I. From the Papyrus of Ani.1

“ Homage to thee, O thou who hast come as Khepera,
Khepera the creator of the gods. Thou risest and
thou shinest, and thou makest light to be in thy
mother Nut ( i.e ., the sky) ; thou art crowned king of
the gods. Thy mother Nut doeth an act of homage
unto thee with both her hands. The land of Manu
(i.e., the land where the sun sets) receiveth thee with
satisfaction, and the goddess Maat embraceth thee
both at morn and at eve.2 Hail, all ye gods of the

1 See The Chapters of Coming Forth by Day , p. 3.

2 I.e., Maat, the goddess of law, order, regularity, and the like, maketli
the sun to rise, each day in his appointed place and at his appointed
time with absolute and unfailing regularity.

30

HYMN TO RA (ABOUT B.C. 1550).

Temple of the Soul,1 who weigh heaven and earth in
the balance, and who provide divine food in abundance !
Hail, Tatunen, thou One, thou Creator of mankind and
Maker of the substance of the gods of the south and
of the north, of the west and of the east ! 0 come ye

and acclaim Ea, the lord of heaven and the Creator of
the gods, and adore ye him in his beautiful form as

m t -1 - ^^*^ i***

"lie cometh in the morning in his divine bark.

“0 Ea, those who dwell in the heights and those
who dwell in the depths adore thee. The god Thoth
and the goddess Maat have marked out for thee [thy
course] for each and every day. Thine enemy the
Serpent hath been given over to the fire, the serpent-

fiend Sebau hath fallen down headlong ; his arms have

■ ■" ■

been bound in chains, and thou hast hacked off his

legs ; and the sons of impotent revolt shall nevermore
rise up against thee. The Temple of the Aged One 2
(^.e.,JRa) keepeth festival, and the voice of those who
rejoice is in the mighty dwelling. The gods exult
when they see thy rising, 0 Ea, and when thy beams
flood the world with light. The Majesty of the holy
god goeth forth and advanceth even unto the land of
Manu; he maketh brilliant the earth at his birth each
day ; he journey eth on to the place where he was
yesterday.”

1 /.<?., the soul referred to above in the account of the creation ;
see p. 24.

2 I.e., Ra of Heliopolis.

HYMN TO RA (ABOUT B.C. 1 350).

31