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A Hymn to the Setting Sun . From the Papyrus of XIXth dynasty

Vignette : The deceased and his wife standing with both hands raised
in adoration before a table of offerings, upon which are a libation vase
and lotus flowers .


Text : ( t) A HYMN OF PRAISE TO RA-HERU-(2)KIIUTt (RA-
HAR,MACIIIS) WHEN HE SETTETH IN (3) THE WESTERN PART
OF HEAVEN . He (i . e ., the deceased) saith :-

"Homage to thee, (4) O Ra [who] in thy setting art (5) Tem-
"Heru-khuti (Tem-Harmachis), thou divine god, thou self-created
"(7) being, thou primeval matter [from which all things were
"made]. When [thou] appearest (8) in the bows of [thy] bark
"men shout for joy at (9) thee, O maker of the gods! (10) Thou
"didst stretch out the heavens wherein thy two eyes r might travel,
"thou didst make the earth to be a vast chamber for thy Khus,
"so that (11) every man might know his fellow . The Sektet boat
"is glad, and the Matet boat rejoiceth ; (12) and they greet thee
"with exaltation as thou journevest along . The god Nu is content,
"and thy (13) mariners are satisfied ; the uraeus-goddess hath over-
"thrown thine enemies, and thou hast carried off the legs of Apep .
"Thou art beautiful, (14) O Ra, each day, and thy mother Nut
"embraceth thee ; thou settest in beauty, and thy heart is glad
"(15) in the horizon of Manu, and the holy beings therein re-
joice . (16) Thou shinest there with thy beams, O thou great god,
"Osiris, the everlasting Prince . The lords of (17) the zones of
"the Tuat in their caverns stretch out their hands in adoration
"before (18) thy Ka (double), and they cry out to thee, and they
"all come forth in the train of thy form shining brilliantly . (iy)
"The hearts of the lords of the Tuat (underworld) are glad
"when thou (20) sendest forth thy glorious light in Amentet ;
"their two eyes are directed towards thee, (21) and they press
"forward to see thee, and their hearts rejoice when they do see
"thee . Thou hearkenest unto (22) the acclamations of those that
"are in the funeral chest,' thou doest away with their helpless-
ness and drivest away the evils which are about (23) them.
"Thou givest breath to their nostrils and they take hold of the
"bows of thy hark (24) in the horizon of Mann . Thou art beauti-
ful each day, O Ra, and may thy mother Nut embrace Osiris
" 2 victorious ."

The Source: The Book oDead, the Chapters of Coming Forth by Day
Translated into English by E. A. Wallis Budge, Litt.D., D.Lit
London, 1898.

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               2 - A Hymn to the Setting Sun  . From the Papyrus of at-hetep