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The Temple of Esna. An Evolving Translation: Esna II

Intercolumnar Wall F and South-East Door (57-64)

Esna 57

  • Location: Facade, intercolumnar F, corniche
  • Date: Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: None

Cartouches of Domitian.

Esna 58

1ỉȝ.t ṯȝ.wy
s.t-ʿn.t n ỉrỉ-tȝ
r’-ḥn.t
n tmȝ.t ḥnʿ ḏt
rhn=sn ỉs m-ḫnt=s

ẖnm=f sy m ršw
m rn=f n ẖnmw

mn=s ḥȝ=f
m rn=s n Mnḥy.t

wpš.n=s m wp.t=f
m rn=s n Nb.t-ww

1 The Mound of the Chicks,62
it is the stronghold63 of Irita,
the Mouth of the Canal (r’-ḥn.t)64
of the mother together with the ḏ-serpent,65
they rested (rhn)66 themselves within it.

He unites (ẖnm) with her in delight,
in his name of Khnum (ẖnmw).

She stays (mn) behind (ḥȝ) him,
in her name of Menhyt (Mnḥy.t).

She shone (wpš) upon his brow (wp.t),
in her name of Nebtu (Nb.t-ww).67

2nṯr.w [wr].w pȝwty tpy
ỉỉ=sn ḫr=f
ms.w tȝ-ṯnn
m 7 ḏȝỉs.w wr.w
nw Mḥ.t-wr.t

ỉmỉ-ỉb=sn ḥnʿ=sn
r sšm sḫr.w Nwn
r nw=f
r ṯz tȝ m pr.t=sn

3 kȝ.n=f tȝ
ḫr ẖnmw.w wr.w
ms.n=f nṯr
ỉr kȝ.t nn ȝb

2 The great gods of the first primeval time,
they come before him,
(namely) the children of Tatenen,
being the Seven Djaisu
of Mehet-weret.68

They conferred69 with one another to regulate the condition of Nun
at his time,
and to bind the earth with their seed.

3 He planned the earth,
before the Great Khnums,70
he birthed the god,
(to) do work, without cease.

ỉw ȝy spr Rʿ ỉm
ḥnʿ ms.wy=f
drp-rȝ=sn ỉr=f
ḫr ỉt.w=sn
ȝb ỉb=sn
ḥr s.t
ỉt mw.t=sn
ḏr bȝḥ

Now Re arrived there,
together with his two children,
they made fed their mouths
before their parents,71
whom their hearts desired,
upon the throne
of their father and mother,
since forever.

4ỉr.n=f mr=f nb
ỉr.n ms.w=f mỉt.t
ḥr-sȝ=f

ỉw ȝy ḏr ỉw ḥm=s
nšn.tw
snỉ=s ỉrw=s
mfk kȝ=s
wrh n=s šw
pẖr-ỉb=s m-ḫt=f
msḫȝ[-ỉb]=sn m zp

4 He did all he desired,
his children did the same
after him.

When her Majesty arrived,
being enraged,
she changed her visible form,
her Ka became turquoise,
Shu danced for her,72
her heart went out after him,
their [hearts] delighted together.

5wtṯ=sn zȝ=sn
m ḥw nb kȝ.w
ḫpr rn=f n ḥkȝ
Gbb pw
m ḫy nfr zȝ nỉw.t=f

5 They engendered their son
as Hu (ḥw), lord of food (kȝ),
his name became Heka (ḥkȝ),
he is Geb
as a good child, who protects his city.

Wsỉr ḥtp(.w) ỉm
sn.ty [ḥn]ʿ=f
zȝ=f ḥr (ḥr) ẖnm ỉm=f
6šzp.n=f nswy.t
n ỉt.w=f

ḏḥwty r-gs=sn
ỉsṯ (ḥr) sḥtp ḥm
psḏ.t
ḥr ỉr ḏd=sn nb.w

ẖnm ỉt ḥnʿ mw.t
zȝ ḥnʿ zȝ.t
ḏd.tw ḥw.t-ỉt
ḥw.t-mw.t
ḥw.t-ṯȝ.wy
m rn n spȝ.t tn

Osiris73 rests there,
his sisters are [wi]th him,
his son, Horus, reunites with him,
6 having received kingship
from his parents.

Thoth is at their side,
meanwhile,74 appeasing the majesties
of the Ennead75
by doing all that they say.76

The father joins with the mother,
the son with the daughter,
one says Temple of the Father,
Temple of the Mother,
or Temple of the Chicks,
as the name of this district.

7pȝwty.w m-ḫnt=s
psḏ.t m-[ḫnt]=s
[šȝʿ m] tȝ-ṯnn
nfry.t r ḥr[-zȝ-Is.t]
[…]
ỉnb-ḥḏ=sn pw m tȝ-šmʿ

nn ḥr r=sn […] ḏ.t=sn
qd=sn ḏd(.w) m ḫnt=s
nt-ʿ=sn [mn(.w) nn ȝb]
rʿ-nb

7 The primeval gods are in it,
the Ennead is [in] it,
[from] Tatenen
down to Har[siese]77
[…]
It is their Memphis in Upper Egypt.78

They do not stray [from] their bodies,
their statues endure within it,
their rites [endure without fail],
every day.

Esna 59

1ʿnḫ nṯr nfr
nbỉ ẖnmw
m ȝ.t n.t snfr-ỉb
ỉwʿw n nḥp
(tmtỉʿns nty-ḫwỉ)
ḏd=f n ỉt=f šps
ẖnmw-Rʿ nb tȝ-sn.t
sḫm šps
nfr ỉrw
ʿȝ sḫr.w
wṯt nṯr.w rmṯ
ṯȝw n ʿnḫ
n ʿš.tw n kȝ=f

ỉnk ḥʿw=f-ʿnḫ
pr ḥr nḥp=f
ḫpr sḫr.w=ỉ
m wḏ kȝ=k

mỉ m ḥtp
ẖnm=k ḥw.t=nṯr=k
[…]

1 Live the good god,
fashioned by Khnum,
in the moment of pleasing the heart,
heir of the Potter,
(Domitian79 Augustus)
He says to his august father,
Khnum-Re, Lord of Esna,
august power,
beautiful of appearance,
great of plans,
who begets gods and men,
breath of life
for whomever calls80 to his Ka:

I am he whose body lives,
who emerged upon your potter’s wheel,
my plans came about
through the command of your Ka.

Come in peace!
Enter your temple
[…]

2pʿy.t ỉsk
pʿpʿ=k pȝwty.w ỉm=s
šȝʿ.n=k ʿnḫ n tȝ m-ẖnw=f

sȝ-n-ʿnḫ
sḫn=k srḫ=k ḥr=f
sn.t=k ỉs ḥnʿ=k
nṯr.w ỉm=f m ršw

mȝȝ=k smn.w ỉr.n=ỉ
n pr=k
šsp=k sw m-ʿ=ỉ

ỉw ḥm-nṯr=k bȝ.w
nỉ ỉw šw n pr=k

ỉw=ỉ […] ḥr […]
[…] rʿ-nb

“(It is), meanwhile, the mound
from which you birthed the primeval ones,
you began life for the earth within it.

“(It is) the stable of life,81
on which you joined your serekh,
your sister, moreover,82 is with you,
the gods within it are in joy.

“May you see the statues I made
for your temple,
and receive it all from my hand.

“Your priest is present,83
no lack shall come to your temple.

“I am […]
[…] every day.

Esna 60

1ỉr ỉȝ.t tn
Iwny.t rn=s
bw pw ỉw Rʿ r=s
ḏd=f n šw tfn.t
Iwnw=tn pw ḏr-bȝḥ
ḏd.tw Iwny.t m rn

[…]
ḥm.w=sn
ḫnt pw ỉr m ỉb=s
spr ḥm=s r wȝs.t šmʿ
2ḏd=sn n=s
ḫntỉ r=t r Iwny.t
rsy Nỉw.t
nỉw.t tn ns-sw ẖnmw Mnḥy.t
ḏd.tw (tȝ)-sn.t
m rn n spȝ.t tn

[ỉw] ỉb=s [nḏm] r=s
wn=s [ḥr] ḏd
ỉw=ỉ r ḫpr ỉm
ḫpr [rn] n pȝ mỉ(t)
r pȝy m-mȝʿ
r-mn hrw pn

1 As for this mound,
Iunyt is its name.
It is the place to which Re came,
and he said to Shu and Tefnut:
This is your Heliopolis (Iunu) of long ago!
Thus it is called Iunyt.

[…]
their majesties.
It was a desire to go south (ḫnt)84 in her heart.
Her majesty reached Upper Egyptian Thebes.85
2 They said to her (there):
‘Go further south (ḫnt) to Iunyt,
south of the City (Thebes).86
That city belongs to Khnum and Menhyt.’
Thus one says Esna
as the name of this district.

Her heart [was glad] about it,
and she said:
‘I will be there (ỉm ).’
Thus the [name] of the [ro]ad
became This one Truly (m-mȝʿ.t)
until today.

spr=s r ỉȝ.t tn
3ḫpr N.t ỉm
ḥr zȝ ḥm=sn
m nỉw.t tn
tȝ štȝ.t rsy.t pw
n pȝ ḫnty tȝ
ḫpr ḫnt-tȝ
m rn n ỉȝ.t tn

She arrived at this mound,
and thus Neith came about
protecting their majesties
in this city.
She is the southern vulture,
of the limit (ḫnt) of the earth (tȝ).87
Thus came about ‘Khent-ta’ (ḫnt-tȝ)
as the name of this mound.

ʿm nṯr.t ỉr=s ỉn tfn.t
n-mrw.t ỉr.t mk=s
m-ʿ ky.w sbỉ(.w)

wʿr=s r sḫ.t-Rʿ
mḥy nỉw.t ṯn

4ḥn ỉr=f ỉn ḏḥwty
r bw wn=s ỉm
r mḥ.t wḏȝ.t
m ẖ.t=s
mḥ.t(w) m ḥkȝ=f

Tefnut swalled the diminished, divine eye,88
from a desire to carry out its protection
from the rebel enemies.

She fled to the Field of Re,
north of this city.

4 Thoth meanwhile hurried
to the place where she was
in order to replenish the wedjat-eye
in her belly:
so it was filled through his magic (ḥkȝ).

wbn ḏfḏ n ỉr.t-Rʿ
ỉmỉ.tw ỉḥ.ty=s
m twt n ḫprỉ
m ḥr n syf šps

ḏ(d).tw n=f ḥkȝ
wr-ḥkȝw kȝ n Rʿ

qbb ỉb=s ẖr=s
5ỉṯ s(w) N.t
m ḥb Rnn.t
ẖnm sw šw m ʿ.wy=f

The iris of the Eye of Re arose
from between her thighs,
in the form of a scarab beetle,
with the face of an august child.

One called him Heka (ḥkȝ),
Greatest of Magic (wr-ḥkȝ), Ka (kȝ) of Re.

Her heart was soothed with this.
5 Neith takes him
during the festival of Renenutet (Pharmouthi),89
so Shu might embrace him with his arms.

ḏd.ỉn Rʿ
ntṯ tmȝ.t
ḫpr m zp-tpy
mnḥ=t ḥʿw=f
mḥn=t ḥr-tp=f
ḏ(d).tw n=s Mnḥy.t

sḫm mwt.=f
m sbỉ ḥr=f
m rn=s n sḫm.t
ḏ(d).tw n=f
zȝ sḫm.t

ỉr.tw n=f msw-nṯr
m nỉw.t tn
ḏd Rʿ n tfn.t
ntṯ zȝ.t=ỉ wsr.t
ỉr=ṯ nb.t ww
ḏd.tw n=s nb.t-ww

šm=s r sḫ.t
m hrw ẖn.t
ỉwty [ȝb] rʿ-nb

Then Re said:
‘You are the mother,
who came about in the beginning:
may you rejuvenate (mnḥ) his body,
and encircle (mḥn) upon his head.’
Thus she is called ‘Menhyt (Mnḥy.t).’

His mother took control (sḫm)
over anybody who rebelled against him,
in her name of ‘Sakhmet’ (Sḫm.t).
Thus he is called
‘Son of Sakhmet.’

One performs the Divine Birth ritual90 for him
in this city.
Re said to Tefnut:
‘You are my mighty daughter.
May you serve as Lady of the Field (nb.t ww).’
Thus she is called ‘Nebtu (Nb.t-ww).’

She goes91 to the field,
on the day of the bark procession,
without [fail], every day.

Esna 61

Formula

1mn n=k nḥp pfy
mry ỉb=k
ỉn kȝ.t=k grg tȝ pn

1 Take this potter’s wheel,
which your heart loves:
It is your work which settles this earth.

The King

2nsw.t-bỉty
(ỉwtkrtr ksrs)
3zȝ-Rʿ
(twm[…])
4zȝ-mr=f
n nb-nḥp

2 King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
(Autokrator Caesar)
3 Son of Re,
(Dom[itian Augustus]),
4 His-beloved-son priest92
of the Lord of the potter’s wheel.

Khnum-Re Lord of Esna

5ḏd-mdw ỉn ẖnmw-Rʿ nb tȝ-sn.t
6ḥry-nḥp
qdỉ r-mr=f
grg tȝ 7m kȝ.t=f
rʿ-nb

5 Words spoken by Khnum-Re Lord of Esna,
6 chief of the potter’s wheel,
who builds as he desires,
who settles the earth 7 through his work,
daily.

Menhyt

8ḏd-mdw ỉn Mnḥy.t wr.t
nb.t ḫnt-tȝ
9msḫn.t nfr.t
ỉr(.t) mr=s 10 […]

8 Words spoken by Menhyt the great,
Lady of Khent-ta,
9 good birth-brick,
who does what she desires 10 […]

Heka

11ḏd-mdw ỉn ḥkȝ pȝ-ẖrd
ʿȝ wr tpy n ẖnmw
12sḏ ỉqr nn mỉt.t=f

11 Words spoken by Heka the Child,
very great first-born [of] Khnum,
12 excellent youth without his equal.

Esna 62

Formula

1mn n=ṯ ʿntyw n Pwn.t
ḥḏ.w nw tȝ-nṯr

1 Take the myrrh from Punt,
resin from God’s Land.

The King

2nsw.t-bỉty
(ỉwtkrtr ksrs)
3zȝ-Rʿ
(twmtyns […])
4sḥtp mw.t=f m sṯỉ nḏm

2 King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
(Autokrator Caesar)
3 Son of Re,
(Domitian [Augustus]),
4 who appeases his mother with sweet scent.

Neith

5ḏd-mdw ỉn N.t wr.t
mw.t-nṯr nb.t tȝ-6sn.t
tmȝ.t m šȝʿ
sḫpr nty
7[…]
zȝ=s šww (ḥr) sḥḏ tȝ.wy

5 Words spoken by Neith the great,
Mother of God, Lady of 6 Esna,
mother in the beginning,
who created what is,
7 […]
her son the sun illumines the two lands.

Nebtu

8ḏd-mdw ỉn Nb.t-ww nb.t tȝ-sn.t
ʿȝ mrw.t 9ḫr nṯr.w
ḥʿʿ.tw n mȝȝ=s rʿ-nb

8 Words spoken by Nebtu, Lady of Esna,
great of love 9 before the gods,
one rejoices to see her daily.

Shemanefer

10ḏd-mdw ỉn šmʿ-nfr
sbk zȝ N.t
11ʿȝ-pḥty
sḫr ḫfty.w=f

10 Words spoken by Shemanefer,
Sobek, son of Neith,
11 great of strength,
who strikes down his enemies.

Esna 63

  • Location: South-east door, left side
  • Date: Unknown, probably Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: el-Sayed 1982, p. 636 Doc. 1027 (partial translation)

1rȝ rsy sn.t pw
kȝ.tw rn=f r [rs]-n.t
m ḥw.t-N.t m tȝ-šmʿ
mw.t-nṯr štȝ.t m-ḫnt=f
s.t-ỉb=f pw
ȝḫ sy r p.t

wṯz=s ḫʿ ỉm=f
mỉ wn=s ḫnt Nw.t
ḫʿ=s r [Pr-nṯr ?? …]=sn
šmr.t m […]
[…] 21/2 1/30 n 2.nw n pr.t

drp pȝwty.w ỉm=f
sṯȝm nṯr.w m-ḫnt=f
wrḥ psḏ.t m-ẖnw=f

ḥw.t-nṯr=s ḥnʿ.t m ỉḫt nb nfr
nỉ ḏd ḥȝ-n=ỉ m pr=s rʿ-nb

ḏr ḏd.tw n […]
[…]
nṯrw nṯry.t nb n tȝ-šmʿ tȝ-mḥw
ḥr s[…]

1 This is the southern door of Esna,
it is called the [Rs]-n.t (Southern Neith chapel)93
in the temple of Neith in Upper Egypt.
The Mother of God, the mysterious, is in it,
it is her favorite place,
it is more glorious than heaven.

She goes out in procession from it
as if she were within heaven,
she goes forth to [Per-netjer?…]94
a bow in [her hand…]
[…] 2 the 16th of the second month of Peret (Meshir):95

the primeval gods are fed therein,
the gods are clothed therein,
the Ennead is anointed within it.

Her temple is provided with all good things:
Nobody says ‘O would that I had…’96 in it, daily.

Since one said to […]
[…]
gods and goddess of Upper and Lower Egypt
are […]

3ḥw.t-ỉt pw
n ỉt m ḥȝ.t
ḥw.t-mw.t mỉt.t
n tmȝ.t m šȝʿ
nṯr wʿ pw ḫpr nṯr snw
tȝ-ṯnn N.t
ḫpr ḫpr.w (?)

ḥw.t-ẖnmw n zȝ.w-n=sn
stp.w-zȝ ḥȝ nṯr ʿȝ
s.t-nbỉ
n nbỉ nṯr.w
qdỉ rmṯ ʿ.wt nb.w
m rn=f n Ptḥ
qmȝ swḥ.t
pr m [Nwn…]

[…]
4snṯ n ẖnmw
r šms-ỉb=f m-ḫnt=f
nbỉ.n=f ḥr.w nb ḥr nḥp=f

qdỉ.w ms.tw m-wn
r rmn m bȝḥ=f
ḥr nḥ.t ʿnḫ=sn m-ʿ=f

nṯr.w nṯry.w m ỉȝw n ḥr=f
r grg nỉw.wt m kȝ.t=f
dỉ zȝ n dwȝ sw
zȝ.t n dbḥ sw

ḏd […]

3 It is the Temple of the Father
for the Father in the beginning,
likewise the Temple of the Mother
for the Mother at the start of time,97
that means the sole god, who turned into two:98
Tatenen and Neith,
whose existence came about(?).99

The Temple of Khnum of the guardian deities100,
they perform protection around the great god,
the Place of Fashioning
of He who Fashioned the gods,
and who built people and all animals
in his name of Ptah,
who created the egg
(and) who came forth from [Nun…]101

[…]
4 being founded by Khnum,
in order to follow his heart in it,
he fashioned everybody on his potter’s wheel.

The created-ones approach102 in a hurry
to carry (themselves) before him,
requesting their life from him.

Gods and goddesses are in praise to him,
to found cities through his work,103
to give a son to whomever worships him,
and a daughter to whomever beseeches him.104

May [the temple] endure […]

Esna 64

  • Location: South-East Door, right
  • Date: Probably Domitian
  • Hieroglyphic Text
  • Bibliography: el-Sayed 1982, p. 636, Doc. 1028 (partial)
  • Parallels: Much of columns 1-2 finds exact parallels in Esna II, 17, 57-64.

1ỉr ỉȝ.t tn
ḫnt-tȝ rn=f
tȝ tpy n tȝ-ṯnn
ḫnt ʿ-rsy

zȝṯ nṯry
n nṯr.t-ʿnḫ
dỉ tp=s m Nwn
ḥnʿ Irỉ-tȝ

ḥw.t-ỉt pw
ḥw.t-Mw.t rn=f

1 As for this mound,
Khent-ta is its name,
the initial land of Tatenen
within the Southern District.

The divine earth
of the Living Goddess
who put her head out of Nun,
together with Irita.

It is the Temple of the Father,
its name is Temple of the Mother.

ỉt m ẖnmw
ntf šȝʿ qdỉ

N.t m Mw.t
[nt]s šȝʿ.t ms.t

nḥp m-bȝḥ=f
2msḫn.t m ḥr=s
r ṯz ỉwʿʿ
n ỉr (ḥr) mw=sn

nỉ tš wʿ r wʿ ỉm=sn
m ẖnmw nṯr.t ḥnʿ=f

ntsn pw ʿȝ.w mnḫ.w
nw tȝ r-ḏr=f

rȝ-ʿ.wy=sn
grg spȝ.wt nỉw.wt
kȝ.t=s nfr […]
[…]
nn wrḏ.n=f
nḥm z m-ʿ šȝy=f

The father is Khnum,
it is he who began to build.

Neith is the mother,
[it is] she who began to birth.

The potter’s wheel is before him,
2 the birthbrick before her,
in order to build an heir
for who ever is loyal to them.

One cannot be distinguished from the other,105
as Khnum and the goddess with him.106

They are the great, beneficent ones
of the entire land.

(It is) their activity
that settles districts and cities,
her good work […]
[…] without tiring,
who rescues a man from his Fate.

3ptr pr pn
mỉ ȝḫ.t nt pt
sḫt-šzp=f
(ḥr) wbn ỉm=f
mỉ wn=f ḫnty Nw.t

bw dhn-tȝ pw
n nb wʿ
ḫft bs=f
r ḥw.t-nḥp
r mȝȝ ỉt=f
m ḥb=f nfr
n ḥb ʿḫỉ-pt
m 1/30 nw 3 pr.t

3 Behold this temple,
like the Akhet of heaven!
He who weaves his light
shines within it,
as if he were in the sky.

It is the place of proskynesis,107
for the Sole Lord (Re),108 as he goes forth
to the Temple of the Potter,
in order to see his father (Khnum)
in his good festival,
the festival of Lifting Heaven,
on III Peret 1 (Phamenoth 1).109

4ẖnm=f ḥnʿ ṯȝ.wy=f
ḥʿʿ nṯr.w nṯr.yt
n mȝȝ=f

nfr.wy ḫnty pn
nfr.wy s(w) r wnn ḫnt
m mtr

p(t)r=f r ȝḫ.t n.t p.t
wḫ.w ẖr=f
mỉ zḫn.w twȝ nw.t

ʿrq.w m kȝ.t mnḫ.t n.t nḥḥ
ḥr swr šfy.t
n nb nḥp
ḥnʿ psḏ.t=f
m ȝw n ḏ.t

4 He unites with his children,
and the gods and goddess rejoice
from seeing him.

How beautiful is this forecourt!110
How more beautiful it is than it was,111
in truth!

Seeing112 it is like the Akhet of heaven,
the columns holding it
are like the supports that lift up Nut.

It is complete in effective work of eternity,
magnifying the prestige
of the Lord of the Potter’s Wheel,
along with his Ennead,113
for the duration of eternity.