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Pahlavi Texts, Part II (SBE18), E.W. West, tr. [1882], at sacred-texts.com
1. As to the fifty-second question and reply, that which you ask is thus: If people of the good religion, in their country or out of their country, shall buy and sell with those of a different religion as regards cattle, or shall lay hold of traders (vanîkgarân) and shall sell to them, what is then the decision about it? 2. When those of the good religion shall not buy, as they have not come up to the price, but the orthodox dealers shall sell to traders and those of a different religion, what is then the decision about it? 3. And about him, of whom the means of existence (zîvisnŏ mindavam) are such, what is then the decision?
4. The reply is this, that it would be very grievously sinful, and it would be an evil occupation to transact such business through the influence of opportunity, and to seek profit unauthorisedly in that manner. 5. But if it be the means of existence of those of the good religion of whom you have written, and they are not able to seek it in any other business and proper occupation which would be a less sinful meant of existence, complete 2 purchasers who have acquired
the good religion shall sell unto those of the good religion 1; because it is possible for him to be less sinful to whom it is allowable to beg the life of a comrade, for still the rule of a righteous man, with the righteous who are in his guardianship, is to live. 6. So it is possible, when they shall sell cattle for slaughter and foreign eating, many cattle--amounting even to a diminution of the maintenance of Irân--are more wretched than a righteous man forced to kill them through a living becoming unobtainable and the fear of death.
182:1 That is, having made a bargain, he is not to be aggrieved at any unexpected excess of profit made in good faith by the other parties to the bargain; a rather high standard of commercial morality.
182:2 The word is pûr, but it may be suspected of being a blunder, as tôrâ, 'ox,' would be a more likely word.
183:1 Who would not be likely to kill the animal, and with whom they could come to an understanding as to its good treatment, so as to avoid the sin of bôdyôzêdîh (see Chap. XLIX, 5 n).