Book 19: Hymn 48: A hymn to Night for protection

HYMN XLVIII

A hymn to Night for protection

1Then all that we accumulate, all that the treasure-chest contains,.
All this do we entrust to thee.
2Entrust thou us to Dawn, O Mother Night.
May Dawn entrust us to the Day, and Day to thee, O splendid.
One.
3Whatever flying thing be here, whatever thing that creeps and.
crawls.
Whatever fastens on a joint, therefrom do thou protect us,
Night.
4So guard thou us from west and east, protect us from the north
and south.
O splendid One, preserve us: we, the singers of thy praise, are
here.
5They who are followers of Night, and they who watch o'er
living things.
They who protect all cattle, they keep watch and ward over our
lives, over our herds keep watch and ward.
6Verily, Night, I know thy name, Dropper of Fatness art thou
called.
Thee Bharadvāja knew as such: as such be watchful o'er our
wealth.