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Plain text of Book The Eighth · Book 8, Hymn 20. The Storm-Angels, Servants of God

1 Let none, swift travellers! check you: come hither, like-spirited, stay not far away,

Ye benders even of what is firm.

2 Angels of storm and skill and healing, come ye with your cars strong-fellied and exceeding bright.

Come, ye for whom we long, with food, to devotion, come ye with love to Sobhari.

3 For well we know the vigorous might of the servants of the Healer, the angels, who are passing strong,

Swift band of the All-Pervading, who send the rain.

4 Islands are bursting forth and misery is stayed: the heaven and earth are joined in one.

Decked with bright rings, ye spread the broad expanses out, when ye, self-luminous, stirred yourselves.

5 Even things immovable shake and reel, the mountains and the forest trees at your approach,

And the earth trembles as ye come.

6 To lend free course, O angels, to your furious rush, heaven high and higher still gives way,

Where they, the heroes mighty with their arms, display their gleaming ornaments on their forms.

7 After their angelic nature they, the bull, like heroes, dazzling and impetuous, wear

Great splendour as they show erect.

8 The pivot of the Sobharis' chariot within the golden box is balmed with milk.

May they the well-born, mighty, kindred of the cow, aid us to food and to delight.

9 Bring, ye who sprinkle balmy drops, gifts to your vigorous company,

To those whose leader is the Bull.

10 Come hither, O ye mares, on your strong-horsed car, solid in look, with solid naves.

Lightly like winged falcons, O ye heroes, come, come to enjoy our offerings.

11 Their decoration is the same: their ornaments of gold are bright upon their arms;

Their lances glitter splendidly.

12 They toil not to defend their bodies from attack, strong heroes with their mighty arms.

Strong are your bows and strong the weapons in your cars, and glory sits on every face.

13 Whose name extendeth like a sea, alone, resplendent, so that all have joy in it,

And life-power like ancestral might.

14 Pay honour to these angels and sing praise to them, for of the wheel-spokes of the car

Of these loud roarers none is last: this is their power, this moves them to give mighty gifts.

15 Blest by your favouring help was he, O angels, at the earlier flushings of the morn,

And even now shall he be blest.

16 The strong man to whose devotion, O heroes, ye approach that ye may taste thereof,

With glories and with war that winneth spoil shall gain great bliss, ye shakers of the world.

18 And these the bounteous, worthy of the angels who move onward pouring down the rain,

Even for their sake, O youthful ones, with kindest heart take us to you to be your own.

19 O Sobhari, with newest song sing out unto the youthful purifying bulls,

Even as a plougher to his steers.

20 Who, like a celebrated boxer, overcome the challengers in every fight:

They who, like shining bulls, are most illustrious, honour those angels with thy song.

21 Allied by common ancestry, ye angels, even the cows, alike in energy,

Lick, all by turns, each other's head.

23 O angels, rich in noble gifts, bring us a portion of the healing medicine,

Ye coursers who are friends to us.

24 Haters of those who serve you not, bliss-bringers, bring us bliss with those auspicious aids

Wherewith ye are victorious and guard the river well, and succour Krvi in his need.

25 Angels, who rest on fair trimmed grass, what balm soever the river or Asikni hath,

Or mountains or the seas contain,

26 Ye carry on your bodies, ye who see it all: so bless us graciously therewith.

Cast, angels, to the ground our sick man's malady: replace the dislocated limb.