Egyptian religious poetry

OSIRIS 89

When the river rises, bringing happiness and mirth, As the joyous Nile we hail Osiris ;

Giver of the harvest and Creator of the earth, All we have and are is from Osiris.

Women, hymn his triumph ; let your voices, men, ring out ; Cry aloud, all creatures of Osiris !

Thunder forth his praises in one vast triumphant shout, Glory to the Risen Lord, Osiris !

19 LAMENTATIONS OF ISIS AND NEPHTHYS (312 B.c.)

© creat Heir who came forth from Geb,

Eldest One, fair of countenance,

Living Soul who is in Istenu,

Child who came forth from Him-who-sees-and-hears,

Elder of the Two Shrines, Heir of Geb,

Who gives to thee all the circuit of the sun !

Come to thy house, O Osiris, who judgest the gods.

Open thine eyes that thou mayest see with them ;

Drive thou away the clouds,

Give thou light to the earth in darkness !

Come to thy house, O Osiris, first of the Westerners, come to thy house !

O Thou who camest forth from the womb with the uraeus on thy head,

Thine eyes illumine the Two Lands and the gods,

Raise thee up, raise thee up, O Sovereign our Lord !

He that rebelled against thee is at the execution block and shall not exist. [J-E.A., xxii (1936), 131]