Ancient Egyptian texts

Is there any here like Hardjedef? Is there another like Iyemhotep? There have been none among
our kindred like Neferti and Khety. I recall to you the names of Ptahemdjehuty and
Khakheperresonbe. Is there another like Ptahhotep or Kaires?
Chester Beatty Papyrus IV
Sergio Donadoni ed., The Egyptians, University of Chicago Press 1997, p.61

Like all else in Egyptology, ancient texts are the source of much controversy. While
deciphering the writing and rediscovering the language has come a long way since Champollion,
many doubts remain and translators can have widely differing interpretations of the same texts (cf
the two versions of the Hymn to the Nile)
This reader consists mostly of older translations which have been largely superseded by, as we
hope, scientifically more correct versions. Some of the texts have been retranslated by me from
French, German or Spanish versions, which adds another layer of possible misinterpretations. All
this should however not diminish the pleasure that can be derived from reading them.
What they built of gates and chapels now are fallen,
their soul-priests and their gardeners are gone,
their headstones undiscovered in the dirt,
their very graves forgotten.
But their fame lives on in their papyrus rolls
composed while they were still alive;
And the memory of those who wrote such books shall last
to the end of time and for eternity.
John Lawrence Foster, Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology, 2001 University of Texas Press, p.226

Let's hope so.

Mythology, hymns, magical writings

A Hymn to Osiris and the Legend of the Origin
of Horus
Homage to thee, Osiris, Lord of eternity, King of
the gods, whose names are manifold, whose
transformations are sublime, whose form is hidden in
the temples, whose Ka is holy, the Governor of Tetut,
the mighty one of possessions (?)2 in the shrine, the
Lord of praises in the nome of Anetch, President of
the tchefa food in Anu, Lord who art commemorated in
[the town of Maati, the mysterious (or, hidden) Soul,
the Lord of Qerret, the sublime one in White Wall, the
Soul of Ra [and] his very body, who hast thy dwelling
in 3 Henensu, the beneficent one, who art praised
inNart, who makest to rise up thy Soul, Lord of the
Great House in the City of the Eight Gods [who
inspirest] great terror inShas-hetep, Lord of eternity,
Governor of Abtu.
1

Thy seat (or, domain) reacheth far into Ta-tchesert,

and thy name is firmly stablished in the mouth[s] of
men. 4 Thou art the two-fold substance of the Two
Lands everywhere (?), and the divine food of the Kau,
the Governor of the Companies of the Gods, and the
beneficent (or, perfect) Spirit-soul among Spirit-souls.
The god Nu draweth his waters from thee, and thou
bringest forth the north wind at eventide, and wind
from thy nostrils to the satisfaction of thy heart. 5. Thy
heart flourisheth, and thou bringest forth the
splendour of tcheffood.
The height of heaven and the stars [thereof] are
obedient unto thee, and thou makest to be opened the
great gates [of the sky]. Thou art the lord to whom
praises are sung in the southern heaven, thou art he to
whom thanks are given in the northern heaven. The

Tetut: Djedet, Busiris, was the original

home of the Osiris worship
Anetch: Andjet, 9th nome of Lower
Egypt, capital Busiris
Anu: On, Heliopolis
Maati: Centre of the Ptah worship in the
2nd nome of Lower Egypt, capital
Letopolis
Qerret: Region of the 1st Nile cataract.
White Wall: First nome of Lower Egypt,
Memphis
Henensu: Henen-nesut, Herakleopolis in
the 20th nome of Upper Egypt
Nart: Herakleopolis
City of the eight Gods:
KhemenuHermopolis, where the primeval
hill had risen out of the waters of Nun.
Eight gods: the Ogdoad including Nu,
Nut; Hehu, Hehut; Kekui, Kekuit; Kerh,
and Kerhet.
Shas-hetep: Shas-hotep, Apotheke, Seth
cult centre
Abtu: Abdu, Abydos, centre of worship
of Khentamenthes who was identified with
Osiris
Ta-tchesert: (MdC transliteration: tADsr) lit. sacred land - the necropolis, the
realm of the dead.
Two Lands: Upper and Lower Egypt
Kau: pl.of ka, immortal part of living
beings
Companies of the Gods: the gods of
Heaven, of Earth, and of the Other World
north wind at eventide: cool wind
blowing from the Mediterranean

stars which never rest: circumpolar stars

which never set, souls of the deceased
Keb: Geb, father of Osiris
smell the earth before thee: prostrate
themselves, see Amarna letters

stars which never 6 diminish are under the place of thy

face, and thy seats are the stars which never rest.
Offerings appear before thee by the command of Keb.
The Companies of the Gods ascribe praise unto thee,
the Star-gods of the Tuat smell the earth before thee,
the domains [make] bowings [before thee], and the
ends of the earth make supplication to thee 7 [when]
they see thee.
Those who are among the holy ones are in terror of
him, and the Two Lands, all of them, make
acclamations to him when they meet His Majesty. Thou
art a shining noble at the head of the nobles,
permanent in [thy] high rank, established in [thy]
sovereignty, the beneficent Power of the Company of
the Gods. Well pleasing [is thy] face, 8 and thou art
beloved by him that seeth thee. Thou settest the fear of
thee in all lands, and because of their love for thee
[men] hold thy name to be pre-eminent. Every man
maketh offerings unto thee, and thou art the Lord who
is commemorated in heaven and upon earth. Manifold
are the cries of acclamation to thee in theUak festival,
and the 9 Two Lands shout joyously to thee with one
accord. Thou art the eldest, the first of thy brethren,
the Prince of the Company of the Gods, and the
establisher of Truth throughout the Two Lands. Thou
settest [thy] son upon the great throne of his father
Keb. Thou art the beloved one of thy mother Nut,
whose valour is most mighty [when] thou overthrowest
the Seba Fiend. 10. Thou hast slaughtered thy enemy,
and hast put the fear of thee into thy Adversary.
Thou art the bringer in of the remotest boundaries,
and art stable of heart, and thy two feet are lifted up
(?); thou art the heir of Keb and of the sovereignty of
the Two Lands, and he (i.e., Keb) hath seen thy
splendid qualities, and hath commanded thee to
guide 11 the lands (i.e., the world) by thy hand so long
as times [and seasons] endure.
Thou hast made this earth with thy hand, the waters
thereof, the winds thereof, the trees and herbs thereof,
the cattle thereof of every kind, the birds thereof of
every kind, the fish thereof of every kind, the creeping
things thereof, and the four-footed beasts thereof. The

Uak festival: the wag-festival (MdC

transliteration: wAg,) a festival of the dead
celebrated on the 18th day of the first
month of Akhet.
(Look also The Egyptians and their
dead,Public religious ceremonies.)

land of the desert belongeth by right to 12 the son of

Nut, and the Two Lands have contentment in making
him to rise upon the throne of his father like Ra.
Thou rollest up into the horizon, thou settest the
light above the darkness, thou illuminest [the Two
Lands] with the light from thy two plumes, thou
floodest the Two Lands like the 13Disk at the beginning
of the dawn. Thy White Crown pierceth the height of
heaven saluting the stars, thou art the guide of every
god. Thou art perfect in command and word. Thou art
the favoured one of the Great Company of the Gods,
and thou art the beloved one of the Little Company of
the Gods.

Disk: the Aten

White Crown: Crown of Upper Egypt

Thy sister [Isis] acted as a protectress to thee. She

drove [thy] enemies away, 14 she averted seasons [of
calamity from thee], she recited the word (or, formula)
with the magical power of her mouth, [being] skilled
of tongue and never halting for a word, being perfect
in command and word. Isis the magician avenged her
brother. She went about seeking for him untiringly.

magical power: see Heka, the magic of

Egypt

She flew round and round over this earth uttering

wailing cries of grief, and she did not alight on the
ground until she bad found him. She made light [to
come forth] from her feathers, she made air to come
into being by means of her two wings, and she cried
out the death cries for her brother.16. She made to rise
up the helpless members of him whose heart was at
rest, she drew from him his essence, and she made
therefrom an heir. She suckled the child in solitariness
and none knew where his place was, and he grew in
strength. His hand is mighty (or, victorious) within the
house 17 of Keb, and the Company of the Gods rejoice
greatly at the coming of Horus, the son of Osiris,
whose heart is firmly stablished, the triumphant one,
the son of Isis, the flesh and bone of Osiris. The
Tchatcha of Truth, and the Company of the Gods, and
Neb-er-tcher himself, and the Lords of Truth, gather
together to him, and assemble therein. 18. Verily those
who defeat iniquity rejoice in the House of Keb to
15.

Tchatcha: the divine chiefs at the court

of Osiris
Neb-er-tcher: Lord of the Border, Osiris
heir: Horus

bestow the divine rank and dignity upon him to whom

it belongeth, and the sovereignty upon him whose it is
by right.
Source: E. A. Wallis Budge, Legends of the Egyptian Gods [1]

The Legend of the Destruction of Mankind

[Here is the story of Ra,] the god who was selfbegotten and self-created, after he had assumed the
sovereignty over men and women, and gods, and
things, the one god. Now men and women were
speaking words of complaint, saying: - "Behold, his
Majesty (Life, Strength, and Health to him!) hath
grown old, and his bones have become like silver, and
his members have turned into gold and his hair is like
unto real lapis-lazuli."
His Majesty heard the words of complaint which
men and women were uttering, and his Majesty (Life,
Strength, and Health to him!) said unto those who
were in his train: - "Cry out, and bring to me my Eye,
andShu, and Tefnut, and Geb, and Nut, and the fathergods, and the mother-gods who were with me, even
when I was in Nu side by side with my god Nu. Let
there be brought along with my Eye his ministers, and
let them be led to me hither secretly, so that men and
women may not perceive them [coming] hither, and
may not therefore take to flight with their hearts.

my Eye: The Eye of Re - 1) The sun, the

right eye of Horus but also of Re;
2) Hathor; 3) Isis, above all when identified
with Hathor; 4) Satis, theLady of
Elephantine, wife of Khnum, who came to
be identified with Re; 5) Sekhet; 6) The
sun-disk between Hathor's horns
(according to Pyramid Text #705.
Shu: God of the air
Tefnut: Goddess of moisture
Geb: God of the earth
Nut: Goddess of the sky
Nu: Nun, the primordial waters

Come thou with them to the Great House, and let

them declare their plans (or, arrangements) fully, for I
will go from Nu into the place wherein I brought about
my own existence, and let those gods be brought unto
me there."
Now the gods were drawn up on each side of Ra,
and they bowed down before his Majesty until their
heads touched the ground, and the maker of men and
women, the king of those who have knowledge, spake
his words in the presence of the Father of the firstborn gods. And the gods spake in the presence of his
Majesty, saying: - "Speak unto us, for we are listening
to them" (i.e., thy words).

Great House: Residence of the ruler, praA, whence Pharaoh from the New
Kingdom onward
Nun: The primal flood preceding
creation, later the ocean in which the earth
rests. As the oldest god, he is also called
the Old One or Father of the Gods.
let thine Eye go against those: The Eye
was at times quite independent and might
leave Re for a while after an argument.
Once when it returned from a mission, it
found that another eye had grown in its
place. Re placated it by setting it on his
forehead as an uraeus: And when my Eye
came to me, and found that I had made
another [Eye] in place where it was (i.e.,
the Moon), it was wroth with (or, raged at)

Then Ra spake unto Nu, saying: - "O thou first-born

god from whom I came into being, O ye gods of
ancient time, my ancestors, take ye heed to what men
and women [are doing]; for behold, those who were
created by my Eye are uttering words of complaint
against me. Tell me what ye would do in the matter,
and consider this thing for me, and seek out [a plan]
for me, for I will not slay them until I have heard what
ye shall say to me concerning it."
Then the Majesty of Nu, to son Ra, spake, saying: "Thou art the god who art greater than he who made
thee, thou art the sovereign of those who were created
with thee, thy throne is set, and the fear of thee is
great;let thine Eye go against those who have uttered
blasphemies against thee."

me, whereupon I endowed it (i.e., the

(second Eye) with [some of] the splendour
which I had made for the first [Eye], and I
made it to occupy its place in my Face, and
henceforth it ruled throughout all this
earth.

And the Majesty of Ra, said: - " Behold, they have

betaken themselves to flight into the mountain lands,
for their hearts are afraid because of the words which
they have uttered."
Then the gods spake in the presence of his Majesty,
saying: - "Let thine Eye go forth and let it destroy for
thee those who revile thee with words of evil, for there
is no eye whatsoever that can go before it and resist
thee and it when it journeyeth in the form of Hathor."
Thereupon this goddess went forth and slew the men
and the women who were on the mountain (or, desert
land). And the Majesty of this god said, "Come, come
in peace, O Hathor, for the work is accomplished."

thine Eye: Here the Eye of Re is Hathor

Then this goddess said, "Thou hast made me to live,

for when I gained the mastery over men and women it
was sweet to my heart;" and the Majesty of Ra said, "I
myself will be master over them as [their] king, and I
will destroy them."
And it came to pass that Sekhet of the offerings
waded about in the night season in their blood,
beginning atSuten-henen. Then the Majesty of Ra,
spake [saying], "Cry out, and let there come to me
swift and speedy messengers who shall be able to run
like the wind ........ ;"
and straightway messengers of this kind were brought
unto him. And the Majesty of this god spake [saying],
"Let these (messengers) go to Abu, and bring unto
memandrakes in great numbers;"

Sekhet: Eye of Re, lion-headed goddess

symbolizing the destructive power of the
sun.
Suten-henen: Herakleopolis
Abu: Elephantine at the southern border
of the country.
mandrakes: Plant belonging to the
poisonous nightshade family. Its root
resembles the human form, has
somniferous qualities, and is often used in
magic.
Annu: Heliopolis

E. A. Wallis Budge, Legends of the Egyptian Gods: The

History of Creation

and [when] these mandrakes were brought unto him

the Majesty of this god gave them to Sekhet, the
goddess who dwelleth in Annu to crush.
And behold, when the maidservants were bruising
the grain for [making] beer, these mandrakes were
placed in the vessels which were to hold the beer, and
some of the blood of the men and women [who had
been slain]. Now they made seven thousand vessels of
beer. Now when the Majesty of Ra, the King of the
South and North, had come with the gods to look at the
vessels of beer, and behold, the daylight had appeared
after the slaughter of men and women by the goddess
in their season as she sailed up the river, the Majesty
of Ra said, "It is good, it is good, nevertheless I must
protect men and women against her."
And Ra, said, "Let them take up the vases and carry
them to the place where the men and women were
slaughtered by her."
Then the Majesty of the King of the South and North
in the three-fold beauty of the night caused to be
poured out these vases of beer which make [men] to lie
down (or, sleep), and the meadows of the Four
Heavens were filled with beer (or, water) by reason of
the Souls of the Majesty of this god. And it came to
pass that when this goddess arrived at the dawn of day,
she found these [Heavens] flooded [with beer], and
she was pleased thereat; and she drank [of the beer
and blood], and her heart rejoiced, and she became
drunk, and she gave no further attention to men and
women.
Then said the Majesty of Ra to this goddess, "Come
in peace, come in peace, O Amit,"
and thereupon beautiful women came into being in the
city of Amit (or, Amem). And the Majesty of Ra spake
[concerning] this goddess, [saying], "Let there be
made for her vessels of the beer which produceth sleep
at every holy time and season of the year, and they
shall be in number according to the number of my
hand-maidens;"
and from that early time until now men have been wont
to make on the occasions of the festival of Hathor
vessels of the beer which make them to sleep in
number according to the number of the handmaidens

Four Heavens: North, south, east and

west

of Ra.
And the Majesty of Ra spake unto this goddess,
[saying], "I am smitten with the pain of the fire of
sickness; whence cometh to me [this] pain?"
And the Majesty of Ra said, "I live, but my heart
hath become exceedingly weary with existence with
them (i.e., with men); I have slain [some of] them, but
there is a remnant of worthless ones, for the
destruction which I wrought among them was not as
great as my power."
Then the gods who were in his following said unto
him, "Be not overcome by thy inactivity, for thy might
is in proportion to thy will."
And the Majesty of this god said unto the Majesty of
Nu, "My members are weak for (or, as at) the first
time; I will not permit this to come upon me a second
time."
And the Majesty of the god Nu said, "O son Shu, be
thou the Eye 'for thy father ............ and avenue (?)
him, and 'thou goddess Nut, place him ........." And the
goddess Nut said, "How can this be then, O my father
Nu?"
"Hail," said Nut .......... to the god Nu, and the
goddess straightway became [a cow], and she set the
Majesty of Ra. upon [her] back .........
And when these things had been done, men and
women saw the god Ra, upon the back [of the cow].
Then these men and women said, "Remain with us, and
we will overthrow thine enemies who speak words of
blasphemy [against thee], and [destroy them]."
Then his Majesty [Re] set out for the Great House,
and [the gods who were in the train of Ra remained]
with them (i.e., the men); during that time the earth
was in darkness. And when the earth became light
[again]; and the morning had dawned, the men came
forth with their bows and their [weapons], and they set
their arms in motion to shoot the enemies [of Ra].
Then said the Majesty of this god, "Your
transgressions of violence are placed behind you, for
the slaughtering of the enemies is above the slaughter
[of sacrifice];"
thus came into being the slaughter [of sacrifice]. And
the Majesty of this god said unto Nut, "I have placed
myself upon my back in order to stretch myself out."
What then is the meaning of this? It meaneth that he

united (?) himself with Nut. [Thus came into

being] .........
Then said the Majesty of this god, "I am departing
from them (i.e., from men), and he must come after
(me) who would see me;" thus came into being .........
Then the Majesty of this god looked forth from its
interior, saying, "Gather together [men for me], and
make ready for me an abode for multitudes;" thus
came into being ............
And his Majesty (life, health, and strength be to
him!) said, "Let a great field (sekhet) be produced
(hetep);"
thereupon Sekhet-hetep came into being.
[And the god said], "I will gather herbs (aarat)
therein;"
thereupon Sekhet-aaru came into being.
[And the god said], "I will make it to contain as
dwellers things (khet) like stars of all sorts;"
thereupon the stars (akhekha) came into being.
Then the goddess Nut trembled because of the
height. And the Majesty of Ra said, "I decree that
supports be to bear [the goddess up];"
thereupon the props of heaven (heh) came into being.
And the Majesty of Ra said, "O my son Shu, I pray
thee to set thyself under [my] daughter Nut, and guard
thou for me the supports (heh) of the millions (heh)
which are there, and which live in darkness. Take thou
the goddess upon thy head, and act thou as nurse for
her;"
thereupon came into being [the custom] of a son
nursing a daughter, and [the custom] of a father
carrying a son upon his head.
This chapter shall be said over [a figure of] the cow.
The supporters [called] Heh-enti shall be by her
shoulder. The supporters [called] Heh-enti shall be at
her side, and one cubit and four spans of hers shall be
in colours, and nine stars shall be on her belly, and Set
shall be by her two thighs and shall keep watch before
her two legs, and before her two legs shall be Shu,
under her belly, and he shall be made (i.e., painted) in
green qenat colour. His two arms shall be under the
stars, and his name shall be made (i.e., written) in the

Sekhet-hetep and Sekhet-aaru: Paradise.

Just like the country itself or the Realm of
the Dead (Amenti and Duat), paradise was
dual.
According to other interpretations Sekhetaaru (Field of Plants) was divided into a
number of regions, such as Sekhet-hetep
(Field of Peace), Sekhet-Sanehemu (Field
of Grasshoppers), etc.

Nut propped up by Shu, the setting sun by

her mouth about to be swallowed, Kheperu,
symbol of the rising, reborn sun, by her
knees
Source: Lurker, Lexikon der Gtter und Symbole der
alten gypter

middle of them, namely, Shu himself.

A boat with a rudder and a double shrine shall be
therein, and Aten shall be above it, and Ra shall be in
it, in front of Shu, near his hand, or, as another reading
hath, behind him, near his hand. And the udders of the
Cow shall be made to be between her legs, towards the
left side.
And on the two flanks, towards the middle of the
legs, shall be done in writing [the words], "The
exterior heaven," and "I am what is in me," and "I will
not permit them to make her to turn."
That which is [written] under the boat which is in front
shall read, "Thou shalt not be motionless, my son;"
and the words which are written in an opposite
direction shall read, "Thy support is like life," and
"The word is as the word there," and "Thy son is with
me," and "Life, strength, and health be to thy
nostrils!"

Aten: The sun disk.

And that which is behind Shu, near his shoulder,

shall read, "They keep ward," and that which is behind
him, written close to his feet in an opposite direction,
shall read, "Maat," and "They come in," and "I protect
daily." And that which is under the shoulder of the
divine figure which is under the left leg, and is behind
it shall read, "He who sealeth all things."
That which is over his head, under the thighs of the
Cow, and that which is by her legs shall read,
"Guardian of his exit." That which is behind the two
figures which are by her two legs, that is to say, over
their heads, shall read, "The Aged One who is adored
as he goeth forth," and The Aged One to whom praise
is given when he goeth in." That which is over the
head of the two figures, and is between the two thighs
of the Cow, shall read, " Listener," "Hearer," "Sceptre
of the Upper Heaven," and "Star" (?).

Then the majesty of this god spake unto Thoth,

[saying]: "Let a call go forth for me to the Majesty of
the god Seb, saying, 'Come, with the utmost speed, at
once'."
And when the Majesty of Seb had come, the Majesty

Thoth
Seb: Geb
worms, serpents: Serpents were thought
to be both dangerous and protective. Re, on
his daily round-trip had to ward them off.
Apep, his main enemy, could only be

of this god said unto him, "Let war be made against

thyworms (or, serpents) which are in thee; verily, they
shall have fear of me as long as I have being; but thou
knowest their magical powers. Do thou go to the place
where my father Nu is, and say thou unto him, 'Keep
ward over the worms (or, serpents) which are in the
earth and water.'
And moreover, thou shalt make a writing for each of
the nests of thy serpents which are there, saying, 'Keep
ye guard [lest ye] cause injury to anything.' They shall
know that I am removing myself [from them], but
indeed I shall shine upon them. Since, however, they
indeed wish for a father, thou shalt be a father unto
them in this land for ever. Moreover, let good heed be
taken to the men who have my words of power, and to
those whose mouths have knowledge of such things;
verily my own words of power are there, verily it shall
not happen that any shall participate with me in my
protection, by reason of the majesty which hath come
into being before me.
I will decree them to thy son Osiris, and their
children shall be watched over, the hearts of their
princes shall be obedient (or, ready) by reason of the
magical powers of those who act according to their
desire in all the earth through their words of power
which are in their bodies."
And the majesty of this god said, "Call to me the god
Thoth,"
and one brought the god to him forthwith. And the
Majesty of this god said unto Thoth, "Let us depart to
a distance from heaven, from my place, because I
would make light and the god of light (Khu) in the Tuat
and [in] the Land of Caves. Thou shalt write down
[the things which are] in it, and thou shalt punish
those who are in it, that is to say, the workers who
have worked iniquity (or, rebellion). Through thee I
will keep away from the servants whom this heart [of
mine] loatheth.
Thou shalt be in my place (ast) Asti, and thou shalt
therefore be called, O Thoth, the 'Asti of Ra.'
Moreover, I give thee power to send (hab) forth ..........;
thereupon shall come into being the Ibis (habi) bird of

defeated by Seth.

words of power: magic spells

to send (hab) forth...... being the Ibis

(habi):The Egyptians were very fond of
these somewhat strange etymologies.

Thoth. I moreover give thee [power] to lift up thine

hand before the two Companies of the gods who are
greater than thou, and what thou doest shall be fairer
than [the work of] the god Khen; therefore shall the
divine bird Tekni of Thoth come into being.
Moreover, I give thee [Power] to embrace (anh) the
two heavens with thy beauties, and with thy rays of
light; therefore shall come into being the Moon-god
(Aah) of Thoth. Moreover, I give thee [power] to drive
back (anan) the Ha-nebu; therefore shall come into
being thedog-headed Ape (anan) of Thoth, and he shall
act as governor for me. Moreover, thou art now in my
place in the sight of all those who see thee and who
present offerings to thee, and every being shall ascribe
praise unto thee, O thou who art God."

dog-headed ape: baboon

Whosoever shall recite the words of this composition

over himself shall anoint himself with olive oil and
with thick unguent, and he shall have propitiatory
offerings on both his hands of incense, and behind his
two ears shall be pure natron, and sweet-smelling
salve shall be on his lips.
He shall be arrayed in a new double tunic, and his
body shall be purified with the water of the nile-flood,
and he shall have upon his feet a pair of sandals made
of white [leather], and a figure of the goddess Maat
shall be drawn upon his tongue with green-coloured
ochre. Whensoever Thoth shall wish to recite this
composition on behalf of Ra, he must perform a
sevenfold (?) purification for three days, and priests
and [ordinary] men shall do likewise. Whosoever shall
recite the above words shall perform the ceremonies
which are to be performed when this book is being
read. And he shall make his place of standing (?) in a
circle (or, at an angle) ......... which is beyond [him],
and his two eyes shall be fixed upon himself, all his
members shall be [composed], and his steps shall not
carry him away [from the place]. Whosoever among
men shall recite [these] words shall be like Ra on the
day of his birth; and his possessions shall not become
fewer, and his house shall never fall into decay, but
shall endure for a million eternities.

These passages describe what was

expected of a magician if his magic was to
be successful: ritual purification of the
body, dressing in appropriate (and often
highly specific) clothing, repetitiveness
(three, seven and nine times are very
common), recitation of spells, invocation of
helping spirits and gods etc.

Then the Aged One himself (i.e., Ra) embraced (?)

the god Nu, and spake unto the gods who came forth in
the east of the sky, "Ascribe ye praise to the god, the
Aged One, from whom I have come into being. I am he
who made the heavens, and I (set in order [the earth,
and created the gods, and] I was with them for an
exceedingly long period; 'then was born the year
and .......... but my soul is older than it (i.e., time). It is
the Soul of Shu, it is the Soul of Khnemu (?), it is the
Soul of Heh, it is the Soul of Kek and Kerh (i.e., Night
and Darkness), it is the Soul of Nu and of Ra, it is the
Soul of Osiris, the lord of Tettu, it is the Soul of the
Sebak Crocodile-gods and of the Crocodiles, it is the
Soul of every god [who dwelleth] in the divine Snakes,
it is the Soul of Apep in Mount Bakhau (i.e., the Mount
of Sunrise), and it is the Soul of Ra which pervadeth
the whole world."
Whosoever sayeth [these words] worketh his own
protection by means of the words of power, "I am the
god Hekau (i.e., the divine Word of power), and [I am]
pure in my mouth, and [in] my belly; [I am] Ra from
whom the gods proceeded. I am Ra, the Light-god
(Khu)."
When thou sayest [this], stop forth in the evening
and in the morning on thine own behalf if thou wouldst
make to fall the enemies of Ra. I am his Soul, and I
am Heka.
Hail, thou lord of eternity, thou creator of
everlastingness, who bringest to nought the gods who
came forth from Ra, thou lord of thy god, thou prince
who didst make what made thee, who art beloved by
the fathers of the gods, on whose head are the pure
words of power, who didst create the woman (erpit)
that standeth on the south side of thee, who didst
create the goddess who hath her face on her breast,
and the serpent which standeth on his tail, with her eye
on his belly, and with his tail on the earth, to whom
Thoth giveth praises, and upon whom the heavens rest,
and to whom Shu stretcheth out his two hands, deliver
thou me from those two great gods who sit in the east
of the sky, who act as wardens of heaven and as
wardens of earth, and who make firm the secret places,
and who are called "Aaiu-su," and "Per-f-er-maa-Nu."

Tettu: Capital of the 9th nome of Lower

Egypt, also called Tetau, Per-Asar-nebTettu, Busiris, city in the Delta, the
entrance to paradise was thought to have
been near it.

Heka: Magic

Moreover [there shall be) a purifying on the ...........

day of the month .............. even according to the
performance of the ceremonies in the oldest time.
Whosoever shall recite this Chapter shall have life
in Neter-kher (i.e., Underworld), and the fear of him
shall be much greater than it was formerly [upon
earth] . . . . . . . and they shall say, "Thy names are
'Eternity' and 'Everlastingness.'"
They are called, they are called, "Au-peh-nef-n-aaem-ta-uatipu," and "Rekh-kuh-[tut]-en-neter-pui .........
en-en-hra-f-Her-shefu."
I am he who hath strengthened the boat with the
company of the gods, and his Shenit, and his Gods, by
means of words of power.

Sheni: Title, according to Budge the

Shenit were special royal ministers.

Source: E. A. Wallis Budge, Legends of the Egyptian Gods

Two translations of the

Hymn to the Nile

ca. 2100 BCE

Hail to thee, O Nile! Who manifests

thyself over this land, and comes to
give life to Egypt! Mysterious is thy
issuing forth from the darkness, on
this day whereon it is celebrated!
Watering the orchards created by
Re, to cause all the cattle to live,
you give the earth to drink,
inexhaustible one! Path that
descends from the sky, loving the
bread of Seb and the first-fruits of
Nepera, You cause the workshops of
Ptah to prosper!

Lord of the fish, during the

inundation, no bird alights on the
crops. You create the grain, you
bring forth the barley, assuring
perpetuity to the temples. If you
cease your toil and your work, then

1 Hail to thee O Nile!

2 Thou showest thyself in this land,
3 Coming in peace, giving life to Egypt:
4 O Ammon, (thou) leadest night into day,
5 A leading that rejoices the heart!
6 Overflowing the gardens created by Ra.
7 Giving life to all animals;
8 Watering the land without ceasing:
9 The way of heaven descending:
10 Lover of food, bestower of corn,
11 Giving light to every home, O Ptah!
[1]

1 Lord of fishes, when the inundation returns

2 No fowls fall on the cultures.
3 Maker of spelt; creator of wheat:
4 Who maintaineth the temples!
5 Idle hands he loathes
6 For myriads, for all the wretched.
7 If the gods in heaven are grieved,

8 Then sorrow cometh on men.

all that exists is in anguish. If the
gods suffer in heaven, then the faces
of men waste away.

Then He torments the flocks of

Egypt, and great and small are in
agony. But all is changed for
mankind when He comes; He is
endowed with the qualities of Nun.
If He shines, the earth is joyous,
every stomach is full of rejoicing,
every spine is happy, every jawbone crushes (its food).

He brings the offerings, as chief of

provisioning; He is the creator of all
good things, as master of energy,
full of sweetness in his choice. If
offerings are made it is thanks to
Him. He brings forth the herbage
for the flocks, and sees that each
god receives his sacrifices. All that
depends on Him is a precious
incense. He spreads himself over
Egypt, filling the granaries,
renewing the marts, watching over
the goods of the unhappy.

He is prosperous to the height of all

desires, without fatiguing Himself
therefor. He brings again his lordly
bark; He is not sculptured in stone,
in the statutes crowned with the
uraeus serpent, He cannot be
contemplated. No servitors has He,
no bearers of offerings! He is not
enticed by incantations! None
knows the place where He dwells,
none discovers his retreat by the
power of a written spell.

1 He maketh the whole land open to the oxen,

2 And the great and the small are rejoicing;
3 The response of men at his coming!
4 His likeness is Nun!
5 He shineth, then the land exulteth!
6 All bellies are in joy!
7 Every creature receives nourishment!
8 All teeth get food.

1 Bringer of food! Great lord of provisions!

2 Creator of all good things!
3 Lord of terrors and of choicest joys!
4 All are combined in him.
5 He produceth grass for the oxen;
6 Providing victims for every god.
7 The choice incense is that which he supplies.
8 Lord in both regions,
9 He filleth the granaries, enricheth the
storehouses,
10 He careth for the state of the poor.

1 He causeth growth to fulfil all desires,

2 He never wearies of it.
3 He maketh his might a barker,
4 He is not graven in marble,
5 As an image bearing the double crown.
6 He is not beheld:
7 He hath neither ministrants nor offerings:
8 He is not adored in sanctuaries:
9 His abode is not known:
10 No shrine is found with painted figures.

No dwelling (is there) which may

contain you! None penetrates within
your heart! Your young men, your
children applaud you and render
unto you royal homage. Stable are
your decrees for Egypt before your
servants of the North! He stanches
the water from all eyes and watches
over the increase of his good things.

Where misery existed, joy manifests

itself; all beasts rejoice. The
children of Sobek, the sons of
Neith, the cycle of the gods which
dwells in him, are prosperous. No
more reservoirs for watering the
fields! He makes mankind valiant,
enriching some, bestowing his love
on others. None commands at the
same time as himself. He creates the
offerings without the aid of Neith,
making mankind for himself with
multiform care.

He shines when He issues forth

from the darkness, to cause his
flocks to prosper. It is his force that
gives existence to all things;
nothing remains hidden for him. Let
men clothe themselves to fill his
gardens. He watches over his
works, producing the inundation
during the night. The associate of
Ptah . . . He causes all his servants
to exist, all writings and divine
words, and that which He needs in
the North.

It is with the words that He

penetrates into his dwelling; He
issues forth at his pleasure through
the magic spells. Your unkindness
brings destruction to the fish; it is

1 There is no building that can contain him!

2 There is no counsellor in thy heart!
3 Thy youth delight in thee, thy children:
4 Thou directest them as King.
5 Thy law is established in the whole land,
6 In the presence of thy servants in the North:
7 Every eye is satisfied with him:
8 He careth for the abundance of his blessings.

1 The inundation comes, (then) cometh

rejoicing;
2 Every heart exulteth:
3 The tooth of the crocodiles, the children of
Neith
4 (Even) the circle of gods who are counted
with thee.
5 Doth not its outburst water the fields,
6 Overcoming mortals (with joy):
7 Watering one to produce another.
8 There is none who worketh with him;
9 He produces food without the aid of Neith.
10 Mortals he causes to rejoice.

1 He giveth light on his coming from

darkness:
2 In the pastures of his cattle
3 His might produceth all:
4 What was not, his moisture bringeth to life.
5 Men are clothed to fill his gardens:
6 He careth for his laborers.
7 He maketh even and noontide,
8 He is the infinite Ptah and Kabes.
9 He createth all works therein,
10 All writings, all sacred words,
11 All his implements in the North.

1 He enters with words the interior of his

house,
2 When he willeth he goeth forth from his
mystic fane.
3 Thy wrath is destruction of fishes.
4 Then men implore thee for the waters of the

then that prayer is made for the

(annual) water of the season;
Southern Egypt is seen in the same
state as the North. Each one is with
his instruments of labor. None
remains behind his companions.
None clothes himself with
garments, The children of the noble
put aside their ornaments. His night
remains silent, but all is changed by
the inundation; it is a healing-balm
for all mankind.

Establisher of justice! Mankind

desires you, supplicating you to
answer their prayers; You answer
them by the inundation! Men offer
the first-fruits of corn; all the gods
adore you! The birds descend not on
the soil. It is believed that with your
hand of gold you make bricks of
silver! But we are not nourished on
lapis-lazuli; wheat alone gives
vigor.
[1]

A festal song is raised for you on

the harp, with the accompaniment
of the hand. Your young men and
your children acclaim you and
prepare their (long) exercises. You
are the august ornament of the
earth, letting your bark advance
before men, lifting up the heart of
women in labor, and loving the
multitude of the flocks.

When you shine in the royal city,

the rich man is sated with good
things, the poor man even disdains
the lotus; all that is produced is of
the choicest; all the plants exist for
your children. If you have refused
(to grant) nourishment, the dwelling

season.
5 That the Thebaid may be seen like the Delta.
6 That every man be seen bearing his tools,
7 No man left behind his comrade!
8 Let the clothed be unclothed,
9 No adornment for the sons of nobles,
10 No circle of gods in the night!
11 The response (of the god) is refreshing
water,
12 Filling all men with fatness.

1 Establisher of justice! Men rejoice

2 With flattering words to worship thee,
3 Worshipped together with the mighty water!
4 Men present offerings of corn,
5 Adoring all the gods:
6 No fowls fall on the land.
7 Thy hand is adorned with gold,
8 As moulded of an ingot of gold,
9 Precious as pure lapis lazuli,
10 Corn in its state of germination is not eaten.

1 The hymn is addressed to thee with the harp;

2 It is played with a (skilful) hand to thee!
3 The youths rejoice at thee!
4 Thy own children.
5 Thou hast rewarded their labor.
6 There s a great one adorning the land;
7 An enlightener, a buckler in front of men,
8 Quickening the heart in depression.
9 Loving the increase of all his cattle.

1 Thou shinest in the city of the King;

2 Then the householders are satisfied with
good things,
3 The poor man laughs at the lotus.
4 All things are perfectly ordered.
5 Every kind of herb for thy children.
6 If food should fail,
7 All enjoyment is cast on the ground,

8 The land falls in weariness.

is silent, devoid of all that is good,
the country falls exhausted.

O inundation of the Nile, offerings

are made unto you, men are
immolated to you, great festivals are
instituted for you. Birds are
sacrificed to you, gazelles are taken
for you in the mountain, pure
flames are prepared for you.
Sacrifice is mettle to every god as it
is made to the Nile. The Nile has
made its retreats in Southern Egypt,
its name is not known beyond the
Tuau. The god manifests not his
forms, He baffles all conception.

Men exalt him like the cycle of the

gods, they dread him who creates
the heat, even him who has made
his son the universal master in order
to give prosperity to Egypt. Come
(and) prosper! Come (and) prosper!
O Nile, come (and) prosper! O you
who make men to live through his
flocks and his flocks through his
orchards! Come (and) prosper,
come, O Nile, come (and) prosper!

From: Oliver J. Thatcher, ed., The Library of Original

Sources (Milwaukee: University Research Extension Co.,
1907), Vol. I: The Ancient World, pp. 79-83.

1 O Inundation of Nile, offerings are made to

thee:
2 Oxen are slain to thee:
3 Great festivals are kept for thee;
4 Fowls are sacrificed to thee;
5 Beasts of the field are caught for thee
6 Pure flames are offered to thee;
7 Offerings are made to every god,
8 As they are made unto Nile.
9 Incense ascends unto heaven,
10 Oxen, bulls, fowls are burnt!
11 Nile makes for himself chasms in the
Thebaid;
12 Unknown is his name in heaven,
13 He doth not manifest his form!
14 Vain are all representations!
1 Mortals extol (him), and the cycle of gods!
2 Awe is felt by the terrible ones;
3 His son is made Lord of all,
4 To enlighten all Egypt.
5 Shine forth, shine forth, O Nile! Shine forth!
6 Giving life to men by his oxen:
7 Giving life to his oxen by the pastures!
8 Shine forth in glory, O Nile.

Translated by Rev. F. C. Cook (1901)

[1] Corn in the context of ancient Egypt generally refers to wheat or barley.

Hymn to Senusret III

I

Horus: Divine of Form; the Two Ladies: Divine of Birth;

Gold-Horus; Being; the King of Upper and Lower
Egypt:Khakaure, the Son of Re: Sesostris-he has seized
1

This hymn was written on a papyrus

which was found at Kahun. Each stanza is
composed of ten lines. It is a perfect
example of ancient Egyptian poetry. The
last two stanzas are mostly destroyed.

the Two Lands in triumph

M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol.1, p.198

Homage to thee, Khakaure:

our Horus, divine of beings!
Protecting the land and widening its boundaries:
Restraining the foreign nations by his kingly crown.
Enclosing the two lands within the compass of his hands:
[seizing (?)] the nation in his grip.
Slaying the Pedti without a stroke of the club:
shooting an arrow 5 without drawing the bow-string.
Dread of him hath smitten the Anu (?) in their plain:
his terror hath slain the nine races of men.
His (written) dispatch (?) hath caused the death of
thousands of Pedti [////// who had (?)] reached his
frontier:
shooting the arrow as doth Sekhet, he overthroweth
thousands of those who know not his mighty spirit.
The tongue of his majesty bindeth Khent in fetters:
his utterances put to flight the Setiu.
Sole One of youthful vigour [guarding (?)] his frontier:
suffering not his subjects to faint, but causing
the Pat 10 to repose unto the daylight.
As to his trained youth in their slumbers:
his heart (intellect) is their protection.
His decrees have formed his boundaries:
his word hath armoured the two regions.

Khakaura: Senusret III (c. 1878-1841)

[seizing (?)] the nation in his
grip:Lichtheim: [Who subdues foreign]
lands by a motion of his hands
Anu: Lichtheim: Bowmen
nine races of men: Nine Bows
(written)
dispatch: Lichtheim: slaughter
Pedti: Bowman
Sekhet: Lion headed goddess, Eye of
Re
Khent: Nubia
Setiu: Asiatics. cf. The Tale of
Sinuhe:He was made to smite the Setiu,
and to crush the Sandfarers.
Pat: the people. According to
Lichtheim with connotations of nobility.
armoured the two
regions: Lichtheim:joined the Two Shores

F. Ll. Griffith, ed., Hieratic Papyri from Kahun and Gurob, p.2
II

Twice joyful are the gods,

thou hast established their offerings.
Twice joyful are thy princes,
thou hast formed their boundaries.
Twice joyful are thy ancestors before thee,
thou hast increased their portions.
Twice joyful is Egypt at thy strong arm,
thou hast guarded the ancient order.
5 Twice joyful are the aged with thy administration,
thou hast widened their positions.
Twice joyful are the two regions with thy valour,
thou hast caused them to flourish.
Twice joyful are thy young men of support,
thou hast caused them to flourish.
Twice joyful are thy veterans
thou hast caused them to be vigorous
Twice joyful are the two lands in thy might,
thou hast guarded their walls.
1

Twice joyful: Lichtheim: How (they)

rejoice throughout the stanza.
princes: Lichtheim: [people]
administration: Lichtheim: guidance
flourish: Lichtheim: enlarged their
holdings

10

Twice joyful be thou, O Horus! widening thy boundary,

mayest thou renew an eternity of life.

III

Twice great are the owners of his city

for he is a multitude and an host.
Twice great are the owners of his city,
for he is a flood-gate pouring forth streams of its waterfloods.
Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is a bower, letting every man lie down in the midday heat
Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is a screen like walls built of the sharp stones of
Kesem.
5 Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is a refuge, shutting out the robber.
Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is an asylum, shielding the timid from his enemy.
Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is a shade in the high Nile to provide coolness in
the summer.
Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is a warm corner of shelter in the winter.
Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is a rock shielding from the blast in the stormy
day.
10 Twice great are the owners of his city
for he is the goddess Sekhet to the foes who tread on his
boundary.
1

Twice great are the owners of his city

for he is a multitude and an
host:Lichtheim:How great is the lord of
his city, he is Re, little are a thousand
other men
flood-gate: Lichtheim: canal
bower: Lichtheim: cool room
a screen like walls built of the sharp
stones of Kesem: Lichtheim: walled
rampart of copper of Sinai
shutting out the
robber: Lichtheim:whose hold does not
fail
in the high
Nile: Lichtheim: overflowing

IV

He has come to us, he has taken the land of the well,

the double crown is placed on his head.
He has come, he has united the two lands.
he has joined the kingdom of the upper land with the
lower.
He has come, he has ruled Egypt,
he has placed the desert in his power.
He has come, he has protected the two lands,
he has given peace in the two regions.
5 He has come, he has made Egypt to live,
he has destroyed its afflictions.
He has come, he has made the aged to live,
he has opened the breath of the people.
He has come, he has trampled on the nations,
he has smitten the Anu, who knew not his terror.
He has come, he has protected (?) his frontier,
1

he has taken the land of the

well:Lichtheim: to take the Southland
the upper land with the
lower:Lichtheim: the Sedge to the Bee
Egypt and the desert: Lichtheim prefers
to translate kmt as Black Land in contrast
to the Red Land, the desert.
in the two regions: Lichtheim: to the
Two Shores
has made the aged to
live: Lichtheim:nourished the people
........... : Lichtheim: [showed the power
(?)]

he has rescued the robbed.

He has come ...........
of what his mighty arm brings to us.
10 He has come, we bring up our children,
we bury our aged by his good favour.
W.M.Flinders Petrie A History of Egypt Part One, pp 190f