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How did the Aton Hymn describe the sun’s role in sustaining life?

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Sculpted head of Akhenaten, ancient Egyptian pharaoh, with elongated facial features and a tall, ornate headdress, displayed at the Alexandria National Museum. — Akhenaten Akhenaten, sculpture in the Alexandria National Museum, Egypt.

The Aton Hymn describes the Aton as the "prime mover of life," whose daily rising rejuvenates all living things while his setting brings sleep to all creatures.12

The hymn details the sun’s role in sustaining life through several key functions:

Biological Creation: The Aton is credited with generating all life, including creating the seed in men and the son in the mother’s womb.13
Natural Provision: The deity is described as fulfilling the needs of all living beings, distinguishing between different races, natures, and languages.13
Environmental Sustenance: The Aton is said to have created the Nile to provide for Egypt and rain—likened to a "heavenly Nile"—to sustain foreign lands.13
Daily Activity: Upon the sun's rising, the world awakens; the hymn notes that birds fly, fish leap, plants bloom, and human work begins.13

Ultimately, the text emphasizes that while the Aton provides for the world, the primary goal of this creation is the king, who maintains an exclusive, intimate connection with the deity.12