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Plain text of Book 17, Hymn 1

1 Vanquishing, overpowering, a conqueror, exceeding strong, victorious, winner of the light, winner of cattle and of spoil, God the Mighty by name, adorable, I call: a long, long life be mine!

2 Vanquishing, and so on. God the Mighty by name, adorable, I call: may I be dear to the righteous.

3 Vanquishing, and so on. God the Mighty by name, adorable, I call: may creatures love me well.

4 Vanquishing, and so on. God the Mighty by name, adorable, I call: may cattle hold me dear.

5 Vanquishing, and so on. God the Mighty by name, adorable, I call: may equals love me well.

6 Rise up, O light, rise up; with strength and splendour rise on me. Let him who hates me be my thrall; let me not be a thrall to him. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One. Sate us with cattle of all forms and colours; set me in happiness, in loftiest heaven.

7 Rise up, O light, rise up; with strength and splendour rise on me. Make me the favourite of all, of those I see and do not see. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

8 Let not the fowlers who are standing ready injure you in the flood, within the waters. Ascend this heaven, leaving each curse behind you. Favour us; let Your gracious love attend us. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

9 Do You, O Mighty One, for our great good fortune, with Your inviolable rays protect us. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

10 Be You most gracious unto us, O Mighty One, with favourable aid, rising to heaven's third sphere, invoked with song, loving Your home, to make us blest. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

11 You are the vanquisher of all, O Mighty One, omniscient, and invoked of many. Send forth this hymn that fitly lauds You. Favour us; let Your gracious love attend us. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

12 In heaven and on the earth You are uninjured, none reach Your greatness in the air's mid region. Increasing by inviolate devotion, as such in heaven grant us protection, O Mighty One. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

13 Grant us protection, O Mighty One, with that power of Yours that is on earth, in fire, in waters, that dwells within the wind that reaches the light, wherewith You have pervaded the air's mid region. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

14 O Mighty One, exalting You with prayer, imploring, sages have sat them down in holy session. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

15 Round the spring with thousand currents You go, round the light-finding assembly. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

16 You guard well the four celestial regions, pervading heaven and earth with light and splendour. You give help to all these living creatures, and, knowing, follow the path of Order. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

17 With five You send heat; with one removing the curse You come in bright sunshine hither. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

18 You are the Mighty, the Great Mighty One; You are the Lord of the world, the Lord of Life. To You is sacrifice performed in devotion; worshippers offer gifts for Your sake. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One.

19 What is, is based on what is not; the present lies on that which is. The present is imposed on the future and the future on the present based. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One. Sate us with cattle of all varied colour. Set me in happiness, in loftiest heaven.

20 Bright are You, and refulgent: as You shine with splendour so I fain would shine with splendour.

21 Lustre are You, illumining: as You glow with lustre so I too would shine with cattle, with all the lustre of a scholar's station.

22 Glory to Him when rising, when ascending! Glory to Him when He has reached the zenith! To Him far-shining, the self-sufficient, to Him the Sovereign Lord and King be glory!

23 Glory to Him when He is turning westward, to Him when setting, and when set! To Him far-shining, the self-sufficient, to Him the Sovereign Lord and King be glory!

24 With all his fiery fervour this sun has gone up on high, giving my foes into my hand. Let me not be my foeman's prey. Manifold are Your great deeds, O All-Pervading One. Sate us with cattle of all varied colours. Set me in happiness, in loftiest heaven.

25 For our weal, You have mounted Your ship with hundred oars. You have transported me to day; so bear me evermore to night.

26 For our weal, You have mounted Your ship with hundred oars. You have transported me to night; so bear me evermore to day.

27 Encompassed by the Creator's devotion as shield, with bright light and splendour, reaching old age, may I, made strong and mighty, live through a thousand years with happy fortunes.

28 Compassed am I with prayer, my shield and armour; compassed with bright light and splendour. Let not shafts reach me shot from heaven against me, nor those sent forth by men for my destruction.

29 Guarded am I by Order and the seasons, protected by the past and by the future. Let not distress, yea, let not death come nigh me: with water of my speech have I overwhelmed them.

30 On every side let the Radiant One guard and keep me; the rising sun drive off the snares of death! Let brightly flushing mornings, firm-set mountains, and lives a thousand be with me united.