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The Temple of Esna. An Evolving Translation: Esna IV

Bay E (442-448)

Esna 442

1wnn ỉr=f gb.t
ỉwr.tw m ỉtn
Nw.t ḫȝb.tw m šww
ḥr.t ḥr.tw ẖr ỉtn.wy

tmȝ.t ʿȝ.t wr.t
ms(.t) ms.w=s
m ỉḫ.t=s
Rs(.t)-ḥw.wt=s

sḫp(r.t) dbn.wy
m ỉrw=s n Nbỉ.t

ȝḫ.t wr.t
wṯz(.t) ḥȝy.ty
m ẖ.t=s
dr.n=s kkw
ỉn.n=s 2šzp
sḥḏ.n=s ỉz.ty
m pr(.w) ỉm=s

mw.t-nṯr Rʿ pw
sḫp(r.t) wyn
m ḫp(r)=s
sḫp(r.t) wnn.t
m-ḫt ḫp(r)=s

1 The firmament, indeed,
is pregnant with the sun disk;
Nut is bent over with the sun;
the sky is distant with the two disks.

The very great mother,
who births her children
with her things:
that is Rs(.t)-ḥw.wt=s.72

She who creates the two orbiters,
in her form of the Nbỉ.t-cow.

The great Akhet,
who lifts up the two luminaries
into her belly:
as she repelled darkness,73
so she brought 2 light,
having illumined all Egypt
through what comes forth from her.

She is the Divine Mother of Re,
who creates light
through her manifestation,
who created all that exists
after she came into existence.

sqd=s Sȝḥ m p.t rsy.t
m zȝ sḫd msḫtw
m p.t mḥy.t
m ḫnt=s

Nw.w pw
fȝỉ(.t) gnẖ.w ỉr.w
m pẖr=w

dmȝ.t-pḏ.t
ḫnt.t ḫȝbs.w m s.t=s
Nḫb.t 3pw
nr.t šmʿ
ḏȝ(.t) p.t
m dnḥ[.wy]=s
ḥr ỉn(.t) ỉḫt nb.w
nw tȝ-nṯr
r pr.w nṯr.w

dmȝ.t-pḏ.t
nr.t mḥw
m ḫprw=s
ỉṯ(.t) gb.t
ḥwỉ.t ḫȝs.wt Sṯty.w
ḫrp(.t) Pwn.t
ẖr ỉnw=f
(r) ḫm.w n nṯr.wt

She sails Orion in the southern sky,
guarding lest the Big Dipper descend
in the northern sky
within her.

She (Neith) is Nut,
who supports all the stars
in their courses.74

She who Stretches the Bow,75
foremost of decans in her place,
that means 3 Nekhbet,
the vulture of Upper Egypt,
who crosses the sky
with her wing[s],
bringing back all products
of God’s Land,
to the temples of gods.

She who Stretches the Bow,
the vulture of Lower Egypt
in her manifestation,
she who seizes the firmament,
and slays the Asiatic countries,
who takes charge of Punt,
as well as its produce,
to the sanctuaries of goddesses,

ḥr bʿḥ ḥtp.w
m snṯr=s
r sḥb ḫȝ.w(t) nb.w
m ḫnm n nfrw

ḫȝty.w m-ḫt=s
wpwty.w m-pẖr=s
ḥr ʿq-pr m-ẖnw=s

flooding the offering tables
with her incense,
making all altars festive
with the scent of perfection.

The slaughtering-demons follow her,
the messenger-demons surround her,
entering and exiting within her.

Esna 443

These reliefs contain a combination of Zodiac signs, planets,76 decans, and “arrows” of Bastet-Sekhmet,77 all from the northern sky. Only traces of their captions are preserved in paint, but they can be identified based on parallels on other astronomical scenes, for which see Mendel 2022, pp. 454-457.

For the Zodiac signs from this table, see already Sauneron, Ménassa 1969, p. xiv. One might compare the similar representations from the round zodiac of Dendera: Aubourg 1995, p. 4, and photos from the Louvre. For general interest, I note some of the highlights below.

Right (West)

1-12: Decans and pseudo-decans Detailed photograph. Credit: Ahmed Amin
13-14: 2nd and 1st arrows of Bastet-Sakhmet Detailed photograph
15-16: Two more decans
17: Pisces

Left (East)

18: Aries
19: Another decan
20: Taurus and the moon
21: Another decan (“the shepherd”)
22-23: Gemini
24-32: Various serpents and a crocodile-headed, four-winged bird Detailed photograph. Credit: Ahmed Amin
33: Cancer
34: Jupiter
35: Leo, followed by Coma Berenices?
36-37: 4th arrow

Esna 444

  • Location: Bay E
  • Date: Marc[us Aurelius?]
  • Bibliography: Von Lieven 2000, pp. 152-154; Pl. 7; Mendel 2022, pp. 457-458.

NB: This text was only painted, and Sauneron did not record any signs in his edition. Preliminary copies were made by Von Lieven 2000, Pl. 7, and Mendel 2022, p. 457, both based on photographs. More signs have been revealed as this portion of the ceiling has been fully cleaned. Multiple new excerpts are visible in this slideshow, but one awaits the eventual full publication of this inscription.

The inscription mentions various epithets of local goddesses, including Menhit, Nebtu, and Neith. Several words appear to be spelled with multiple uraeus or sky signs, just like in the hymn to Neith from column 13: Esna III, 331.

Esna 445

These reliefs contain a combination of Zodiac signs, planets,78 decans, and “arrows” of Bastet-Sekhmet,79 all from the southern sky. Only traces of their captions are preserved in paint, but they can be identified based on parallels on other astronomical scenes, for which see Mendel 2022, pp. 454-457.

For the Zodiac signs from this table, see already Sauneron, Ménassa 1969, p. xiv. One might compare the similar representations from the round zodiac of Dendera: Aubourg 1995, p. 4, and photos from the Louvre. For general interest, I note some of the highlights below.

Left (West)

38-41: 5th Arrow
42-44: Tutu (chief of the 7 Arrows) above two serpents
45: Virgo holding a grain of wheat (the star “Spica”)
46: Saturn
47: Libra
48: Scorpio Detailed photograph
49-51: crocodile and serpents
52-53: 7th Arrow
54-58: Serpents
59: Sagittarius Detailed photograph. Credit: Ahmed Amin

Right (East)

60-61: Capricorn (below) beneath Mars (above)
62: Aquarius-Hapi
63-68: More decans and pseudo-decans
69-70: 6th Arrow
71-77: More decans

Esna 446

Carving never finished.

Esna 447

Carving never finished.

Esna 448

1ʿnḫ nṯr nfr
ḫwzỉ Ỉwny.t
mỉ ȝḫ.t n.t p.t
qȝ.tw r Nw.t
ḏsr.tw r nỉw.wt spȝ.wt
zȝ-Rʿ
(twmtyns nty-ḫwỉ)|

1 Live the good god,
who constructs Iunyt
like the Akhet of the sky:
higher than Nut,
most sacred of cities and nomes.
The Son of Re,
(Domitian Augustus)|

2mry Mnḥy.t wr.t
nb.t ḫnt-tȝ
šps.t ʿȝ.t
mr.t Ptḥ
wsr.t nn ḥr-ḫw=s

nsr.t 3tp.t n Rʿ
wr pʿy.t
sḫm hh=s

ỉr.t-Rʿ
sḥḏ(.t) tȝ.wy
štȝ.t ḫw.tw ḏs=s

2 Beloved of Menhyt the great,
Lady of Khent-ta,
the great august one,
beloved of Ptah,
mighty one, all by herself.

The flame 3 atop Re,
great of fire,
whose blaze is powerful.

The Eye of Re,
who illumines the two lands,
the mysterious-serpent who protects herself.

4mry Nb.t-ww
nb(.t) tȝ-sn.t
nbw.t ḥnw.t sḫ.t
Rnnwt.t sḫpr(.t) ỉḫt nb.w
m s.t=s

4 Beloved of Nebtu,
Lady of Esna,
the Golden, Mistress of the Field,
Renenutet who produces all offerings
in her place.