Egyptian religious poetry

HYMNS TO THE SUN 63

Cast is his enemy into the flame,

Hurled is his enemy down to the ground, Dying and dead are the children of sin. Joyous is now the House of the Prince

Loud are the shouts from each temple on earth, Joyous are all at the rising of Ré

Shining in splendour on field and on flood. Glory to Ré as he crosses the sky,

Passing above to the Hill of the West ! Bright is the earth at the time of his birth, Born in the morning to bless every land. Grant to me Ré, thy blessing of peace ! Grant to me, Lord, to behold with mine eyes Thee at thy rising in beauty, O Lord !

It

AKHENATEN’S hymns to his god are well known, and translations of them are found in all the books (even the novels) written about that King. The hymn in the tomb of Haremheb is less known, and is in some ways more Egyptian in feeling than

those of Akhenaten.

Praise to thee ! Thou who existeth every day,

Who begetteth himself every morning,

Who cometh forth from the womb of his mother unceasingly. The Two Regions come to thee, bowing down ;

They give praise to thee at thy rising

When thou brightenest the earth with thy light,

For thy divine limbs flame as a mighty one in the heavens.