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The Temple of Esna. An Evolving Translation: Esna II

Intercolumnar Wall F and South-East Door (104-110)

Esna 104

1ỉr ỉȝ.t-ṯȝ.wy
ḏ(d.tw) r Iwny.t
ḥw.t-ỉt pw
ḥw.t-mw.t mỉt.t
ḫpr m ḥȝ.t
štȝ(.w) m-ḫnt=f
nṯr ȝms-ỉb
ỉỉ n ʿš n=f
sḏm spr n tpy.w-tȝ

tȝ-ṯnn kȝ.tw m rn=f
2qdỉ.n=f rmṯ
ỉr.n=f nṯr.w
ẖnm.n=f ḥr.w-nb
ḥr nḥp=f
sḫpr.n=f wnn.t nb
m rȝ-ʿ.wy=f

As for the District of the Chicks,
so (one) calls Iunyt.
It is the Temple of the Father,
and the Temple of the mother likewise,
He who came about in the begining,
is kept secret within it,
the kind-hearted god,
who comes to whomever calls him,
who hears prayers of those on earth.

He is called Tatenen by name:
as he built humans,
so he made the gods,
he joined everybody
upon his potter’s wheel.
He created all the exists
through his handiwork.

štȝ.t ỉm
m nṯr.t ḥnʿ=f
ḫpr=sn ḫpr nty(.w) nb
qmȝ gb.t
3wȝḥ ḫt-mn
ỉr ỉḫt nb
m qmȝ.n ỉb=sn

ḏd.ỉn ỉt n mw.t
ẖnm=ỉ ḥnʿ=ṯ
ḥʿw=ỉ tm(.w) n ʿnḫ

ḏd.ỉn mw.t
ỉw=ỉ mn.tw ḥnʿ=k
mḥn=ỉ ḥr-tp=k
mnḥ[=ỉ] 4 tp.w
nw ḫfty.w=k

ḫpr ẖnmw m rn n tȝ-ṯnn
mnḥy.t m rn n N.t
nṯr wʿ ḫpr m sn.w
tȝ-ṯnn N.t
ḫpr ḫpr.w
ḫpr ḫpr.w nb
m-ḫt [ḫpr=sn]

The Mysterious one264 is therein,
as the goddess together with him.
As they came about, all that is came about.
They who created the sky,
13 who laid down the earth,
who made all things
through the creation of their heart.

Then the Father said to the Mother:265
I will join (ẖnm) with you,
so my body is complete of life.

Then the Mother said:
I will remain (mn) with you,
I will coil (mḥn) upon your head,
and chop off (mnḥ) 4 the head(s)
of your enemies.266

Thus Khnum became the name of Tatenen,
Menhyt the name of Neith:
the single god who became two,267
Tatenen (TN) and Neith (NT),268
who made transformations,
all that exists came about
after they came about.

5[ỉt] m ẖnmw
mw.t m Mnḥy.t
Nb.t-ww kȝ.tw r kȝ=s
ntsn ʿȝ.w wr.w mnḫ.w

wnn ḫy šp(s)
pr (ḥr) nḫb
m qȝy qȝ […]
6[zȝ?] N.t pw
ỉwʿʿ n tȝ-ṯnn
nhq.n ỉb=f
r ỉqḥ ḥw.t-ỉt
r mȝȝ sḫr.w n Nwn-wr

5 [The father] is Khnum,
the mother is Menhyt,
her Ka is also called Nebtu:
they are the very great, beneficent ones.269

The august270 child
who came forth (upon) the lotus
in the High Mound […]
6 That means [the son] of Neith,
the heir of Tatenen:
his heart was inspired271
to enter the Temple of the Father,
to see the condition of Great Nun.

snḏm=f ỉm
ẖnm=f m-ḫnt=f
ỉw=f m rw
ṯȝ.wy=f m rw.ty […]
7[…]

ỉt=w Nwn ȝṯt.n=sn
ʿnḫ=sn m ỉrṯ.t
n.t mw.t=f
ỉw=sn m sbq.wy
ḥr ỉmḥ (i)m=s
swr=s pḥty=sn
m ỉrṯ.t=s
sḫr.n=f sbỉ=sn
8[wdỉ]=s šsr=s
r sṯ(.t)=s r ḫfty.w

ḫpr=sn m nb(.wy) pḥty
nḫt-ḫpš.w
smȝ=sn sbỉ.w nw ỉt=sn
m-ẖnw ỉȝ.t tn
nty ḥr mḥ.t n nỉw.t ṯn

He installs himself there,
and unites with him within it.
He is as a lion272
his two children are the two lions […]
7 […]273

It is their father Nun who nursed them,
and they live from the milk
of his mother (Neith),
they being as two crocodiles274
nursing275 from her,
she increases their strength
through her milk.
She struck down their rebels,
8 [shooting] her arrow
so she might strike against the enemies.

The turned in to Lords of Strength,276
mighty of limbs,
they slaughter the rebels against their father,
within this mound,
which is to the north of this city.277

pr-ẖnmw n [sḫ.t]
9[ʿb].tw r ʿb
ḫw.tw r ḫrwy.t
nỉ ʿq ỉḫt nb ḏw m-ẖnw=s

ḏd.ỉn šw
zȝ(ṯ)=i pw zȝ.tw
n mw.t-nṯr
m nỉw.t rsy.t
ḫpr tȝ-sn.t pw

wnn 10[ʿnḫ]=ỉ ḥnʿ sn.t=ỉ
m ỉrṯ.t=s
ỉw=n m ṯȝ.wy m nỉw.t ṯn
ḏd.tw ỉȝ.t-ṯȝ.wy
m rn n spȝ.t tn

zȝ=sn mr=sn
[…] 11[…]
ỉḥy nfr zȝ nỉw.t=f
Gbb pw kȝ.tw r kȝ=f
nt.w-ʿ=f mn(.w) m-ẖnw Iwny.t
wḥm.n=f msḫʿ.w m tr r tr
n tr=f […]

Per-Khnum of [the Field],
is [purified]278 from all impurity,
protected from all calamity,
nothing evil can enter inside it.

Then Shu said:
‘This my land is protected (zȝw)
for the Mother of God
in the southern City (nỉw.t)!’
So came about ‘Esna.’279

‘I am [living] with my sister
from her (Neith’s) milk.
We are as chicks in this city.’
Thus ‘Mound of the Chicks’ is said
as the name of this nome.

Their beloved son,
[…Heka?…] 11
good Ihy, who protects his city,
that means Geb, as he his Ka is called.
His activities endure within Iunyt,
having repeated births from time to time,
at his season […]

Esna 105

1ṯȝw nfr n rsy.t
šhb rn=f

2ntf ṯz bȝ.w n nṯr.w
3r p.t
sʿq=f šwy
4m ỉȝbt.t
bs.n=f ḥʿpỉ m ṯpḥ.t
r bʿḥ Iwny.t m kȝ.w ḏfȝ.w

5ỉỉ.tw hr.tw
ỉr nfr n Iwnyt
6n=k ỉmy pr nb
n ḥʿpỉ 7rsy

ḥȝy m ḥȝy
ḫȝḫ[…]
[…] 8ḥw.t-ẖnmw
n ỉt m šȝʿ
ʿbḫ.n=f fnḏ=f

1 The good wind of the south:
Sheheb is his name.280

2 It is he who lifts the bas of the gods
3 up to the sky.
As he made the crocodile enter
into 4 the right-eye,281
so he made Hapi come forth from the grotto
to flood Iunyt with food and provisions.

5 Come! Be peaceful!
Act kindly for Iunyt!
6 To you belongs all that comes
from the 7 southern Hapi.

Blow in as the wind!
Hurry […!]
[…] 8 the temple of Khnum
of the Father in the Beginning,
having uniting with his nose.

Esna 106

  • Location: South-east door, left side
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None. But see A. von Lieven 2000, p. 135, for a translation of the close parallel.
  • Parallels: Esna IV, 436.

1wnn Iwny.t m sḫr.w
n hȝy.ty
ỉrỉ-wḥm m ḥr-ỉb=s
psḏ n=s psḏ-m-nbw

ḫy šps
wbn m ỉh.t
tp-ʿ bẖ
m ỉtn nfr n tȝ-ṯnn
mȝwy=f ṯnỉ[…]
[…] sw
m Itm ḫntỉ Mȝnw

1 While Iunyt is formed in the design
of the double firmaments,
the solar course282 is within it
and He-who-shines-as-gold shines283 for it.

The august284 child,
who ros[e] from the Ihet cow,
at the beginning of dawn,
as the beautiful disk of Tatenen,
whose rays distinguish[…]
[…] him,
as Atum, foremost of Manu.

2wnm.t=f ỉȝbt.t=f
ẖnm(.w) ỉm=s
nṯr.ty (ḥr) wbn
r-ḥr n nb=sn
(ḥr) srs ḥr.w-nb nmʿ

bȝ ḏsr ḫprw
m fdw ṯȝw
pr=sn
m rn n ḥm=f
nšp[.tw m ẖn]m.ty=f
r šnw n ỉtn

2 His right and left eye
are united therein,
the divine eyes rise
before their lord,
awakening all who are sleeping.

The Ba sacred of form,
as the four winds,
they come forth
at the name of his majesty,
and [one] breathes from his [no]strils,
to the circuit of the sundisk.

3sn.t=f nfr.t
(ḥr) ỉr.t wḏ m p.t
ỉmy rnp.t=s
ḥnw.t n ḫȝbs.w
ḫpr ḫpr.w
ḫft kȝ=sn

ȝḫ.t=sn m-ẖnw Iwny.t
ỉwn ỉm=f
ẖnbb[.n=f] r ȝḫ.t

s.t-ỉb=sn
ȝḫ r p.t

ḫʿy.t pw […]

3 His good sister
makes commands in heaven
during her year,
the Mistress of the Decan stars:
all things come to pass
according to what they say.285

Their Akhet is within Iunyt.
The Pillar (ỉwn) is in it286,
[as he] travels toward the Akhet.

Their favorite place,
more excellent than heaven.

It is the initial mound […]

4[…] m nb
[…] ḥtp
pr m […] ỉȝ.t
n ỉr wnn.t

bȝ n Rʿ m zp-tpy
wṯz-ḫʿ ỉm
ḥnʿ psḏ.t
ẖnm bȝ=f ḥnʿ ʿḫm=f
ḥȝy=f ḥr(.w)
n ỉmy.w tȝ-sn.t

dỉ=sn ỉr zȝ-Rʿ
(twmtynz ḫwỉ)| […]

4 […] as the lord
[…] peace,
going forth […] mound,
of he who made what exists.

The Ba of Re in the first moment,
who holds processions there
together with the Ennead,
his Ba unites with his statue,
he brightens the faces
of those within Esna.

May the let the Son of Re,
(Domitian Augustus)| […]

Esna 107

1wnn tȝ-sn.t m tȝ ẖr nṯr.w
ʿḥʿy[-nfr] m ḫnt=s
[..sḫr].w nw tȝ r-ȝw=f

ỉt m šȝʿ
ḥr qdỉ m nḥp=f
šȝʿ ʿnḫ n Km.t ḏs=f

Mnḥy.t mn.tw ḥnʿ=f
nỉ ḥr=[s r=f] rʿ-nb

štȝ.t m N.t
zȝ[=s…]
[…] 2m šww

wnm.t=s ỉȝb.t=s m ỉtn.wy

nb sḫ.t (ḥr) ẖnm snt=f
mḥy.t
(ḥr) srwḏ rwḏ.w

1 Esna is the land bearing the gods,
the [good] agathos-daimon is in it,
[…condi]tions287 of the entire world.

The Father in the beginning
is building with his potter’s wheel,
beginning life for Egypt by himself.

Menhyt dwells (mn) with him,
never leaving [him], daily.

The remote sky is Neith,
[her son …]
[…] 2 as the sun.

Her left and right eyes are the two disks.

The Lord of the Field joins with his sister,
the north-wind,
making plants thrive.

ḏȝỉs.w wr.w (ḥr) ṯz Nwn r nw=f

(Wn-nfr mȝʿ-ḫrw)|
ṯz.tw ḥr nmỉ.t=f

sn.ty […]
[…]r=f
[…]

The great Djaisu elevate Nun at his time.288

(Wennefer, justified)|
is elevated upon his bier.

The two sisters (Isis and Nephthys)289 […]
[…] him.
[…]

3ḥkȝ m sḏty ỉqr
Rʿ m nḫn
m wḥm msḫʿ.w
Gbb pw sṯȝm.n=f ȝḫ.t
(ḥr) sḫpr ḫ.t-n-ʿnḫ n ʿnḫ.w

ẖnmw pȝ nḫy nfr m gs-dp
ṯȝw n ʿnḫ n tpy.w-tȝ

ỉb n Rʿ […] ỉḫt
[…]

3 Heka is the excellent child,
Re as a youth,
repeating births,
he is Geb, having fertilized the field,
creating the ‘wood of life’ for the living.

Khnum the Good Champion is on guard,
the breath290 of life for those on earth.

The heart of Re (Thoth) […] things
[…]

[…] 4tȝỉty-zȝb(?)
(ḥr) sḥtp ḥm n rw.ty

ms.w Rʿ ḥʿʿ.w m pr=sn
sḫr.w n tȝ m ḥr=sn

twtw zȝ N.t
ḥr-tp n ḫȝty.w
šnw n tȝ ẖr wḏ=f

š(m)ʿ-nfr m […] Iỉ-m-ḥtp
ỉwʿʿ n rsy-ỉnb=f
(ḥr) snfr mḥr.w nb m ḏ.t=f

dỉ[=sn …]
[…] (twmtyns […])|
[…]

[…] the judge,291
pacifying the majesty of the Two Lions.292

The children of Re rejoice in their temple,
the affairs of earth are [be]fore them.293

Tutu, son of Neith,
chief of the avenging demons,
the circuit of the earth is under his command.

Shemanefer294 is […]295 of Imhotep,
the heir of Resy-inebef (Ptah),
healing all the sick with his body.

May [they all] give […]
[… to] (Domitian […])|
[…]

Esna 108

  • Location: South-East Door, Interior, Ceiling
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None

Wadjet

Wȝḏy.t ỉr.t ỉȝbt.t nt Itm
ḏỉ=s snb nb
n zȝ-Rʿ
(twmtyns ḫwỉ)|

Wadjet, the left eye of Atum.
She gives all health
to the son of Re,
(Domitian Augustus)|

Esna 109

  • Location: South-East Door, Interior, North face
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None

Cartouches of Domitian.

Esna 110

NB: This text is extremely obscure. Obviously it is some sort of ritual text aimed at driving away impurity from the temple, and protecting the food of Khnum-Re, and possibly Nebtu (lines 14-15). As such, it is comparable to the ritual text preserved in the opposite door Esna 131. I know of no direct parallels.

1[wbn?] Rʿ
nwr ḥry.w-mw

hwt 2ỉr=f
psḏ.t wr.t m Iwnw

1 When Re [shines?]
those Upon the Water tremble.

It wails, 2 truly,
the Great Ennead in Heliopolis!

hȝỉ m p.t
prỉ m ȝḫ.t
ḫrs ḥry.w-mw 3ỉpw

Which comes down from heaven,
and emerges from the Akhet,
and repels These 3 Upon the Water.

sȝq=s ʿ.wy=s
ḥr ḥrr.w nb
ḥry.w-mw ỉpw

It gathers its arms
around all snakes,
o These Upon the Water.

wʿb
ỉỉ m p.t
šms […] Rʿ

O pure one,
who comes from heaven,
and follows […] Re.

4ỉn ḥr snṯr=sn
ỉn ḏḥwty dỉ ḥsmn=sn
ỉn sšȝ.t dỉ ḥnq.t=sn
5ỉn Wp-wȝ.wt wp.n=f ẖ.t=sn

4 It is Horus who censes them,
it is Thoth who gives their natron,
it is Seshat who gives their beer,
5 it is Wepwawet who opened their bodies.

ỉw=w […] ʿ.wy […]
6ḥḏ-tȝ
ỉtn zȝ=f tn

They are […] arms(?) […]
6 at dawn,
the sundisk protects you.

hwt […]
7 ʿ=s ḥȝ Gbb
wp=s rmn.wy
(ḥȝ) Wsỉr
ḏr ỉw […]
8ḫrs n=f šw.t-nṯr
sḥtm […]
9tfy nt mwt mwt.t

It wails […]
7 her arm around Geb,
she opens her shoulders
around Osiris,
since […] comes […],
8 the Shadow of God repels for him,
and destroys […]
9 this […] of any ghost.

ḥry.w-mw ỉpw
ỉw sḫm.t sḥr=s ỉḫt nb ḏw
[…] 10nfw=s

ḥry.w-mw ỉpw
ỉsds sḥr=f ỉḫt nb ḏw
ḏȝ.t (ḥr) šm n ȝ.t=sn

ḥry.w-mw ỉpw
ỉḫt nb ḏw
(ḥr) šm n šw.t-nṯr
mwt mwt.t ḥm.t-rȝ

ḥry.w mw ỉpw
12ḏḥwty sḥr=f ỉḫt nb ḏw

ḥry.w[-mw ỉpw]
ỉr.n […]

13[ḥry.w]-mw ỉ[pw]
n ẖnmw-Rʿ [nb-tȝ]-sn.t
nṯr ʿȝ pfy […]

O These Upon the Water:
Sakhmet drives away all evil things,
[…] 10 her breath.

O These Upon the Water:
Isdes drives away all evil things,
enemies go off to their moment.

O These Upon the Water:
all evil things
go off to the Shadow of God,
all ghosts, etc.

O These Upon the Water:
12 Thoth drives away all evil things.

O [These] Upon [the Water]:
[…] did […]

13 O T[hese Upon] the Water,
for Khnum-Re [Lord of E]sna,
this great god […]

[wnm=f] 14nn t
swr=f nn ḥnq.t
ỉr=f zȝ=f
ḥsmn=f m […]
15ȝw.t-ỉb=s […]
ỉn Nb.t[-ww?]

ḥry.w-[mw ỉpw]
[…]

[He eats] 14 this bread,
he drinks this beer,
he carries out his protection
his natron is […]
15 she is happy […]
by Nebt[u?]

O [These] Upon [the Water]
[…]