AMATERASU

I.

Out of the darkness comes light
For those who wander in the darkness
Striding from the purple-robed stillness
Wherein the calls of birds echo in the void
Your light enfolds our bodies with warmth.

--ALP

II.

Homage to thee, Oh Sun Goddess.
O you glorious Being, you who art provided with all things.
O Goddess, when you rise in the horizon of heaven,
A cry of joy comes out of the mouth of all peoples.
O you beautiful Being,
You renew yourself in your season;
Therefore in every place every heart swells with joy at your rising, for ever.
The eastern and the western parts of heaven come to thee with homage,
And give forth sounds of joy at your rising.
You rise in the horizon of heaven and shine upon the world beams of emerald light;
You art born from the water,
Who foster thee and order your members.
O you who art crowned Queen of creation, Goddess of life, Goddess of love,
Your lovers do homage to thee,
And your lovers embrace thee at all times.
They who are in your following sing to thee with joy
And bow down to the earth when they meet thee,
The Goddess of heaven, the Goddess of earth,
The Queen of right and truth, the Goddess of eternity,
The everlasting ruler, the Princess of all the Goddesses,
The Goddess of life,
The Creatrix of eternity, the maker of heaven by whom is established all that therein is.
The company of the Goddesses rejoice at your rising,
The earth is glad when it behold your love;
The peoples that have been long dead come forth with cries of joy to see your beauties.
You go forth over heaven and earth, made strong each day by your orgasm.
You pass through the uppermost heaven,
Thy heart swell with joy.
O you unformed substance of the earth, who didst create yourself.
The souls of the East follow thee, the souls of the West praise thee.
You art the ruler of all beings and you hast joy of heart within your shrine;
Thy heart shall be joyful for ever.

III.

This light is come, amid all lights the fairest; born is the brilliant, far-extending brightness.
Night, hath yielded up a birth-place for the Morning.
The Fair, the Bright is come with her offspring; to her the Dark One hath resigned her dwelling.
Akin, immortal, following each other, changing their colors both the heavens move onward.
Common, unending is the Sisters' pathway; taught by the Goddess, alternately they travel.
Fair-formed, of different hues and yet one-minded, Night and Dawn clash not, neither do they travel.
Bright leader of glad sounds, our eyes behold her; splendid in hue she hath unclosed the portals.
She, stirring up the world, hath shown us riches: Dawn hath awakened every living creature.
Rich Dawn, she sets afoot the coiled-up sleeper, one for enjoyment, one for wealth or worship,
Those who saw little for extended vision. All living creatures hath the Dawn awakened.
One to high sway, one to exalted glory, one to pursue her gain, and one her labor:
All to regard their different vocations, all moving creatures hath the Dawn awakened.
We see her there, the Child of Heaven apparent, the young Maid, flushing in her shining raiment.
You sovereign Lady of all earthly treasure, flush on us here, auspicious Dawn, this morning.
She first of endless morns to come hereafter, follows the path of morns that have departed.
Dawn, at her rising, urges forth the living; who is dead she wakes not from her slumber.
As you, Dawn, hast caused Fire to be kindled, and with the Sun's eye hast revealed creation.
And hast awakened women to offer worship, you hast performed, for the Goddess a noble service.
How long a time, and they shall be together,--Dawns that have shone and Dawns to shine hereafter?
She yearns for former Dawns with eager longing, and goes forth gladly shining with the others.
Gone are the women who in the days before us looked on the rising of the earlier Morning.
We, we the living, now behold her brightness and they come nigh who shall hereafter see her.
Foe-chaser, born of Law, the Law's protectress, joy-giver, waker of all pleasant voices,
Auspicious, bringing food for the Goddesses' enjoyment, shine on us here, most bright, O Dawn, this morning.
From days eternal hath Dawn shone, the Goddess, and shows this light to-day, endowed with riches.
So will she shine on days to come immortal she moves on in her own strength, undecaying.
In the sky's borders hath she shone in splendor: the Goddess hath thrown off the veil of darkness.
Awakening the world with purple horses, on her well-harnessed chariot Dawn approaches.
Bringing all life-sustaining blessings with her, showing herself she sends forth brilliant luster.
Last of the countless mornings that have vanished, first of bright morns to come hath Dawn arisen.
Arise! the breath, the life, again hath reached us: darkness hath passed away and light approaches.
She for the Sun hath left a path to travel we have arrived where women prolong existence.
Singing the praises of refulgent Mornings with his hymn's web the priestess, the poetess rises.
Shine then to-day, rich Maid, on she who lauds thee, shine down on us the gift of life and offspring.
Dawns giving daughters to women, shining upon the woman who brings offerings,--
Mother of Goddesses, shine forth exalted.
Rise up, bestowing praise on our devotion all-bounteous,
Whatever splendid wealth the Dawns bring with them to bless the woman who offers praise and worship.

IV.

Fain to bring light to homes of women the noble and active Goddess hath emerged from darkness.
She before all the living world hath wakened, the Lofty One who wins and gathers treasure.
Revived and ever young on high she glances. Dawn hath come first to our morning worship.
If, Dawn, thou Goddess nobly born, thou give fortune this day to all the race of mortals,
May the Goddess declare before the Sun that we are sinless.
Showing her wonted form each day that passes, spreading the light she visits each dwelling.
Eager for conquest, with bright sheen she comes. Her portion is the best of goodly treasures.
First among all sing forth, O joyous Morning.
Let our glad hymns and holy thoughts rise upward, for the flames brightly burning have ascended.
The far-refulgent Mornings make apparent the lovely treasures which the darkness covered.
The one departs and the other comes: unlike in hue day's, halves march on successive.
One hides the gloom of the surrounding Parents. Dawn on her shining chariot is resplendent.
She who has knowledge of the first day's nature is born refulgent white from out the darkness.
The Maiden breaks not the law of Order, day by day coming to the place appointed.
In pride of beauty like a maid thou go, O Goddess, to the lovers who longs to pleasure thee,
And smiling youthful, as you shines brightly, before your adoring lovers.
Fair as a lover embellished by her sister you show forth your form that all may see it.
Blessed art thou O Dawn. Shine yet more widely. No other Dawns have reached what thou attain.
In constant operation with the sunbeams,
The Dawns depart and come again and again assuming their wonted forms that promise happy fortune.
Obedient to the rein of Law Eternal give us each thought that more and more shall bless us.
Shine thou on us to-day, Dawn, swift to listen. With us be pleasure who worship.

V.

Now this day,
My sun mother, Amaterasu
Now that you have come out standing to your sacred place,
That from which we draw the water of life,
Here I give to you.
Your long life,
Your old age,
Your waters,
Your seeds,
Your riches,
Your power,
Your strong spirit,
All these to me may you grant.

VI.

The Sun comes, the darkness goes away,
The Sun comes, the Sun sets,
The darkness comes, the moon comes at night.
The day breaks, the Sun comes out,
The darkness goes away, the Sun comes.
The Moon comes out,
The Moon brightens the darkness,
The darkness departs;
The Moon comes out,
The Moon shines, taking away the darkness;
She goes along,
She has made bright the darkness, She sets.
The Sun comes out,
She follows the darkness.

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