1 The warrior's look is like a thunderous rain-cloud's, when, armed with mail, he seeks the lap of battle.

Be thou victorious with unwounded body: so let the thickness of thy mail protect thee.

2 With the bow let us win kine, with the bow the battle, with the bow be victors in our hot encounters.

The bow brings grief and sorrow to the foeman: armed with the bow may we subdue all regions.

3 Close to his car, as fain to speak, she presses, holding her well-loved friend in her embrace.

Strained on the bow, she whispers like a woman, this bowstring that preserves us in the combat.

4 These, meeting like a woman and her lover, bear, mother-like, their child upon their bosom.

May the two bow-ends, starting swift asunder, scatter, in unison, the foes who hate us.

5 With many a son, father of many daughters, he clangs and clashes as he goes to battle.

Slung on the back, pouring his brood, the quiver vanquishes all opposing bands and armies.

6 Upstanding in the car the skilful charioteer guides his strong horses on whithersoever he will.

See and admire the strength of those controlling reins which from behind declare the will of him who drives.

7 Horses whose hoofs rain dust are neighing loudly, yoked to the chariots, showing forth their vigour.

With their forefeet descending on the foemen, they, never flinching, trample and destroy them.

8 Car-bearer is the name of his offering, whereon are laid his weapons and his armour.

So let us here, each day that passes, honour the helpful car with hearts exceeding joyful.

9 In sweet association lived the fathers who gave us life, profound and strong in trouble,

Unwearied, armed with shafts and wondrous weapons, free, real heroes, conquerors of armies.

10 The scholars and the elders meet together, and God, graciously inclined, the Unequalled, sustains Heaven and Earth.

Guard us from evil, O God the Nourisher, guard us, strengthener of Law: let not the evil-wisher master us.

11 Her tooth a deer's horn, dressed in an eagle's feathers, bound with cow-hide, launched forth, she flies onward.

There where the heroes speed hither and thither, there may the arrows shelter and protect us.

12 Avoid us, thou whose flight is straight, and let our bodies be as stone.

May God kindly speak to us, and His boundless mercy protect us well.

13 He lays his blows upon their backs, he deals his blows upon their thighs.

Thou, whip, who urgest horses, drive sagacious horses in the fray.

14 It compasses the arm with serpent windings, fending away the friction of the bowstring:

So may the brace, well-skilled in all its duties, guard manfully the man from every quarter.

16 Loosed from the bowstring fly away, thou arrow, sharpened by our prayer.

Go to the foemen, strike them home, and let not one be left alive.

17 There where the flights of arrows fall like boys whose locks are yet unshorn,

Even there may God, the Lord of prayer, and His boundless mercy protect us well, protect us well through all our days.

18 Thy vital parts I cover with thine armour: may God clothe thee with lasting honour.

May the All-Seeing give thee what is more than ample, and in thy triumph may the angels be joyful.

19 Whoso would kill us, whether he be a strange foe or one of us,

May God discomfit him. My nearest, closest mail is prayer.