1. Wise, surely, through his might is his creation, Who stemmed asunder spacious earth and heaven; He pushed the sky, the bright and glorious, upward, And stretched the starry sky and earth asunder. 2. With my own heart I commune, how I ever Can now approach Varu_n_a’s sacred presence; Will he accept my gift without displeasure? When may I fearless look and find him gracious? 3. Fain to discover this my sin, I question, I go to those who know, and ask for counsel. The same reply I get from all the sages, ’Tis Varu_n_a indeed whom thou hast angered. 4. What was my chief offence that thou wilt slay me, Thy oldest friend who always sang thy praises? Tell me, unconquered Lord, and I shall quickly Fall down before thee, sinless with my homage. 5. Loose us from sins committed by our fathers, From others too which we ourselves committed, As from a calf, take from us all our fetters, Loose us as thieves are loosed that lifted cattle. 6. ’Twas not our own free will, ’twas strong temptation, Or thoughtlessness, strong drink, or dice, or passion, The old was near to lead astray the younger, Nay, sleep itself suggests unrighteous actions. 7. Let me do service to the bounteous giver, The angry god, like to a slave, but sinless; The gracious god gave wisdom to the foolish, And he, the wiser, leads the wise to riches. 8. O let this song, god Varu_n_a, approach thee, And let it reach thy heart, O Lord and Master! Prosper thou us in winning and in keeping, Protect us, gods, for evermore with blessings! I wish I could have introduced a larger number of my so-called Indian friends, the poets of sacred songs who may have lived thousands of years ago. But I am afraid I have already tired out the patience of my readers with these very ancient friends of mine. The only excuse I can plead is that my own friends in England and in Germany have so often wondered how I could have fallen in love with the Veda, and actually left my own country in order to rescue this forgotten Bible from utter oblivion. It is fortunate that people have different tastes and that we are not all devoted to the same beauty.