To the Unknown God

In the beginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as born, he alone was the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this heaven:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

In the beginning, the Golden Child arose. From the moment he was born, he alone was lord of all that exists. He established the earth and this heaven. Who is the God we should offer sacrifice to?

He who gives breath, he who gives strength, whose command all the bright gods revere, whose shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He gives breath and strength. All the bright gods revere his command. His shadow is immortality, and his shadow is death. Who is the God to whom we should offer sacrifice?

He who through his might became the sole king of the breathing and twinkling world, who governs all this, man and beast:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

By his power, he became the sole king of all that breathes and blinks in the world. He rules over all of it, humans and animals alike. Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He through whose might these snowy mountains are, and the sea, they say, with the distant river; he of whom these regions are indeed the two arms:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

These snowy mountains exist through his power. They say the sea and the distant river do too. These regions are indeed his two arms. Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He through whom the awful heaven and the earth were made fast, he through whom the ether was established, and the firmament; he who measured the air in the sky:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

Through him, the awe-inspiring heaven and the earth were made secure. Through him, the ether and the vault of heaven were established. He measured the air in the sky. Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He to whom heaven and earth, standing firm by his will, look up, trembling in their mind; he over whom the risen sun shines forth:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

Heaven and earth stand firm by his will and look up to him, trembling within. The risen sun shines over him. Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

When the great waters went everywhere, holding the germ, and generating light, then there arose from them the breath of the gods:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

When the great waters spread everywhere, holding the seed of life and creating light, the breath of the gods arose from those waters. Who is the God to whom we should offer sacrifice?

He who by his might looked even over the waters which held power and generated the sacrifice, he who alone is God above all gods:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

Through his might, he watched over even the waters that held power and brought forth the sacrifice. He alone is God above all gods. Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

May he not hurt us, he who is the begetter of the earth, or he, the righteous, who begat the heaven; he who also begat the bright and mighty waters:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

May he who created the earth not harm us, nor the righteous one who created heaven. He also created the bright and mighty waters. Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

Pragâpati, no other than thou embraces all these created things. May that be ours which we desire when sacrificing to thee: may we be lords of wealth!

Pragâpati, you alone embrace all these created things. May we receive what we desire when we offer sacrifices to you. May we be masters of wealth!