A HYMN TO RA
Background
The
ancient Egyptians believed that life was dependent upon the sun, and they
worshiped it by various names and in various cults. One special name for the sun was Ra. According to many Egyptologists, Ra
was, as were Osiris, Set, and many Egyptian deities, a foreign god. Sir Ernest Budge
suggests that he was introduced into Egypt before it had become a civilization,
and that his attributes most closely resembled Marduk and, in fact, the name Ra
could have been merely a different name for this Babylonian god. The center of the cult of Ra was in
Lower Egypt in the city of Heliopolis, which was at the crossroads of caravans
from Arabia and Syria, where ideas had probably been exchanged since Predynastic
times. By the Fourth Dynasty, when
Heliopolis had grown in influence, the pharaoh became the son of Ra. Under the Fourth Dynasty the priests of
Heliopolis became very powerful and succeeded in acquiring pre-eminence for
their god Ra over all the other gods of Lower Egypt. So influential were this cult’s priests that two of the
mightiest kings of the Fourth Dynasty who built the second and third great
pyramid at Giza included Ra’s name in their own names (Khafre and
Menkaure). A tradition of kings
calling themselves the “son of Ra” continued throughout ancient Egyptian
history even into the Roman period, making Ra one of the most influential of
ancient Egypt’s gods.
In
spite of its general accuracy, the hieroglyphic board linked to this document
is an artistic inscription rather than an exact copy of an existing
artifact. Note the numbered
portions of the translated text, which correspond to the subsequent translation
key also linked to this document.
To follow the flow of hieroglyphic text (left to right), match the
numbers of the translation to the linked hieroglyphic key and board.
To zoom in,
click on the board. Then, to further enlarge it, click
Hieroglyphic Board (Refer to text below.)
Translation (Refer to text below.)
[1]
A Hymn of Praise to Ra when he riseth in the Eastern Part of Heaven. The Osiris Ani1, the scribe
of the holy offerings of all the gods, [2] saith: “Homage to thee, O thou who
hast come as Khepera, creator of the gods. Thou art seated on thy throne, thou risest up in the sky,
[3] illuminating they mother Nut2 stretcheth out her hands, and
performeth an act of homage to thee.
[4] The domain of Manu3 receiveth thee with
satisfaction. The goddess Maat4
embraceth thee at the two seasons of the day5 May Ra give glory and power and
truth-speaking, [5] and the appearance as a living soul so that he may gaze
upon Heru-khuti6 to the Ka7 of the Osiris the scribe Ani,
who speaketh truth before Osiris, [6] and who saith: “Hail O all ye gods of the
House of the soul, who weigh heaven and earth in the balance, and who give
celestial food (to the dead).
Hail, Taten, (who art) One,8 [7] thou creator of mortals
[and] of the Companies of the Gods of the South and the North, of the West and
the East, ascribe ye praise of Ra, the Lord of Heaven, [8] the King, Life,
Strength, and Health (be to him), the maker of the gods. Give ye thanks unto him in his
beneficent form which is enthroned in the Atett Boat9, [9] beings
celestial praise thee, beings terrestrial (gods) praise thee. Thoth10 and the goddess Maat
mark out they course for thee day by day and every day. Thine enemy the Serpent11
hath been given over [10] to the fire.
The Serpent-fiend Sebau12 hath fallen headlong, his forelegs
are bound in chains, and his hind legs hath Ra carried away from him. The Sons of Revolt13 [11]
shall never more rise up. The
House of the Aged One (Ra) Keepeth festival, and the voices of those who make
merry are in the Great Place. [12]
The gods rejoice when they see Ra crowned upon his throne, and when his beams
flood the world with light. The
majesty [13] of this holy god setteth out on his journey, and he goeth onwards
until at his birth each day; he proceedeth until he reacheth the place where he
was yesterday. [14] O be thou at
peace with me. Let me gaze upon
thy beauties. Let me journey above
the earth. . . . Let me slit asunder the [15] Serpent-fiend Sebau. Let me destroy Aapep14 at
the moment of his greatest power.
Let me behold the Abtu Fish
as his season, and the Ant Fish15 [16] with the Ant Boat as
it piloteth it in the Lake. (Let
me behold Horus when he is in charge of the rudder [of the Boat of Ra], with
Toth and the goddess Maat on each side of him).
1. 8th
Dynasty Theban scribe whose name, according to the custom shown, is preceded by
the name of Osiris.
2. The
sky goddess Nut.
3. Egyptian
name of the west where the sun sets.
4. The Egyptian personification of righteousness, truth, and justice,
standing for absolute order and morality.
5. Morning
and evening.
6. The
god Horus of the two horizons.
7. Abstract
individuality came into being when the body to which it belonged was born, living
independently of body.
8. Very
ancient god of the earth and the husband of Nut (Footnote 2).
9. The
boat in which he started his journey across the sky in the morning.
10. Egyptian
god of wisdom, knowledge, and mind, inventor of writing, arithmetic, astronomy,
and arts and sciences.
11. A
huge serpent, who was the enemy of Ra.
12. Also
an enemy of Ra, often taking the form of a crocodile.
13. Children
of rebellion were the fiends and inferior devils who carried out the commands
of Set (Egyptian Devil).
14. Monster
serpent, who attacked the Sun-god daily, personified as a black thundercloud.
15. Abtu
and Ant were two fish, who swam in front of the Boat of Ra to protect him from
water-devils or fiends.
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