the middle persian inscription of kartīr at naqš-i rajab.pdf

7/28/2019 The middle Persian inscription of Kartr at Naq-i Rajab.pdf

1/15

T H E M I D D L E P E R S I A N I N S C R I P T I O N O F K A R T i R A TN A Q S - I R A J A B

byR I C H A R D N . F R Y ECambridge, Mass.

T h e M P i n s c r ip t i o n o f t h e Z o r o a s t r i a n l e a d e r K a r t i r o n t h e r o c k a t N a q g -iR a j a b n e a r P e r se p o l is , h as b e e n k n o w n f o r o v e r a c e n tu r y . C a r v e d s o m et e n f e e t a b o v e t h e g r o u n d , n e x t t o a p r o b a b l e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f K a r t i rh i m s e l f w i t h a p o i n t i n g f i n g e r, th e i n s c r i p t i o n h a s w i t h s t o o d t h e r a v a g e so f t im e w e l l i n s p i t e o f a b u s h w h i c h p e r i o d i c a l l y i s r e m o v e d y e t g r o w sa g a i n to t h r e a t e n t h e st o n e . T h e r e c e n t p u b l i c a t i o n o f p h o t o g r a p h s o ft h is in s c r i p ti o n h as l e d t o t h e p r e se n t p u b l i c a t i o n ? U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h ep h o t o g r a p h s o f t h e s q ue e z es in t h e C o r p u s v o l u m e l e a v e m u c h t o b ed e s i re d . A c u r i o u s f a i li n g o f t h e p h o t o g r a p h s is t h e c o n s t a n t o m i s s i o no f t r a c es o f t h e l e t te r - l - ( la in ) i n a l m o s t e v e r y f in e . F o r t h e p r e s e n t w o r k[ h a v e f o u n d t h e p h o t o o f S p r e n g li n g 2 a n d m y p a p e r s q u e e ze m a d e i n1 9 4 8 s u p e r i o r t o t h e C o r p u s p h o t o g r a p h s . T h e f ir st c o p y o f t h e in s c ri p -t i o n t o b e p u b l i s h e d i n h a n d d r a w i n g w i t h o u t a n y t r a n s l a t i o n w a s b yF l a n d i n a n d C o s t e ? T h a t o l d p u b l i c a t i o n w a s st il l u s e f u l , e s p e c i al l y t oc o n f i r m th e e n d o f l in e 7 : .H N H T W N . U n f o r t u n a t e l y th e n e x t w o r d i sc o m p l e t e l y o b l i te r a te d .

T h e e n d o f t h e i n s cr i p t io n o f K a r t i r a t S a r M a g h a d s h o u l d h a v e p r o -v i d e d h e l p in r e a d i n g N R a j s in c e l in e s 5 2 t o 5 9 o f S a r M a g h a d c o r r e s p o n dt o l i n es 8 t o 3 0 in N R a j . I t is r a t h e r t h e r e v e r s e , s in c e N R a j is b e t t e rp r e s er v e d t h a n S M .

T h e r e a r e s t il l s e v er a l p r o b l e m s u n s o l v e d i n N R a j a n d t h e y h a v e r e -m a i n e d e n i g m a s fo r m e f o r m o r e t h a n a d e c a d e. B u t , r a t h e r t h a n w a i tl o n g e r f o r p o s s i b l e c l u e s t o u n c l e a r r e a d i n g s , I d e c i d e d t o p u b l i s h N R a ja s I se e i t n o w . M y d e b t t o o t h e r s ch o l a rs w h o h a v e w o r k e d o n N R a ji n th e p a s t is o b v io u s . M y s y s t e m o f t r a n s c r ip t i o n , a p p r o x i m a t i n g N e wP e r s i a n , m a y p l e a s e fe w c o ll e a g u e s, b u t I h o p e a t l e a s t t o h a v e a v o i d e d1 Corpus lnscriptionum Iranicarum, Part H I, vol. 2, Mino r Inscript ions ofK art ir , ed.by W. B. Henning (London, 1963).M. Sprengling, Third Century Iran, Sapor and Kartir (Chicago, 1953), 65-9.3 E. Flandin et P. Coste, Voyage en Perse, 4 (Pa ris, 1 843), plate 190.


2/15

21 2 RICHARD N. FRYEt o o m a n y l a p s u s i n th e r e c o n s t r u c ti o n . F u r t h e r m o r e , p h i l o lo g i c a l n o t e sh a v e b e e n o m i t t e d s i n ce e a c h o n e c o u l d o c c u p y a n o t h e r a r t ic le , a n d t h ei n t e n t i o n h e r e is to g i v e a f u l l r e a d i n g o f t h e t e x t. M y d i f f er e n c e s f r o mS p r e n g l i n g a n d H e r z f e l d 4 s h o u l d b e a p p a r e n t a t o n c e t o a n y o n e w h oc o m p a r e s t h e d i f f e r e n t v e r s io n s .

THE MP FORMS OF THE SEMITIC IDEOGRAMST h e i n s c r i p t i o n o f N a q g - i R a j a b is e sp e c i a ll y r e p l e t e w i t h p r o b l e m s o ft h e r e a d in g o f v e r b a l m a s k s . G e n e r a l l y s p e a k in g i n M P t h e p u r e id e o -g r a m , w i t h o u t c o m p l e m e n t , h a s b e e n c o n s i d e r e d as t h e 2 S i ng . I m p e r -a t i v e w h i c h i s t h e p r e s e n t s t e m o f t h e v e r b , o r r a r e l y th e p r e s e n t p a r t i -c i pl e . ~ t n t h e i n s c r i p t io n s , h o w e v e r , t h e s i t u a t i o n i s n o t s o c l e a r , a n d w em u s t m a k e o t h e r h y p o t h e se s . F o r e x a m p l e , in o u r i n s cr i p ti o n w e h a v et h e fo l l o w i n g c a s e s :61. 7 : .HN.HTW___.N, pr es en t or pa s t Pas s ive pa rt ic i ple ?1. 1 7: ' y w Y D e Y T N , a n o p t a t iv e , b u t h o w t o r e a d t h e i d e o g r a m ?1. 1 9: e Z L W N a n d L M Y T N , t h e f o r m e r w i th a n A c t iv e a n d th e la t te r a

P a s s iv e s e n se , b o t h r e f e r r i n g t o t h e f u t u r e .1 . 2 2 : Y . H M T W N , p o s s i b l y a p r e s e n t p a r t i c i p l e i n a P a ss i v e s e n se ( w h i l e

Y . H M T W N t m a y b e a p a s t p a r t ic i p le i n a n A c t i v e se n se ).1 . 2 4 : . H T Y M W N , s a m e a s Y . I: IM T W N ?I s th e r e o n e r o o f u n d e r w h i c h w e m i g h t b r i n g a l l e x a m p le s ? I h a d c o n -s i d e r ed t h e p o s s i b i li t y o f e x p l a i n i n g e a c h a s a u n i f i e d p a r t ic i p l e , b o t hp r e s e n t a n d p a s t, h e n c e a v e rb a l n o u n . T h e m e r e p r e s e n t s te m w a s o b -v i o u s l y in s u f fi c ie n t a s a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , w h i le a p a r t i c i p i a l e n d i n g i n - t ,w h i l e i t c o v e re d m o s t c a s e s , w a s a l s o d e f i c ie n t , e s p e c i a l ly a s i t is l ia b l et o c o n f u s i o n w i th t h e t h i rd p e r s o n s in g u la r . T h e a b o v e c a se s w o u l d t h e nb e r e a d :1 , 7 : . H N . H T W N a s n i h - t .1. 1 7: ' y w Y D e Y T N a s ~ v d m r z - t .1 . 1 9 : e Z L W N a s g a y - t .1. 1 9: L M Y T N a s a f k a n - t .

E. Herzfeld, P a i k u l i , 1 (Be rlin, 19 24), 90-2.5 See the briefest exposition in H. S. Ny berg, H i l f s b u c h d e s P e h l e v i , 1 (Uppsala,1928), 10.The verb ' to be', as usual, presents special problems.


3/15

THE M I D D L E P E R S I A N I N S C R I P T I O N O F K A R T I R A T N A Q ~ -I R A J A B 2 1 31. 2 2 : Y . H M T W N a s r a s - t .1 . 2 4 : . H T Y M W N a s h a m b a ~ - t .A f t e r t h e m a n u s c r i p t o f t h is a r ti c le w a s c o m p l e t e d , 1 c a m e u p o n a n a r t ic l eb y S . N . S o k o l o v , w h i c h s u g g e s t e d th a t t h e p u r e S e m i ti c m a s k s h o u l d b er e a d a s a v e r b a l n o u n i n - n d e r iv e d f r o m a n O l d I r a n i a n s u b s t a n ti v e o fa c t i o n i n - n a . 7 T h i s w a s a t e m p t i n g s o l u t i o n , t o r e a d a ll n a k e d v e r b a lm a s k s a s f o r m s in - n. A n u m b e r o f p r o b l e m s a ri se , in c l u d i n g o n e u n d e ro u r e y es . N R a j l i ne 17 Y D e Y T N is r e n d e r e d i n t h e sa m e t e x t i n S a rM a ~ h a d 1. 5 5 b y y D e Y T N d . U n f o r t u n a t e l y b o t h A c ti v e a n d P a ss iv ev o i c es , a n d p r e s e n t a n d p a s t t e n se s a r e r e p r e s e n t e d i n v a r i o u s c o n t e x t so f t h e n a k e d v e r b a l m a s k s . M u c h m o r e w o r k n e e d s t o b e d o n e , b a s e d o na s t u d y o f a ll v e r b a l m a s k s i n al l i n s c r ip t i o n s . T h i s s h o u l d b e c o m b i n e dw i t h a f u r t h e r s t u d y o f t h e s o - c a l le d e r g a ti v e c o n s t r u c t i o n i n m o d e mI r a n i a n l a n g u a g e s .

K A R T I R N A Q ~ - I R A J A B I N S C R I P T I O N 8t - W ' N H k r t y r B Y N ~ tly P W N l 's ty . hy p . h lm t y 9

u m a n k a r t i r a n d a r ~ a hr b a r S st ih p a h r o m t iA n d I K a r t i r in th e k i n g d o m i n r e c t i tu d e m o s t e m i n e n t. H W H m W y z d ' nh a m u y a z d f i na m , a n d ( t o ) t h e g o d s

2 - W M R e .I TI Y n . h w p l s t ' y W . h w k ' m k y Y . I T IW W Nu h w a t f i y a n h u f r a s t ~ u h u k ~ m a k b f lta n d l o r d s ( o f ) g o o d - s e r v i c e a n d w e l l - w i s h in g I h a v eI.-IW _ H m ' P r o e L y z d ' n l w n y . H N ' 6h a m u - m 6 ya zd ~ m r S n 6 -~b e e n . A n d b y m e t o th e g o d s ' s i d e t h is to o

7 s . N . Soko lov, "Opisate lnye obor oty i g lagolnye geterogram my v sasanidskikhnadp isyakh" , Ves tnik Leningradskogo Universiteta, 8 (1957) , 96-1 00. See a lso his"G lagoln ye imen a i vozniknovenie srednepersidskogo kauz at iva", Sbornik v ~est 'L A. Orbeli (Mo scow, 1960), 441-4 . Cf . m y ar tic le "A Brief N ote o n the Psalter a ndBare Ideograms" , Unvala Mem or ia l Vo lume (Bom bay, 1965).8 The t ranscr ipt ion app roximates a la te MP p ronun ciat ion. Conjectural _ le tters areunderlined, and additions are in parentheses.9 p.hlmty is odd. Sprengling, p. 65, readsp.hlmy.hy and inserts a W before it , to parallell ' s tyby . I t w ould seem we have here an adjective with a n unl~nown ending. I suggesttw o possibili ties o f explaining the ending, eithe r an elative en ding in -t (as in Sogdian),o r a superlative in -t because o f the preceding -vm- .


4/15

214 RICHARD N. FRYE3 - ' w g w n p t w .h y t ' Y K . H T ' y w b ' l y 1~ y z d ' n

6 g 6 n p a d v a h ~ d k O a g a r 6 v b a r e y a z d a nt hus was implored tha t i f he lp wi th the o f the gods' N Iz I k_rtyr_ P W N z y n d k ' n P W Nm a n k a r t i r b a z i n d a k a n b aI Kart ir by the l iv ing in

4 - ' g l 'd y .h y p ' t k ' s y k r t y . H W H m ' w g w n m 11a g r a y i h p f id k a s k a r t h a m 6 g 6 n - msplendour am made to appear , thus by mep l w n ~ e L w t l t ' n l w n y w . h y ~ t yp a r 6 n - ~ 5 v i t a r t a n r 6 n v a h i ~ tf or th to the depar ted s ide , (bo th) heaven

5 - W dw~.hw y ~ .h lky1~ M . H W H . y t 1~ e L Z N H ~u d 6 ~ a h TM ~ a h r a k a b d ~ s ~ d 6 ~ n - ~and hel l, t he way (wi l l be ) mad e known . Fur therk l tk n l ' d y ~ y g w n B Y N ~ tly k l y ty L Z N H ~k a r t a k a n r a y ~ ig S n a n d a r ~ a h r k i r e d im - ~regarding those deeds which in the k ing do m were mad e, then

6 - l 'd y p l w n y M H g w n k y H.W H Z K m M . H W H y tr a y p a r 6 n ~e g 6 n a k h a s t (o r h ~ ) a n a r r t a b d e s e df o r them (on th i s ) s ide , whatever k ind (m ay) be, tha t (wi l l be ) mad ek n o w n b y m e .' w g w n 14 M D M w s t ' . hw t ly Y . H W W N W Z K6 g 6 n b a r v i s t a h w t a r b a y e d u a nThus ( i t ) w i l l becom e m ore re liable. A n d that

7 - ' w g w n ~ y g w n L Y e L y z d ' n l w n y p tw . hy t5 g 6 n ~ ig 6n m a n 5 y a z d a n r 6 n p a d v a h e din such a manner by me to the gods ' s ide was implored.

~o 'yw b'ly is troublesome. I tho ug ht of aywdr 'he lper ' , but the contexts of thephrase in Paikuli rule against this interpretation.11 For 'wgwnm, one migh t r ead ' Y D Y Nm , s ince the t races of -wgw- are unclear.Sprengling pu t a suffixed -~ on this w ord instead of the next.a~ N ote the form dOlky fo r ~'lky (as in Sar Maw l ine 52) N P ddre. I believe thisis bet ter than an interpreta t ion dihre 'essence'.~ I in terpret M.I-.tW.Hytas a defect ive Semit ic m ask from Ara ma ic .HWH (Arabicwhy), of the pass ive fo rm of M P "bdyStn,pres. -'bdys-, ' to show, teach ' . Oth er sugges-t ions ma y be foun d in Sprengl ing, p . 68.~ A g a i n f o r 'wgwn, one migh t r ead ' Y D Y N, as in line 4. A rem oter possibility is'ytwn, but Sprengling's YH W W N is impossible.


5/15

THE MIDDLE PERSIAN INSCRIPTION OF KARTIR AT NAQS-I RAJAB 215'P ro _ny~ 'n 5 .HN .HT W N (KEN) ~ ygwnm ~1~u- m n i z a m n i ha d ( na n ) ~ i gO na m a ~T h e n b y m e a s ig n i s p u t ( s o ) a s b y me i t ( th e s i g n )

8 - w.hy~ty W dw~.hwy ~L Z N H k rt k n '_l t'dy.hyva h i ~ t u d6~a h w 6 ~ n k a r t a k ~ n a r d ~ y i h, hea ven an d he l l , r egard ing those deeds (o f ) r ec t i tudeW dlwn dy.hy 5 .h lkyu d r u v a n d i h ~ a h r a ka n d d e c e i t t h e w a y

9 - M . H W . H y t B R ' m ' .H R .H T ' y w b ' l y y z d ' na bdS s S d bS - m pa s a ga r 5v bg r e ya z d f i n( w i l l b e ) s h o w n . T h e n b y m e i f w i t h t h e h e l p o f th e g o d sZ N H 6 C B W e L w t l t' n5n5 h i r 6 v i t a r t f int h i s ma t t e r t o t h e d e p a r t e d

l 0 - l w n y Z N H ' w g w n M .H W .H yt ' D Y N y z d ' nr 6 n 5 n 6 g 6 n a b d S s S d a i g y a z d ~ ns i d e i n th i s s u c h a ma n n e r i s ma d e k n o w n . T h e n ( t o ) t h e g o d sK B Y R . h w p ls t' tl y W . h w k ' m k t l yva s hu f r a s t f i t a r u huk ~ t m a k t a rm u c h m o r e g o o d s e r v i c e d a n d m o r e g o o d w i l l e d

1 1 - Y .H W W N .H W H m W P W N N P g H 5 l w b 'nbf i t ham u ba hwSg- i5 rubf inh a v e I b e co m e . A n d i n m y o w n s o u ll 't y t l y W l 's t y tl y Y . H W W Nrf id i t a r u r~s t i t a r b f i tmo r e p i o u s a n d u p r i g h t I h a v e

12 - . H W H m W M D M Z N H 5 y g ty W k l t k nha m u ba r fin5 ya g t u k a r t a k f i nb e c o me . A n d o n t h o se s a c r if ic e ( s) a n d d ee d sZ_Y_Y B Y N gtly k y ly t _KB YR

a n d a r g a h r k i r S d v a sw h i c h i n t h e k i n g d o m w e r e d o n e mu c h

1~ I prefer the rea din g ' P ro n y i ' n to M D M Z Y ~ ' n .~ After the verb .t-_IN.I-.tWTN nothing can be seen until - w n m g . There is room forthree or four letters after the verb and K e N is complete conjecture.


6/15

216 R I C H A R D N . F R Y E1 3 -

1 4 -

1 5 -

1 6 -

1 7 -

1 8 -

wst'.hwtly YI.~WWN .HWHm W MNW ZNH n'mkyvistfhwtar bat ham u ke en nfmakmo re re liab le have I become . A n d whoever th i s wr i t ingH.ZYTNtdid (or venfd)( m a y ) s e eW ptpwls't Z K PWN yzd 'n W MRC HYnu padpursfd fin ba yazdfn u hwatfy~ma n d e x a mi n e , t h a t o n e t o t h e g o d s a n d l o r d sW NP~H lwb'n l'tyu hwe~ rubfn rfda n d ( t o ) h i s o w n s o u l m a y h eW l'sty 'yw YH.WWN W MDM.h ZNH y~ty Wu rfst ev bavfd u bar-i~ en ya~t ub e p i o u s a n d u p ri g h t. A n d m o r e o v e r ( i n ) t h e se s a c ri f ic e ( s)krtk_n W dyny mzdysnkartakfn u den (e) mazdesna n d d e e d s a n d ma z d a y a s n i a n r e l i g i o nMH KeN PWN zyndk'n kylyt wst'.hwtly~e nfin ba zindakfn kYred vistfhwtarw h i c h n o w b y t h e l i v i n g w e r e d o n e ma y h e b e'yw Y.HWWN W plwnyev bavfid u par6nmore re l iab le . And the o ther s ideMNDcM ny .hl plm'nk'lm 'yw Y.HWWN MH~i~ ne har framfnkfr ev bavfd ~em a t t e r m a y be n o t ( f o r ) e v er y c o m m a n d e r ( ? ) , W h a tw~lty 'yw YDcYTN 'YKvi~art ev fm6z~de x i s t s h e ma y a p p r e h e n d : t h a tw.hy~ty 'YTY W dwsl.awy s 'YTY W MNWvahi~t hast u d6~ah w hast u keh e a v e n e x i s t s a n d h e l l e x i s t s a n d w h o e v e r

1T T h e b o t t o n o f t h e - k - i n plm'nk'l i s a l l t h a t i s v i s i b le o f th e l e t t e r . O t h e r w l s e ar e a d i n g plm'nd'l m i g h t b e p r e f e r a b le . T h e s e n s e i s u n c l e a r .a s T h e f o r m dws.hwy s c l e a r , b u t r e a d dwg.hwy.


7/15

1 9 -

2 0 -

2 1 -

2 2 -

2 3 -

THE MIDDLE P ERS IAN INS CRIP TION OF KAR TIR AT NAQ S -I RAJ AB 21 7klpkly ZK pl'~ eL w.hygtykirpakar an fra~ 6 vahigt(is) a doer of good that one up to heaveneZLWN W MNW b~kly ZK eL dwg.hwygavad u k~ ba~akar an 6 d6gahw(may) he go and whoever is a doer of evil, that one into hellLMYTN W MNW klpkly .HWH W MDMafkanad u k~ kirpakar hast (or h~) u bar(may he) be thrown. And whoever is a doer ofgood and has embarked onklpky TBW SGYTNt eLH LZNH 'stwndykirpak (~) n~k raft 6y im astavandfine good deeds he (in) this corporealtny .hwslby.hy W 'p'ty.hytan husravih u ~p~dihbody fame and good luckY .HMTWNt 'P~ ~ 'stwndy lwb'n 'lt'dy.hyrased u-~ 6y astavand ruben ard~yihhas reached. And he (in) the corporeal soul has reachedMD M Y .HMTWNtbar rasedrectitude~ygwa LY krtyr Y .HMTWN 'Pro ZN H n'mky~ig6n man kartir rasad u-m ~n nftmakas by me, Kartir it is attained. And by me this inscriptionL HN'~ l'dy npgty 'YKz-~ r~ty nipi~t kfitherefore was written so."MH LY krtyr MN KZY 'wlwny MN~ man kartir az has 6 r6n azwhatever (for) me Kartir from of yore by the~tldr'n W MRe.HYn KBYR 'twr'n~ahrd~r~n u hwat~y~n vas adur~ngovernors and lords many fires


8/15

2182 4 -

25 -

2 6 -

2 7 -

R I C H A R D N . F R Y E

W mg wn y GT y 19 p't.hgtly H.T Y M W N ' Pmu maguvgn nip~ patihgahr hambagad u-man d m agi ( in ) wr i t ings (an d imper ia l ) r escr ip ts i s r ecorded . A n db y m eKBYR NP~H ~M gyw'ky.hy2~vas hw~ nam n~vakiho f te n t he g l o r y o f m y o w n n a m eMD M GTy ~1 p' thgtly W m 't 'n YK TY BW Nbar nip~ p~tihgahr u m~dan nipigton wr i t ings (and imper ia l ) r escr ip t s and documents wasYKeYM WNt ' YK MNW pl ' st ly~~stgtd I(Q k~ frgstarwri t t en tha t : whoever (in ) the mo re fu t ur ecDN' p't .hgtly m' t gd 'n 'ywp GTk y 'ywpzamgn p~tih~ahr m~diy~n ayftb nipek ayftbt ime ( imper ia l ) r escr ip t s , documents or wr i t ings or' .HRN n'mky .I:IZYTNt ZK~n n~mak did (or venad) ~no t h e r r e c o r d ( s ) ( ma y ) s e e t h a t o n eYDcYTNt 'YK 'NH ZK kr tyr .HWHm ZY~mSh t 2z (or ~mSzad) kG man ~n kartir ham e( ma y ) k n o w t h a t I a m t h a t K a r t i r w h o ( u n d e r )

19 I take GTy as a Semitic mask rather than as a Semitic borrowing into Iranian. Mymain reason is the existence of GTky in line 26, hardly a mistake since the two formsoccur in the Kaebah Kartir inscription ine 16(GTky) and Sar Ma~had line 57 (GTky).Therefore, I would propose a MP form nip~ for GTy and nipgk for GT k y . CompareFr. PahL XV, 3, GSeT = npyk'n, which is most uncertain. (Furthermore, I have notfound gty attested in any Iranian language. Armenianktak , 'testament', cannot beused as evidence for a borrowing from Iranian because of the suffix-ak, since Armenianadds its own sufftx -a k to non- Iranian words, e.g . tetrak 'note book' from Greekxrxpa~).20 For gyw'ky.hy o r gyw'ky~y an emendation to nyw'ky.hy is regretfully made.21 See note 19.22 Forpl'stly (also in the Kaebah inscription of Kartir, line 16) we find in Sar Ma~had,line 57,pl 'dly .2a On the reading amr.htan 'to learn', rather than dffnistan 'to know', for YDeYTN,compare the MP Psalter, ed. K. Barr, p. 43, where the Hebrew original text has thesame verb which may be interpreted "to learn." An alternate explanation would be


9/15

2 8 -

2 9 -

3 0 -

3 1 -

THE MIDDLE PERSIAN INSCRIPTION OF KARTIR AT NAQS-1 RAJAB~.hpw .hry M L K ' n M L K ' k r t y r Z Y~ h p u h r ~ h ~ n ~ h k a r ti r 5Shapur King of Kings Kartir them g w p t W ' yl.a rp t ~ M k l t y H W H m Wm a g o p a d u ~h r p a d n a m k a r t h a m umobad and herbad was named And' w h . r m z dy M L K ' n M L K ' W w l.h l'n M L K ' n6 h r m i z d ~ h ~ n ~ t h u va r ah r fi n ~ h f i n(under) Hormizd King of Kings and Bahrain KingM L K ' Z Y s h.p w .h rk n k r t y r Z Y ' w . h rm z d yw 5 ~ h p u h r a k ~ n k a r t i r 6 6 h r m i z dof Kings son of Shapur was named Kartir who is Ahuramazda-m g w p t S M k l ty . H W H m W w l.h l'nm a g o p a d n ~ t r n k a r t h a m u v a r a h f f mmobad And (under) Bahrain (King)M L K ' n 24 Z Y w l .h l ' nk n k r t y r Z Y b w . h t l w b 'n~ h ~ t n ~ v a r a h r ~ n a k f i n k a r t i r ~ b u h t r u v ~ nof Kings son of Bahrain Kartir the soul saviorw l .h l 'n e L 2~ ' w . h r m z d y m g w p t S M k l t yv a r a h r~ n 6 6 h r m i z d m a g o p a d n f im k a r tof Bahrain (son) and Ahuramazda-mobad was named.. H W H m n p ~ ty b w . h tk y d p y r . . . k r t y r Z Yh a m n i p i g t b f i h t a k d i p i r k a r t i rWritten (by) Bokhtak the scribe (of)M R e . HYh w a t ~ yKartir the lord.

2 1 9

t h a t YD~YTN in N . Ra j . and in the Psa l t e r i s the mask fo r dSnistan,whereas in Paiknliand elsewhere HWYTWN i s the mask fo r dSnistan. I have found the Semi t ic maskYDeYTNin he fol lowing places (MP o nly) : Ka rt i r K Z, line 3 , YDeYTN'y,2 S. Opt . ? ;line 17, YDeYTNt, 3 S. Pres. (or P ast?); Sar Ma~had 1. 55 YDcYTNd = N . R a j .17 YDcYTN;Paikuli C 2, 2, YDcYTNd3 P. Pres. , and twice in the Psalter.34 After MLK'n t h e w o r d MLK' obviou sly should be supplied.25 The eL af ter wl.hl'n s uncertain. In Sar Ma~had an d the Kaeb ah inscription wehave ZY b ut the t r aces he re ra the r suggest eLsince the L is clear. Perh aps it is a lapsusf o r W .


10/15

220 RICHARD N. FRYECONCORDA NCE AND GLOSSARY ~6

' D Y N , a i g < a y a ? , ' t hen , so ' , 10'gl'dy.hy, a g r d y i h , ' s p l en d o u r ' , 4' H . R , p a s , ' t h en ' , 9' H R N , a n , ' o t h e r , an o t h e r ' , 2 6' l t 'dy .hy, a r d d y f h , ' r ec t i tude ' , 8 , 21' N H , m a n ( * a z ) T, 1 , 3 , 27 (c f . LY, 22 , 23 ; and -m enc l i t i c )'p ' ty .hy, apdd~h, ' g o o d l u c k ' , 2 0'Pro , u - m , ' and I ' , 2 , 7 , 22 , 24'Pg , u -L ' an d h e ' , 2 1' s t w n d y , a s t a v a n d , ' co rporea l ' , 20 , 21' t w r ' n , a d u r 6 n , ' f ires ' , 23' w g w n , 6 g 6 n , ' t hus , in such a manner ' , 3 , 6 , 7 , 10' w g w n m , ' t h u s b y m e ' , 4' w l w n y , 6 r 6 n ( a v a r 6 n ) , ' t ha t s ide , p rev ious ly ' , 23'w.h rmzdy , 6 h r m i z d , ' A h u r a m a z d a , H o r m i z d ' , 2 8 , 2 9 , 3 0'y.hrpt, ~ h r p a d , ' h e r b a d ' , 2 8'YK, k~ , ' tha t , thus ' , 3 , 17 , 22 , 25 , 27' Y T Y , h a s t , 'exists ' , 18 b is'yw, ~v, 'optat ive part . ' , 3 , 9 , 15 , 16, 17 h is' y w p , a y ~ b , ' o r ' , 26 b isb ' ly , b d r ~, 'help ' , 3 , 9bEkly , b a ? a k a r , ' d o e r o f ev i l ' , 1 9B R ' m , b~-rn, ' b u t , t h e n b y m e ' , 9bw.htky, b a h t a k , 'B o k h t ak ' , 3 1bw.h t lwb 'n , b u h t r u v d n , ' sou l sav io r ' , 30B Y N , a n d a r , ' in , by' , 1, 5, 12~ B W , f o r . S B W , h ~ r , 'm a t t e r , t h i n g ' , 9~h lky , ~ a h r a k , 'm ean s , way ' , 5 , 8~ygwn, ~ig6n, 'wh ich , as ' , 5 , 7 , 22~ygwnm~, ~ig6n - a m - a L ' a s -by-me- i t ' , 7 (con jec tu ra l )dlwndy.hy, d r u v a n d i h , ' dece i t ' , 8d p y r , d ip f r , ' scr ibe ' , 31dwg.hwy, d 6 g a h w , 'hell ' , 5, 8, 18, 19d y n y , d ( n , ' r e l ig ion ' , 1526 The nu m bers refer to the lines of the inscription.


11/15

T H E M I D D L E P E RS IA N I N S C R I P T IO N O F K A R T i R A T N A Q S - I R A JA B 2 2 1G T k y , nip(k , 'wr i t i ng ( s ) ' , 26G T y , nip( , 'wr i t i ng ( s ) ' , 24 , 25g w n k y , g r n a k , ' k i n d , m a n n e r ' , 6g y w ' k y .h y , s ee n y w ' k y .h y1.al, ha t, ' each , every ' , 17.HN'6 , ( - C ' t h i s a l so ' , 2.H N H T W N , n i h a d , ' i s p u t , p u t t i n g ' , o r ' l e t b e p u t ' , 7 ( h e r e an o p t a t i v e

s e n s e m a y b e n e e d e d )H.T, agar , ' i f ' , 3, 9. H T Y M W N , hamba~ad, ' se a l s , is r eco r d ed ' , 2 4. H W H , hast , o r h (, ' i s , ex i s t s ' , 6 , 1 9 ( an o p t a t i v e m ay b e n eed ed ). H W H m , h a m , ' I am ' , I , 2 , 4, 2 7 , 2 8 , 2 9 ; o r w i t h Y .H W W N , bat ham, ' I

h a v e b e e n , b e c o m e ' , 1 1 , 1 2, 1 3, a n d w i t h k r ty , ka r t h a m ' w a s d o n e ' , 31. h w k ' m k y , h u k ~ m a k , 'we l l -wi sh ing ' , 2. h w k ' m k t l y , h u k d m a k t a r ' m o r e g o o d - w i l l e d ' , 1 0h w p l s t ' y , huparastd, hu frasta, ' g o o d - se r v i c e , o b e d i e n t ' , 2.hwplst ' t ly , huparastatar, (hufrastatar), ' m o r e o b e d i e n t ', 1 0.hwslby.hy, husrav~h, ' f a m e ' , 2 0H Z Y T N t , dfdo r v (ndd , ' sa w , m a y s e e ' , 1 3, 2 6 (a n o p t a t i v e i s a s s u m e d h e r er a t h e r t h a n a p a s t t e n s e b e c a u s e o f t h e s e n s e )K B Y R , va s , ' m u ch , m an y , o f t en , g r ea t ' , 1 0 , 1 2 , 2 3 , 2 4k l p k l y , Icirpakar, ' d o e r o f g o o d ' , 1 8, 19k l p k y , k i r p a k , ' g o o d d e e d ( s ) ' , 2 0k l t k n , kar takan , ' ac t i ons , deeds ' , 5 , 8 , 12 , 15k l t y , kar t , ' m ad e ' , 2 8 , 2 9 , 3 0k l y t y , k~r (d , ' w e r e m a d e , d o n e ' , 5 ; s e e S p r e n g l in g , 68k y l y t , k~r (d , ' w e r e m a d e , d o n e ' , 1 2, 1 6 ; s e e k l y t yk r t y , kar t , ' m a d e ' , 4kr tyr , 'Kar t i r ' , 1 , 3 , 22 , 23 , 27 bis , 29, 30, 31K Z Y , has, ' yo re , ear l i e r ' , 23K e N , nan, ' n o w , s o ' , 7 ( co n j ec t u r a l ) , 1 6l ' d y , rdy, ' r egard ing , fo r ' , 5 , 6 , 22l ' s ty , rdst, ' u p r i g h t ' , 1 5l 'sty.hy, rdst~h, ' t r u t h , r ec t i t u d e ' , 1l ' s ty t ly , rc~st~tar, ' m o r e u p r i g h t ' , 11l ' t y , rdd, ' p i o u s ' , 1 4l ' t y t l y , rdditar, ' m o r e p i o u s ' , 11L.HN'~ , z - ( -C ' t herefo re ' , 22


12/15

222 RICHARD N. FRYE

L M Y T N , a[kanad, ' t h ro ws , i s t h ro wn ' , 1 9 (h e re p o s s ib ly u s ed a s ano p t a t i v e b ecau s e o f t h e s en s e )l w b ' n rubcin, 'soul ' , 11, 14, 21

l w n y , r 6 n , 's ide' , 2, 4, 7, 10L Y , man, 'me , by me ' , 7 , 22 , 23L Z N H , i ra , ' th is ' , 20L Z N H 6 , irn-?, ' t h i s , then , those ' , 5m ' t ' n , m d d d n , ' d o c u m e n t s ' , 2 5m ' t g d ' n , m~diy~n , ' d o c u m e n t s ' , 2 6M D M , b a r , 'on , above ' , 6 , 12, 19, 21, 25M D M . h , bar-id, 'moreover ' , 15 ( read -~ fo r - .h )m g w n y , maguv~n, 'm ag i ' , 2 4m g w p t , magopad, 'mobad ' , 28 , 29 , 30M H , d~, 'wh at (eve r) ' , 6 , 16, 17 , 23M.HW.Hyt , abd~sOd, ' i s made known ' , 5 , 6 , 9 , 10M L K ' n M L K ' , ~dhdn gdh, ' k i n g o f k in g s ' , 2 7, 2 8 , 2 9 , 30 (M L K ' h as f a l l en

o u t i n 3 0 )M N , az, ' f r o m ' , 2 3 bisM N D ~ g i ~ , ' th i n g , m a t t e r ', 1 7MNW, k~ , 'who(ever) ' , 13 , 18 , 19 hi s , 25M R e . HY, hwaMy , ' l o rd ' , 31M R e . H Y n , hwatdydn , ' lords ' , 2 , 14, 23m z d y s n , mazd~sn, ' m a z d a y a s n i a n ' , 1 5n ' m k y , ndmak, ' r ecord , wr i t ing , l e t t e r ' , 13 , 22 , 26N P ~ H , hw~g, ' se l f , own' , 14, 24N P ~ H ~ , h w ~ - i c , ' v e ry o wn ' , 1 1np~ty, nipigt, ' w a s w r i t t e n ' , 2 2 , 3 1 ( s e e Y K T Y B W N )ny , nY, 'nega t ive par t i c le ' , 17ny~ 'n , n~gdn, ' s ign ' , 7nyw'ky .hy , n~vaMh, ' g lo ry , goodness ' , 24 , fo r gyw'ky.h(or ?)yp't.hgtly, pt~tihgahr, ' ( imper ia l ) rescr ip t , deed ' , 24 , 25 , 26p ' t k ' s y , pddkds, ' a p p ea ran ce , l o o k , s i g h t ' , 4p.hlmty, pahromti , 'm o s t em in en t , ex ce l l en t ' , 1pl '~ , frd~, ' f o rward , u p ' , 1 8pl 's t ly , f rds tar , ' f u t u r e , m o r e f o r w a r d ? ' 2 5p l m ' n k ' l , f ramdnkdr , ' c o m m a n d e r , o r c o m m a n d r e c e i v e r ? ' , 1 7p lwn ~ , parOn-( , ' a s ide , fo r th ' , 4p l w n y , parOn, ' s ide, as ide ' , 6 , 16


13/15

T H E M I D D L E PE R SI AN I N S C R I P T IO N O F K A R T I R A T N A Q S - I R A J A B 2 2 3p t p w l s ' t , padpursdd, ' m a y h e e x a m i n e ' , 1 4p t w h y t , padvah~d, ' w a s i m p l o r e d ' , 3 , 7P W N , p a t i > p a d ~ b a , ' i n , t o , b y , e t c . ' , 1 , 3 bis, l l , 14 , 16S G Y T N t , raf t , ' w e n t , h a s e m b a r k e d ' , 2 0g.hpw.hrkn, ~dhpuhrakdn, ' s o n o f S h a p u r ', 2 9~hpw.hry, gahpuhr, ' S h a p u r ' , 2 7~ M , n d m , ' n am e ' , 2 4 , 2 8 , 2 9 , 3 0gf ld r 'n , gahrdardn, ' g o v e r n o r s ' , 2 3~tly, 5 a h r , ' k i n g d o m > c i t y ', 1, 5 , 1 2T B W , f o r T B W n~k, ' f i ne , exce l l en t ' , 20t n y , tan, ' b o d y ' , 2 0W , u ta ~ u d ~ u , p a s s im , 3 4 t i m es ( s ee ' P )w~lty, v i~ar t , ' t o ex i s t , b e k n o w n , t r u e ' , 1 7w.hy~ty, vah i~ t , ' h eav en ' , 4 , 8 , 1 8 biswl.hl 'n, va r a h r d n , ' B ah r am ' , 2 8 , 2 9 , 3 0wl .h l ' nkn , varahrdnakan, ' s o n o f B a h r a m ' , 3 0wst ' .hwt ly , vistdhWtar, 'more r e l i ab l e , f i rm , ' 6 , 13 , 16w t l t ' n , vitart6n, ' t h e d e p a r t e d , p a s s e d ' , 4 , 9Y D e Y T N , d m r z d d , ' a p p r e h e n d s , m a y k n o w ( o p t. ) ' , 17Y D e Y T N t , d m r h t o r d m r z d d , ' le a r n e d , o r m a y k n o w ' , 27 ( b e c a u se o f

t h e s e n s e a n o p t a t iv e m a y b e a s s u m e d h e re )Y .H M T W N , rasad, ' r e ach es , o r i s a t t a i n ed ' , 2 2Y . H M T W N t , rased, ' h e h a s r e a c h e d ' , 2 1 bisY .H W W N , bfttan, bay-, ' t o be ' , 6 , 15 , 16 , 17 ; o r wi th -ham ' h a v e b e e n ,

b e c o m e ' , 2 , 1 1 his, 13Y K e Y M W N t , Ys td d , ' i t s t o o d ' ( h e r e au x . ' w as ' ) , 2 5Y K T Y B W N , nip ig t , ' w r i t t en ' , 2 5yg ty , ya~t, ' s acr i f i ce , p rayer ' , 12 , 15y z d ' n , ya z d d n , ' gods ' , 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 9 , 10, 14Z K , an, ' that , those ' , 6 , 14, 18, 19, 26, 27Z K m , an-am, ' t h o s e b y m e ' , 6ZNH, gn , ' t h i s ' , 8 , 10 , 13 , 15 , 22Z N H r , ~ n - g , ' th i s ( th en ) , f u r t h e r ' , 5 , 9, 1 2Z Y , ~ , ' w h i c h , w h o , izafet ' , 12, 27 bis, 29 bis, 30 bis, 31z y n d k ' n , z ~ n d a k6 n , ' t he l i v ing ' , 3 , t 6e D N ' , z a md n , ' t i m e ' , 2 6


14/15

224 RICHARD N. FRYEeL, 6, 'to, towards', 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19 (in line 30 this may be a

mistake for ZY or W)eLH, 6 y , 'he', 20, 21eZLWN, , favad, 'goes, is gone', 19 (here perhaps used as an optative be-

cause of the sense)

FREE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION OF KARTIR ATNAQSH-I RAJAB

I Kartir am most eminent in rectitude in the kingdom, and I have beenof good service and good will towards the gods and lords. This too Iimplored the gods that if I were made to appear in splendour among theliving, with the help of the gods, then I would forthwith make known theway (of life) until death, both (the way to) heaven and hell. Furthermore,the deeds which were done in the kingdom, whatever kinds they were,I will make known. Thus they will become of greater significance. Forwhatever in such a manner I implored to the gods I establish(ed) a record,such that by it I make known the path to heaven or hell, regarding deedsof rectitude and deceit. So if I make known this matter, with the helpof the gods, regarding the way (of life) until death, then I have becomeof much more good service and will towards the gods. And for my ownsoul I have become more pious and upright. I have become more reli-able in the rites and rituals which are to be done in the kingdom.

Whoever may see and examine this writing, let him be pious and up-right for the gods and lords, and for his own soul. Moreover, let himbe stronger in the rites and rituals, and in the Mazdayasnian religion,to be performed by the living. The matter of death may not be knownto every obedient soul (commander?). But what is apparent may beknown, that heaven exists and hell exists, and whoever is a doer of good,let him go to heaven, and whoever is a doer of evil, let him be throwninto hell. Whoever is a doer o f good and has embarked on fine gooddeeds, he will attain (has reached) fame and good luck in this corporealbody. His corporeal soul will attain the state of rectitude, just as I Karti rattain it. This inscription was written by me thus: whatever of manyfires and magi (were established) for me of yore by governors and lords,is recorded in writings and imperial rescripts. The great goodness of myown name was written often in writings, imperial rescripts and docu-ments, such that whoever in the future sees the writings, imperial re-scripts or documents, or other inscriptions, he will know that I am that


15/15

THE MIDDLE PERSIAN INSCRIPTIONOF KARTIRAT NAQS-I RAJAB 225K a r t i r w h o w a s c a l l e d K a r t i r t h e m o b a d a n d h e r b a d u n d e r S h a h a n s h a hS h a p u r , a n d u n d e r S h a h a n s h a h H o r m i z d a n d S h a h a n s h a h B a h r a i n , s o no f S h a p u r , w a s c a ll e d K a r t i r t h e O h r m i z d - m o b a d . ( I w a s ) c a ll e d K a r t i rt h e so u l -s a v i o u r o f B a h r a i n a n d O h r m i z d - m o b a d u n d e r S h a h a n s h a hB a h r a i n s o n o f B a h r a in .

W r i t te n b y B o k h t a k t h e s c ri b e o f K a r t i r t h e L o r d .

the middle persian inscription of kartīr at naqš-i rajab.pdf

Documents