Hymns, prayers, and songs: an anthology of ancient Egyptian lyric poetry [2. Dr. ed.] 9780788501579, 0788501577, 9780788501586, 0788501585

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Writings from the Ancient World Society of Biblical Literature Simon B.

General Editor

Associate Editors Jo Ann Hackett A. Jr. Peter Machinist Patrick D. Jr. William J. Murnane David LOwen Robert K. Ritner Martha T. Roth

Volume B and Edited by Susan Tower Hollis

Hymns, Prayers, and Songs An Anthology of Ancient Egyptian Lyric Poetry

by John L. Foster

Edited Susan Tower Hollis

Scholars Press

HYMNS, PRAYERS, AND SONGS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LYRIC POETRY 1995

The of Biblical Literature a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to underwrite certain editorial and research \Af ... t-u"'y,,, from the Ancient World series. Published results and neices,salwy represent the view of the Endowment.

of ancient !-',0',,,nt1!ln Susan Tower Hollis. p. cm. IWrtt'If'Hl'o;z from the ancient world no. 8) Includes blt)hc)graplrucal references and index. ISBN 0~7885~0157~7 : alk. -ISBN 0~7885-0158~5 alk. '-,0"",>1,,'" poetry - Translations into I. Foster, ,!lUTrpnC'PI 1930. II. Hollis, Susan T. HI. Series. ant:nolo~:y

893',1

poetry

95~38539

dc20

Printed in the United States of America on acid~free paper,

Contents

Series Editor's Foreword

xi

cnlrOJ101o£llcal Table

xiii

xvii

of

xviii

J::!,xlPlalnatlon of

INTRODUCTION

1

TRANSLATIONS

13

I: The lta:nstlguratJLOn of the from The Texts

15

1. 2. 3,

15 19 21 21 22

4, 5. 6, 7. 8, 9. 10.

23 24

25 26 26 27 28

11. 12. v

Contents

vi 13. 14.

29 29

15, 16. 17. 18. 19.

30 30 31

32 33

20.

35

21. Archaic

36

22.

38

23.

39 41 41 42 44

24. 25.

26. 27.

45 III.

1-1","" ..,,:,

and

V ..... 'uA1rc

to Osiris: The Earth KeJll£J.on

28. The Great

of Amenmose. Louvre TT

29.

IV.

t-i

urn 1'"\(1

P1'"'.:1'1'P1·C

to Amun-Re: The

48 48 53

of Ancient 55

30. To Amun as Sun God the Stele of BM i. To Amunas ii. To Amun as Aton iii

31. The Cairo 32.

and HOI.

56 56 57 57 58

1-1, ...........

65 Leiden 1350 vi. The Gifts of the Creatures to God vii. The Goddess and Thebes ix. at Sunrise V'.:1r,"1'"11C

68 68

69 69

Contents

V.

vii

70

x. The to Amun-Re as HOlralchty xx. xxx. Defeat of the Enemies of Amun-Re xl. The Self -Creation of God I. The Power of God lx. God's lxx. God's lxxx. xc. The Creation c. The Birth of God cc. The Forms of God: His UnrmlPre:sellce ccc. The d. God as the Divine Warrior dc. for God's Nature dccc. the Place of Truth

75 76 76 77 78 78 79

from The Book

80

H'Il'rn.,.,C!

and

"'f"",{T"'1~c!

Dead

71 71

72 72 73 73 74

34. Intlrod1uctcory 35. Intlrod1uctcory

80

36. Intlrod1uct4orv 37. lntlrodluctcorv 38. Intlrod1uctcorv

84

82

85

87 89 91

95 97 98 99

42. 43. IntlrOQiuctcory

44. VI. Amarna: The Heretical Interlude of Aton

45. Akhenaton's

to Aton

..... " .. r ...1"C!

of

102 102

to Other Deities: The Riches of 108

46. 47.

tJ!lrIVf'll~

Harris I] and Osiris

108

~aI(hnlet, rra;n-~)OIl, or compare these earliest written of human '.lrr"'lnr'u with from other of the world. It should also be useful to scholars in the humanities or social sciences who need clear, reliable translations of ancient Near Eastern materials for comparative purposes. in areas of the ancient Near East who need access to texts in the and of other areas will also Given the wide range of materials translated find these translations in the different volumes will to different interests. But these translations make available to all readers of J:.Dlglllsn the world's earliest tratu C!r"""T reliditions as well as valuable sources of information on world. etc. in the The translators of the various volumes in this series are sp.eClau:s:ts in the l.atn2:uaJ~es and have based their work on the the most recent research. In their translations much as of the texts in a Int:rOtClutctllons. notes, maps, and ChlrOfllOl()glCal aim to nr,,",'U1il'1.- the essential information for an of these ancient documents. from the invention of UTr'lrt1"l,cr 3000 down co'nquests of Alexander the Great the ancient Near East northeast Africa and southwest Asia. The cultures represented within these limits include '-''''I-.I,-,'''J.CUJ. Hittite, \Nrtru,CJ'c! from the Ancient World will trans\Nrd'U''\t'YC!

n!1 ... r11'· . . . ." ..

xi

xii

Series Editor's Foreword

lations of most of the many different genres attested in these cultures: letters-official and law colre(:or'Gs. to mention but a few. The prepar,aticln in a generous I:'rc)gr,amls of the National Endowment for the Humanities. the "''''''~''''~''U of Biblical Literature. In aO""l\l

I

Ptl'll,l"ffl'\1

I

II III Ptl'\l."'""I\I IV Lle()patra VII Ptr.I./:>",,1\1

Ptr.l.t:>fflI\J

XII. ROMAN PERIOD

Diocletian

Last text written in hiero~:lYJ:)hs: 'H."''''''

323-30 323-305 305-282 285-246 246-222 222-205 52-30 30 B.C.E.-330 C.E. 30 B.C.E.-14 C.E. 284 c.E.-305

394 C.E.

Mediterranean Sea

Lower

Middle

THEBES {Theban Nec:rooolisle-: MEDINET

Nubia

from map of Oriental Institute apl=>ear'inR Oriental!nstitute Institute Communications

1ICC;;

and

ii

This is Unas, the possessor of secret unC!rl.~rn whose very mother knows not his hidden Namel The of Unas the heavens, smenS~tn the cm:lmlg and once he had borne him, was the son more than his father. Unas's masculine powers hover about him, his feminine powers at his feet; His unleus-~oaaet)s p:reCieac;~s

him: "Watch over his SouU Be effective, 0 Oner The powers of Unas all are pr()te(:t1nl~ him!

bull of heaven, This is Unas. the with in his heart, Who feeds on the incarnation of each who eats the organs of those Who come-their bellies full of powerfrom the Island of Fire. iv the renewed. reJ()tnm~ his blessed Unas shines forth as this Great owner of he sits, and his back is toward earth.

This is

!lrc\'U'1"p

v This is Unas, the beside One whose Name must be hidden on that Slau2Jt1terml2 the firstborn. nrC\U1t"'fpr of nti'""r1,"n This is Unas, the who ties the rope. himself the sacrifice. This is Unas, the who eats men, feeds on possessor of tribute victims, swift }uCllgrrlen,t.

The rarlstlQUratllon of the

vi It is Seizer of ~c.ami-IOfCKS. who lassoes them for Unas; It is He of the Head who hobbles them for him, ,rr them in to It is He who oversees Blood Rites who binds for him; and Wanderer overpowers these divinities To slit their throats for Unas, rAf'YU'\ltn ... their vitalsthis is the Unas sends for the execution. It is of wine, who butchers them for Unas. cooks for him the of them in his kettles for the meal. llUV"'I'\..CHdILl.

rt ... ' .....

,C1'

vii This is the who eats down their .. p.,........"'.. power. swallows their vital force: Their ones are for his ....... their middle~sized are for .... u .....' .. , Their small ones for his meal at ni~httall, and their old men and women-sticks for his K:InlaUn~1 The Great Ones of northern skies his fires under the SH~W*1001:S oonltaU1In,g them, the of their eldest. Those in the heavens about I:!AI"'\l1n,a cot' . .• ... .." .... his kettles with of their women. All the Two Heavens revolve round about him and the Two Banks of serve. 1"1...... " ... 11'

viii This is Unas. the a power of powers among those with This is Unas. the as a fiercest of forms of the Great Hawk. he finds in his way, he eats him down without palLlSlnlr. His proper is as CnlleI1CaUl. before aU the eminent in the K,n,,, ... This is the a

,r1

17

Vr;:i!'\I~lrc

18

and

older than """,rU1nIr

him,

on:enng to him. citation as "Great God" the father of ix Unas has risen into the heavens, his shines as Possessor of heaven! He has shattered the bones of the vertebrae. seized on the hearts of the He has dined upon blood, swallowed down the fresh Unas is nourished of the wise ones, content with the life from their hearts power as well. up the ""lr,Arlln broth, The divine flesh thrivestheir power is within him! No more shall the honors of Unas be he has swallowed the

x The time of his limits, are forever, this power of his to do what he likes, not what he does not, Within the realm of the Land of the Blessed for and forever.

xi of Unas, in the their sut>jec:t to nrc'u'n of the for him! Circle about himl Shriek out for him! Mourn for him! As he his resurrection, as he arrives in the among his brothers. the

11. Hymn to the King as a Primordial God Text Hail. n1".rn/:l'ulr''''

to Re

while you are there in the And all your while upon earth, the entry to the at the Sacred While you are there within your nellololflg Re.

45

at the altar of

of heaven

Your heart will to the of your desire as when you were on earth. Your soul will be refreshed in your you will Re from dawn until his ... _ .........,.... as you serve in his retinue. You will take the of the as Re in his descent With the Westerners "Welcomef Welcomer" as he opens up the Underworld: And then he shall the aarKnc~ss, up at his aplprOtaCl[]. and those who will com}:)anll01[], master of the secrets of the supreme of the "",,",0,

For the heI'edlltary

0......

the osiris Horemheb, ,ustlIJ.eo.

27. Hymn to Re, Thoth, and Maat

the 'UTC1,r~I'\tn

of Re to

Tomb of ..... ,....:,...::> ....' n ...

r>

him at his

says: Hail to you, you who are

and ,. ..."."t"""r4

o As you rise

from the horizon of ne,lven. are yours from the mouths of everyone, tse,aut:Ullll, fresh as the sun disk from the arms of your Hathor. Rise in splenpl1es the fieldmice in their burrows and cares for all the in the trees. vi Praises to you, who created all this I alone, the the wakeful for all who must sec~Klng out what is for his creatures. "0 Amun, who established all Atum, Horus of Two HorizonsPraises to so aU of them say; tlo,mc':tge to you because you are wearied for us. We reverence you because you have made us. vii Thanks be to you from all the creatures, prlrc

to Amun-Re

He is t:"n1.rrkt,,'lT there are none of his kindpe)~le(:tlo'n of for the Ennead.

Ix. God's

Creation

To him De.lOfl£S the Southland as well as the for he took them, alone, for his own, in his str4enSl~tn; His boundaries were set while he was still upon wider than all earth, than heaven. From him the their necessitiesSU1:>plles from his stores. Owner of arable and new landto him each title-deed in his From to end of the stretched cord he measures all earth with his countenance. For him the foundation-rite was and to him the cubit for stone. He stretches the cord over the of the e:n)UI1C1. Or()Vl~c!mtQ' the Two Lands with his abundance of houses and ternpJles. t"",.,.1 C!1"1"'I"

Each lies in his shade that his heart may walk about as it plc:~ases. Praises to him come from every each endures in its love for him. consecrate the to te~;tnral. For him and is awake amid the beauties of His presence moves about over the ro()UOpS, and his are the while it is dark. The

receive sustenance from his God is one who pn)tects:-to

lxx. God's

and

He is one who U1'."H,".~~", t:"nfCu::• .,',r drives off Clu;ease, a who cures the eye without

73

and

74

Who opens the vision, aids the [........ ] 'Vho rescues the one he loves he be down in the Underworld who from the hand of fate the one he would offer his heart. To God ,...... llnnrr eyes, and ears as he is a face on his every for one who loves him; He hears the of the one who cries out to lOf;tantly comes from afar to the one who summons him. He lets life be or wreaks havoc within it, nevona compare to the one who loves him. his Presence is over the waters of Chaosis Death the Crocodile is when God's name is sP()ken. The winds contend, a rebel wind blows backyet the one is content to remember God. Words will work in the moment of terror, and breezes are sweet for who calls upon him, the Rescuer of the weary. A

God is

r n .....r t ' t . . 1

r .. """r,:nr. .. rh,u

wise;

his is the one who bows to him while he is there. Effective is he above millions for one who him in his heart; brave one, sole one of his Name, hundreds of thousands. Who nt'r"r... ,('rc the in very truth, effective, who seizes the moment, with none to oppose him.

lxxx.

The

Great Gods were your first incarnation COlmtHelCe this world, while you were one alone. Your was hidden among the oldest pnm()rClllal . . . "".,,,.,.. ...., for you had concealed as Amun from the face of the

You fashioned your form as

the

F"lHlIlf'"

and """'''''''0'1'''' to

75

Amun~Re

to birth back in your nr11T1p'u~1 time. the first to bull of Your comeliness was honored as J:'l.c1I,UUil.\..;!., his mother; you distanced VOlurs:elt to the midst of .... '"'~.. ""',u. remained as the sun, Came as the fathers who their sons; and a inheritance was left for your OUSPJnn~. You there was no there was no Void: The world was from in the tieJgmlnlltlgi all other came after.

rest is

xc. The Creation

All the Nine Great Gods came from your and your for each was based on your You flowed forth when you as who concealed his nature from

form. ago,

Oldest of the The toes of whose were who rose shlnmlg as Re from chaos that he

Ibr~Du~:ht I Shu and Tefnut tOjl[etrler

means of his Power.

himself to the Kmlgslt'up torieve:r. to the end of "",h,,'...t'uiru sale Lord. was his incarnation in the Jje,~ll1lntnjl[; all existence was hushed in awe of him. Then he screeched the cry of the Great Shrieker above the districts which he had formed. alone.

76

and He

from within the .:;> ... u.u ....,,;,.:;>, it see; He sounds while the world was siIentand his encircled the earth. f Ie gave birth to eX:lstlln£

offer them

caused all to know the Their hearts live when see himfor He is the ,...1£" .., ..." . ., One.

The Birth

God

Creation with the First Occasion. Amun came to be first of all-and none know his means of ...... I".·lT...."'... No

became before him, nor was other with him there when he forth his There was no mother to him that she have created his nature, no father of his to the one who said. "It is II" He fashioned the egg of himself all Divinest of who came into all came to be after he

The Forms

sn':lpe~a his own .... "" .......". on his ownwith himself.

God: His

He is one whose nature is and his of wonders with forms. All boast that come from himbut to exalt themselves in his and holiness. Re himself is in his and he is the Fashioner dw'ell:ln2' Whatever is said of Tatenen is to and Amun who came forth from chaos-that is God's above.

77

His His appearances.

No ntr'f'111'p

ccc. The

78

and which cares for these for the of The divine are answered from Thebes. and the oracle comes forth as if from the EnneadAll that comes from his mouth is U"""'''''''''''' so the administer for him what is commanded. The message is sent: it can kill or make livelife and death for each one on it. God reveals himself or One the Three united.

d. God as the Divine Warrior

The rebels a2:,Unl)t him are down on their faces, there are none who attack him; The land in the midst of his enemies, quarI'elc~rs cannot be found before him. Fierce lion who rends with his claws. drinks down in an instant the power and blood of attackers; bull, with hooves on the neck of his enemy, his breast; Bird of prey on whoever attacks him, who knows how to crush his limbs and his bones. Who takes to battle his "'''''.'''1'''\'''''''"'_ mountains tremble beneath him when he rages: Earth when he utters the war-cry, all creation is in fear and terror of him. Woe to the one who faces he who likes a taste of his victimfor he is with his horns.

dc.

God's Nature

His heart is Mind and his its tXPfC:!SS,10I1. is all that exists because of his tOI:l2:1Je; makes the twin caverns under his and the Nile comes forth from the aelpre~SSllon beneath his sandals. nQU'\,.lJ,.l}:;.

.... u r n r..'

and

Vr:::l,UA,r,;:,

to Amun-Re

79

His Soul is space and his the moisture. and he is Falcon of Twin Horizons in the midst of neclve:n; His eye is the and his left the and it is he who faces down every way. His

is Nun, and birth to all His hot breeze is the breath for every ••".,,"' .... J,•• and fate or fortune for all are under his care. His wife is the fertile field which he Imlpre:gnates, his seed is the his fluids the

is who are in his presence custom; Their faces are turned toward him as mankind and both say. "He is dccc.

the Place

unClersltancllng."]

Truth

And so one moors as one of the in district of of silence. Worthless ones cannot enter there, the Place of the boat. It of will not cross for the 1H',\1[J.1'"r1"I"\"(1' How it is to moor within then shall one become a divine soul like the Ennead. Thebes-She Who Is Before the Face of Her Lord-is ennobled to rest within COrlCejiillrtg her

and is the One in the his is the faces of the ennobled dead in the Underworld.

rest is

Hymns and Prayers from

The Book of the Dead (New Kingdom and Later]

The Book of tbe Dead is a collection of prayers. and directions to the deceased on his or her .r......... "" .. to the afterworld. It was, in effect, the successor to the VIIQ-l\.ln:golom 1-1'lF1f'!ln,,\frt the use of which had been limited to the and the MiddleKllrlg(iorn Coffin a similar collection more disseminated but still limited to the upper In the New anyone who could afford it could have a Book tbe Dead. The Book was divided into ....... '... p""" .. ,"'. and the owner of the still alive, had his or her copy made to order, which of the many PO:SSIJt>le selections were necessary or desirable. In the Book tbe Dead can be seen the characteristic fusion of the of Re and the underworld of Osiris. This is evident when Ktnl)!:Olom of Osiris, the realm of the dead.

34. Introductory Hymn to

Re

of Praise of Re at the time of his from the eastern horizon of the the osiris. scribe of the divine ntlf"" .. "nt1rc for all the Ani, who says: Be

you who are come as who came to be as creator of the You rise and shine down from the back of your mothe:r.

80

81

Dead

The Book

aplpeBI.nr1lSU~lOrJLOuslY as of the Your mother Nut raises her arms to you,

The Western Mountain receives you in peace, and Maat embraces you and Re

the power and strenjittn COlnlrt2: forth as a

redeemed under Osiris. And he says:

o all you

of the

lUT''''"1nO'

of the

who

o

one, who created o Enneads of the North, West, and EastGive to Lord of the ne.ivens. the prosper, and be who created TT'EII'-''''''''"V

WClrSJ110 him in his beautiful as he rises splencllCl

Bark.

those who are above WOfrSlllO may those who are below you; Thoth and Maat write for you every serpeIlt-c~nemy be to the

do not exist. The House of the Ruler is there is sound of reI4JICJ!n2: and the of For have seen Re apl)ealnnll! his rays UOIOClJlnl! The of this moves forward and the land of Manu unites with him. Earth with his birth each once he has returned to his of ye1>telrday.

and

82

you be at peace with me, and may I see your on earth! Let me strike the \'PClphlS as he actsf aDI(]1Ul-u:sn. its moment come to be; the bulti-fish its oec:onunJ'!:, while gUJLOUlg I For I have seen and Thoth and Maat with him there; And I have seized the of the Bark Bark. he allow me to see the sundisk and the moon without every And may my Soul come forth to walk about in every it and may my name be called that I may find the of ntt."'r1rI0'C;:· sustenance be me in the presence of the Followers of maya be made for me in the Bark on the when the ferries over; And may I stand in the presence of Osiris in the Land of the Redeemedf For the soul of the

Ani.

35. Introductory Hymn to

Re

of M/I"'... "'I"' ..... of Rt when he rises in the eastern horizon of u the merchant who says:

Praises to you, Rt in Atum in your brilliant Shllnllrlg! Risel Riser Gleam! Gleam!at break of dawn aPlpetllnrlg The of the OOUDlle-l)lUme as you

....... v"""tL.

grc:~etlln2

the osiris,

to you,

The Book

The

83

the Dead

Bark cte:)tf(}VS those who attack Him.

Re

o

comer Your sacred bark is tfllUmtpntan.tl And that vile causer of his head is se~,erled: Their hearts are for their Lord at the rebel's faIL The crew of Re is at peace, and HehOI)ollS n:~J01I:es. And the merchant '-"""lUl,Q., vmcl1Cclte'l, says: Let me come to you, Lord of the Hc.rallc.hty let me rise up to Truth! I know that your life is there: let me be one of your favored ones in of the Great God. One's name is called out; he is and he is commanded to ....]. The oar of the Bark is £f(lSplect and the boat moves peclceJtuU I see Re when he makes ottenng his enemies felled at the I see Horus as nellml)m,an, the Oarsman .. with his arms. IT"",,. . " " ' " LV

I see the aDlU-Illsn. and may I gllInp~)e cOlnlflg to be, while gUl.dlflg the canoe on its lone waterway. Blessed is he who is free from evil acts which him from the Lr'OSfnnlZ. Who does not rend another man because of what he who does not drive a man away to take his father's n"l'"\n", .. Who does not lie. is the Blessed Lord of And the merchant V""lHI.Q.,

v 1lllUil.... clLI.~\.J,

says:

"'{1'

Vr~r\l"'I"

But you one alone,

ocean. Your first incarnation was Nun, the and he would make his movements follow yours; Nor does he make a like your the is the Millions upon millions of miles, yet a little moment and you have lI''Ulrn,A't'

You have gone to rest. and, same as in the

you

the hours of

to your custom. once more as over the horizon. acc:ol~aln2

iv The osiris, the scribe Ani. VlrtOllcateO, who SP(~aKS:

it.

he

93

Dead

The Book

you in your Snllnllng.

you be up for the of your visible may you shine in the wealth of your 0 Traveller. You fashioned your own without as Re who shines down from the

o let me reach the heaven of

pf'iO'rntrU

the district of those who are honored; I the most favored in the

of the

and let me go forth with them to see your pelrteiCtlc:Jn. you shine in the I"'VI"'n1ncr after you have traversed your m()tn,er, Na.unet: you turn my face to the my arms in adoration at your to rest as one For you indeed created pr.:>,rn,rrul Be as you go to rest in Nun. Let me you in my heart, o you without weariness, more divine than the v

The osiris

vtrldl1cated, who says:

Praises to you, who rise _'-',. __ .. ugJntlng the Two Lands with because of your birth. Your mother you forth upon her and you illumined all the sun disk circlesThe who rose out of Nun. who marshals followers from out the waters, Who makes the districts of the cities rich with 1'... .,1'.'(1,'11., lord of pr()Ce~;SlClns, prcltects ttlf01Jgh your pelrle(:tl()oSblossoms forth in food and sustenance; strc:mi!:est of the oO'wertu!l. who arms your throne agcun:st Awesome in appearance in the your is Iar-reacltlll1lg Bark.

94

Vr"",,r.,.,rC!

and

you the osiris rescued from the grave, and may you let him be there in the You who are free of evil. may you Place me as a blessed among your ones that I may the in the Sacred Land And sail about the Field of Reeds ac(:orIOIn:2 to command from the Lord of the

the scribe

vindicated. vi

You shall go forth to the travel across the be brother to the stars. Praises are offered for you in the SUI1811l10, and you are summons to the Bark. You shall see Re within his "'~~J'UJ.'''', and you shall his sun disk every For you have seen the bulti-fish in all its forms upon the Sea of TUlrquoise, and you have seen the time has comeThe evil one is fallen as toretC)lCl, for I have had the knife cut thJ~ou:szh And Re shall the him who would attack it, Ie\! t'l"nl"'l.T

The heart of the Mistress of Life is glGlOClenlea for the of her Lord is overthrown! You shall see Horus with the and with Maat in his arms,

T11IP'I"_'rnrIP

For

the osiris, the scribe of otlterlnj;~S for the Lords of '" ..,,_'-' ' ' .... with them.

vindicated

The Book

the Dead

95

41. A Hymn to the Setting Sun

XV,

of ,,\ut·notepet

1"n'l"C!'-"''''1'''C! of the underworld: the lSS:U1I1i2 Another forth in secret from the realm of the dead to see the Sundisk when he goes to rest in the the adoration of him and in the underworld; and the of the soul in the presence of Re-to to exalt it it its rltn'f'Ht''I' it to be attentive to()ts1tep,s. and to it learn to see when it is with the Great God, which he has it shall go forth into the ri!l1IrlH:rht in any form that it may wish, and it shall be among the of the underworld so that shall it as one of them and so that it may enter in all its power into the secret 0'>11'pur>1v.

Ml1t-JrlOltet:.et, vindicated: for you, in your movements. beautiful and 21c.nc,us. When you go in the sacred pn~Clltlct of the western mountain that you rest in your field which is in Manu, you. your of the rushes \Alr,,,,C!I"tn

Praises to you as you go to rest in peace, you are united with the of The their about your flesh as you touch down on earth. You have ferried across the sunbeams and the of heaven and earth come to you n£,\'\J.TI,ncr· offer you adoration each and the of the West in your pe:rIecuons; you, those in the Bark row you; And the Souls of the East sink down at your "Welcome, you who come in for you, There is o lord of heaven and ruler of the West I

96

Vr"',"AI"CC

and

Your mother, Isis, has Of()tecte~d you that she may see her son in you As lord of awe, exalted in ...... when you go to rest, I:>e"on.a the threshold. And your father lifts you up, Tatenen of 0 ..... " .... ,

as you rest within the Western Mountain. You have me as one honored before Osirisr o come to me, Re-Atumf Let me you; may you show love for me; let me be vindicated the Ennead. You are be,aut:ltllll, 0 Re, in your horizon of the West, lord of exalted in awe, you do, SUl~palSsllng in your love of those in the underworld. You illumine the faces of all those over there and all who have withdrawn the horizon. You the to Rosetau, of the underworld. the way to Shu and you have You the thrones within their terool,es, and are as his household propers pe,aC(~tullY when Re goes down.

o you

of the West who 'tur... clr"ttn and you who offer at his ap1Jr0 aCll, seI'oent-enerrlv of hnlPI.OY the arrows of the fallen aJl'.,...u ••" .. oppose him who would wreak destruction on Osiris! The of the West of the as take the For have come in tfllum,ph to voice the Truth of the whose in the West are hidden. 1

o

who vindicated Osiris a£,un:s[ his enemies. vindicate Mtlt-ltl01te[let. whose voice is true, ag~un~)t her enemies;

The Book

Dead

97

\pJ:>rO,ilcn the

tribunal Lord of life. who is in the sundisk shall aPlOro.aCll1. Protector of his Wennefer-re. And Osiris shall go to rest the souls Below. Praise be to you, come as come into as maker of the Praise be to you, come as bun of one within the horizonf Praise be to you, more effective than the who illuminate the underworld with your Praise be to you, who voyage on with your transltlglLlre:(1 the Sailor in his sundisk.

42. Hymn to the Setting Sun

Dublin 4] Adoration of e·tlor'akltlty in his

Praises to you, Re, in your

to rest in the western horizon ot the

to rest.

onme:val one, the first who came into Praises to you, who created the who raised up the that his eyes Who created earth to be the broad hall for his SUfloeam,s, each man to consider his ",""tX-.l.llU\,.;'J.. Bark shouts orallseBark is the have crossed Nun for you vic:to:rious, and your crew is The Effective One has felled your enc~mlles. for you she the to()tslte1JtS and she is beautiful as Re each The

Your mother, pelrlec:t in your

98

and There is in the horizon of the Western Mountain, and the illustrious dead are 2'la~aaenea. You shine forth there for the ruler of ....."'....... t-,' And the in their cavernstheir arms are raised in adoration of your "''''''''C'L''\,'''' And offer you all their pel:1t1()nS once you shed And the lords of the ..... ri""'..uT,r. .. lri for you have made clear the splen.

He has ushered in the one who has not come to be in his Name of He has the Two Lands clean once more in this his Name of he who Cleanf;es; l\A"rYh~""T and matgnUl(:ent, IftSp:LnOt£

Praises to you, and lord of Who took the Two Lands for his own in the womb of Nut and ruled the of the With Tn"",,"_CT,rur.

now he is in the sacred Ktn,20,om Let me be gl()r1()US in the Tr'lve~lil1l{l

downstream to Busiris as a UPs1tre,ilffi to as a without hindrance of the underworld,

""''''... n r.....

a!:lf-p"UT!:I'T

water and OUier1l12S A burial "'... ,......... ""'" with emmer and there. For the soul of the osiris. the scribe Ani. 44. Litany to Osiris of the Lord of Forever:

.UVLU"anll01!l; All their be carried offt

lion comes forth from his insects and snakes bite and Darkness earth is silenthe who created them is at rest in his tomb. ";"'''¥'UT'Cl'tT

iii

Dawn rises

on the nOrlZl;)n, from the sun disk as You scatter the bestow your sunbeams. and the Two Lands offer thanKs~lvU':l~ ~le:arrls

for you have raised them up; on their clo,tll1nR'. Their bodies are U"'\,~J.""'\"l, their arms raised in at your ap1pe'!lfllrl2. rhl~OU2hel"es; you enter the Hall of Two Truths and the who is in it honor you. you be at ease in the underworld. travel about in the of your heart have in your plc.u2:1Ufl2: in your in the Field of your reach what has been set for you and the harvest arrive full of the be taut in the ,."" ......"t,,"",1"_ Sail to your heart's desire I you go forth from the tomb each dawn and find your way back each ev~~mm!. kindle a for you at

The Nature of the

M.P\JrU1,1'1

until the sun shines on your breast. Let them say to you, -Wlelc4Dme, to your of the p'I""'r_lnl1rHl'l'" you gaze upon Re in the circuit of Heaven and Amun when he shines; you be mindful of each may all that you be driven to you in of heart esteemed who is within you. -Your heart is with you, it will never abandon you; and your orlDV1Slc,ns endure in their For the soul of the

vindicated.

Iv

His Claim

He says: I was a nODl(~m,an. effective for his wise, not ne~~l1~~eI1lt. orcDcu'i!:n1CS are sweet. and the very make celebrationf We:lH)le.ase:(1 is the heart of in your timer the Black Land shall offer sacrifice There is no dearth of to satlstaC1:t0Il, and the whole world has come to your throne. The Ennead of has gat:nerea I"\r",,,,,,t"., like the

and Praises to Pharaoh

139

Incense and your It is like the mouth with cakes that Father Amun bakes for Your excellence is in His and the heart of every

and ~o~aClc~ss

de:li~lh.ts

in your

rec:ount1n~yourac(;OrnpJ[lstlm!enlts, and their peace of mind rests in your 20jDCllles:s, You are the who wields his """',rTh .."" who knows how to use his hand. in his power for those who follow him.

61.10 Praise of Ramesses II as a Warrior Anastasi II)

A

in his power. Divine who came forth from child of the Bull of He.llOJ)OillS;

A

means of his He made the Two Lands bow to his counsel, and the Nine Bows are trodden under his feet. their r ... lr.., .1-", All lands are drawn to him aU nations on a The chieftains of the rebel lands are become like cattle in their terror of He enters in among them like the Son of and lie due to his breath. slaugJhte:r. fallen to his strlemnn is him for ever and ""'r.......... "r'trl His power enfolds the mountainso Ramesses Mer-amun lord of of his army.

"""""',"""Irc:: and

140

62. In Praise of Merenptah as Warrior """,",I,.,.HI"IIC:: Anastasi II]

lions; .... ~ .. '''' ...J" ..... encompasses each land. He crosses mountains to seek out those who would attack his war~cry in their hearts. fear in their faces. Perfect effective in his counsel. may he make his Name victorious the world As of Lord of the Two Lands. like the rn ~I1Pte,ctolr. with the men of means; nr.'~""",,,, under the arm household.

151

152

Vr:::li'll&>lrc:t

and

Amun. who knows what kindness is and hears the one who cries to of the Bull who in his power.

11. In Praise of Amun

Anastasi Make the heart of Amun in your heart that he may lead you to a fine old age. And may you a lifetime of such service until you reach the state of blessedness. Your your limbs Iar-gC:lZllrlg. and your fine. You shall a staff of within your grasp. A chariot of your own with all new llttln$l~S and to With Southlanders you have aC'~Ullred before you. You shall embark and travel in your of cedar, decked out from prow to stern. rr1',,,ntT at your villa which you 'l1("\'l1rC:plt

Your mouth shall be filled with wine and With oxen outCf1ler4eO, wine and sweet in your presence. Your chief shall anoint with rich pelrtumes, your chief of lands Your overseer of farmers offer and your fishermen fish. Your shall return from Khor laden with every sort of spI.enl010

From the

;:,c.n010UJi OV

Miscellanies

Your pens be filled with young, and your weavers nounSnl.flR. You shall prosper and your enemy fall, the one who you be no And you shall enter in the conclave of the Nine Great Gods and come forth blest!

153

Harper's Songs In Praise of Life

The

songs are difficult to in the ancient for diem theme, "seize the celebrate life in this ple~aSl.lre while one can; for the end of life is the grave, not a blissful afterlife with Osiris. Their occurrence is puz;zJ.lnJ~, not because of in the statement of their theme-that death is the end is clear-but because are in tombs with other and prayers which are traditional in eXl::>reSSlnj! in the of The from Inter s tomb tna,U£JU to go back to the Middle the 1\.Ul£(]Orn. The three songs from Nelerno'rep tomb are palrtlCUlc:lrI} Neternotep CO!nplaU1S ..."...."' .. 1" of the tra~Cllt10n;

of the ":ArT''-'''''

78. From the Tomb of King Intef U'''" ,n\ Harris II"

in the tomb of

. .,'

vindicated. in front of the with the

He is pf()spennj!, death is a 154

155

One

passes, another behindsuch has it been since the men of ancient times. The of ago rest in their PVlranlUlS. and the and blessed likewise lie buried in their tombs. Yet those who built mansions, their are no more. What has become of them all? 1 have heard the words of ImlrlOtep, and Ho,rOJeOc:!l too, in their narrations. now? Where are their Their walls are down, Their gone. like SOlnetntUir that has never been. There is no return for them to their pre~sellt To say how it is with to our hearts until we hasten to the

where

have gone.

ii

let your heart be fade from your tn()u~~nts. and follow your heart's desire while you liver

Put own pelrtumes, up your nalDDJtne~ss. and let not your heart become weary. Follow your heart's desire and what you find act on your own behalf while on earthf And let not your heart be troubledthat of for you must come; And will not hear their Wal1l11rl2. we:eo:tnQ' does not save the heart from the grave.

and

156

79. From the Tomb of Inherkhawy Tomb

So

a that your name may encJUJ'e l)eC,lUs:e Count up your

157

Be not troubled at heart over all that nalPpeo,s, let there be smgUllg Recall not the but

o

and true, content with your lot. not evilLet your heart be drunk on the of the until that comes when you anchor. fJo." .....4.' .. ,

j{:mCH14~artea

80. Three Harper's Songs From the Tomb of Neferhotep

Tomb i. First

the Chanted vindicated:

with the

for the God's Father of Amun, Neter-

o all you excellent eminent dead, 0

~n.,o.u, 0 of Life in the hear what has been com}:)os:ea To the of the God's Father in nononng his what is neJlPtlLll for the excellent dead man Now that he is a for ""h::..........."u elevated in the West. these words become a memorial in future to anyone who passes .L..r. .

I have heard those songs in the tombs of ancient and what say, Hfe on earth and the of the dead. is this, which is It loathes Cllsorcler; and no one a,rms himself a nelgrlD()r in this land without a rebel.

and

158

All our ancestors have come to rest within it of time; since the wastes at the And those who shall come to millions on millions, aU go there. There is no Itnap'r1na in our Beloved not one fails to arrive And the span of what was done on earth is the flicker of a dream when say, safe and soundr" to the one who reaches the West.

ii. Second tleJ~innirlg

of the song: of ...... ,.,."" ............ in the minds of all who shall be buried! it none escape. and weak are in the same condition: whether travel up or down the River it is there moor at last.

o God's Father, what a fine lot is yours that you have the lords of p.h··rrutul How is your name forevermore as one in the Land of God. The you followed when you were aliveyou have the entree to them face to are to receive your preserve your honors, mtlltl1Dlv the works of your your and maintain the altar to your person. each with his .... A.· ... ,.,'n And say to you, "Welcome in peace, 0 to our -For the God's Father I'-IPTPrnn'l"pn be~wtten of the noble man, Ameneminet.

o God's Father, let me hear your ...... of btermty:

r ••

C'~.'"

before the Lords

159

say, "He has drawn the bark of Sokarl" you the halitelnmL2 shlnmlg breast. and circle the "' .... T>_.-.... ".. . " at his "He has raised up the. taken the hoe on the Recited the ritual of Busiris." Blessed be your existence with the You shall be remembered for your acn.,c'u of whose form the Ibis. A bird sacred to Thoth's wisdom and JUCllcl0u:sn(~ss. Igret. for the neollS for the realm of the dead. Imhotep. Flourished the nr'f"\!3r of his mother. an of the Iyty. "He is come." Pun on the function of the son. who attends on his the now fused with Osiris. Jubilee. The beb-sed festival celeblratl.n~ renewal of the power and ..IJ.,,, .....,,,"""'. ne •• "II'I1' first held after years on the throne and then each three years thereafter. Justice. Maat as the word is translated in JuClIICl,al or moral contexts. See Truth. with the aeunea. tn()U2:n it seems to function as a kind of "double" of the person, who as if it were for the person in the next world. Kagabu. A Scribe of the ueaS\Jry in which he has a short prayer to Amun Kam. Mother of Bull of his Mother." Kamutef. L.t1J,~",LJ,''''''' enl~erlae:rtl1t~ power of the personage is to be erntpnlaSllZej;;I. Karnak, Temple of. The at constitutthe center of "'O'1LTnt-.~n relllR:l()US ~rt-1nT1t-'u from the Middle KlJ['l~(:10In on. Vital for two thousand years. Kemwer. The Great Black One. The bull of Athribis in the Delta. Also an eplltnc:!t of Osiris of Athribis. hTn !:JC!t'u 12. Khakaure. Prenomen of Senusert HI Khatti. The land of the Hittites, north of ~Ylna··t'a,lestlne, r(~ttc... ""I'T

Khayt. "She Who Rises in ~plenclor. a name for of Truth. Khenty-menutef. A celestial who takes the deceased to Geb. ep]lUlc~t of Horus. name in the or Golden of Senusert of ,'I,. . .,",,!.,' 12. Khepri. The sun and creator in scarab-beetle of espeas the sun or as the divine beetle which the

194 Kheruef. Scribe and Steward of the Great

\.mc~nl1l0te~p

III.

III and IV in 18. to the Nile" and other hr&l·r'.:lr"u' works. A Ramesside scribe calls him the of the writers. Lived 12. in Don:ejr~Q'~[)a. who forms creatures on his in the cataract of the south and reguwheel. He is lates the Nile in association with at Ele~ Phan't1ne. he also has a at Esna. Khonsu. Moon at Thebes. Son of Amun and Mut. Khor. name tor King of the Sedge and the Bee. of the his fourth name in the the Nomen or nsw-bit name. Kush. name for the countries to the south of that is, Nubia. L.p.h. Abbreviation for the nIlj~U::in translation of the follows mention of the prosper, be nec;UtrlY Lake of Horus. Unidentified. In his to the and .,el:Uflll:! Sun" Ani or Horus. were out of chaos to creas if ate the world. Lake of Myrrh. \.PI,ar'ently a locale down the coast of East Africa in or near the land of Punt. lP()DJ:US is Lake of the Two Knives. A DatUe2rC)Ufl.O in the aeltea1tea{) Also, a lake near He:rrrlot:1011lS. Land that Loves Silence. The ne,crC)PC.llS and the Afterworld. Lesser Ennead. A second group of nine with Horus at their head. the When the Greater and the Lesser Enneads are mentioned entire of is meant. Libya. As now, the land to the west of Litany. A or prayer with a refrain at intervals. Lord of Abydos. Osiris. Lord of All. The supreme Re, or Amun. on the Lord of the Sacred Land. Osiris in his caJ)aclty as of the Dead. Lord of Thebes. Amun or Amun-Re. Lower Egypt. The Delta in the north. Maat (Ma'at]. The word for the root corlcel:n: IHz,at1 on, ret:)re:seI1ltiI1l~ a fusion of our corlCeptS Time of

Khety. Author of the

IJ'-Jl .. 'V·......

l

195

Manu, Land of. The

sun and,

extension. the realm

of the dead. domas Mehenu. A snt]lke~.20iddess who, like Nekhbet and Buto functioned as a uraeus to the Mehy. Character aplpeCllnrl.2 OCCCllSl()nCllU:y in the New Kl1t1.2(jOln love songs, nl'l!n··Dc~rn or a or arbiter for lovers. Memphis. The first southwest of prc~selnt-(lav Cairo, It was the Kllt1,glXlllal.:tVn th()Uiimt of as in the retinue of the SUil-flOG, Sunfolk. The blessed Suty. One of the Dr()tn~erSf with owners of a stele with a

to the sun which shows some palranelS of to the Amarna of the next Time of Syria. lJeslglnatlon tine Ta..cJjeser. "The Sacred Land" or the nelcrofpol1S. \,i.,!-,\,i'-.lA.l.l of Ta-mery. "The Beloved that is, Ta-wer. The district or nome of This and f'\OVOI[)S. Tatenen. An ancient of the fertile land out of the Nile coalesces with Ptah as a creator Tayt. Goddess of for the cloth with which to wrap the mummified Tefnut. Goddess of moisture; one of the first with made the creator Atum. She and her consort are the first to ret)re;serlt COllcepts of male and female in the cosmos. of 6 in the Old K1I1tgdc::>m. sen ted a at ~a~:tq~u-a Thebes. One of the two greatest with Memthe ... h ..·"' ...",.h," .....

of the often as a baboon or an ibis. Connected with He:rrrlO}:'OlllS and the '-""' .......,0."-". Transfigured Spirits. the word the transllg-

and

202

ured or -erll1J!~htlenced" souls of the dead as appear in all their in the afterlife. True of Voice. The deceased is 1--.... -- "true of voice" or "vindicated" once he or she has tJo.o".;,."" .... the Last before where the heart is weultted or Truth. If the the soul is allowed to pass on into the afterlife. Truth. One of the words used to translate the Maat. the root conand fundacivilization. It is a very cto,nt'r'lnnn a fusion of our of "truth," oelpell01lnS?; on the context. djerty, which means both "kite" and "female mourner.'" The Twin Kites are thus Isis and as mourn, Osiris and then any other deceased person. Two Banks. for the two sides of the Nile River. Two Ladies. The heraldic go,jde~ssc:~s Nekhbet of orc)tecct both of Lower 'Pf'1"'\pnt"c: of the double Uraeus. seen as the union of the two prc~hlstclnc klflS?:CI:OltlS of north and south and Two Sisters. The 2:0(loe~ssc:~s Ne:phth,rs prmlartly in their ca.>actlY as mourners for the oe~ce.:llSeICl. whether their brother Osiris or any other of the dead. Onas (Wenis). . ""... ..:.u-' ...:.... 5 and the first 'LH

carved in n1f~rOQnrnrlS Onderworld. Translation of Opper Egypt. Southern Or-god. for the of creation in the various names at different times, but ~eIler.'Ulj known as Atum. Oraeus. The COjl:)rCIV miscellanies. X Secular. XII. XIII

Shade, l.xi, 80.iii Shedeh,46 Sherden.63 47,55.i Shrine. 33.xxx 33.xxx. 33.dccc ... "'Ii, .... ILV Soul, l.xi. 22, 28.i. 32, 33.cc. 33.dc. 34. 39.ii. 40.i, 44, 47 1.xi, 13,20,23, 28,i. 32, 33.vi. 33.lc, 33.cc, 33.dc, 33.dccc, 34, 40.v, 41, 49. 55.ii Staff-of-life 52.v Star. 16, 33.xx, 35. 37, 44 Sun-bark. II, 14,34 Sundisk,25 £', ...

Table of Osiris. 55,ii Tale ot Sinuhe, 56, 57 ThceG):'hames. 3U. 3l.iv. 32 Time. 45.xi Truth. 17,25.27, 28.x, 31.viii, 32. 33.dccc. 35. 41, 44, 45.xi. 49. 59 and Order, VII Truth. Two Shrines, 27 Underworld relIgIon. III unwe:ar'Vln.Q" stars, 28.ii. 39.i Userhat, 33.vi Utterance. 3 Uii Vindicated. 36, 37, 40.i. 40.v. 41, 43, 69. 78.i, 79. 80.ii White Crown. 3l.ii. 31.v, 43 Word,40Jii

Writings from the Ancient World

H

""[IT">C ."ro

E

1990.

Letters

;:)l;'IwIJUU

eOltlo:n. 1998.

MeS'oPOitaml~a. LlrloenDC~r~(:r

WtIlHUT\

1993.

1994.

Ancient Aramaic

J. MUlrn