Chapter 24
Zarathustra inquired concerning the government. To which I’hua’Mazda replied, saying:
To the All Pure disciples there is no need of government, except to do the Will of Ormazd. But no people are all pure; no people are all wise. Two kinds of governments the Creator created; the first is His Own, the Government of Ormazd; the second is the government mortals have among themselves.
Zarathustra inquired if government did not abridge liberty. I’hua’Mazda said: The Ormazdian government gives liberty; so far as man’s government takes after the Ormazdian government, it gives liberty also.
Zarathustra inquired: What is the best, most potent, man’s government? To which I’hua’Mazda replied: This is the best, most potent, man’s government: First, there shall be no more than two thousand people, so that they can know one another; and no city shall be larger than that.
The oldest, wisest, best man shall be the high rab’bah; but the families of tens and families of hundreds within the city shall each have one rab’bah, being the oldest, wisest, best man among them.
These rab’bahs shall be the government of the city. They shall have a government house, and it shall be the place of decrees.
Zarathustra said: How shall they make decrees, so that the decrees do not pervert liberty? I’hua’Mazda said: Do not ask this, O man! He who cries out constantly for his liberty is a selfish man, he is a druk. Unless a man is willing to sacrifice his liberty somewhat, for the public good, he is unworthy before Ormazd. To find the amount of sacrifice, this is the business of the decrees.
Zarathustra said: How, then, shall the rab’bah proceed? I’hua’Mazda said: When they are seated, the chief rab’bah shall announce the subject; neither shall any other rab’bah announce the subject. But if a rab’bah has a subject, he shall state it beforehand to the chief rab’bah.
After the subject is announced, then all the rab’bahs shall speak on the subject; but they shall not speak against one another; but each one declaring his highest light.
When they have all spoken, then the chief rab’bah shall speak his highest light, which he gathers from the others in the first place, but which is afterward illuminated by the Light of Ormazd, and this shall be the decree.
Zarathustra inquired concerning the laws between cities. I’hua’Mazda spoke to Zarathustra, the All Pure, explaining the Ormazdian law. He said: A city is a family of one. A small village is a family of one; for which reason a city is called Ir. And every city shall have one God-ir, who shall be the oldest, best, wise man. The God-irs shall meet in council to consider what is good for all the cities jointly. For cities are situated in varying places with diverse resources; some are suitable for flax and wool, some for iron, some for copper, and some for ships.
Zarathustra inquired concerning the Council of God-irs. I’hua’Mazda answered him, saying: The God-irs shall choose the oldest, best, wise man among them, and he shall be called God-ir Chief. And he shall sit in the east in the Council chamber, and he shall present the subjects, after they have been told to him by the other God-irs. And when he has presented a subject, all the members shall speak upon it. And after they have all spoken, then the God-ir Chief shall speak, and his words shall be the decree, which shall be called the Zarathustrian law, because the All Light dwells with the Chief, and he cannot err. This is the Ormazdian law, the I’hua’Mazdian law, the Zarathustrian law.
Zarathustra asked: What is the Ormazdian law regarding a walled city (giryah)? I’hua’Mazda answered, saying: To the I’hins, walled cities; to the I’huans, cities without walls. To the cities of the druks, walls. This is the kingdom of I’hua’Mazda: Why should those who have faith, build walls? For, as they shall not hoard up gold and silver, none will rob them. After Zarathustra, there will be two kinds of people living. One shall be the people of this world; the other shall be the people of Ormazd. The former shall strive for earthly things; the latter for spiritual things. And there shall be no affinity between these two people. From this time forward, the Zarathustrian people, who have faith in the Father, shall not have walled cities. But this world’s people, having no faith in the Father, shall have faith in stone walls; by which sign, you can know which people are righteous in my sight.
Zarathustra inquired concerning the smallest of cities. I’hua’Mazda answered him, saying: The smallest city is a man, his wife and their children. And even as the people in a large city are one with one another, so shall a man, his wife and their children be one with one another.
And as a large city must have a head father, so shall a small one. Whatever has no head is nothing.
Zarathustra said: In the government of a large city, the fathers speak on a subject, and after them, the head father decrees.
I’hua’Mazda said: It shall be the same in a family of husband and wife. The wife shall speak first, and the children next, if old enough; and after that the father shall decree. That which is a good law for a large city, is good for a small one. As the kingdoms in heaven are governed, so shall the kingdoms of earth be governed.
Zarathustra inquired concerning a bad husband and a good wife, and a bad wife and a good husband? I’hua’Mazda spoke to Zarathustra, the All Pure, saying:
Who knows what is good and what is bad? Are all men not to give themselves as sacrifice to the Father, and all women also? If a good woman is not willing to sacrifice herself to a bad husband, after having sworn to Ormazd, then she is not good, but a lover of herself. A good woman has no self to serve. Because her husband turns out bad, shall she also? Is it not good for her in the place Ormazd provided? Shall she set up her judgment against the Father’s?
There are men of evil, and of passion, who abuse their wives. Does every damsel not know this? For this reason, if she commits herself to her husband in the name of the Father, He hears her. And He establishes His Kingdom in her house. And that man and that woman have no longer themselves to consult as to their desires; for if the Father desires her to leave her husband, or the husband to leave the wife, He takes one of them to heaven. Do not think that He changes as the wind, or bends Himself to please the caprice of man or woman. Rather let the good wife, with a bad husband, say to Ormazd:
Because I was vain, You have rebuked me, O Father. Because I sought to change my condition, You have shown me I knew not what was good for me. Yes, you have shown me the folly of my judgment before You, and I will profit in turning to Your Will. I will not open my mouth in complaint anymore. Though I be scourged with stripes, and made ashamed of my household, yet I will glorify You. The city You have founded in me, I will begin at the foundation, and build up as a holy city, in Your name.
And she shall say to her husband, who beats her: Because the Father gave you to me, I will rejoice and sing in your praise. Before I sleep at night, I will ask His blessing upon you, and in the early morning, and at high noon. Though you may hate me, yet I will do so great good works for you, that you shall love me. Though you may kill me, yet I will go into heaven and build a house for you.