These beautiful words were recited by a woman disciple of Mani's known as the daughter of Athimar on the occasion of his death. He was convicted of blasphemy by the Zoroastrian Magi who represented the state religion in Persia at the time and imprisoned, tortured and beaten. He died in prison, his crime being his sheer honesty, and that he spoke to the hearts of multitudes in the language of light and love. Such people who would liberate us from fear are seen as threats to those who claim to represent the spiritual conscience of humanity, but in reality are but the agents of evil and darkness. The following verse became known as 'The Daughter of Athimar's Song' as Mani's faith would spread to the ends of two oceans and gain adherents on three continents. Though Mani's physical body died, his adherents would exclaim "Mani hayy!" meaning in Aramaic 'Mani lives'. Greek speaking peoples would use that phrase to describe the followers of Mani, and they would become known as Manichaeans. We are light and each of us possess a miniature Sun within our hearts, to shine upon all we meet and bathe them in the warmth of goodness and godliness. The Sun may set today, but will always rise again on the morrow, eternally, as Light will forever shine bright in it's endless struggle to counter the dark.
Noble Sun, unsparing of its warmth
And by the same action unsparing of sheltering shade
Sun, which ripens the grapes and prepares our bodies for feasting
Then withdraws to let us celebrate
Sun, which turns a blind eye to our excesses
And to our human follies
Returning again the following day, still equable, still generous
Expecting from us neither gratitude nor submission
Noble is our Sun when rising
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