Plain text of Chapter I
Decade I — The Purifying Provision of God
1 The righteous have come to the pure and well-descended, beautified with milk, the active crusher of the foe.
2 Active, while being purified, he hath assailed all enemies: they deck the Sage with holy hymns.
3 Pouring all glories hither, he, effused, hath passed within the jar: the pure is bestowed for the Mighty.
4 From the two press-boards is the juice sent, like a car-horse, to the sieve: the steed steps forward to the goal.
5 Impetuous, bright, have they come forth, unwearied in their speed, like bulls, driving the black skin far away.
6 Thou flowest chasing foes, finder of wisdom and delight: drive thou the godless folk afar!
7 Flow onward with that stream wherewith thou gavest splendour to the Sun, speeding the waters kind to man!
8 Flow onward thou who strengthenedst the righteous to overthrow evil that compassed and stayed the mighty floods!
9 Flow onward with this food for him who in thy wild delights battered the nine-and-ninety down!
10 Flow, pressed, into the filter, speed the heavenly one who winneth wealth, who bringeth booty through our juice!
Decade II — The Purifying Provision of God
1 The tawny Bull hath bellowed, fair as the mighty Friend to behold: he gleams and flashes with the Sun.
2 We choose to-day that chariot-steed of thine, the strong, that brings us bliss, the guardian, the desire of all.
3 Servant, to the filter lead the juice expressed with stones: make thou it pure for the Mighty's drink.
4 Swift runs this giver of delight, even the stream of flowing juice: swift runs this giver of delight.
5 Pour hitherward wealth in thousands and heroic strength, and keep renown secure for us!
6 The ancient living ones have come unto a newer resting-place. They saw the Sun that he might shine.
7 Flow on exceeding bright with loud roar to the reservoirs, resting in wooden vats, thy home!
8 Thou art strong and bright, potent with potent sway: thou, mighty one, ordainest laws.
9 For food, flow onward with thy stream, cleansed and made bright by sapient men: approach the milk with sheen!
10 Flow on with pleasant stream, strong and devoted to the righteous, our friend, unto the woollen sieve.
11 By this solemnity, thou, though great, hast been increased: in joy thou, verily actest like a bull!
12 Most active and benevolent, this pure gift sent to us for lofty friendship meditates.
13 To us for this great rite, bearing as 'twere thy wave to the righteous, unwearied, thou art flowing on.
14 Chasing our foemen, driving off the godless, thou floweth on, going to the Mighty's settled place.
Decade III — The Purifying Provision of God
1 Cleansing thee in thy stream, thou flowest in a watery robe: giver of wealth, thou sittest in the place of Law, a fountain made of gold.
2 Hence sprinkle forth the juice effused, the best of sacred gifts, friend of man, who hath run amid the water-streams! He hath pressed it out with stones.
3 Expressed by stones, and urged through the long wool of the sheep, thou, entering the press-boards even as men a fort, gold-hued hast settled in the vats.
4 For the feast of the righteous, river-like he hath swelled with surge, sweet with the liquor of the stalk, as one who wakes, into the vat that drops with sweetness.
5 Pressed out by pressers, it goes over the fleecy backs of sheep, goes, even as with a mare, in tawny-coloured stream, goes in a sweetly-sounding stream.
6 Every day thy friendship hath been my delight. Many fiends follow me; help me, thou tawny-hued: pass on beyond these barriers!
7 Deft-handed! thou when purified liftest thy voice amid the sea. Thou, purifying, makest riches flow to us, yellow, abundant, much desired.
8 The living drops pour, as they flow, the gladdening drink, intelligent drops above the station of the sea, exhilarating, dropping sweetness.
9 While thou art cleansed, most dear and watchful in the sheep's long wool, thou hast become a sage. Sprinkle our worship with sweetness!
10 The gladdening juice flows pressed for the Mighty with His host of angels: he hastens o'er the fleece with all his thousand streams: him, him the men make pure and bright.
11 Flow on, best winner of the spoil, to precious gifts of every sort! Thou art a sea according to the highest law, joy-giver, to the righteous!
12 Over the cleansing sieve have flowed the pure streams, gladdening, steeds with the Mighty's strength, for wisdom and for dainty food.
Decade IV — The Purifying Provision of God
1 Run onward to the reservoir and seat thee: cleansed by the men speed forward to the battle! Making thee glossy like an able courser, forth to the sacred grass with reins they lead thee.
2 God declares the generations of the angels, proclaiming lofty wisdom. With brilliant kin, far-ruling, sanctifying, the wild boar, singing with his foot, advances.
3 Three are the voices that the car-steed utters: he speaks the lore of prayer, the thought of Order. To the cows' master come the cows inquiring: the hymns with eager longing come.
4 Made pure by this man's urgent zeal and impulse, the gift hath pervaded the righteous with its juice. Pressed, singing, to the sieve he goes, as passes the leader to enclosures holding cattle.
5 Father of holy hymns the flowing stream is not; but God, the Creator, is Maker of the earth, Maker of heaven, Maker of fire, Maker of the sun, Maker of all that exists.
6 To Him, praiseworthy, sacred tones have sounded, Lord of the triple height, the life-bestower. Dwelling in wood, like a river, lavishing treasure, He distributes blessings.
7 Guard of all being, generating creatures, loud roared the sea as highest law commanded. Strong, in the filter, on the fleecy summit, pressed from the stone, the gift hath waxen mighty.
8 Loud neighs the tawny steed when started, settling deep in the wooden vessel while they cleanse him. Led by the men he makes the milk his raiment; then shall he, of himself, engender worship.
9 This thine own gift, rich in sweetness, O Mighty, the Strong, hath flowed into the Strong One's filter. The swift steed, bounteous, giving hundreds, thousands, hath reached the sacred grass which never fails him.
10 Flow onward, rich in sweetness, and holy, enrobed in waters, on the fleecy summit! Settle in vessels that are full of fatness, as cheering and most gladdening drink for the Mighty!
Decade V — The Purifying Provision of God
1 In forefront of the cars forth goes the hero, the leader, seeking spoil: his host rejoices. He endues his robe of lasting colours, and blesses, for his friends, their calls on the Mighty.
2 Thy streams have been poured forth with all their sweetness, when, cleansed thou passest through the woollen filter. The race of kine thou cleansest, O Purifier! Thou didst beget: and speed the Sun with splendours.
3 Let us sing praises to the angels: sing loudly, send ye the gift forth for mighty riches! Let it flow, sweetly-flavoured, through the filter: let it settle in the beaker!
4 Urged on, the Lord of the earth and heaven hath gone forth like a car to gather booty, going to the Mighty, sharpening His weapons, and in His hands containing every treasure.
5 When, by the law of the Most High, in presence of heaven and earth, the fond mind's utterance formed him. Then, loudly lowing, came the cows, the chosen, well-loved master in the beaker.
6 Ten sisters, pouring out the rain together, the sage's quickly-moving thoughts, adorn him. Hither hath run the gold-hued child of the sun, and reached the vat like a fleet vigorous courser.
7 When beauties strive for him as for a charger, then strive the songs as people for the sunlight. A mighty Sage, he flows enrobed in waters and hymns as 'twere a stall that kine may prosper.
8 Strong, bathed in milk, flows on for the Mighty, exciting strength, for his delight. He quells malignity and slays the demons, King of the homestead, he who gives us comfort.
9 Pour forth this wealth with this purification: flow onward to the yellow lake! Here, too, the bright one, wind-swift, full of wisdom, shall give a son to him who cometh quickly.
10 The mighty, when, the waters' offspring, he chose the righteous, performed that great achievement. By God's grace he granted strength to the Mighty: by it was light engendered in the sun.
11 As for a chariot-race, the skilful speaker, first hymn, inventor, hath with song been started. The sisters ten upon the fleecy summit adorn the car-horse in the resting-places.
12 Hastening onward like the waves of waters our holy hymns are coming forth. To Him they go with lowly adoration, and, longing, enter Him who longs to meet them.