Translated by C. W. Goodwin, M.A. (3)

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Epiphanius Wilson

This hymn is inscribed upon a hieratic papyrus, No. 17, in the collection of papyri at the Museum of Boulaq. A fac-simile of the papyrus has been published by M. Marriette (“Les papyrus Egyptiens du MusÉe de Boulaq,” fo. Paris 1272, pls. 11-13). It is not a very long composition, being contained in eleven pages of moderate size, and consisting of only twenty verses. It has the advantage of being nearly perfect from beginning to end, written in a legible hand, and free from any great difficulties for the translator.

From the handwriting of the papyrus it may be judged to belong to the nineteenth dynasty, or about the fourteenth century b.c. It purports to be only a copy, and the composition itself may be very much earlier.

In the original the beginning of each verse is indicated by rubricated letters; each verse is also divided into short phrases [pg 350] by small red points; these are indicated in the translation by colons.

This translation has just been published with exegetical notes in the “Transactions of the Society of Biblical ArchÆology,” vol. ii, p. 250.

Hymn to Amen-Ra

1 Praise to Amen-Ra:
the Bull in An544 Chief of all gods:
the good god beloved:
giving life to all animated things:
to all fair cattle:
Hail to thee Amen-Ra, Lord of the thrones of the earth:
Chief in Aptu:545
the Bull of his mother in his field:
turning his feet toward the land of the South:
Lord of the heathen, Prince of Punt:546
the Ancient of heaven, the Oldest of the earth:
Lord of all existences, the Support of things, the Support of all things.
2 The ONE in his works, single among the gods:
the beautiful Bull of the cycle of gods:
Chief of all the gods:
Lord of truth, Father of the gods:
Maker of men, Creator of beasts:
Lord of existences, Creator of fruitful trees:
Maker of herbs, Feeder of cattle:
Good Being begotten of Ptah, beautiful youth beloved:
to whom the gods give honor:
Maker of things below and above, Enlightener of the earth:
sailing in heaven in tranquillity:
King Ra true speaker, Chief of the earth:
Most glorious one, Lord of terror:
Chief creator of the whole earth.
3 Supporter of affairs above every god:
in whose goodness the gods rejoice:
to whom adoration is paid in the great house:
[pg 351]
crowned in the house of flame:
whose fragrance the gods love:
when he comes from Arabia:
Prince of the dew, traversing foreign lands:
benignly approaching the Holy Land.547
4 The gods attend his feet:
while they acknowledge his Majesty as their Lord:
Lord of terror most awful:
greatest of spirits, mighty in ...:
bring offerings, make sacrifices:
salutation to thee, Maker of the gods:
Supporter of the heavens, Founder of the earth.
5 Awake in strength Min548 Amen:
Lord of eternity, Maker everlasting:
Lord of adoration, Chief in ...:
strong with beautiful horns:
Lord of the crown high plumed:
of the fair turban (wearing) the white crown:
the coronet549 and the diadem550 are the ornaments of his face:
he is invested with Ami-ha:
the double crown is his head-gear, (he wears) the red crown:
benignly he receives the Atef-crown:
on whose south and on whose north is love:
the Lord of life receives the sceptre:
Lord of the breastplate armed with the whip.
6 Gracious ruler crowned with the white crown:
Lord of beams, Maker of light:
to whom the gods give praises:
who stretches forth his arms at his pleasure:
consuming his enemies with flame:
whose eye subdues the wicked:551
sending forth its dart to the roof of the firmament:
sending its arrows against Naka to consume him.
7 Hail to thee Ra Lord of truth:
[pg 352]
whose command the gods were made:
Athom Maker of men:
supporting their works, giving them life:
distinguishing the color of one from another:
listening to the poor who is in distress:
gentle of heart when one cries unto him.
8 Deliverer of the timid man from the violent:
judging the poor, the poor and the oppressed:
Lord of wisdom whose precepts are wise:
at whose pleasure the Nile overflows:
Lord of mercy most loving:
at whose coming men live:
opener of every eye:
proceeding from the firmament:
causer of pleasure and light:
at whose goodness the gods rejoice:
their hearts revive when they see him.
9 O Ra adored in Aptu:552
high-crowned in the house of the obelisk:553
King (Ani) Lord of the New-moon festival:
to whom the sixth and seventh days are sacred:
Sovereign of life health and strength, Lord of all the gods:
who art visible in the midst of heaven:
ruler of men ...:
whose name is hidden from his creatures:
in his name which is Amen.554
10 Hail to thee who art in tranquillity:
Lord of magnanimity strong in apparel:
Lord of the crown high plumed:
of the beautiful turban, of the tall white crown:
the gods love thy presence:
when the double crown is set upon thy head:
thy love pervades the earth:
thy beams arise ... men are cheered by thy rising:
the beasts shrink from thy beams:
thy love is over the southern heaven:
[pg 353]
thy heart is not (unmindful of) the northern heaven:
thy goodness ... (all) hearts:
love subdues (all) hands:
thy creations are fair overcoming (all) the earth:
(all) hearts are softened at beholding thee.
11 The ONE maker of existences:
(creator) of ... maker of beings:
from whose eyes mankind proceeded:
of whose mouth are the gods:
maker of grass for the cattle (oxen, goats, asses, pigs, sheep):
fruitful trees for men:
causing the fish to live in the river:
the birds to fill the air:
giving breath to those in the egg:
feeding the bird that flies:
giving food to the bird that perches:
to the creeping thing and the flying thing equally:
providing food for the rats in their holes:
feeding the flying things in every tree.
12 Hail to thee for all these things:
the ONE alone with many hands:
lying awake while all men lie (asleep):
to seek out the good of his creatures:
Amen sustainer of all things:
Athom Horus of the horizon:555
homage to thee in all their voices:
salutation to thee for thy mercy unto us:
protestations to thee who hast created us.
13 Hail to thee say all creatures:
salutation to thee from every land:
to the height of heaven, to the breadth of the earth:
to the depths of the sea:
the gods adore Thy Majesty:
the spirits thou hast created exalt (thee):
rejoicing before the feet of their begetter:
they cry out welcome to thee:
father of the fathers of all the gods:
who raises the heavens who fixes the earth.
[pg 354]
14 Maker of beings, Creator of existences:
Sovereign of life, health, and strength, Chief of the gods:
we worship thy spirit who alone hast made us:
we whom thou hast made (thank thee) that thou hast given us birth:
we give to thee praises on account of thy mercy to us.
15 Hail to thee Maker of all beings:
Lord of truth father of the gods:
Maker of men creator of beasts:
Lord of grains:
making food for the beast of the field:
Amen the beautiful Bull:
beloved in Aptu:556
high crowned in the house of the obelisk:557
twice turbaned in An:
judge of combatants in the great hall:
Chief of the great cycle of the gods:
16 The ONE alone without peer:
Chief in Aptu:
King over his cycle of gods:
living in truth forever:
(Lord) of the horizon, Horus of the East:
he who hath created the soil (with) silver and gold:
the precious lapis lazuli at his pleasure:
spices and incense various for the peoples:
fresh odors for thy nostrils:
benignly come to the nations:
Amen-Ra Lord of the thrones of the earth:
Chief in Aptu:
the Sovereign on his throne.
17 King alone, single among the gods:
of many names, unknown is their number:
rising in the eastern horizon setting in the western horizon:
overthrowing his enemies:
dawning on (his) children daily and every day:
Thoth raises his eyes:
he delights himself with his blessings:
the gods rejoice in his goodness who exalts those who are lowly:
[pg 355]
Lord of the boat and the barge:
they conduct thee through the firmament in peace.
18 Thy servants rejoice:
beholding the overthrow of the wicked:
his limbs pierced with the sword
fire consumes him:
his soul and body are annihilated.
19 Naka558 saves his feet:
the gods rejoice:
the servants of the Sun are in peace:
An is joyful:
the enemies of Athom are overthrown and Aptu is in peace, An is joyful:
the giver of life is pleased:
at the overthrow of the enemies of her Lord:
the gods of Kher-sa make salutations:
they of the Adytum prostrate themselves.
20 They behold the mighty one in his strength:
the image of the gods of truth the Lord of Aptu;
in thy name of Doer of justice:
Lord of sacrifices, the Bull of offerings:
in thy name of Amen the Bull of his mother:
maker of men:
causing all things which are to exist:
in thy name of Athom Chepra:559
the great Hawk making (each) body to rejoice:
benignly making (each) breast to rejoice:
type of creators high crowned:
... (Lord) of the wing:
Uati560 is on his forehead:
the hearts of men seek him:
when he appears to mortals:
he rejoices the earth with his goings forth:
Hail to thee Amen-R? Lord of the thrones of the world:
beloved of his city when he shines forth.561

Finished well as it was found.562

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