Egyptian Literature Part 44

Let it be seen or heard by no one, excepting by the princ.i.p.al _Khereb-heb_(585) and the _Sam_.(586) Two women, beautiful in their members, having been introduced, are made to sit down on the ground at the princ.i.p.al door of the Great Hall.(587) (Then) the names of Isis and Nephthys are inscribed on their shoulders.

Crystal vases (full) of water are placed in their right hands; loaves of bread made in Memphis in their left hands.

Let them pay attention to the things done at the third hour of the day, and also at the eighth hour of the day.

Cease not to recite this book at the hour of the ceremony!

It is finished.

The Litany Of Ra

Translated by Edouard Naville

The following Litany of Ra is the translation of a long text which is to be found at the entrance of several of the largest tombs of the kings, in the valley called Biban el Moluk at Thebes. It is a kind of introduction to the long pictures which adorn the walls of the royal sepulchres, and which generally represent the course of the sun at the different hours of night.

Although very nearly connected with the "Book of the Dead," this text has not yet been found complete in any funereal papyrus; the second section of the fourth chapter only is contained in a papyrus of the British Museum.

The importance of this text consists in this, that it gives us an idea of the esoteric doctrine of the Egyptian priests, which was clearly pantheistic, and which certainly differed from the polytheistic wors.h.i.+p of the common people.

The present translation has been made from the book "_La Litanie du Soleil_" (Leipzig, 1875, _avec un vol. de XLIX planches_), where this text has been first translated in French, with a commentary. Among the different tombs where this inscription was collected, that of Seti I, commonly called Belzoni's tomb, has been chosen as the standard text.

THE LITANY OF RA

CHAPTER I

_t.i.tle._ The beginning of the book of the wors.h.i.+p of Ra in the Ament(588) of the wors.h.i.+p of Temt(589) in the Ament. When anyone reads this book, the porcelain figures are placed upon the ground, at the hour of the setting of the Sun, that is of the triumph of Ra over his enemies in the Ament. Whoso is intelligent upon the earth, he is intelligent also after his death.

1 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the master of the hidden spheres who causes the principles to arise, who dwells in darkness, who is born as(590) the all-surrounding universe.

2 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the beetle that folds his wings, that rests in the empyrean, that is born as his own son.

3 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, Tonen(591) who produces his members,(592) who fas.h.i.+ons what is in him, who is born within his sphere.

4 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who discloses the earth and lights the Ament, he whose principle has (become) his manifestation, and who is born under the form of the G.o.d with the large disk.

5 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the soul that speaks, that rests upon her high place, that creates the hidden intellects which are developed in her.

6 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the only one, the courageous one, who fas.h.i.+ons his body, he who calls his G.o.ds (to life), when he arrives in his hidden sphere.

7 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who addresses his eye, and who speaks to his head,(593) he who imparts the breath of life to the souls (that are) in their place; they receive it and develop.

8 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the spirit that walks, that destroys its enemies, that sends pain to the rebels.

9 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who s.h.i.+nes when he is in his sphere, who sends his darkness into his sphere, and who hides what it contains.

10 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who lights the bodies which are on the horizon, he who enters his sphere.

11 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who descends into the spheres of Ament, his form is that of Tum.

12 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who descends into the mysteries of Anubis, his form is that of Chepra (Atmu).

13 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he whose body is so large that it hides his shape, his form is that of Shu.

14 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who leads Ra into his members, his form is that of Tefnut.

15 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who sends forth the plants in their season, his form is that of Seb.

16 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the great one who rules what is in him, his form is that of Nut.

17 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who goes always toward him who precedes him, his form is that of Isis.

18 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he whose head s.h.i.+nes more than he who is before him, his form is that of Nephthys.

19 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the urn(594) of the creatures, the only one, that unites the generative substances, its form is that of Horus.

20 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the brilliant one who s.h.i.+nes in the waters of the inundation, his form is that of Nun.

21 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who creates the water which comes from within him, his form is that of Remi.(595)

22 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the two vipers that bear their two feathers, their form is that of the impure one.

23 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who enters and comes forth continually from his highly mysterious cavern, his form is that of At.(596)

24 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the spirit that causes his disappearance, his form is that of Netert.(597)

25 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the spirit that sets up (those whom he has created), that creates(598) his descendants, his form is that of Ntuti.(599)

26 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who raised his head and who lifts his forehead, the ram, the greatest of the creatures.

27 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the light that is in the infernal regions, its form is that of Ament.

28 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the penetrating spirit who is in the Ament, his form is that of Kerti.(600)

29 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the timid one who sheds tears, his form is that of the afflicted.

30 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who raises his hand and who glorifies his eye(601) his form is that of the G.o.d with the hidden body.

31 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the spirit who is raised upon the two mysterious horizons, his form is that of Chentament.(602)

32 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power; the G.o.d with the numerous shapes in the sacred dwelling, his form is that of the beetle.

33 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, he who puts his enemies into their prison, his form is that of the lion.

34 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the ray of light in his sarcophagus, its form is that of the progenitor.

35 Homage to thee, Ra! Supreme power, the covering of the body, which develops the lungs, its form is that of Teb-ati.(603)