment and pleasure of the worldly existence, (6) and when the enjoyment and pleasure of the worldly existence are not his, and fear and even falsehood are with him, it is called worse than death.’

50:3 These being considered as fiends; the latter, mîtôkht, being the first demon produced by the evil spirit (see Bd. I, 24, XXVIII, 14, 16).