Chaldean Hymns to the Sun
First Hymn
1 Magical incantation. 2 Sun, from the foundations of heaven thou art risen; 3 thou hast unfastened the bolts of the shining skies; 4 thou hast opened the door of heaven. 5 Sun, above the countries thou hast raised thy head. 6 Sun, thou hast covered the immensity of the heavens and the terrestrial countries.
(The fragments of the four following lines are too mutilated to furnish any connected sense; all the rest of the hymn is entirely wanting.)
SECOND HYMN1
1 Lord, illuminator of the darkness, who piercest the face of darkness, 2 merciful god, who settest up those that are bowed down, who sustainest the weak, 3 toward the light the great gods direct their glances, 4 the archangels of the abyss,1 every one of them, contemplate eagerly thy face. 5 The language of praise,2 as one word, thou directest it. 6 The host of their heads seeks the light of the Sun in the South.3 7 Like a bridegroom thou restest joyful and gracious.4 8 In thy illumination thou dost reach afar to the boundaries of heaven.5 9 Thou art the banner of the vast earth. 10 O God! the men who dwell afar off contemplate thee and rejoice. 11 The great gods fix …[6] 12 Nourisher of the luminous heavens, who favorest …[7] 13 He who has not turned his hands (toward thee …[7] 14 ….7
1 In the Assyrian version, “The archangels of the earth.”
2 In the Assyrian version, “The eager language.”
3 The Assyrian version has simply, “of the sun.”
4 “Like a wife thou submittest thyself, cheerful and kindly.”—Sayce.
5 In the Assyrian version, “Thou art the illuminator of the limits of the distant heavens.”
6 Here occurs a word which I cannot yet make out.
7 Lacunæ.
Notes
1 See also Lenormant, “Chaldean Magic,” p. 180.