The Founding of the Temple of Atum at Heliopolis
1Year 3, third month of the first season, day ..., under the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Kheperkere, Son of Re, Sesostris (I), triumphant. Living forever and ever. When the king appeared in the double crown, occurred the sitting in the audience-hall, one took counsel with his suite. The companions of the court, the princes at the place of ...; one commanded, while they heard, one took counsel, while making them reveal: “Behold, my majesty is exacting a work, and taking thought in an excellent matter. For the future I will make a monument, and set up an abiding stela for Harakhte. He begot me to do that which he did, to execute that which he commanded to do. He appointed me shepherd of this land. He recognized him who should defend it, he has given to me that which he protects, and that which the eye, that is in him, illuminates. Doing throughout as he desires. I have rendered that which he exacted ...; I am a king of his character, a sovereign, to whom he ... not. I conquered as a lad, I was mighty in the egg. He appointed me lord of the two halves, as a child, before the swaddling-clothes were loosed for me. He appointed me lord of mankind, ... in the presence of the people. He perfected me to be occupant of the palace, as a youth, before my two ... came forth. He gave his length and his breadth [to me], who have been brought up in his character, which he took, to whom was given the land; I am its lord. My fame has reached the height of heaven, my excellence .... He has commanded me to conquer that which he conquered, ... Horus, who have numbered his limbs. I have established the offerings of the gods, I will make a work, namely, a great house, for my father Atum. He will make it broad, according as he has caused me to conquer. I will victual his altars on earth, I will build my house in the .... My beauty shall be remembered in his house. My name is the pyramidion, and my name is the lake, eternity is that excellent thing which I have made; the king does not die, who is mentioned by reason of his achievements. It is my name ... which is mentioned in reality, which does not pass away because of eternal things. That which I make is that which shall be, that which I seek is the excellent things. Excellent food is .... It is vigilance in eternal things.” Then spoke these companions of the king, and they answered before their god: “Hu is [in] your mouth, and Esye is behind you. O sovereign, it is your plans which are realized, O king, who shines as Favorite of the Two Goddesses, to ... in your temple. It is excellent to look to the morrow, and with excellent things, to (coming) time. The multitude completes nothing without you, for your majesty is the two eyes of all people. You are great that you may make your monument in Heliopolis, the dwelling of the gods, before your father, the lord of the great house, Atum, the bull of the gods. Let your house arise, that it may offer to the oblation-tablet; that it may do the service for its favorite statue, for your figure in all eternity.” The king himself said to the wearer of the royal seal, the sole companion, the overseer of the double White House, the privy councilor of ...: “It is your counsel which shall cause the work to be done, of which my majesty desires that it should be; you are the commander belonging to it, who shall do according to that which is in my heart, ... vigilance, that it may come to pass without laxity, that all the work .... I have commanded those who work to do according as you shall exact.” The king was crowned with the diadem, all the people were following him. The chief ritual priest and scribe of the sacred book stretched the cord, the stake in the earth, ... was done in this temple. His majesty had a royal scribe go before the people, who were gathered [in] one place, south and north, ....