The Temples of Amon

Live Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes; beloved of Amon, lord of Thebes, presider over Karnak; given life, joy of his heart, that he may rule the Two Lands like Re, forever; the Good God, possessor of joy, who is very vigilant for him that fathered him, Amon, king of gods; who has made great his (Amon's) house, who has satisfied his beauty by doing that which his ka desires. Behold, the heart of his majesty was satisfied with making a very great monument; never has happened the like since the beginning. He made (it) as his monument for his father, Amon, lord of Thebes, making for him an august temple on the west of Thebes, an eternal, everlasting fortress of fine white sandstone, wrought with gold throughout; its floor is adorned with silver, all its portals with electrum;⁠a it is made very wide and large, and established forever; and adorned with this very great monument. It is numerous in royal statues, of Elephantine granite, of costly gritstone, of every splendid costly stone, established as everlasting works. Their stature shines more than the heavens, their rays are in the faces (of men) like the sun, when he shines early in the morning. It is supplied with a “Station of the King,” wrought with gold and many costly stones. Flagstaves are set up before it, wrought with electrum; it resembles the horizon in heaven when Re rises in it. Its lake is filled with the great Nile, lord of fish and fowl, pure in ... Its storehouse is filled with male and female slaves, with children of the princes of all the countries of the captivity of his majesty. Its storehouses contain all good things, whose number is not known. It is surrounded with settlements of Syrians, colonized with children of princes, its cattle are like the sand of the shore, they make up millions. The bow-rope of the Southland in it and the stern-rope of the Northland, even his majesty revealed himself like Ptah, was skillful-minded like Him-South-of-His-Wall (Ptah), searching out excellent things for his father, Amon-Re, King of Gods, making for him a very great pylon over against Amon. Its beautiful name which his majesty made was: “Amon-Has-Received-His-Divine-Barque,” a place of rest for the lord of the gods at his “Feast of the Valley” on the western voyage of Amon to behold the western gods, in order that he may endow his majesty with satisfying life. King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands: Nibmare, Heir of Re; Son of Re, Lord of Diadems: Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes, is satisfied with a building for his father Amon-Re, lord of Thebes, in Southern Opet (Luxor), of fine white sandstone, made very wide and large and its beauty increased. Its walls are of electrum, its floor is of silver, all the portals are wrought with ..., its towers reach heaven, and mingle with the stars. When the people see it, they give praise to his majesty. It is the king Nibmare who has satisfied the heart of his father, Amon, lord of Thebes, who has assigned to him every country, the Son of Re, Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes, Brilliance of Re ... His majesty made another monument, for his father, Amon; making for him an enclosure as a divine offering over against Southern Opet; a salubrious place for my father at his beautiful feast. I erected a great temple in its midst like Re when he rises in the horizon. It is planted with all flowers; how beautiful is Nun in his pool at every season; more is its wine than water, like a full Nile, born of the lord of eternity. Many are the goods of the place, the impost of all countries is received, numerous tribute is brought before my father, being the offerings of all lands. He has assigned to me the princes of the south countries; the Southerners are like the Northerners, and each one is like his neighbor; their silver, their gold, their cattle, every splendid costly stone of their countries, by millions, hundred thousands, ten thousands, and thousands. I have done (it) for the one who fathered me, in the uprightness of my heart, according as he appointed me to be the sun of the Nine Bows. King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Nibmare, Part of Re; Son of Re: Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes. I made another monument for him who fathered me, Amon-Re, lord of Thebes, who established me upon his throne, making for him a great barge for the “Beginning-of-the-River” (named): “Amon-Re-in-the-Sacred-Barge,” of new cedar which his majesty cut in the countries of God's-Land.⁠b It was dragged over the mountains of Retenu by the princes of all countries. It was made very wide and large, there is no instance of doing the like. Its ... is adorned with silver, wrought with gold throughout, the great shrine is of electrum so that it fills the land with its brightness; its bows, they repeat the brightness; they bear great crowns, whose serpents twine along its two sides; they exercise protection behind them. Flagstaves are set up before it wrought with electrum, two great obelisks are between them; it is beautiful everywhere. The gods of Pe make jubilee to it; the gods of Nekhen praise it; the two Nile-gods of the South and the North, they embrace its beauty, its bows make Nun to shine as when the sun rises in heaven, to make his beautiful voyage at his feast of Opet on his western voyage of a million of millions of years. King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Nibmare, Son of Re: Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes, who is vigilant to seek that which is useful, the king, who has erected another monument for Amon, making for him a very great portal over against Amon-Re, lord of Thebes, wrought with gold throughout. The Divine Shadow, as a ram, is inlaid with real lazuli wrought with gold and many costly stones; there is no instance of doing the like. Its floor is adorned with silver; towers are over against it. Stelae of lazuli are set up, one on each side. Its pylons reach heaven like the four pillars of heaven; its flagstaves shine more than the heavens, wrought with electrum. His majesty brought gold for it in the land of Karoy on the first victorious campaign, slaying the wretched Kush. King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Nibmare, beloved of Amon-Re; Son of Re: Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes. I made other monuments for Amon, whose like has not been. I built for you your house of millions of years in the ... of Amon-Re, lord of Thebes (named): Khammat, august in electrum, a resting-place for my father at all his feasts. It is finished with fine white sandstone; it is wrought with gold throughout; its floor is adorned with silver, all its portals are of gold. Two great obelisks are erected, one on each side. When my father rises between them, I am among his following. I have offered to him thousands of oxen, limbs for the choicest of hind quarters. Utterance of Amon, king of gods: My son, of my body, my beloved, Nibmare, my living image, whom my limbs created, whom Mut, mistress of Ishru in Thebes, bore to me, mistress of the Nine Bows who brought you up as sole lord of the people. My heart greatly rejoices when I see your beauty, I work a wonder for your majesty, and you renew youth, according as I have set you as the Sun of the Two Lands. When I turn my face to the south, I work a wonder for you; I cause the chiefs of Kush, the wretched, to turn to you, bearing all their tribute upon their backs. When I turn my face to the north, I work a wonder for you; I cause the countries of the ends of Asia to come to you, bearing all their tribute upon their backs. They present themselves to you with their children, in order that you may give to them the breath of life. When I turn my face to the west, I work a wonder for you; I cause you to seize the Tehenu, (so that) there is no remnant of them. (They) are building in this fortress in the name of my majesty, surrounded with a great wall reaching to heaven, settled with children of the chiefs of the Nubian Troglodytes. When I turn my face to the orient, I work a wonder for you; I cause to come to you the countries of Punt, bearing all the pleasant sweet woods of their countries, to crave peace with him, and breath of your giving. King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ruler of the Nine Bows, Lord of the Two Lands, Nibmare, Son of Re, his beloved Amenhotep (III), Ruler of Thebes, with whose monuments the heart of the gods is satisfied; that he may be given life, stability, satisfaction, health; that his heart may be joyful, like Re, forever. Restoration of the monument which the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menmare (Seti I), made for his father Amon-Re, King of all Gods.