Pahlavi Texts, Part III (SBE 24) · 51 of 187

Chapter XLVI

1. The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: 'Which is the one oppression, as regards men, that Aharman considers as the more injurious and great?'

3. The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: Aharman, when he wrings life and wife and child and worldly happiness of every kind away from men, does not consider, as to this, that any injury whatever is inflicted by him upon that person; (5) but when he wrings away the soul of a single individual, and makes it utterly depraved, he then considers, as to this, that "an injury which is complete would thereby be inflicted by me," because this is done by him through his own depravity of wish and action.'

88:4 L19 omits 'one.'

88:5 The last fourteen words occur only in the Pahlavi text of K43.