1. The sage asked the spirit of wisdom (2) thus: ‘Wherefore is he who is an ill-natured man no friend of the good, nor an untalented man of a talented one?’
3. The spirit of wisdom answered (4) thus: 'For this reason, because he who is an ill-talented [1] man is at [all] [2] times in fear of the talented, (5) lest “they should trouble [3] us by their skill and talent, and, owing to that circumstance, shame may come upon us before the good and our opponents.”
6. ‘And the ill-natured are no friends of the good for this reason, because there is a time for their annihilation and destruction by the hands of the good.’
(97:2) L19 has ‘untalented.’ ↩︎
(97:3) K43 omits ‘all,’ and its text may be translated thus:—‘because the position of him who is an ill-talented man is in danger from the talented.’ ↩︎
(97:4) Reading aê rangênd. Nêr. has the doubtful reading airôzinend, ‘they enlighten,’ and also several other variations, so as to produce the following meaning:—‘lest “these enlighten others by the skill and talent which are not mine,” and shame come upon him before the good and his helpmates.’ ↩︎