A HYMN OF PRAISE TO RA WHEN HE RISETH IN THE EASTERN PART OF
HEAVEN
Behold, the Osiris Ani, the scribe of the holy offerings of all the
gods, saith: Homage to thee, O thou who hast come as Khepera, Khepera the
creator of the gods, Thou art seated on thy throne, thou risest up in the sky,
illumining thy mother [Nut], thou art seated on thy throne as the king of the
gods. [Thy] mother Nut stretcheth out her hands, and performeth an act of homage
to thee. The domain of Manu receiveth thee with satisfaction. The goddess Maat
embraceth thee at the two seasons of the day. May Ra give glory, and power, and
thruth-speaking, and the appearance as a living soul so that he may gaze upon
Heru-khuti, to the KA of the Osiris the Scribe Ani, who speaketh truth before
Osiris, and who saith: Hail, O all ye gods of the House of the Soul, who weigh
heaven and earth in a balance, and who give celestial food [to the dead]. Hail,
Tatun, [who art] One, thou creator of mortals [and] of the Companies of the Gods
of the South and of the North, of the West and of the East, ascribe ye praise to
Ra, the lord of heaven, the KING, Life, Strength, and Health, the maker of the
gods. Give ye thanks unto him in his beneficent form which is enthroned in the
Atett Boat; beings celestial praise thee, beings terrestial praise thee. Thoth
and the goddess Maat mark out thy course for thee day by day and every day.
Thine enemy the Serpent hath been given over to the fire. The Serpent-fiend
Sebau hath fallen headlong, his forelegs are bound in chains, and his hind legs
hath Ra carried away from him. The Sons of Revolt shall never more rise up. The
House of the Aged One keepeth festival, and the voices of those who make merry
are in the Great Place. The gods rejoice when they see Ra crowned upon his
throne, and when his beams flood the world with light. The majesty of this holy
god setteth out on his journey, and he goeth onwards until he reacheth the land
of Manu; the earth becometh light at his birth each day; he proceedeth until he
reacheth the place where he was yesterday. O be thou at peace with me. Let me
gaze upon thy beauties. Let me journey above the earth. Let me smite the Ass.
Let me slit asunder the Serpent-fiend Sebau. Let me destroy Aepep at the moment
of his greatest power. Let me behold the Abtu Fish at his season, and the Ant
Fish with the Ant Boat as it piloteth it in its lake. Let me behold Horus when
he is in charge of the rudder [of the Boat of Ra], with Thoth and the goddess
Maat on each side of him. Let me lay hold of the tow-rope of the Sektet Boat,
and the rope at the stern of the Matett Boat. Let Ra grant to me a view of the
Disk (the Sun), and a sight of Ah (the Moon) unfailingly each day. Let my
Ba-soul come forth to walk about hither and thither and whithersoever it
pleaseth. Let my name be called out, let it be found inscribed on the tablet
which recordeth the names of those who are to receive offerings. Let meals from
the sepulchral offerings be given to me in the presence [of Osiris], as to those
who are in the following of Horus. Let there be prepared for me a seat in the
Boat of the Sun on the day wheron the god saileth. Let me be received in the
presence of Osiris in the Land of Truth-speaking- the Ka of Osiris Ani.