The Fire, God's Sign.

1 I offer my worship and homage to God, as a good offering, and an offering with our hail of salvation, even as an offering of praise with benedictions, to Thee, O Wise Lord, Who madest the fire a sign! Meet for praise art Thou, and worthy of our homage. And as meet for praise, and thus worthy of our homage, mayest Thou be in the houses of men who worship the Wise Lord. Salvation be to this man who worships Thee in verity and truth, with wood in hand, and sacred twigs ready, with flesh in hand, and holding too the mortar.

2 And may the fire, Thy sign, be ever fed with wood as the prescription orders. Yea, may it have its perfume justly, and its sacred butter without fail, and its andirons regularly placed. Be of full age as to its nourishment, of the canon's age as to the measure of its food, O fire, sign of the Wise Lord! 3. Be now aflame within this house; be ever without fail in flame; be all ashine within this house; be on thy growth within this house; for long time be thou thus to the furtherance of the heroic renovation, to the completion of all progress, yea, even till the good heroic millennial time when that renovation shall have become complete.

4 Give me, O God, a speedy glory, speedy nourishment, and speedy booty, and abundant glory, abundant nourishment, abundant booty, an expanded mind, and nimbleness of tongue for soul and understanding, even an understanding continually growing in its largeness, and that never wanders, and long enduring virile power, (5) an offspring sure of foot, that never sleeps on watch, not for a third part of the day, or night, and that rises quick from bed, and likewise a wakeful offspring, helpful to nurture, or reclaim, legitimate, keeping order in men's meetings, yea, drawing men to assemblies through their influence and word, grown to power, skilful, redeeming others from oppression, served by many followers, which may advance my line in prosperity and fame, and my clan, and my tribe, and my province, yea, an offspring which may deliver orders to the province as firm and righteous rulers. 6. And mayest Thou grant me, O God, that whereby instructors may be given me, now and for evermore, giving light to me of Heaven, the best life of the saints, brilliant, all glorious. And may I have experience of the good reward, and the good renown, and of the long forecasting preparation of the soul.

7 The fire of the Wise Lord addresses this admonition to all for whom it cooks the night and morning meal. From all these, O Spitama! it wishes to secure good care, and healthful care as guarding for salvation, the care of a true praiser. 8. At both the hands of all who come by me, I, the fire, keenly look: What brings the mate to his mate, thus I say to him, the one who walks at large, to him who sits at home?

9 And if this man who passes brings him wood brought with good measure and with sacred care, or if he brings the sacred twigs spread with sanctity, or the Hadhanaepata plant, then afterwards the Wise Lord will bless him, contented, not offended, and in satisfaction saying thus: 10. May a herd of kine be with thee, and a multitude of men, may an active mind go with thee, and an active soul as well. As a blest soul mayest thou live through thy life, the nights which thou shalt live. This is the blessing for him who brings wood well dried, sought out for flaming, purified with the earnest blessing of the sacred truth of worship. 11. We strive after the flowing on of the good waters, and their ebb as well, and the sounding of their waves, desiring their benefit; I desire to approach them with my praise. 12 = Y. III, 24, 25.