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The Temple of Esna. An Evolving Translation: Esna II

Column E (180-186)

Esna 180

Esna 180 A

Aỉr p.t
smn tȝ
bs Nwn
sḫpr mn.ty
ỉr nty qmȝ wnn.t
ẖnmw grg spȝ.wt

A He who made heaven,521
established the earth,
made Nun come forth,
and created the desert regions,
who made what is and created what exists,
Khnum who founded the nomes.

Esna 180 B

Bỉȝw rnp r nw=f
nḫḫ pw ỉr ḥwnw
ṯȝw n ʿnḫ n nty nb
ẖnmw sḥḏ tȝ.wy m nfrw=f

B Old man who rejuvenates at his time,
i.e. the elder who becomes a youth,
breath of life for all the is,
Khnum who illumines the lands with his beauty.

Esna 181

Cartouches of Domitian and of Heka the Child, before Khnum-Re Lord of Esna and Khnum-Re Lord of the Field.

Esna 182

182 A

Apsḏ […]
dgȝ ỉr.t nb ỉm=f
wbn ḥtp r nw=f
ẖnmw-Rʿ nb tȝ-sn.t
šw wr ḏf(ḏ) n Rʿ

A The one who shines […]
all eyes see because of him,
who rises and sets at his time,
Khnum-Re Lord of Esna,
Great Shu, iris of Re

182 B

B[…] štȝ […]
[…]
nỉ rḫ sštȝ=f
ỉt nṯr.w
nṯr ʿȝ n ḏr-ʿ
ẖnmw-Rʿ nb sḫ.t
nṯr ʿȝ ḥr-ỉb tȝ-sn.t

B […] remote […]
[…]
whose secret form is unknown,
father of the gods,
great god since the beginning,
Khnum-Re Lord of the Field,
great god within Esna.

Esna 183

  • Location: Column E
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: Sauneron 1959, p. 70 (partial); see also Tempeltexte 2.0

    1[…]
    nsw.t-bỉty
    nb tȝ.wy
    (ȝwtwkrtwr kysrs)|
    zȝ-Rʿ nb-ḫʿ.w
    (twmtyns nty-ḫwỉ)|

    ỉr.n=f mnw pn nfr
    n ỉt=f šps
    ẖnmw-Rʿ nb tȝ-sn.t
    nṯr ʿȝ ḫnty Iwny.t
    ỉt-ỉt.w mw.t-mw.wt
    ỉr ḥry.w ẖry.w
    2[…]
    nḥb kȝ.w n psḏ.t

    1 […]
    The King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
    Lord of the Two Lands,
    (Autokrator Caesar)|
    Son of Re, Lord of Appearances,
    (Domitian Augustus)|

    He made this good monument
    for his august father,
    Khnum-Re Lord of Esna,522
    Great god foremost of Esna,
    father of fathers, mother of mothers,
    who made what is above and below
    2 […]
    who assigns Kas to the Ennead.

    nṯr pn mdw=f
    n nṯr.w-nṯry.t nb
    ỉmy.tw tȝ-sn.t
    ḏȝḏȝ.t ʿȝ.t ḫnt ḥw.t-bȝ.w

    sḏm=tn nfr
    mȝȝ=tn ȝḫ.w
    ỉr n=ỉ zȝ=ỉ
    ḥry-ns.t=ỉ
    wtṯ=ỉ
    pr ỉm=ỉ
    3[…]
    […Tni s]w ḥr msḫn.t
    stp n nṯr
    ȝbḫ(.w) m ḥḥ
    swr s.t=f ḫnt ḥfn.w
    ỉwʿʿ mnḫ
    mry nṯr.w Bȝq.t

    dhn.tw=f
    r ḥqȝ psš.ty
    ỉr.n Rʿ m nswy.t ḥr-tp tȝ
    (n) mrw.t grg tȝ pn

    This god speaks
    to the all the gods and goddesses
    that are within Esna,
    the great assembly within Temple of the Bas.

    May you listen well,
    may you see the excellent things
    my son has done for me,
    my successor,
    whom I begot,
    who came forth from me
    3 […]
    [distinguished h]im upon the birth-brick,
    chosen by god,
    united with Heh,
    whose place was magnified among millions,
    beneficent heir,
    beloved of the gods of Egypt.

    He was appointed
    to rule the Two Shares (Egypt),
    made king by Re upon earth,
    in order to settle the land.

    ẖnmw n ỉdb.w
    smȝwỉ wȝsỉ
    mḥ gm-wš
    4[…]

    […]=sn
    smȝwy.n=f ḥw.t-nṯr=sn
    nḏ-rȝ ḥr r-pr=sn
    sḫnt nỉw.t=sn
    swr spȝ.wt=sn
    ḏsr ỉȝ.t=sn
    ẖr ʿḫm.w=sn

    Khnum523 of the shores,
    who renews what is ruined,
    who fills what is found missing,
    4 […]

    […] their […],
    having renewed their temples,
    (he) who protects their domains,
    who advances their cities,
    who magnifies their districts,
    who sanctifies their mounds
    bearing their sacred images.

    nbỉ.n=f nbw.t
    n nb nḥp=f

    sȝḫ.n=f ȝḫ
    n sḫt-šzp=f

    sʿr.n=f sʿr
    n sr ʿȝ

    5[ṯz].n=f [ṯwf]
    n ṯȝ.wy n Rʿ

    sʿr.n=f ʿr
    n sr wr

    sš.n=f s.t-ḫnt
    n zmȝ-mȝʿ.t

    ḫnty(.n=f) ḫnty
    n ḫnty ḫnt-tȝ

    sqȝ.n=f qȝy
    n qdỉ-qdỉ.w

    ʿr.n=f ʿr
    n rrỉ-rr.wt

    ḫy.n=f nḥb(.t)
    n ẖnmw ỉr ẖnm.w

    He fashioned a golden column,524
    for Lord of his Potter’s Wheel.

    He transfigured a papyrus column,
    for He who Weaves his Light.

    He elevated a papyriform column,
    for the great ram.

    5 He [raised up] a [papyrus plant]525
    for the children of Re.

    He elevated a plant column,
    for the great ram.

    He opened up a place of a canal,
    for the Companion of Maat.

    He promoted a ḫnt-plant,526
    for Foremost of Khent-ta.

    He raised up a tall plant,
    for the Builder of BUilders.

    He elevated a reed,
    for the Nurse of Nurses.

    He raised up a lotus column,527
    for Khnum who made the Khnums.

    smn.n=f wbȝ
    6wȝrḫ(.w) ẖr wḫȝ.w
    sḥd.tw mỉ p.t ẖr Rʿ

    7ḫy=sn ḫy(.t)
    fȝy=sn 8m fȝy(.t)
    ẖr nb=sn
    nn nnỉ nn sk
    9twȝ=sn ỉsk
    m snỉ-r p.t
    mỉ šw ḥr wṯz 10nw.t

    mn.tw ḏd.tw rwḏ.tw
    mỉ zḫn.w ẖr ḥr.t

    Thus he established the floral forecourt,528
    6 flourishing with papyriform columns,
    shining like the sky bearing Re.

    7 They (The columns) support as Khayet,
    they lift 8 as Fayet,529
    bearing their lord,
    without tiring or fail.
    9 They raise meanwhile
    resembling the sky,
    like Shu lifting up 10 Nut.

    They remain, endure, are strong,
    like the supports underneath heaven.

Esna 184

NB: This single hymn touches on a wealth of Egyptian cosmogonic and cosmographic traditions, in addition to details of theology specific to Esna. An entire book could be written finding parallels throughout the temple, and making comparisons to other sources. The following notes are minimal, highlighting only difficult or notable spellings.

11 […]
[…] nt 12ỉt ḏfn
šȝʿ sṯỉ
wsn ỉr nḏmnḏm

13[ỉtn?] wr
wbn m nw.t
sḥḏ.n=f tȝ.wy
m ȝḫ.ty=f
14šww m hrw
ỉʿḥ m grḥ
wnm.t=f ỉȝbt.t=f
(ḥr) sḥḏ tȝ.wy

15ỉỉ m ḥʿpỉ
ỉwḥ ȝḫ.t
sḫpr.n=f wnn.t nb

11 […]
[…] of 12 the ancestor father,
who began procreation,530
the lusty ram who makes sexual pleasure.

13 The great [sundisk?],
who shines in the sky,
having illumines the two lands
with his two luminous eyes:
14 Sun during the day,
moon at night,
his right and left eyes
illumine the two lands.

15 He who arrives as Hapi,
and floods the field,
thus he created all that exists.

ms nṯr.w
ỉr nṯr.w
ḫpr ḏs=f
ỉwty ms.tw=f
pr
nn qmȝ ỉrw=f
nn ky ḫpr ḥȝ.t=f

ỉt=sn pw
qmȝ ḥʿw=sn
qdỉ.n=f nṯr.w
nḥp.n=f nṯr.yt
sḫpr.n=f ṯȝy.w ḥm.wt
pȝy.w ḫny.w
ỉʿw.t mnmnm.w
ḥrr.w nb mỉt.t

ỉt=sn pw ḫws=f
šȝʿ qmȝ=sn
pr=sn ỉm=f r-ȝw

pȝwty pw
ỉr nn r-ȝw
ms nty nb
[…]

18ʿḫỉ p.t
smn tȝ
ỉr mw
sḫpr Mḥ.t-wr.t
ỉr kȝ.w
sḫpr nḏmnḏm

He who birthed the gods,
who made the gods,
who came about by himself,
without one who could birth him.
He who came forth,
without one to create his form,
without anoter who came about before him.

He is their father,
who created their bodies:
as he built the gods,
he modelled the goddesses,
he created men and women,
birds and fish,
small and big livestock,
and all creeping things likewise.531

Their father as he builds,532
who began their creation,
all of them came forth from him.

He is the primeval one,
who made all this,
who birthed all that is.
[…].

18 He who lifted up the sky,
and established the earth,
who made the water,
and created533 Mehet-weret,534
who made bulls,
and created sexual pleasure.

ỉnḏ[-ḥr]=k
ỉn nṯr.w p.t
zmȝ.n=k nw.t

dwȝ tw=k ḫȝbs.w
ỉmỉ.w nn.t

[swȝ]š tw=k ỉḫm.w-wrḏ.w
dwȝ tw=k 19ỉḫm.w-sk.w
Rʿ n=k m ỉȝw
ỉmỉ.w wỉȝ=f
m nỉnỉ [n ḥr]=k

ms.w ḥr tȝ-wr
ḥr swȝš ḥm=k
ỉmn-wr ḥr dwȝ kȝ=k

ntk wbn
sḥḏ.tȝ.wy
pẖrr nfr […]
[…] 20ȝḫ.t
wpš ỉȝbt.t m nqr

wḥm-ʿnḫ
wḥm.n=f rnp
r sḥḏ tȝ (r)-ḏr=f
wn m kkw zmȝw

nb nṯr.w rmṯ pw
ḥqȝ tȝ.w nb.w

‘Greetings [to] you!’
say the gods of heaven,
after you have joined the sky (nw.t).

The decan stars praise you,
those who are in the nethersky (nn.t).

The indefatigble stars [worsh]ip you,
the imperishable 19 stars praise you,
Re is in praise to you,
those who are in his solar bark
make nỉnỉ-gestures [to] you.

Those born in the west
praise your majesty,
those on the east praise your Ka.

You are the shiner,
who illumes in the to lands,
the great encircler […]
[…] 20 the Akhet,
who brightens the East in gold dust.

He who repeats life,
having repeated rejuvenation,
to illumine the entire land,
which was in utter darkness.

He is the lord of gods and men,
ruler of all lands.

mnỉw nfr n nṯr.w nṯry.t
[…]
21spd sḫr.w
nb mrw.t ẖr šw.ty wr

nb sḫ.t pw
ḥsb ḫt-mn
rdỉ ḥtp.w-nṯr.w
n nṯr.w rmṯ
nb ʿbw ḥtp ḥr twr
ḥtp=f ḥr ỉr(.t) mȝʿ.t

twȝ.n=f p.t hr zḫn.wt=s
wṯz=f sy m ḥḥ twȝ nw.t
dỉ=f sw ẖr=s
m ỉwn wr
šw ẖr p.t
kȝ.tw r=f

22ʿrq.n=f rnp.wt
km.n=f wn.wt
ṯnỉ=f grḥ
r zbỉ n=f hr.w

sšȝ.n=f ȝbd(.w) nb.w
wḥm.n=f ms.wt mỉ Rʿ
ḥʿʿ.tw m ỉwn-ḥʿʿ
tp ȝbd.w
sšm.n=f ḥb.w nb.w
r tp-tr.w

Good herdsman535 of gods and goddesses,
[…]
21 sharp of plans,
lord of love with the great double plumes.

He is the Lord of the Field,
who reckons the entire world,
who gives divine offerings
to gods and people,
lord of purity, who deligts upon cleanliness,
he is happy from performing Maat.

He raised up the sky upon its supports,
he lifts it as Heh who supports the sky (Nut),
he places himself under it,
as the Great Air-Pillar,
‘Shu under the Sky’
he is also called.

22 As he finished years,
so he completed hours,
and he meters out the night,
so the days might run for him.

He makes apparent all months,
having repeated births like Re,
rejoicing as the rejoicing-pillar (moon),
every month,
having guides all festivals
at the proper times.

bs.n=f ḥʿpỉ r sw=f
swȝḏ.n=f ȝḫ.t r dmḏy.t=s
srwḏ.n=f 23sm.w
ḥrr.w nb.w
ḥnʿ pr.t nb.w
rr.n=f nprỉ
m tp n tmȝ.t=sn

ỉr.n=f ḫ.t-n-ʿnḫ
n ʿnḫ.w nb.w
pr=f m ṯȝw
r ẖnmm.ty ḥnʿ ẖ.t
ẖnm.n=f ḥʿw r-ȝw

As he made Hapi emerge on his day,
so he made the field verdant at her time,
having made thrive 23 plants,
all flowers,
and all seeds.
He nurtured the grain
on top of their mother.

He made the ‘wood-of-life’
for all the living,
he comes forth as air,
for nostrils and the belly,
thus he united with bodies entirely.

mỉ m ḥtp
ḥnʿ bȝ.w-ʿnḫ.w
ḫntš=k ḥr bw nfr
ṯȝy.w-ḥm.wt m 24ỉhȝy m-bȝḥ=k
ḥr.w nb ḥr nhm n mȝȝ=k

sʿnḫ=k ỉb.w
ṯz=k ḥȝty.w
dr=k ʿnḫ mw.t
n wn ḥr-mw=k
ḏd.tw r=f
ḫy sḫd

Come in peace,
together with the living Bas,
may your rejoice over good things!
Men and women are 24 cheering before you,
everybody rejoices to see you.

As you enliven minds,
so you elevate hearts,
and you send out life and death
to whomever is loyal to you.
Thus he is called:
‘Rise and fall’.536

bȝ-bȝ.w
šfy-šfy.w
dgỉ.[n=f] (sw) r rmṯ
sštȝ.n=f (sw) r nṯr.w

nb ʿḥʿ
ḫpr šȝỉ
m km (n) ȝ.t
25nỉs.tw=f m hrw dmḏ
rḫ.tw.n=f m ḥr-n-ḥr
mḥ-ỉb pw n nsw.t
m rk=f

bs ḏsr n nṯr-ʿȝ
s.t=f ḏsr mỉ p.t
nỉ mỉt.t=s m tȝ-r-ḏr=f
rdỉ.n=sn n ḥtpty.w
r ỉmn ḫprw=sn ỉm
ʿbȝ.t pw n Wsỉr nb-ʿnḫ
ḥtp kȝ=f 26m-ḫnt=s
ḏd(.w) ẖr bȝ=k
nn ws ẖr sḫm=k
mỉ tȝ ḥr-tp bȝkȝ.wt=f

Ba of Bas,
most prestigious of the prestigious,
as he hid (himself) from people,
he disguised537 (himself) from the gods.

Lord of lifetimes,
Fate (Shai) comes about,
in the completion of a moment.
25 One calls to him on the day of battle,
one knows him in a time of danger.
He is the trusty confident of the king
during his time.

The august image of the great god.
his place is sacred like heaven,
without peer in the whole land.
They (were?) given to the blessed dead,
to hide their forms therein.

It is the Abaton of Osiris of Neb-ankh,
his Ka rests 26 within it,
it endures carrying his Ba,
without fail carrying his image,
like the earth upon its foundations.

zȝ-Rʿ ḥkȝ pȝ-ẖrd
mn(.w) ḥr ns.t=f
p.t m ḥb
tȝ m mfk
gs.w-pr.w sṯỉ(.w) m ṯḥn
tȝ-šmʿ tȝ-mḥw r-ȝw=sn
m ʿq n kȝ=f
šfy.t=f pẖr.w m-ẖnw=sn

27ṯȝy.w m hy
ḥmw.wt m hnw
ḥnmm.t (ḥr) snỉ-tȝ
n bȝw=f

sḫm n Rʿ
qmȝ n šw
wḥm msḫʿ.w mỉ nb p.t
nsw.t-nsw.wt
bỉty-bỉty.w

ḥȝ.t-nṯr.w
pḥwy psḏ.t
ḫpr nṯr.w ḥr-sȝ=f
ʿḥʿ=f ȝw(.w) m-ḫt=f

The son of Re, Heka the Child,538
remains upon his throne.
Heaven is in festival,
the land is all turquoise,
and temples sprinkled with fayence.
All of Upper and Lower Egypt
are in great festival for his Ka,
as his prestige circulates among them.

27 Men do the hy-dance,
women do the hnw-dance,
the sunfolk kiss the earth
for his Bau-power.

The image of Re,539
created by Shu,
who repeates birth like the Lord of Heaven,
nsw-king of nsw-kings,
bỉty-king of bỉty-kings.

The beginning of the gods,
the end of the Ennead,
the gods came about after him,
and his lifetime extends after him.

ỉw n=f ỉmy.w p.t
r nḏ(.t) ḫt
m-rwty s.t=f
28nṯr.w ṯȝy.w m ksw
n snḏ=f
nṯry.t n=f
(ḥr) ỉr(.t) sšš n ḥr=f

nhm n rn=f
tȝ-sn.t m ḥb
Iwny.t m ršw
ḥw.t-bȝ.w m ḥʿʿ
ḥw.t-ṯȝ.wy m ȝw.t-ỉb
ḥw.t-nṯr=sn bʿḥ.w
wḥm.n=s šn
nỉw.t=f m ỉhȝy rʿ-nb

Those within heaven come to him
to consult about affairs
outside his throne.
28 Male gods are bent down
in fear of him;
goddesses are with him,
performing sistra in his face.

Rejoice in his name!
Esna is in festival,
Iunyt is ecstatic,
Temple of the Bas rejoices,
Temple of the Chicks is happy,
their temples are flooded,
and they have repeated their cycle:
His city is in jubilation, every day!

Esna 185

Esna 185 A

Aʿnḫ nṯr nfr
sḥḏ ỉȝ.t-ṯȝ.wy
mỉ ȝḫ.t n.t P.t
m stw.t=f
(???)

A Live the good god,
who illumines540 the Nome of the Chicks,
like(?)541 the Akhet542 of heaven,543
with his rays544
(???)545

Esna 185 B

B[ʿnḫ nṯr nfr]
[…wbn m] nḫb
sḏty ỉqr n ỉr.t-Rʿ
ḫmnỉ.w m ỉȝw n ḥr=f
ḥkȝ pȝ-ẖrd bnr-mrw.t

B [Live the good god]
[…who rises from] the lotus,
excellent child of the Eye of Re,
before whom the Ogdoad are in adoration:
Heka the Child, sweet of love.

Esna 186

Minor inscriptions, figures of Heka the Child.