Hymn To The Nile

I. _Strophe_
_Adoration of the Nile_

1 Hail to thee O Nile!
2 Thou showest thyself in this land,
3 Coming in peace, giving life to Egypt:
4 O Ammon, (thou) leadest night unto day,(472)
5 A leading that rejoices the heart!
6 Overflowing the gardens created by Rā.(473)
7 Giving life to all animals;
8 Watering the land without ceasing:
9 The way of heaven descending:(474)
10 Lover of _food_, bestower of corn,
11 Giving light to every home, O Ptah!

II.

1 Lord of fishes, when the inundation returns
2 No fowls fall on the cultures.(475)
3 Maker of spelt; creator of wheat:
4 who maintaineth the temples!
5 Idle hands he loathes(476)
6 For myriads, for all the wretched.
7 If the gods in heaven are grieved,(477)
8 Then sorrow cometh on men.

III.

1 He maketh the whole land open to the oxen,(478)
2 And the great and the small are rejoicing;
3 The response of men at his coming!(479)
4 His likeness is Num!(480)
5 He shineth, then the land exulteth!
6 All bellies are in joy!
7 Every creature receives nourishment!
8 All teeth get food.

IV.

1 Bringer of food! Great lord of provisions!
2 Creator of all good things!
3 Lord of terrors(481) and of choicest joys!
4 All are combined in him.
5 He produceth grass for the oxen;
6 Providing victims for every god.
7 The choice incense is that which he supplies.
8 Lord in both regions,
9 He filleth the granaries, enricheth the storehouses,
10 He careth for the state of the poor.

V.

1 He causeth growth to fulfil all desires,
2 He never wearies of it.
3 He maketh his might a buckler.(482)
4 He is not graven in marble,(483)
5 As an image bearing the double crown.
6 He is not beheld:
7 He hath neither ministrants nor offerings:
8 He is not adored in sanctuaries:
9 His abode is not known:
10 No shrine is found with painted figures.(484)

VI.

1 There is no building that can contain him!(485)
2 There is no counsellor(486) in thy heart!
3 Thy youth delight in thee, thy children:
4 Thou directest(487) them as King.
5 Thy law is established in the whole land,
6 In the presence of thy servants in the North:(488)
7 Every eye is satisfied with him:(489)
8 He careth for the abundance of his blessings.

VII.

1 The inundation comes, (then) cometh rejoicing;
2 Every heart exulteth:
3 The tooth of the crocodiles, the children of Neith(490)
4 (Even) the circle of the gods who are counted with thee.
5 Doth not its outburst water the fields,
6 Overcoming mortals (with joy):
7 Watering one to produce another.(491)
8 There is none who worketh with him;
9 He produces food without the aid of Neith.(492)
10 Mortals he causes to rejoice.

VIII.

1 He giveth light on his coming from darkness:(493)
2 In the pastures of his cattle
3 His might produceth all:
4 What was not, his moisture bringeth to life,
5 Men are clothed to fill his gardens:
6 He careth for his laborers.
7 He maketh even and noontide,
8 He is the infinite Ptah and Kabes.(494)
9 He createth all works therein,
10 All writings, all sacred words,
11 All his implements in the North.(495)

IX.

1 He enters with words the interior of his house,(496)
2 When he willeth he goeth forth from his mystic fane.
3 Thy wrath is destruction of fishes.(497)
4 Then(498) men implore thee for the waters of the season.
5 “That the Thebaid may be seen like the Delta.
6 That every man be seen bearing his tools,
7 No man left behind his comrade!
8 Let the clothed be unclothed,
9 No adornments for the sons of nobles,
10 No circle of gods in the night!”
11 The response (of the god) is refreshing water,
12 Filling all men with fatness.

X.

1 Establisher of justice! men rejoice
2 With flattering words to worship(499) thee,
3 Worshipped together with the mighty water!
4 Men present offerings of corn,
5 Adoring all the gods:
6 No fowls fall on the land.(500)
7 Thy hand is adorned with gold,(501)
8 As moulded of an ingot of gold,
9 Precious as pure lapis lazuli,(502)
10 Corn in its state of germination is not eaten.(503)

XI.

1 The hymn is addressed to thee with the harp;
2 It is played with a (skilful) hand to thee!
3 The youths rejoice at thee!
4 Thy own children.
5 Thou hast rewarded their labor.
6 There is a great one adorning the land;
7 An enlightener, a buckler in front of men,
8 Quickening the heart in depression.
9 Loving the increase of all his cattle.

XII.

1 Thou shinest in the city of the King;
2 Then the householders are satiated with good things,
3 The poor man laughs at the lotus.(504)
4 All things are perfectly ordered.
5 Every kind of herb for thy children.
6 If food should fail,
7 All enjoyment is cast on the ground,
8 The land falls in weariness.

XIII.

1 O inundation of Nile, offerings are made to thee:
2 Oxen are slain to thee:
3 Great festivals are kept for thee;
4 Fowls are sacrificed to thee;
5 Beasts of the field are caught for thee
6 Pure flames are offered to thee;
7 Offerings are made to every god,
8 As they are made unto Nile.
9 Incense ascends unto heaven,
10 Oxen, bulls, fowls are burnt!
11 Nile makes for himself chasms in the Thebaid;(505)
12 Unknown is his name in heaven,
13 He doth not manifest his forms!
14 Vain are all representations!(506)

XIV.

1 Mortals extol (him), and the cycle of gods!
2 Awe is felt by the terrible ones;
3 His son(507) is made Lord of all,
4 To enlighten all Egypt.(508)
5 Shine forth, shine forth, O Nile! shine forth!
6 Giving life to men by his oxen:
7 Giving life to his oxen by the pastures!
8 Shine forth in glory, O Nile.