O Night, you who are called 'peaceful' on my behalf, stand as my guardian against those who covet my wealth. With your vigilant, sleepless presence, drive away all who would harm me, banishing the thief to a place where he can never be found again. You are auspicious, O Night, steady and full as a cup that is never overturned. Like a maiden, you bear every form of cattle, nourishing the earth with your shining vision and beautiful forms. You never abandon the earth, but remain steadfast, as the sky above. Yet, if today there are those who are thieves, wrongdoers, or mortal enemies, may you, O Night, upon encountering them, strike at their necks and heads. May their feet fail to move as they wish, may their hands not reach their desires. Whoever moves about in darkness and filth, let him be crushed and perish—let him perish, let him perish, let him perish, standing helpless as if on dry wood. Now, O Night, render powerless the three-smoked, headless serpent; break the wolf’s cunning, and strike down the thief lurking in the thicket. Let your oxen, O Night—those with sharp horns and strong teeth—lead us safely through all dangers by your unconquerable strength. Night after night, may we survive and cross through with our bodies unharmed, as those who cannot drown cross deep waters, so may our enemies never cross over us. Just as a withered stalk, once fallen, is not pursued by the wind, so too, O Night, cast down those who seek to harm us. Drive away the thief, the cattle-stealer, and the robber, and also him who aims to take away the horse’s head. Whatever wealth is being divided today, O gracious Night, whatever you feed us with, as you do all others—may you give us safely to the dawn, unharmed. May dawn, radiant one, share out the day for us, for you, O Night, have no hands of your own. I am ten thousand—my self, my eye, my ear, my breath, my every vital force are ten thousand. I am all, ten thousand-fold. I take hold of you, born from the divine impulse of Savitar, from the arms of the Ashvins, from the hands of Pushan. Desire arose in the beginning, the first seed of mind. O Desire, united with the great Desire, of one womb, grant prosperity and wealth to your worshipper. You, Desire, are established with force, manifesting in many forms, a friend to friends, mighty in battle—grant strength to your worshipper. For those who long from afar, who seek and hope, Desire brings forth their own light. Let Desire move from heart to heart; whatever exhilaration or thought is present among these people, let it come to me now. Whatever act we perform here, seeking Desire, this is your offering—may all prosper for us, and may you graciously accept this, svaha. Time, the seven-rayed horse, carries all beings; with a thousand eyes, ageless and mighty, he bears the worlds. The wise ascend upon him, for his wheels are all the worlds. Time has seven wheels, seven mouths; his navel is immortal, his axis eternal. Time moves all these worlds—he, the first god, ever advances. Upon Time is placed a full jar; we see him in many forms. He moves all these worlds, and is known as the highest heaven. He alone upholds and encircles all worlds, becoming both father and son to them—none is greater in brilliance than he. Time created this heaven and this earth; in Time, past and future and all actions stand firm. Time created all beings; in Time the sun burns, and all creatures exist. In Time, the mind, breath, and all names are gathered; by Time, all beings rejoice when he arrives. In Time dwell austerity, supremacy, and the gathered Brahman. Time is the lord of all, who became father to Prajapati. By him, all is impelled, all is born, all is established. Time, having become Brahman, upholds the supreme lord. Time created the creatures; in the beginning, Time created Prajapati. Kashyapa, the self-born, arose from Time, and from Time also came austerity. From Time arose the waters, Brahman, austerity, and the directions. By Time the sun rises and sets. By Time the wind blows, and the great earth stands firm; the sky itself is established in Time. Long ago, Time gave birth to what has been and what will be, as a son. From Time arose the Ṛc verses and the Yajus. Time set the sacrifice in order, granting the gods their undiminishing share; in Time are fixed the Gandharvas and Apsarases, and all the worlds. In Time stand Aṅgiras and Atharvan, this world and the highest world, and all blessed realms with their supports—Time upholds them all. Having conquered all worlds with Brahman, Time, the supreme god, moves onward. Night after night, bearing the one who journeys unceasingly, stands as a horse with fodder for him. Rejoicing in wealth and food, may we not, O Agni, suffer harm in our dwelling. O Wind, may your arrow, which brings wealth, be yours alone; with it, grant us your favor. Let Agni, lord of the house, be ours evening by evening, giving us good mind each morning; O giver of wealth, bestow riches, that we, your kindlers, may prosper in body and thrive for a hundred winters. May I not become one who eats what has been burnt behind; homage to the food-giver, to the lord of food, to Rudra, to Agni. O assembly, protect my assembly, and you, O members, protect it as well. O Indra, much-invoked, you pervade all life; day by day, bearing the measured portion, you stand like a horse with fodder, O Agni. From the world of Yama you have arisen, O wise one, delighting and uniting mortals. Alone you journey with your chariot, knowing, measuring out sleep in the womb of the mighty one.