THT 255

Known as:	THT 255; B 255; Bleistiftnummer 251x
Cite this page as:	"THT 255". In A Comprehensive Edition of Tocharian Manuscripts (CEToM). Created and maintained by Melanie Malzahn, Martin Braun, Hannes A. Fellner, and Bernhard Koller. https://cetom.univie.ac.at/?m-tht255 (accessed 11 May 2026).
Provenience
Main find spot:	Kizil Ming-öy
Expedition code:	T III MQ 73.1
Collection:	Berlin Turfan Collection
Language and Script
Language:	TB
Linguistic stage:	archaic
Script:	archaic
Text contents
Text genre:	Literary
Text subgenre:	Kāvya
Verse/Prose:	verse
Meter:	4343 (4x)
Object
Material:	ink on paper
Form:	Poṭhī
Number of lines:	7

Transliteration

a1	skw[ä] nma s̝ca śai ṣṣe mā ka yu wä stra ma rsau¯ ¯u śai ṣṣe a lye ka ma s̝a pr[ā] skaṃ cme lā sā : ne¯ ¯u ske ai skeṃ ā lye ṅka¯ ¯ts skwä so¯ ¯nt [p]kwä ntra [r]s̝a ñā (–)
a2	mā ce ywä lke e pi ṅkte tsmo ññe ai skeṃ la kle nta¯ ¯ts 6 skwä nma śai ṣṣe ko lo ktra i we ru ne wrä nta ra¯ ¯mt ceṃ la kle nta o mpo staṃ ko lo [ka]
a3	ntra ski y[o] rā : ka klā yā s̝s̝aṃ la kle [n]e mā sa kka ls̝aṃ i sa pe a kṛ ta jñe śau mo rā mā su lkā tra ñya tse ne 7 ke ts̝a¯ ¯ñ skwä nma ma ta kaṃ [sū]
a4	a lye kmeṃ ya ska stra ya ṣu skwä nma ke tra lsko ka rwa skwä nmā ma skwä nma : ko ṣko rā śaṃ ta rśī tse tsa tko tsa t[k]waṃ e ṅka stra ru ks̝a pa ls[k]o (–)
a5	klye ñ[k]tra skwä tse lau te mā ne saṃ 8 k[e] t[e] ṅka tkre sa nu ññe s̝a rs̝paṃ pa rna ścwa s̝a mñe pi le ñä ṣtra śai ṣṣe ntse wä se pa rnnä kä ntwa ne se ti [mi]
a6	ra śai ṣṣe ntse sa ne mpe lle a ñma ntse o rka mña na nrai nta ne yā mo re ñcä lt[ā] s̝a nne : 9 keṃ ma ta llaṃ yo lo y[na] ṣe¯ ¯k wä ntra no w[o] tkaṃ k[r](·)[i] (– –)
a7	no lmi ta llā n[n]e o ṅko lma ra śe ru weṃ : ya mo rs̝s̝a ññe a kna tsā yā mo rs̝s̝a ññe ai śau mye śe no ṅko lmai śai ṣṣe ne s̝a ñyo ññi ye wa (–)
lf	10 8
b1	nm[a] 10 ā mo ka nta wä nta rwa śa mñe s̝a rpseṃ śau mo tse mā po mī sa pe ra ka ke tm[ā] yä kne o rtt[o] tra : klyo mñe s̝a rpseṃ ṣe mi ksa [ai] śa mñe nta (– –)
b2	ko kuse ma pa lsko ka tka stra su su [o] rṣṣe e ñcu wo 10-1 ai ka ru ṣa ke tpa lsko snai sa kyai tu ke ktse ñä no ṅkau su ra¯ ¯mt pa kwa re mā pru tka s̝s̝aṃ we –
b3	ne : ke tno pa lsko ka ka cu a mā lla tte yo llai ntsā ya mo rke śä ta ṣṣe ñca se krui srau kaṃ śa ma ne 10-2 i sa lyä ntse [ṣ]ṣe rtwe ntsā co wai ka nt[wa]
b4	ta rka naṃ ma cpi ne saṃ [pa] rki su wä ṣṣe we s̝s̝aṃ no lmeṃ : te sa śai ṣṣe wä kse ntra ā lyau wce meṃ ce pre ke [au] mi ye ne pa lsko ṣṣe (–)
b5	ka lpa stra e ma lyai 10 3 kuse ta [n]ma stra sa ssu wa pi śa ka wī [wa] ki cceṃ mā ai śta rme mā lkā nme ma cpi ta seṃ s̝a¯ ¯ñ mai yyā : e – –
b6	rsnaṃ sklo ka nma śle kra e rseṃ kle śa nma ma no ma kci kle śä cci po s̝a rmai skeṃ kle śä nma¯ ¯ts 10 4 pi śa¯ ¯ts tsa ṅkaṃ i sa lye – –
b7	sai ma yā mo rmeṃ na ki we skeṃ kre ntta ntsa wä ṣṣe we skeṃ au lā reṃ : ce pi śai ṣṣe ā lyi ntra ñyā tse kwi pe rma nta rmai pi [ś][a] [n]· –

Transcription

10-8

6a	4σ a1 ; skwänmaṣca ; śaiṣṣe māka ; yuwästrä
6b	märsau_u śaiṣṣe ; alyekä ; ma ṣä prāskaṃ ; cmelāsā :
6c	ne_uske aiskeṃ ; ālyeṅkäts ; skwäsont pkwänträr ; ṣäñ ā(ñmä)
6d	a2 mā cey wälke ; epiṅkte ; tsmoññe aiskeṃ ; läklentats 6
7a	skwänma śaiṣṣe ; kolokträ ; iwerune ; wränta ramt
7b	ceṃ läklenta ; ompostäṃ ; kolokaa3nträ ; skiyo rā :
7c	kaklāyāṣṣäṃ ; läklene ; mā säk kälṣäṃ ; isäpe
7d	akṛtajñe ; śaumo rā ; mā su lkāträ ; ñyatsene 7
8a	ket ṣäñ skwänma ; ma takaṃ ; sū a4 alyekmeṃ ; yaskästrä
8b	yaṣu skwänma ; ket {r→p}älsko ; kärwa= skwänmā ; ma skwänma :
8c	koṣko rāśäṃ ; tarśītse ; tsätko tsätkwaṃ ; eṅkästrä
8d	rukṣä-pälsko ; (ṣe=) a5 klyeñkträ ; skwätse laute ; mā nesäṃ 8
9a	ket eṅkätkre ; sanuññe ; ṣärṣpäṃ pärnaśc ; waṣämñe
9b	pile ñäṣträ ; śaiṣṣentse ; wäse pärnnä ; käntwane
9c	se timia6rä ; śaiṣṣentse ; san empelle ; añmäntse
9d	orkämñana ; nraintane ; yāmor eñcäl ; tāṣän-ne : 9
10a	keṃ ma tällaṃ ; yoloynä ; ṣek wänträ no ; wotkäṃ kr(_u)i
10b	(kreñc) (o)a7nolmi ; tällān-ne ; oṅkolma ra ; śeruweṃ :
10c	yamorṣṣäññe ; aknatsā ; yāmorṣṣäññe ; aiśaumye
10d	śen oṅkolmai ; śaiṣṣene ; ṣäñ yoññiye ; wa(ltsna)b1nn1 ma 10
11a	āmokänta ; wäntärwa ; śamñe ṣärpseṃ ; śaumotse
11b	mā po mīsa ; perakä ; ket mā yäkne ; orttoträ :
11c	klyomñe ṣärpseṃ ; ṣemi ksa ; aiśämñenta ; (alyai)b2ko
11d	k_use ma pälsko ; katkästrä ; su su orṣṣe ; eñcuwo 10-1
12a	aikäruṣa ; ket pälsko ; snai säk yaitu ; kektseñä
12b	noṅk ausu ramt ; pakware ; mā prutkäṣṣäṃ ; we(rtsyai)b3ne :
12c	ket no pälsko ; kakacu ; amāllatte ; yollaintsā
12d	yamor keśä ; taṣṣeñca ; se kr_ui sraukaṃ ; śamane 10-2
13a	isälyäntse ; ṣṣertwentsā ; cowai käntwa ; b4 tärkänaṃ
13b	ma cpi nesäṃ ; pärki su ; wäṣṣe weṣṣäṃ ; nolmeṃ :
13c	tesa śaiṣṣe ; wäksenträ ; ālyauwcemeṃ ; ce preke
13d	aumiyene ; pälskoṣṣe ; (mā) b5 kälpasträ ; emälyai 10-3
14a	k_use tänmästrä ; sässuwa ; piśaka wī ; wakicceṃ
14b	mā aiśtär-me ; mā lkān-me ; ma cpi taseṃ ; ṣäñ maiyyā :
14c	e(ntwe-k) (ka)b6rsnaṃ ; sklokanma ; śle-k ra erseṃ ; kleśänma
14d	ma no mäkci ; kleśäcci ; po ṣärm aiskeṃ ; kleśänmats 10-4
15a	piśäts tsaṅkaṃ ; isälye ; (waike) b7 saimä ; yāmormeṃ
15b	naki weskeṃ ; krenttäntsä ; wäṣṣe weskeṃ ; aulāreṃ :
15c	ce pi= śaiṣṣe ; ālyinträ ; ñyātse kwipe ; rmantär
15d	mai piś an· – 11σ

Translation

a1	... the world tends toward pleasures very much.
a1	And one who has forgotten the other world does not fear because of rebirths.
a1	Oppression they give others,
a1	and they expect themselves to be happy.
a1+	Not within long, they will pay an interest in sufferings.
a2	The world follows plesures like waters during dropsy.
a2+	Sufferings follow after them like a shadow.
a3	Pleasure does not bear (to have) those fallen into suffering close.
a3	Like an ungrateful person, it is not seen (when you are) in distress.
a3+	One who doesn't have his own pleasures begs for pleasures as alms from someone else.
a4	To one who has sense, pleasures are reeds, not pleasures.
a4	Like a coal pit, the deceptive (pleasure) leads.n2
a4	He concieves of the false falsely.
a4+	The harsh-spirited one always doubts.
a5	There is no opportunity for pleasure (for him).
a5	One whose hatred is deep outwardly shows friendship.
a5	He seeks for a wound of the world.
a5	Poison is outside on his tongue (?).
a5+	This [is] the blindness of the world, a terrible enemy for oneself;
a6	in the dark hells the deed takes hold of oneself.
a6	The earth does not support the evil one,
a6	but it always covers him if it decides so.
a6+	Good beings carry him like an elephant a hunter.
a7	The fool that is Karma, the wiseman that is Karma, he prods (?) the elephant in the world (?).
a7+	It does not tread (?) its own way.
b1	They point at crafts [and] objects as the humanity of a human, not (just) all meat - the manner of which the faithful one doesn't approve of (?).n3
b1+	Some point at nobility, others at knowledge.
b2	Whoever does not gladden his mind, he is wooden iron.
b2	Whose mind is aikäruṣa, without happiness, he like one who has adorned his body, but is still dressed badly, does not fill his assembly (?).
b3	One whose mind is glad and unoppressed by evil, this one, taking into account the deed, is alive (even) if he dies.
b3+	Through the incitement of discord, one steals the tongue (?).
b4	This is not an advantage for him.
b4	He lies to the beings.
b4	Because of that, people turn away from each other this time.
b4+	In the aumiye of the mind, one does not attain heat.
b5	One who begets fifty two excellent sons does not know them if he does not see them.
b5	They do not give him their own power.
b5+	Then, he cuts off doubts
b6	and additionally, he causes Kleśas.
b6	But the Kleśa-afflicted ones do not give all cause for the Kleśas themselves.
b6+	If from the five discordance arises, having made the lie their refuge they blame the good ones
b7	and tell lies about their companions.
b7	Would they ward off this world
b7	and will they bow for distress and shame?

Other

a1	Die Bedrückung geben sie anderen [und] vertrauen auf ein glückliches eigenes Selbst. (Schmidt 1974: 174, 317)
a1	(Besitztümern) [und] Glücksgütern wendet sich die Welt sehr zu. (Schmidt 1974: 296)
a1	Sie vertrauen auf ein glückliches eigenes Selbst. (Schmidt 1974: 309, fn. 3)
a2+	Ihr [scil. der Welt] folgen die Leiden nach wie ein Schatten. (Schmidt 1974: 74)
a2+	Den Glücksgütern folgt die Welt, wie das Wasser [Im Toch. Plural] bei Wassersucht [folgt]. Ihr [scil. der Welt] folgen die Leiden nach wie der Schatten. (Schmidt 1974: 290)
a3	Die in Leid Gefallenen erträgt das Glück nicht in [seiner] Nähe. Wie ein undankbarer Mensch lässt es sich in der Not nicht blicken [wtl. wird es nicht gesehen]. (Schmidt 1974: 76, 234-5)
a3+	Wer keine eigenen Glücksgüter hat, der erbittet [sie] von einem anderen [d.h. ist von dem Verlangen danach erfüllt und gibt dem Ausdruck]. (Schmidt 1974: 90, 149)
a4	Wenn eine Hütte die Verkehrtheit eines Betruges(?) bedeckt, [so] wird sie [scil. die Hütte; oder das?] als verkehrt empfunden [wtl. aufgefasst]. (Schmidt 1974: 85, 241)
a4+	Ein rauhes Denken erhebt stets Zweifel, für Glück ist kein Augenblick [da]. (Schmidt 1974: 175)
a5+	This [is] the blindness of the world, a terrible enemy for oneself; in the dark hells the deed takes hold of oneself. (Peyrot 2013b: 432)
a6	The earth does not support the evil one, but it always covers him if it decides [so]. (Peyrot 2013b: 317)
a6	Die Erde erträgt nicht den Bösewicht(?): stets verhüllt sie sich(?), wenn er entscheidet(?). (Schmidt 1974: 42, 300)
b1	Die ganze Person(?) [wtl. das ganze Fleisch] ist nicht vertrauenswürdig, deren Art nicht gelobt wird. (Schmidt 1974: 240)
b2	Wer das Denken nicht erfreut, der ist ein hölzernes Eisen. (Schmidt 1974: 506)
b3	He who is alive takes the deed into account [only] when he dies. (Peyrot 2013b: 326)
b4+	[Selbst] im Fieber des Denkens erlangt er (keine) Hitze. (Schmidt 1974: 195)
b5	He who fathers fifty-two distinguished children does not know them if he does not see them, [and] they do not give him their own power. (Peyrot 2013b: 683)
b5	Wer sich zweiundfünfzig ausgezeichnete Söhne erzeugt, [der] kennt sie nicht, wenn er sie nicht sieht. (Schmidt 1974: 422)
b6+	If from the five discordance arises, having made the lie their refuge they blame the good ones and tell lies about their companions. (Peyrot 2013b: 674)
b7	Would they ward off this world and will they bow for distress and shame? (Peyrot 2013b: 358)
b7	Diese fünf [Mächte] sollen [zwar] die Welt fernhalten, sollen sich aber der Not und Scham beugen. (Schmidt 1974: 304, 501)

Commentary

Parallel texts

*	THT 254

Linguistic commentary

n1	perakä for perāk.

Philological commentary

n2	For koṣko as "coal-pit", see Bernard and Chen 2022, who I also follow in reading rāśäṃ as r= āśäṃ. Unlike them, however, I do not correct tarśītse to tarśītsa
n3	The syntax and meaning of this sentence is far from clear. In particular, po mīsa is enigmatic. I interpret the relative clause as non-restrictive.

Alternative linguistic/paleographic classifications

Peyrot 2008	A1
Malzahn 2007a	A5
Tamai 2011	C1
Tamai 2011	C14

References

Online access

IDP: THT 255; TITUS: THT 255

Edition

Sieg and Siegling 1953: 155-156

Translations

Hackstein 1995: a1 (192), a3 a4 (184), a4 (118ff, 140, 224), b2 (264), b3 (316), b7 (214); Krause 1952: a6 (65), b7 (122); Peyrot 2013b: a5 a6 (432), a6 (317), b3 (326), b5 (683), b6 b7 (674), b7 (358); Schmidt 1974: a1 (174, 296, 309 n.3), a1 (174, 317), a1 (296), a1 (309, fn. 3), a2 (74), a2 a3 (74), a2 a3 (290), a3 (76, 234f), a3 (76, 234-5), a3 a4 (90, 149), a4 (85, 241), a4 a5 (175), a5 a6 (175), a6 (41 n.2), a6 (42, 300), b1 (240), b2 (506), b4 b5 (195), b5 (59 n.3), b5 (422), b7 (304, 501); Thomas 1957: b3 (268); Thomas 1968: a2 (209), a2 a3 (202), a3 (205), a6 a7 (213); Thomas 1969: a6 (254); Thomas 1979a: a3 a4 (258); Thomas 1979d: b6 (166); Thomas 1985: a2 (92); Thomas 1995: a1 (60)