Egyptian religious poetry

58 EGYPTIAN RELIGIOUS POETRY

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Verity, that Hill of Bakhu, on which the sky rests, is in the east of Heaven. It is three hundred khat (30,000 cubits) in length, one hundred khat in width. There is a snake upon the brow of that Hill, 30 cubits in length, covered with shining flint scales. [B.B.D., ch. cviii]

4 Verse transcription of Nos. 1-3

Open the gates of the East and the West ! Open the gates of the South and the North ! For the Boat of the Sunset goes to its rest And the Boat of the Daybreak waits to come forth.

Open your gates, O ye Regions of Night,

Let the Boat of the Dawn sail your pillars between, Let the Abd-fish disport him in ripples of light,

And in eddies of turquoise the Ynt-fish be scen.

Gold is the river, the Nile of the sky, Flashing with gold comes the Boat of the Dawn. Shrine of the South, lift your portals on high ! Shrine of the North, let your bolts be withdrawn !

Serpent of Bakhu, why sleepest thou still ? Wake ! for the darkness is passing away. Wake ! for the dawn-light is flooding thy hill As the Boat of the Morning speeds to the day.