Part 42 (2/2)
Glory to thee, Prince coming forth in thy season, Lord of many faces, diadem producing rays, scattering darkness, all roads are filled with thy splendors, apes make to thee salutations with their arms, they praise thee, they cry aloud to thee, they tell thy glories, their lips exalt thee in heaven, in earth; they conduct thee at thy splendid arising, they open or drive back the gate of the western horizon of heaven, they let Ra be embraced in peace and joy by his mother Nut; thy soul is approved by the tenants of the lower heaven, the divine spirits rejoice at the twofold season of brightness: thou turnest gloom into repose,(569) thou sweetenest pain of Osiris, thou givest breezes in the valley, illuminest earth in darkness, sweetenest pain of Osiris. All beings taste the breath, they make to thee acclamations in thy changes, thou who art Lord of changes, they give adoration to thy might in thy forms of beauty in the morn. G.o.ds hold their arms to thee, those whom thy mother Nut bore.
Come to the King O Ra, stablish his glories in heaven his might on earth.
O Ra heaven rejoices to thee, O Ra earth trembles at thee, O blessed Ra-Harmachis thou hast raised heaven to elevate thy soul, the lower sky has hidden thee in thy mystic forms. Thou hast uplifted heaven to the expanse of thy outstretched arms, thou hast spread out earth to the width of thy stride. Heaven rejoices to thee at thy greatness of soul, thy terror fills earth at thy figure, princely hawk of glittering plume, many colored frame, mighty sailor G.o.d, self-existing, traversing paths in the divine vessel, thou roarest in smiting thy foes, making thy great bark sweep on, men hail thee, G.o.ds fear thee, thou hast felled thy foes before it. Courier of heaven outstripped by none, to illumine earth for his children, uplifted above G.o.ds and men, s.h.i.+ning upon us; we know not thy form when thou lookest on our faces, thy bulk pa.s.ses our knowledge.
O blessed Ra-Harmachis thou penetratest ... Bull at night, Chieftain by day, beauteous...o...b..of _mafek_, King of heaven, Sovran of earth, great image in the horizon of heaven. Ra who hast made beings, Tatanen giving life to mankind, Pharaoh son of Ra has adored thee in thy glories, he has wors.h.i.+pped at thy gracious rising brightness on the Eastern horizon, he makes tranquil thy path, he beats down thy foes before thee in his turning back all thy adversaries, he a.s.signed to thee the _Uta_ on her seat, he makes them ... he a.s.signed to thee honors ... he cleared the way for thee, he established thy rites in Abydos; he opens to thee roads in Rusta, he beats down evil.
The Lamentations Of Isis And Nephthys
Translated by P. J. De Horrack
This papyrus was found by the late Mr. Pa.s.salaqua, in the ruins of Thebes, in the interior of a statue representing Osiris. It is divided into two parts, very distinct. The first contains chapters of the funeral ritual in the hieroglyphic writing; the second, of which a translation here follows, consists of five pages of a fine hieratic writing of the lower epoch (probably about the time of the Ptolemies).
This ma.n.u.script now belongs to the Royal Museum of Berlin, where it is registered under the No. 1425.
A partial translation of it was published in 1852 by M. H. Brugsch (”_Die Adonisklage und das Linoslied_”). He translated the second page and the beginning of the third, but without giving the hieratic text. I have since published and completely translated this interesting doc.u.ment (”_Les Lamentations d'Isis et de Nephthys_,” Paris, 1866), and now give the English translation revised.
The composition has a great a.n.a.logy with the ”Book of Respirations,” a translation of which will be added here. Both refer to the resurrection and renewed birth of Osiris (the type of man after his death), who, in this quality, is identified with the sun, the diurnal renewal of which constantly recalled the idea of a birth eternally renewed. The object of the prayers recited by Isis and Nephthys is to effect the resurrection of their brother Osiris, and also that of the defunct to whom the papyrus is consecrated.
LAMENTATIONS OF ISIS AND NEPHTHYS
Recital of the beneficial formulae made by the two divine Sisters(570) in the house of Osiris who resides in the West, Great G.o.d, Lord of Abydos, in the month of Choiak, the twenty-fifth day.
They are made the same in all the abodes of Osiris, and in all his festivals; and they are beneficial to his soul, giving firmness to his body, diffusing joy through his being, giving breath to the nostrils, to the dryness of the throat; they satisfy the heart of Isis as well as (that) of Nephthys; they place Horus on the throne of his father, (and) give life, stability, tranquillity to Osiris-Tentrut(571) born of Takha-aa, who is surnamed Persais the justified.
It is profitable to recite them, in conformity with the divine words.
Evocation By Isis.(572) (She says:)
Come to thine abode, come to thine abode!
G.o.d An,(573) come to thine abode!
Thine enemies (exist) no more.
O excellent Sovereign, come to thine abode!
Look at me; I am thy sister who loveth thee.
Do not stay far from me, O beautiful youth.
Come to thine abode _with haste, with haste_.
I see thee no more.
My heart is full of bitterness on account of thee.
Mine eyes seek thee; I seek thee to behold thee.
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