The Temples of Thebes

Over Amon: Amon-Re, king of gods, lord of heaven, ruler of Thebes. Over Mut: Mut, the great, mistress of Ishru. Over Khonsu: Khonsu in Thebes, beautiful rest. Before the King: I tell the prayers, praises, adorations, laudations, mighty deeds and benefactions which I did for you, in your presence, O lord of gods. Praises, prayers, brave deeds and benefactions which he did for the house of his august father, Amon-Re, king of gods; Mut, Khonsu, and all the gods of Thebes. Said King Ramses III, L. P. H., the Great God, in praising this god, his august father, Amon-Re, king of gods, the primordial, who was at first, the divine god, the self-begetter, who sustains the arm and exalts the etef-crown, maker of what is, creator of what exists, hiding himself from men and gods: Give to me your ears, O lord of gods; hear my prayers which I make to you. Lo, I come to you, to Thebes, your mysterious city. You are divine among the gods who are in your image. You have gone to rest in “Lord-of-Life,” your glorious seat, before the august front of your court; (so) I have mingled with the gods, the lords of the nether world, like my father, Osiris, lord of Tazoser. Let my soul be like the souls of the gods who rest at your side in the eternal horizon. Give breath for my nostrils and water for my soul. Let me eat the oblations, the provisions of your divine offerings. Make my majesty to be noble, abiding in your presence like the great gods, the lords of the nether world. May I go in and go out in your presence as they do. Command that my fame be like theirs against my enemies; establish my offerings presented to my ka, abiding daily to eternity. I was king upon earth, ruler of the living; you set the crown upon my head, as you did; I was inducted in peace into the august palace; I sat upon your throne with joy of heart. It was you who established me upon the throne of my father, as you did for Horus on the throne of Osiris. I did not oppress, I did not deprive another of his throne. I did not transgress your command, which was before me. You gave peace and contentment of heart among my people, and every land was in adoration before me. I know of the excellent things which you did as king, and I multiplied for you many benefactions and mighty deeds. I made for you an august house of millions of years, abiding upon the mountain of “Lord-of-Life,” before you, built of sandstone, gritstone, and black granite; the doors of electrum and copper in beaten work. Its towers were of stone, towering to heaven, adorned and carved with the graver’s tool, in the great name of your majesty. I built a wall around it, established with labor, having ramps and towers of sandstone. I dug a lake before it, flooded with Nun, planted with trees and vegetation like the Delta. I filled its treasury with the products of the lands of Egypt: gold, silver, every costly stone by the hundred-thousand. Its granary was overflowing with barley and wheat; (its) lands, its herds, their multitudes were like the sand of the shore. I taxed for it the Southland as well as the Northland. Nubia and Zahi [came] to it, bearing their impost. It was filled with captives, which you gave to me among the Nine Bows, (and with) classes which I trained by the ten-thousand. I fashioned your great statue resting in its midst; “Amon-Endowed-with-Eternity” was its august name; it was adorned with real costly stone like the horizon. When it appeared, there was rejoicing to see it. I made for it table-vessels, of fine gold; others of silver and copper, without number. I multiplied the divine offerings presented before you, of bread, wine, beer, and fat geese; numerous oxen, bullocks, calves, cows, white oryxes, and gazelles offered in his slaughter yard. I dragged great monuments like mountains of alabaster and hus stone, sculptured with labor, and resting on the right and the left of its portal, carved with the great name of your majesty forever; other statues of granite and gritstone; scarabs of black granite, resting in its midst. I fashioned Ptah-Sokar, Nefertem and all the gods of heaven and earth, resting in its chapel, wrought with fine gold, and silver in beaten work, with inlay of real costly stones, beautified with labor. I made for you an august palace of the king in its midst, like the great house of Atum which is in heaven. The columns, doorposts, and doors were of electrum; the great balcony for the (royal) appearances was of fine gold. I made for it ships laden with barley and wheat for transport to its granary without cessation. I made for it great treasure-ships upon the river, laden with a multitude of things for its august treasury. It was surrounded with gardens and arbor-areas, filled with fruit and flowers for the two serpent-goddesses. I built their châteaux having windows; I dug a lake before them, supplied with lotus flowers. I made for you a mysterious horizon in your city of Thebes over against your forecourt, O lord of gods, (named): “House-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-in-the-House-of-Amon,” abiding like the heavens bearing the sun. I built it, I laid it in sandstone, having great doors of fine gold. I filled its treasury with the things which my hands carried off, to bring them before you every day. I adorned for you Southern Opet with great monuments; I built for you a house in it like the throne of the All-Lord (named): “Temple-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-Possessed-of-Joy-in-Karnak.” I again established your monuments in “Victorious Thebes,” the place of your heart’s rest, beside your face (named): “House-of-Usermare-Meriamon-in-the-House-of-Amon,” like the shrine of the All-Lord; built of stone, like a marvel established as an eternal work; the doorways upon them were of granite, doors and doorposts of gold. I supplied it with classes which I trained, bearing offerings by the hundred-thousand. I made for you a mysterious shrine in one block of fine granite; the doors upon it were of copper in hammered work, engraved with your divine name. Your great image rested in it, like Re in his horizon, established upon his throne to eternity in your great and august court. I made for you a great sacrificial tablet of silver in hammered work, mounted with fine gold, the inlay-figures being of Ketem-gold, bearing statues of the king, L. P. H., of gold in hammered work, an offering-tablet bearing your divine offerings, offered before you. I made for you a great vase-stand for your forecourt, mounted with fine gold, with inlay of stone; its vases were of gold, containing wine and beer, in order to present them before you every morning. I made for you a storehouse for the “Feast of the Appearance,” with male and female slaves. I supplied them with bread, beer, oxen, fowl, wine, incense, fruit, vegetables, flowers, pure offerings before you every day, being an increase of the daily offering which was before. I made for you a splendid amulet of gold, with inlay; great collars and tassels of Ketem-gold complete, to bind them to your body, every time you appear in your great and splendid seat in Karnak. I made for you a statue of the king, of gold, in hammered work, resting in the place which he knows, in your august shrine. I made for you great tablets of gold, in beaten work,⁠a engraved with the great name of your majesty, bearing my prayers. I made for you other tablets of silver, in beaten work, engraved with the great name of your majesty, with the decrees of the house. I made for you great tablets of silver, in beaten work, engraved with the great name of your majesty, carved with the graver’s tool, bearing the decrees and the inventories of the houses and temples which I made in Egypt, during my reign on earth; in order to administer them in your name forever and ever. You are their protector, answering for them. I made for you other tablets of copper in beaten work, of a mixture of six (parts), of the color of gold, engraved and carved with the graver’s tool with the great name of your majesty, with the house-regulations of the temples; likewise the many praises and adorations which I made for your name. Your heart was glad at hearing them, O lord of gods. I made for you a great vase of pure silver, its rim of gold, engraved with your name. A sieve was upon it of beaten work, of pure silver, a great sifting-vessel of silver, having a sieve and feet. I wrought upon the portable images of Mut and Khonsu, fashioned and made anew in the gold-houses, made of fine gold in thick overlay, with inlay of every costly stone which Ptah made, having collars before and behind, and tassels of Ketem-gold. They rest with heart satisfied at the mighty deeds which I did for them. I made for you great stele for your portal, overlaid with fine gold, with inlay-figures of Ketem-gold; large bases were under them, overlaid with silver, bearing inlay-figures in gold, to the pavement line. I gave to you ten ten-thousands of measures of grain, to provision your divine offerings of every day, to convey them to Thebes every year, in order to multiply your granaries with barley and wheat. I brought to you the captives of the Nine Bows, the gifts of the lands and countries for your court. I made the road to Thebes like a foot to lead before you, bearing much provision. I founded for you oblations at the feasts of the beginnings of the seasons, to make offering before you at your every appearance. They were supplied with bread, beer, oxen, fowl, wine, incense, and fruit without number. They were levied anew upon the princes and inspectors as an increase of all the benefactions which I did for your ka. I hewed for you your august ship “Userhet” of 130 cubits (length) upon the river, of great cedars of the (royal) domain, of remarkable size, overlaid with fine gold to the water line, like the barge of the Sun, when he comes from the east, and everyone lives at the sight of him. A great shrine was in the midst of it, of fine gold, with inlay of every costly stone like a palace; rams’ heads of gold from front to rear, fitted with uraeus-serpents wearing etef-crowns. I led to you Punt with myrrh, in order to encircle your house every morning. I planted incense sycamores in your court; they had not seen (it) before since the time of the god. I made for you transports, galleys, and barges, with archers equipped with their arms, upon the sea. I gave to them captains of archers and captains of galleys, manned with numerous crews, without number, in order to transport the products of the land of Zahi and the countries of the ends of the earth to your great treasuries in “Victorious Thebes.” I made for you herds in the South and North containing large cattle, fowl, and small cattle by the hundred-thousand, having overseers of cattle, scribes, overseers of the horns, inspectors, and numerous shepherds in charge of them; having cattle-fodder; in order to offer them to your ka at all your feasts, that your heart may be satisfied with them, O ruler of gods. I made for you wine-gardens in the Southern Oasis, and the Northern Oasis likewise without number; others in the South with numerous lists; they were multiplied in the Northland by the hundred-thousand. I manned them with gardeners from the captives of the countries; having lakes of my digging, supplied with lotus flowers, and with shedeh and wine like drawing water, in order to present them before you in “Victorious Thebes.” I planted your city, Thebes, with trees, vegetation, isi-plants, and menhet flowers for your nostrils. I built a house for your son, Khonsu in Thebes, of good sandstone, red gritstone, and black stone (granite). I overlaid its doorposts and doors with gold, (with) inlay-figures of electrum, like the horizon of heaven. I worked upon your statues in the gold-houses, with every splendid costly stone which my hands brought. I made for you an august quarter in the city of the Northland, established as your property forever; “House-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-Great-in-Victory,” it is called, forever. I conveyed to it Egypt with its tribute; the people of every land were gathered in its midst. It was furnished with large gardens and places for walking about, with all sorts of date groves, bearing their fruits, and a sacred avenue, brightened with the flowers of every land, isi-plants, papyrus, and dedmet flowers, like sand. I made for it Kanekeme, inundated like the Two Lands, in the great olive-lands; bearing vines; surrounded by a wall around them by the iter; planted with great trees in all their many paths, in which was oil more than the sand of the shore; in order to bring them to your ka, to “Victorious Thebes;” wine like drawing water without measure, to present them before you as a daily offering. I built for you your temple in the midst of its ground, established with labor, excellent in stone of Ayan. Its door and its doorposts were of gold, mounted with copper; the inlay-figures were of every costly stone, like the double doors of heaven. I fashioned your august image, with which the “Appearance” is made, like Re when he brightens the earth with his beams; “Amon-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis” was its great and august name. I filled its house with male and female slaves, whom I carried off from the lands of the Bedwin. The lay priests of the temple were ... children of great men, whom I trained. Its treasury was overflowing with products of every land; its granaries approached heaven, its herds were multiplied more than the sand; cattle yards, offered to his ka, (as) divine offerings daily, full and pure before him; fattening-houses containing fat geese; poultry yards containing wild fowl; gardens with wine, provided with their fruit, vegetables and all kinds of flowers. I made for you an august house in Nubia, engraved with your august name, the likeness of the heavens (named): “House-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-Great-in-Victory,” abiding, bearing your name forever. I built for you a mysterious house in the land of Zahi, like the horizon of heaven which is in the sky, (named): “The-House-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-in-Pekanan,” as the property of your name. I fashioned your great statue resting in the midst of it (named): “Amon-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.” The Asiatics of Retenu came to it, bearing their tribute before it, for it was divine. I brought the earth, united for you, bearing their imposts, to convey them to Thebes, your mysterious city. I made for you statues in the districts of Egypt; they were for you (and) the gods who preserve this land. I built for them temples, gardens containing their groves, lands, small cattle, large cattle, many slaves; they are yours forever, your eye is upon them, you are their protector to eternity. I wrought upon your great and grand statues which are in their districts in the lands of Egypt. I restored their temples which were in ruin. I multiplied the divine offerings presented to their ka’s as an increase of the daily offerings which were formerly. See, I have listed all that I did before you, O my august, divine father, lord of gods, that men and gods may know of my benefactions, which I did for you in might, while I was upon earth. How happy is he who depends upon you! O god, Amon, Bull of his mother, ruler of Thebes. Grant that I may arrive in safety, landing in peace, and resting in Tazoser like the gods. May I mingle with the excellent souls of Manu, who see your radiance at early morning. Hear my petition! O my father, my lord, I am alone among the gods who are at your side. Crown my son as king upon the throne of Atum, establish him as mighty Bull, lord, L. P. H., of the two shores, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands: Usermare-Setepnamon, L. P. H.: Son of Re, Lord of Diadems: Ramses (IV)-Hekma-Meriamon, L. P. H., emanation that came forth from your limbs. You are the one who designated him to be king, while he was a youth. Appoint him to be ruler, L. P. H., of the Two Lands over the people. Give to him a reign of millions of years, his every limb being whole, in prosperity and health. Place your crown upon his head, seated on your throne; and may the serpent-goddess alight upon his brows. Make him divine more than any king, and great like your reverence, as lord of the Nine Bows. Make his body to flourish and be youthful daily, while you are a shield behind him for every day. Put his sword and his war-mace over the heads of the Bedwin; may they fall down in fear of him like Baal. Extend for him the boundaries as far as he desires; may the lands and countries fear in terror of him. Grant for him that Egypt may rejoice, ward off all evil, misfortune and destruction. Give to him joy abiding in his heart, jubilation, singing and dancing before his beautiful face. Put love of him in the hearts of the gods and goddesses; his kindness and his terror in the hearts of men. Complete the good things of which you have told me on earth for my son, who is upon my throne. You are the one who created him, confirm his kingdom to the son of his son, you being to them a protector, answering for them and they being to you servants with their eyes upon you doing benefactions for your ka, forever and ever. The things that you ordain, they come to pass, abiding and established; the things that you say, they endure like gritstone. You adjudged to me a reign of 200 years; establish them for my son who is (still) upon earth; make his life longer than (that of) any king, in order to repay the benefactions which I have done for your ka. Let him be king by reason of your command; even yours, who crown him; do not let him reverse that which you have done, O lord of gods. Give great and rich Niles in his time, in order to supply his reign with plentiful food. Give to him the princes who have not known Egypt, with loads upon their backs for his august palace, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands: Usermare-Setepnamon, L. P. H.; Son of Re, Lord of Diadems: Ramses (IV)-Hekma-Meriamon, L. P. H.