ABSTRACT

[230] Chinggis Qahan said:

‘My elder night-guards,

who, in the clouded night,

lie down around my yurt

with its smoke-hole cover,

allowing me to sleep

soundly and peacefully,

enabled me to reach this throne.

My blessed night-guards,

lying down around my palace yurt

in the starry night,

allowing me to sleep

fearless in my bed,

enabled me to reach this high throne.

My loyal night-guards,

standing sleeplessly

around my lightly armoured yurt 513

in the blustering snow,

the shivering cold,

and the pouring rain,

have eased my heart and

enabled me to reach this happy throne.

My trusted night-guards,

standing among the surging foe

around my felt-protected yurt,

guard me unblinkingly.

My vigorous night-guards

were quick to stand [by me]

when the birch-bark quivers rattled.

My night-guards, so swift to act,

were quick to stand [by me]

when the [enemy’s] willow-wood quivers rattled.

My blessed night-guards,

call them [henceforth my] “elder night-guards”.