Everyone is honoured to be familiarly acquainted

With Its Majesty Time and the way It reigns

In the world since Adam was a little boy.

There is in It pure sincerity and fervent desire,

But actually It does nothing, whether it be

In the slow way or in rapid, having no bodily form.

It can be served but not made a bid for sympathy.

It may be handed down by the teacher,

But may not be received by his pupils;

It may be apprehended by the mind,

But It cannot be seen so far. It has Its root

And ground of existence in Itself;

Before there were Heaven and Earth,

There It was, securely existing.

From It came all the mysterious existences

Of the gods and spirits. It produced Heaven,

It produced Earth, and yet could not

Be regarded high; It was below all space

And yet could not be considered deep.

It was produced before the world and yet

Could not be examined to have existed long.

It is older than the highest antiquity

And yet cannot be considered old.

Creator got It and by It adjusted the entire universe;

Cognition got It and by It penetrated to the mystery

Of the maternity of the primary matter;

Silence got It and from all great age has made

No eccentric movement. The sun and moon got It

And from the ancient past have not intermitted

Their bright shining. The Hostess of West got It

And by It became Mistress of Mt. Ulugh Muztagh.

The King of Clouds got It and by It enjoyed himself

As Ruler of the World Ocean; the Lord on High got It

And by It ascended beyond the seventh heaven;

The King of Night got It and by It dwelt in the Dark Palace;

The Host of North got It and by It was set on the North Star;

The Chief of Light got It and by It had his central seat

In the South Palace of Brightness. This is how all developed.

No one knows Its beginning; nobody knows Its end.

From of old one who followed It could live for long.

Thus the sage kings got It and by It became in a trice

The worthy rulers of the countries. And those of them

Who mounted to the eastern part of the Milky Way,

Where, riding on Sagittarius and Scorpio and lashing

The fire steeds of their thunderous chariots, they took

Their place among the other stars and constellations

Disclosed for ages and all generations by Its Majesty Time.