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The Temple of Esna. An Evolving Translation: Esna II

Intercolumnar Wall A (79-85)

Esna 79

  • Location: Facade, Intercolumnar A
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None

Cartouches of Domitian.

Esna 80

1[…] Rʿ
ḥwn.tw=sn ỉs m-ḫnt=f
rhn=sn r=f
m rdỉ st Rʿ r tȝ

rwḏ rd.wy ḥm=f
ḥnʿ ḥm.wy=sn
r ỉȝ.t tn
ḏr nỉw.t pw
nty nb ʿnḫ

1 […Neith….] Re,
they rejuvenated189 within it,
they rested there,
when Re gave birth to them.

The legs of his majesty were set,
along with their majesties,190
towards (going to) this mound,
since it is the city
of the Lord of Life.

ḏd.ỉn Rʿ n šw Tfn.t
ḫpr=tn dy
2[…]
[…]
ỉw[=k] m ỉwn n ʿnḫ
ỉw sn.t[=k …]
[…]=ṯn pw ḏr-bȝḥ

ḏd.tw ỉwn m rn n šw
Iwny.t m rn n spȝ.t=tn

Then Re said to Shu and Tefnut:
You shall stay here
2 […]
[…]
[You] are as an air-pillar of life,
[your] sister […]
it is your […] since the beginning.

Thus one says ‘Iun’ as the name of Shu,
and ‘Iunyt’ as the name of this district.

šd s.t mw.t=f N.t
m ḥḏ.t=s
ỉw=sn m [sbk.wy…]

3[…]
ẖnmw m ršw ḥnʿ=t
ntt nb n ww
ḏd.tw n=s Nb.t-ww

ỉtn=s(n) m ỉtn.wy
ỉb.w ḥtp […]
[…] n ḏr-ʿ

Their mother, Neith, nursed them
with her white milk,
they being as [two crocodiles…]191

3 […]
being united with you in joy,
you [are] the Lady (nb.t) of the Terrain (ww),
thus she is called ‘Nebtu.’

They shine as the two disks,192
hearts are quiet(?) […]
[…] since the beginning.

ỉb=f ȝw[…]
4[…]

[…].n=f wʿ n ḫmt
sšm n sn.wy
wrš=f ỉm
ḥr zȝ n ḥm n Rʿ

wbn Rʿ r mȝȝ=sn
m ẖr.t-hrw

ẖnm=f st
m bȝ ḥr-ỉb ṯȝ.wy=f
ḫpr ỉȝ.t-ṯȝ.wy
m rn n ỉȝ.t tn

5 […]

His heart is glad […]
4 […]

[…] he […] one of the three,193
guide of the two siblings,
he stands guard there,
protecting the majesty [of] Re.

Re rises just to see them,
every day.

He unites with them
as the Ba amidst his chicks,194
thus ‘Mound of the Chicks’ came about
as the name of this mound.

5[…]=s r tr r [tr]
[…]
ẖnmw pȝ nḫy nfr
m gs-dp.t
ḥr sḥr ḏȝ.t m r’-wȝ.t=sn
6[…]

[…] m Nwn
sḫȝ.n ỉb=f Iwnw […]
[…]
nʿỉ=f r=s
m šmʿ-nfr
šȝy-nfr zȝ nỉw.t=f
zbi.n=f ḥb.w
nỉ wšr

7s.t [pw nt] nbỉ
n qdỉ-qdỉ.w
šms nṯr ʿȝ m ḥḏ=f
tȝ-ṯnn pw
ỉr nn r-ȝw
[…] ḥr tȝ […]
m-ḫm kȝ=f

p.t tȝ mn.tw r nḥḥ
nb nḥp mn.tw
r ỉḫt=f
ỉw=f ḥr ỉr(.t) nt.w-ʿ=f
mỉ sf
nỉ ȝb rʿ-nb

5 she […from] season to [season]
[…]
Khnum the Good Protector
is on guard,
repelling evil from their vicinity
6 […]

[…] from Nun,
his heart remembered Heliopolis (Iwnw) […]
[…]
he went towards it,
as Shemanefer,
the good Shai-serpent195 who protects his city,
having run through festivals,
without fail.

7 [It is] the place fashioning,
[for] the Builder of builders,
who directs the great god [in] his shrine,
that means Tatenen,
who made all of this.
[…] on earth […]
without his Ka knowing.

Heaven and earth remain forever,
the Lord of the Potter’s wheel remains
at his things,
he carries out all his actions,
just like yesterday,
without cease, every day.

Esna 81

1ỉr ỉȝ.t tn
tȝ-sn.t rn=s
spȝ.t pw nt N.t
m tȝ šmʿ ḥr ỉmnt.t

mỉt.t N.t=s
m tȝ-mḥw ḥr ỉȝbt.t

mw.t-Rʿ pw
ḏr ỉw=s ḥnʿ=f
r nỉw.t tn

ẖnm=f qmȝ sw
Ptḥ tȝ-ṯnn
ḫnt ʿ-rsy
m rn=f n
ẖnmw wr ỉt-ỉt.w

gm.n=s ỉȝt t(n)
m ḥr-ỉb n.t
ỉr=s s.t=s ỉm
2ḏd.tw tȝ-sn.t
m rn n spȝ.t tn

1 As for this mound,
Esna is its name.
it is the district of Neith
in Upper Egypt in the West.

A copy of her Neith nome
in Lower Egypt in the East.

She is the Mother of Re,
when she came with him
to this city.

He joined his creator,
Ptah-Tatenen
within the Southern District,
in his name of
Great Khnum, Father of Fathers.

She found this mound
within the n.t-waters,
and she made her seat (s.t) there.
2 Thus one says ‘Esna’196
as the name of this district.

šm ḥm=s ḥr mḥ.t n nỉw.t tn
pr-ẖnmw n sḫ.t rn=f

ỉȝ.t nṯr.y
nỉ mỉt.t=s
ḏsr.tw wr.tw
ḫnty nỉw.wt spȝ.t

nn ḫnd=s ỉn ʿ.wt nb
ỉr ʿr z.t r=s
ḫpr ḫry.t m tȝ-r-ḏr=f

ʿḥ pw ḫpr […]
ḏr=f […]
3[…] nṯr ʿȝ m zp-tpy
štȝ.t m ẖnw=f
s.t ḥȝp sḫr.w
n Wsỉr nb-ʿnḫ
ḥnʿ ḏȝỉs.w wr.w nw Mḥ.t-wr.t
nty(.t) ỉmn(.t) m-ḫnt=s

Her majesty went north of this city,197
Per-Khnum of the Field is its name.

It is a divine mound,
without its like,198
sanctified and great,
foremost of cities and districts.

No animal should tread over it;
if a woman approaches it,
disaster will befall the whole world.199

It is the palace which came about […]
entire […]
3 […] the great god in the first time.
The crypt is in it,
the place of hiding the condition200
of Osiris201 of Neb-Ankh,
along with the great Djaisu of Mehet-weret,
who are hidden within it.

nḫỉ=s zȝ=s Rʿ ỉm
ḥnʿ zȝ=f šw
ḥtm=s ʿȝpp ḥnʿ zmȝ.w=f m
[…]

4wn tfn.t ḥr mnỉ r nỉw.t tn
m ỉỉ=s m Kns.t
mȝȝ=s sn=s m nb-pḥty
m ẖnw n ww.t ṯn nfr
ỉr.n=s ḫprw [m …]

[…] r ȝw […]
ỉw=f ỉm
ỉr=f n=s 5wrh
sqȝ=f ḥm=s
ỉmȝ ỉb=sn m zp-wʿ

She protects his son, Re, therein,
as well as202 his son Shu,
she destroys Apophis and his followers
in […]203

4 Tefnut stopped at this city,
on her return from Kenset (Nubia),
she saw her brother as the Lord of Strength,
within this good field.
She made her transformation [into …]204

[…] entirely […]
he is therein,
he made the wrh-dance 5 for her,
he elevated her Majesty,
and their hearts delighted together.205

mȝʿ-ḫrw ỉn ḥm=f
m wp.t=f nb
wd=sn qn
n wḏ=s
m ḥb=f [nfr n] wḏʿ-mdw
[…] spȝ.wt
ỉb=s nḏm(.w)
ỉw.tw r mȝȝ=f m mȝʿ-ḫrw

[…] m ỉhy
m ḥb pn nfr
n 4-nw n ȝḫ.t 1/30
n ḥb kȝ-ḥr-kȝ
6wpy ʿȝ ḫr.tw […]
[…]
mȝȝ nfrw n ỉtn.wy

Then his majesty was justified,
in all his trials,
and they caused suffering,
at her command,
in his [good] festival [of the Decision]206.
[The gods of cities and] districts,207
their hearts are pleased,
one comes to see him in justification,

[…] in jubilation,
in this good festival,
of IV Akhet Day 1 (= 1/30),
in the festival of Khoiak,208
6 also called ‘the great wpy-festival’
[…]
seeing the beauty of the two disks.209

ȝḫ.t ȝḫ[ȝḫ.tw…]
wȝḏwȝḏ […] ʿntyw wr
wr m ḫnm=f nḏm

sḫ.t nfr.t m grgb
n wpy
tȝ-sn.t m ḥb
pr-nṯr m ḥʿʿ
ḥw.t-ṯȝ.wy m ȝw.t-ỉb
nỉ ȝb rʿ-nb

The field is radiant […]
verdant […] great myrrh,
with his sweet smell.210

The good field is overwhelmed
from the wpy-festival.211
Esna celebrates,
Per-netjer rejoices,
the Temple of the Chicks is delighted,
without fail, every day.

Esna 82

  • Location: North-east door, right side
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None

1ʿnḫ nṯr nfr
wṯt n ẖnmw
zȝ smsw n ḥry-wḏb
nb-tȝ.wy
(tmdyns nty-ḫwỉ)

nỉs=f n=k [ỉt]=f
ẖnmw-Rʿ nb sḫ.t
ḏfn mnḫ
ḫnt ḥw.t-ỉt
wr-šfy.t
mȝỉ ʿȝ-pḥty
nw.w mn.ty ẖr s.t-ḥr=f

ỉnk [pr.t] pr [ỉm=k?]
pẖr ns.t=k ỉm=ỉ
ȝb ỉb=k

Live the good god,
begotten of Khnum,
eldest son of the ḥry-wḏb,212
Lord of the Two Lands,
(Domitian Augustus)

He calls to you, his [father],
Khnum-Re Lord of the Field,
beneficent ancestor
within the Temple of the Father,
great of prestige,
lion, great of strength,
the waters and mountains are under his control:

“I am the [seed] which came forth [from you?],213
I am your successor,
whom your heart desired.

2mỉ m ḥtp
ẖnm=k pr-nṯr
s.t=k ḏr pȝwty.w
sḫ.t nfr.t
ḥtp ḥm=k m-ḫnt=s
swȝw.w=s n=k m ʿbw

ḥr(.t) n bȝ=k
ḏd.t n smn.w=k
ỉmḥ.t n ḥtpty.w

ỉw=k m ḥtp
sḫn=k ḥw.t-[ṯȝ.wy?]
[s.t]=k pw
ȝḫ m ỉb=k

bw.t [kȝ]=k
wȝỉ.tw m ỉfdw=s m ḏ.t

2 “Come in peace!
and enter Per-netjer,
your place since the (time of) the primeval gods,
the beautiful field
in which your majesty settles,
its areas belong to you in purity.

“(It is) a heaven for your Ba,
an enduring place for your statues,214
a necropolis for the departed ones.

“Come in peace!
and unite with the Temple [of the Chicks?],215
it is [your place],
excellent in your heart.

“The abomination of your [Ka]
is far distant from its four corners forever.”

Esna 83

Title

ḥnk ỉrṯ.t
n ʿšȝ mnmn.t

Offering milk
to she who has numerous livestock.

The King

nsw.t-bỉty
(wytkrtr ksrs)
zȝ-Rʿ
(tymtyns nty-ḫwỉ)
mhr nfr

The King of Upper and Lower Egypt
(Autokrator Caesar)
Son of Re
(Domitian Augustus)
the good dairy worker.

Neith

ḏd-mdw ỉn N.t-wr.t
mw.t-nṯr nb.t tȝ-sn.t
nṯr.t-ʿȝ.t ḥn.t Mḥ-n.t
mw.t n Rʿ
šȝʿ.t ḫpr m ḥȝ.t
sʿnḫ ṯȝw n zȝ=s
m ỉȝ.t-ṯȝ.wy

Words spoken by Neith the great,
Mother of God, Lady of Esna,
Great Goddess, Mistress of the Mh-n.t,
Mother of Re,
who began creation in the beginning,
who keeps alive the child(ren) of her son,
in the Mound of the Chicks.

Shu

ḏd-mdw ỉn šw […]

Words spoken by Shu […]

Esna 84

  • Location: North-east door, left side
  • Date: Probably Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None

1[…]
[…kȝ.t ʿ.wy?]=f
grg spȝ.wt nỉw.wt

ḏd.ỉn Rʿ n [zȝ]=f šw
šm=k […]
[…]=k tȝš n nṯr nb n=f

ḫntỉ=sn r nỉw.wwt rsy.wt
r bw nty ỉw mw.t-nṯr ỉm
rsy-nỉw.t pw

ḏd.ỉn šw n Rʿ
s.t tn tȝ pw […]

1 […]
[…the work of] his [hands?]216 settles nomes and cities.

Then Re said to his [son], Shu:
“May you go […]
you […] the area of every god for him.”

They went upstream to the southern cities,
to where the Mother of God (Neith) was,
That is: south of the City (Rs-n.t).217

Then Shu said to Re:
“This place is the land of […]”

2 [….]
[…ḏd].tw [ḫnt]-tȝ
m rn n spȝ.t tn

ḫpr ḫnsw ḏḥwtỉ m s.t tn
m ḥb dndn
m-ẖnw pr pn ḥr=s
r-mn hrw pn

2 […]
Thus one [says Khent]-ta
as the name of this district;218

Khonsu-Thoth219 came about in this place
in the Festival of Fury220
within this temple for that reason,
until today.

3 […]
[…] sḫȝ ỉb=sn
ḥnʿ ỉt=sn mw.t=sn

4 […]
nhm.tw n kȝ=s
[…]
[ʿq m pr] pn
[m wrḏ?]-ỉb
pr=f m snb-ỉb

sḫr.w n tȝ-r-ḏr=f
m ḥr=s

3 […]
[…] their hearts recall,
with their father and mother.

4 […]
one rejoices for her Ka […]
[…]
[if one enters] this [temple]
[in ill] health(?),221
he leaves it in good health.

The condition of the entire world
is before her face.

Esna 85

1rȝ mḥty [Iwn]y.t […]
[…]
[…] ḥw.t-mw.t
mw.t-nṯr Rʿ wr.tw m-ẖnw=f
s.t=s ʿḥʿ ḥm=s m tȝ-šmʿ
ṯnỉ.tw r mn.t
ẖr ỉtn.wy

wbn=s m-ḫnt=f
mỉ wn=s ḫnty ḥr.t
ḫʿỉ=s r tr=s
m ỉrw=s n ỉwnt.t
m 2ḥb=s nfr ḥb-N.t
[…]

1 The northern door of [Iu]nyt […]
[…]
[…] the Temple of the Mother.
The Mother of God is great therein,
Her throne, where she stays in Upper Egypt,
more distinguished than the sky
bearing the two disks.

She rises within it
as if she were in heaven,222
she appears in procession at her season
in her form of the Archer,
in her 2 good festival, the Festival of Neith
[…]

[…]
[…] wr
ṯ.t=s dns.tw m ḥtp.w-nṯr
sḥ.w=s ʿpr.tw m nṯry
ʿḥ=s ḥnʿ.tw m ỉbr

nỉ gm wš m ḥw.t-nṯr=s
r-ʿ nḥḥ

ḫpr Mḥ-N.t m rn sḥ
ḥr ỉȝb n r-pr.w nb
r mn hrw pn

[…]
[…] great,
her altar is heavy with offerings,
her chambers are equipped with linen,
her palace is stocked with ỉbr-unguent.

Nothing is found to be missing in her temple,
until the end of eternity.

Thus Mḥ-n.t is the name of the [shrine]223
on the left of every temple
until this very day.

3mȝȝ […]
[…]=s ḫnt ḥr.t
psḏ.t=s ḥr wnm-ỉȝb
mỉ gnẖ.w ḥr šms=s

zȝ=s Rʿ m šww ỉmỉ.tw=s
ỉwr(.w) r ms.t=f
rʿ-nb
4 ʿq=f ḥw.t-N.t
r mȝȝ mw.t=f
ršw ỉb=f
ḥr mȝȝ ṯȝ.wy=f

ṯḥn.wy ḫnty pn nfr
wr.wy sy
r nty ẖr-ḥȝ.t

pẖr(.w) m sš.w
nḫb(.w) ḥr rn wr
ʿpr.tw ḏsr.tw ẖr ỉm[=s?]
ḥr swr šfy.t n mw.t-nṯr
ḥnʿ psḏ.t=s
ḏ.t nḥḥ

[…] sees […]
[…] she […] within the sky,
her Ennead on the right and left,
like the stars in her following.

Her son Re is the sun within her,
being pregnant in order to birth him
every day,
4 he enters224 the Temple of Neith
in order to see his mother,
and his heart rejoices
from seeing his two children.

How scintillating is this good forecourt!
How much greater it is
than what was there before!

Inscribed with all writings,
carved in the great name (of the king),
equipped and made sacred with [its] contents,
magnifying the prestige of the Mother of God,
along with her Ennead,
for ever and for all eternity.