Beautiful is the first light of dawn

at the far blue eastern horizon.

Oh, living Sun the creator of life,

when you appear at the eastern sky

You fill the land with your beauty,

You are big and glimmering.

High over the earth is your path

your beams embrace the lands

and everything you created on earth.

You are our Re, conquering all living,

binding us together in embracing love.

Even far from us

your beams are caressing the world.

Even when you are high in the skies

the brightening day follows at your heel.

.

.

Whenever you disappear at the western horizon

the world become dark as the grave

It is like sleeping in a black tomb

with wrapped head and nostrils closed

None can see others,

everything he thought he owned

is stolen under his head.

Nothing he notices, nothing he feels

when the lion sneaks from the den,

creeping snake stings again.

Darkness rules, the World is silence,

Creator of Life goes to rest

behind dark horizon.

.

.

You lighten the world when you rise again.

Oh Sun, again you lighten the day.

Now darkness gives way to light,

now is feast in both lands.

You waken the people,

make them rise on their feet,

wash their limbs, put upon clothes,

praise your dawn with raised arms.

Then going to daily work

and the world continues labouring

.

.

The animals are resting at the pastureland

The trees and plants grow high

The birds are rustling in greening brushes

Praising you Sun with flapping wings

The sheep are dancing on playing feet

Winged birds fly high

Everything is living when you light upon

.

.

The boats sails on the river water,

upstream and downstream since way is open

as soon as dawn make it visible

The fishes jump in sight of you,

your beams reach the deep

going through the big waters

.

.

You gave the woman the child

You gave the man his seed

You gave life to the unborn child,

caring that there will be no pain

before the birth

You gave breath to your creation

when the child left the body

After the lucky birth

You gave the new-born the gift of speech

You gave all he needed

.

.

When the chicken cheep in the egg

You give it breath for living in there

When you have made him complete

ready for picking through the shell

it comes rejoicing to the world

running around on tripping feet

.

Sun, the only, creator of manifold

hidden in our sight

Nobody have your power and greatness

You alone created the world

after your wish, great and endless

Man, cattle, biggest and smallest

all creatures walking with feet on earth

all flying beings on wings in the sky

The lands of Syria, Nubia, Egypt

You created after your wishes

You gave man his place in life,

gave him all for his needs,

everyone you gave property,

everyone got their days

You gave different tongues

shapes and colours of skin

You divided the people

We see your creation around us

.

.

You created the Nile under ground

You is the ruler of the homes and houses

you their Lord when they are weak

When you travel, the sun of day

you frighten people in distant lands.

In heaven you created a Nile too

that it may fall on us

creating stormy rivers in the mountains

huge like mighty lakes

aimed watering fields around cities

Oh, how wonderfully you plan

oh Sun, Lord of Eternity

The Nile was meant for foreigners too

meant for cattle in all lands.

The Nile from below was only for Egypt.

Living Sun, when you walk on

everything grows and blooms through you

and your beams in our garden

.

.

You created changing times

completing all your deeds

Winter gave us cold

and summer gave us heath

You created the distant heavens

for your journey to look

at the creation of you alone

Forth you wander, living Sun

give lights from far and disappear

always coming back again and again.

.

.

Beauty through you alone

in big cities, towns and other places,

upon the hills, down at the river.

Everyone's see you before the eyes

the lightening Sun on earth.

-

You are in my heart, nobody knows you

Except your only son Echnaton

You gave him wisdom in your power of insight

since world lies in your hands,

since you are the creator.

When you rise the world lives

When you disappear the world dies

You the everlasting is behind the limbs

Through you mankind lives

Her eyes see your beauty

until you sink at the western horizon

When you fade away all working lie down

When you rise growing begin

.

Since the day you created the earth

You lifted it up for your son Echnaton,

who once emanated from your limbs

ever living in truth and truth.

Echnaton who wear the crowns of the two lands

Master of Neferkheprure, Wanre

Son of Re, living long

You lift it up for his beloved queen

Mistress of both lands

Nefer nefru atom Nefretete

Living, blooming, forever and forever

.

Freely after Breastad in English and Vivi T'äckholm in Swedish

Catshaman April 2001