1From the great administrative and historical papyrus compiled at the close of the reign of Ramses III, recording his campaigns and benefactions.[1] Section 76:9-11: I destroyed the people of Seir, of the tribes of the Shasu (mhw.w shasu); I plundered their tents (ihr.w), their people, their possessions, their cattle likewise, without number. They were pinioned and brought as captives, tribute of Egypt.
The Temples of Thebes
2Over 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, 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.[2] 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.
The Temples of Heliopolis
3Over Harakhte: Harakhte, great god, lord of heaven. Over Atum: Atum, lord of the Two Lands of Heliopolis. Over Saosis: Saosis, mistress of Heliopolis. Over Hathor: Hathor, mistress of Hetep. Before the King: I tell the prayers, praises, adorations, and laudations, mighty deeds, benefactions, which I did for you, in your presence, O great prince. The prayers, praises, laudations, mighty deeds, and benefactions which King Usermare-Meriamon, L. P. H., the Great God, did for his father, Atum, lord of the Two Lands of Heliopolis, Re-Harakhte, Saosis, the mistress of Hetep (Hathor), and all the gods of Heliopolis. Said the King Usermare-Meriamon, L. P. H., the Great God, in praising his father, this august god, Atum, lord of the Two Lands of Heliopolis, Re-Harakhte: Praise to you, Re-Atum, All-lord, creator of that which is, rising in heaven, illuminating this land with his rays. The hidden ones, dwelling in the West, turn their faces to you; they rejoice to behold your beauty. All people jubilate at the sight of you. It is you who made heaven and earth; and you appointed me to be king over the Two Lands, and Ruler, L. P. H., on your great throne. You assigned to me all the lands as far as the circuit of the sun. They feared, and fell down to my name, as they do to your name. I was diligent in pursuit of benefactions and numerous great deeds for your house. I extended your wall in the house of Re, I filled his treasury with the products of the lands of Egypt; I loaded his granaries with barley and spelt, which had begun to stand (empty) since the (former) kings. I made great designs for your ..., I caused them to rest in the shrines of your temple; I made the regulations for the priests in the house of Re. I made him more divine than formerly, I cleansed Heliopolis for his divine ennead. I built his temples, which were gone to ruin, I fashioned their gods in their mysterious forms of gold, silver, and every costly stone, as everlasting works. I made for you an august house in the midst of your temple, like the heavens, abiding and bearing the sun, before you, founded with gritstone, laid with limestone, established with good work, enduring in your name. It is the great and mysterious horizon of Harakhte, the “Great Seat” is of gold, the double doors of Ketem-gold, while your mother rests in the midst of it, rejoicing and satisfied at seeing it. I equipped it with the classes which I trained, personal property, lands, and herds without number. I made for you great monuments in the house of Re, of gritstone, which Atum shaped into great images, sculptured with toil, dragged up, and resting in their places forever and ever, in your great, august and lovely forecourt, carved with your divine name like the heavens. I made for you august amulets of fine gold, with inlay of real lapis lazuli and real malachite. I attached them to your body in the great house of your protection and your magnificence, in your splendid seat, that they might protect the august limbs as perennial amulets for your great, grand and lovely form. I made for you a mysterious shrine of granite, in which Atum and Tafnut rest. The double doors upon it were of copper, mounted with gold, engraved with the great name of your majesty, forever and ever. I made for you great decrees for the administration of your temple, recorded in the hall of writings of Egypt; stele were made, with outlined figures, carved with the graver’s tool, ... for you forever, nor is there destruction for them. I made for you splendid balances of electrum; the like of which had not been made since the time of the god. Thoth sat upon it as guardian of the balances, being a great and august ape of gold in beaten work. You weigh in it before you, O my father, Re, when you measure of gold and silver by the hundred-thousands, brought as tribute before you from their coffers, and given to your august treasury in the house of Atum. I founded for it daily divine offerings, in order to supply its altar at early morning. I made for you a storehouse for the “Feast of the Appearance,” being built upon pure ground, on the land of Heliopolis, divine in workmanship. I filled it with beautiful slaves of the choicest, and clean grain by the ten-thousand, in order to supply them. I made for you a pure storehouse containing divine offerings more than were before me, since (former) kings. I equipped it with everything, it suffered no lack; in order to supply your offerings at early morning. I made an oblation-storehouse for your forecourt, filled with divine offerings, and plentiful food, and containing great oblations of gold and silver, in order to offer them to your ka, O lord of gods. I equipped them, I completed them with barley and wheat, filled with the spoil which I carried away from the Nine Bows. They were for your ka, O sole lord, maker of heaven and earth, that the feasts of the first of the seasons might be doubled before you. I made you cattle yards, equipped, containing bulls, and bullocks; fattening-houses anew, containing fat geese. I cleansed the sacred lakes of your house, I removed all the filth that was in them, which had been the fashion of them formerly since the earth began. Your divine ennead was satisfied in heart and rejoiced over them. I gave shedeh and wine as daily offerings, in order to present the land of Heliopolis in your splendid and mysterious seat; groves, and verdure, with their plants anew. The lords of the land of life are satisfied with them. I made for you great gardens, equipped, containing their groves, bearing shedeh and wine in the great house of Atum; and the divine ennead of Heliopolis rejoice in feasts to satisfy your beauty daily. I made for you olive-lands in your city of Heliopolis, I equipped them with gardeners and numerous people, to make pure oil, the best of Egypt, in order to light the flame in your august house. I made for you groves and arbors, containing date trees; lakes supplied with lotus flowers, papyrus flowers, isi flowers, the flowers of every land, dedmet flowers, myrrh, and sweet and fragrant woods for your beautiful face. I made for you domains anew, with pure barley; I doubled their lands which had been waste, in order to double the divine offerings in numerous lists, for your great, august and lovely name. I made for you numerous lands in the New Isles, in the southern and northern districts, by the ten-thousand. There were made for them stele engraved with your name, abiding for you, bearing decrees forever. I made for you a poultry yard containing wild fowl; I conducted the pools to your city, Heliopolis, in order to present them to your ka, O my father, conducted to you and to your divine ennead which follows you. I appointed for you archers and collectors of honey, bearing incense to deliver their yearly impost into your august treasury. I appointed for you hunting archers to capture white oryxes, in order to offer them to your ka at all your feasts. I made for you boatmen and tax-officials of the people, whom I created to collect the impost of the Two Lands, the taxes and the exactions, in order to transport them to your treasury in the house of Re, in order to double your divine offerings more than a million times. I appointed slaves as watchmen of your harbor, in order to watch the harbor of the Heliopolitan canal in your splendid place. I made door-keepers of the slaves, manned with people, in order to watch and protect your court. I made slaves as watchmen of the canal-administration, and the watchmen of the pure barley, for you likewise. I made for you granaries filled with grain, which had begun to fall to waste, and they became millions. I made for you statues of gold in beaten work, kneeling upon the ground before you, bearing divine offerings. I made others likewise, of pure silver, in order to satisfy your two serpent-goddesses at every time. I made a great vase-stand in your forecourt, bearing vases of gold and silver, containing shedeh, supplied with divine offerings in numerous lists, in order to offer to your ka, O great prince. I made for you table-vessels without number, of silver and gold with inlay, engraved with your name; a censer, nemset-vases, great denya-vases, enkhy-vases, hesy-vases, and numerous bowls, in order to convey them into your presence with libations of wine; your divine ennead was satisfied in heart and rejoiced over them. I made for you transports, and galleys manned with people, in order to transport the products of God’s-Land to your treasury and your storehouse. I restored the “House-of-Horus-Presider-over-Temples;” I built his walls, which were in ruins. I made to grow the august grove, which was in its midst; I planted it with papyrus in the midst of the Delta marshes, (though) it had begun to decay formerly. I made to grow the pure grove of your temple, I put it in its accustomed condition when it had gone to waste; I equipped it with gardeners to cultivate it, to make libations of shedeh in the “Place-Which-He-Knows.” I made for you great festival oblations for your court, as an increase of that which was done formerly since (former) kings, supplied with bulls, bullocks, mountain cattle, oil, incense, honey, shedeh, wine, gold, silver, royal linen, numerous garments, plants, and all flowers for your beautiful face. I made for you great festival oblations in the house of Hapi, and all the gods of Khereha were in festivity. I made for you an august house north of Heliopolis, established as an everlasting work, engraved with your name, namely: “The-House-of-Millions-of-Years-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis-L.-P.-H.-in-the-House-of-Re-on-the-North-of-Heliopolis.” I equipped it with people and property, in order to convey into your house gardens, containing flowers for your forecourt. I made for you a herd (called): “Doer-of-Benefactions,” supplied with plentiful cattle without number, in order to present them to your ka at all your feasts. I doubled those who belonged to them in classes, belonging to your name. I made for you another herd for your august house, in order to supply your temple with plentiful provisions (called): “Herd-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-Doubling-Offerings-in-the-House-of-Re.” I filled it with cattle, and herdsmen likewise. They shall not pass away, forever, belonging to your ka. I made you works, with workmen, builders, and stonecutters, in order to fashion your house, in order to restore your house. I made for you the “House-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-in-the-House-of-Re,” equipped with people and property, like the sand. I made for you an august house, west of the Heliopolitan canal, for your mother, Saosis, mistress of Heliopolis. I made for you a pure settlement of numerous classes; whose sons I brought into your house (called): “Taking-of-the-Foreigners.” I raised the black cattle and great bulls, purified from every evil in their fields. I hewed a large barge for your great daughter, Saosis, mistress of Hetep (called): “Sep-in-Heliopolis;” of cedars of ..., the best of the royal domain, which were covered with gold like the barge of millions of years. Behold, the list of them is before you, O my father, my lord, in order to inform your divine ennead of my benefactions. Complete for me the mighty deeds, which I did for you, O father. I have reached the West like Osiris; grant that I may receive offerings, which come forth before you; that I may smell incense and myrrh like your divine ennead. Grant that your radiance may bathe my head daily; that my soul may live, that he may behold you at early morning. Do the desire of my heart, O august father, for I was a benefactor of your ka, while I was upon earth. Hear my petition, do that which I say, which gods as well as men announce to you. Establish my son to be king, as lord of the Two Regions, that he may rule the Two Lands, like you, as sovereign, L. P. H., in Egypt: Usermare-Setepnamon, L. P. H., whom you have chosen for yourself, to be heir, to magnify your name. Set the white crown and the divine double crown upon his head, just as you were crowned upon earth, as Horus, wearer of the double diadem. Make sound his every limb, make to flourish his bones and his eyes, flourishing in beholding the love of millions. Make his duration upon earth like the Pole Star; ready, like a mighty Bull, seizing the Two Lands. Give to him the Nine Bows, united under his two feet, saluting his name, while his sword is over them. You are the one who created him, when he was a child; you appointed him to be hereditary prince upon the double throne of Keb; you said: “Let him become king upon the throne of him who fathered him.” The things which you ordain, they come to pass, abiding, and established. Give to him a great and prolonged reign, and jubilees great and mighty, like Tatenen; 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.
The Temples of Memphis
4Over Ptah: Ptah the great, “South-of-His-Wall,” lord of “Life-of-the-Two-Lands.” Over Sekhmet: Sekhmet the great, beloved of Ptah. Over Nefertem: Nefertem, protector of the Two Lands. Before the King: I tell the prayers, praises, adorations, laudations, mighty deeds, and benefactions, which I did for you in your presence, O Resi-inebef. The prayers, praises, adorations, laudations, mighty deeds and benefactions, which King Usermare-Meriamon, L. P. H., the Great God, did for his father, Ptah, the great, “South-of-His-Wall,” lord of “Life-of-the-Two-Lands;” Sekhmet, the great, beloved of Ptah; Nefertem, protector of the Two Lands; and all the gods of Memphis. Said King Usermare-Meriamon, the Great God, to his father, this august god, Ptah, the great, “South-of-His-Wall,” lord of “Life-of-the-Two-Lands,” Tatenen, father of the gods, lofty-plumed, ready-horned, beautiful-faced, upon the great throne: Hail to you! Great are you, revered are you, O Tatenen, father of the gods, great god of the first time, former of men, maker of gods, beginning that became the first primeval being, after whom happened all that came to pass, who made heaven after the conception of his mind, who suspended it by the elevation of the atmosphere, who founded the earth by that which he himself did, who surrounded it with Nun, and the sea; who made the nether world, who satisfied the dead, and caused the sun to come to prosper them, as ruler of eternity, lord of everlastingness; lord of life, who fills the throat and gives breath to every nostril; who preserves alive all men by his sustenance. Lifetime, destiny and bringing up are under his authority, men live by that which comes out of his mouth; maker of offerings for all the gods, in his form as Nun, the great; lord of eternity, everlastingness is under his authority; breath of life for all people; leading the king to his great throne in his name: King of the Two Lands. I am your son whom you have installed as king in the place of my father in peace. I follow you, your plans are before me. You multiplied good things for me, while I was upon earth, you have led me to rest by your side in the western heavens like all the mysterious gods of the Nether World, and I am associated with your divine ennead in your mysterious seat, like Apis, your august son, who is by your side. Grant that I may eat food of your divine offerings, of bread, incense, beer, shedeh, and wine. Grant that I may live again in Tazoser, seeing you every day like your divine ennead. While I was ruler, L. P. H., upon earth as lord of Egypt, did I not incline my heart mightily to you, in order to seek all benefactions for your august house, in order to present them before you in your city of Memphis? I made for you a house anew in your court, the place of your heart’s rest at your every appearance (called): “The-House-of-Ramses-Ruler-of-Heliopolis,-L.-P.-H.,-in-the-House-of-Ptah,” in the great and mysterious court of “Him-Who-is-South-of-His-Wall,” founded in granite, laid in limestone. Its great doorposts bore lintels of Elephantine granite; the doors upon it were of copper in a mixture of six (parts). The great doorways were of gold, with inlay of stone; the bolts of black copper, overlaid with gold, bearing figures of Ketem-gold, with gold in inlay. Its monuments were sculptured and established with labor. Its towers were of stone, approaching heaven. Its “Great Seat” was enlarged like a “Great House,” having a door of gold like the double doors of heaven. I wrought upon your image, resting in its shrine, in gold, silver, and real, costly stone, established with labor. I equipped it with serf-laborers in numerous lists, having lands and herds in South and North. Its storehouses were overflowing with numerous possessions, naval archers, collectors of honey, delivering incense and delivering silver, merchants without number, deliveries of clean grain by the ten-thousand; numerous gardens, plentiful in shedeh and wine; cattle yards, bulls, bullocks, and fattening-houses; the products of Egypt, God’s-Land, Syria and Kush. I made them more numerous than the sand, in its august storehouse, the magazine containing divine offerings, supplied with food, without lack in any of its places. They were for your ka, O sole lord, maker of what is, Ptah, “South-of-His-Wall,” ruler of eternity. I gave to you 20,000 16-fold heket of grain, to convey them to your house each year, in order to provision your temple with divine offerings, in addition to the daily offerings which were before me. I restored the house of Ptah, your great seat, I caused it to be like the horizon, in which Re is. I filled its storehouses with numerous possessions. I loaded its granaries with barley and spelt. I made a design for your processional image, in the gold-house anew, of your temple, wrought of gold, native silver, real lapis lazuli, malachite, and every splendid costly stone. I made its august shrine like the horizon of heaven, in your barque in the midst of it, resting upon it. I set up its great ... The shrine was with a roof, two columns, and an upper cornice of the roof; they were of gold in raised work, in real, costly stone. I wrought upon its great carrying-poles, overlaid with fine gold, engraved with your name. When you appear with glad heart in Ineb-Sebek in your great and mysterious form of “Him-Who-is-South-of-His-Wall (Ptah),” you fill your city of Memphis with the radiance of your limbs, and the people rejoice to see your beauty. I cleansed Hatkeptah, your splendid seat; I built its temples, which had gone to ruin; I fashioned its gods in their august forms, of gold, silver, every costly stone in the gold-houses. I made for you great tablets of silver in hammered work, engraved and carved with the graver’s tool, in the great name of your majesty, with the adorations and prayers which I offered before you, and bearing the decrees for the administration of your house forever. I made for you two tablets of a mixture of six (parts), being of the color of fine mountain gold, engraved and adorned with your name, carved with the graver’s tool, with the excellent praises which I offered to your ka. I made for you august amulets for your body, of fine Ketem-gold, and of silver, in beaten work, in raised work with inlay of real lapis lazuli, in order to put them upon your limbs in your “Great Seat,” and all the gods of the house of Ptah were contented with them. I made for you a mysterious shrine of Elephantine granite, established with work forever, of a single block, having double doors of bronze, of a mixture of six (parts), engraved with your august name, forever. Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nefertem rest in it, while statues of the king are by their side, to present offerings before them. I founded for them divine offerings presented before them, enduring for you forever, before your beautiful face. I made for you great decrees with secret words, recorded in the hall of writings of Egypt, made into stele of stone engraved with the graver’s tool, for the administration of your august house, forever; and the administration of your pure settlement of women. I brought their children who were forsaken, being people of the serf-laborers, (in) the hands of others. I put them for you into the offices in the house of Ptah, and there were made for them decrees forever. I made for you storehouses for the “Feasts of the Appearance” in your divine house. They were built upon the (temple) soil, and established with labor. I filled them with slaves whom I had carried off as captives, to serve for your divine offerings, full and pure, in order to provision the house of Ptah with food and provisions, in order to double that which was before you, O Resi-inbef (Ptah); and your divine ennead was glad of heart, and rejoiced over them. I made for you cattle yards, filled with bulls and bullocks; fattening-houses likewise, containing fat geese; poultry yards of the exactions containing wild fowl, in order to offer to your ka every day. I made for you archers and collectors of honey, delivering incense; I established for them tax-officials to conduct them and to collect their annual impost for your august storehouse, in order to fill the magazines of your house with numerous possessions, in order to double your divine offerings, for presentation to your ka. I made for you granaries filled with barley and spelt, containing many grain-heaps, towering to heaven, in order to provision your temple every day, before your lovely face, O maker of heaven and earth. I made for you statues of the king, L. P. H., of gold in beaten work; others of pure silver in beaten work likewise, kneeling upon the ground before you, bearing a vase and an offering-tablet, containing divine offerings of bread and beer, in order to offer them before you every day. I made for you a great vase-stand for your court, overlaid with fine gold, with labor; its vases were of gold and silver, carved with your name, supplied with divine offerings and with every good thing, in order to offer (them) before you at early morning. I made for you transports and galleys in the midst of the sea, manned with galley-crews in numerous lists, in order to transport the products of God’s-Land, and the impost of the land of Zahi to your great storehouses in your city of Memphis. I made for you great festival oblations as new foundations, in order to offer (them) to your ka at each of your appearances. They were supplied with bread, beer, oxen, fowl, incense, fruit, vegetables, shedeh, wine, royal linen, plentiful mek-linen, fine southern linen, oil, incense, honey, dried myrrh, every good aromatic wood, sweet in fragrance, before your lovely face, O lord of gods. I made for you a great festival oblation of the “First-of-the-Flood” for your great, august and lovely name, Ptah-Nun, the great, father of the gods. They were supplied with food like water in your great and august court of Ineb-Sebek, for all your images, and the gods of the deeps. They were paid dues and ... from the storehouses, magazines, granaries, cattle yards, and poultry yards each year, in order to satisfy the great council of Nun, so that they are satisfied and rejoicing in the feast at the sight of them. I hewed your august barge, O lord of eternity, of 130 cubits length upon the river; of great new cedars, of the best of the royal domain. Its “Great House” was of gold, and of real costly stones, as far as the water; and of gold on each side of it. Its bow bore a pair of hawks of fine gold, with inlay of every costly stone, more beautiful in work than the evening-barque. The stern was of fine gold, its two steering-oars wrought in fine gold. Ptah, the beautiful of face, South-of-His-Wall, appeared, in order to rest in its “Great House,” like the horizon-god, while his heart was satisfied and glad at the sight of it, making his beautiful voyage upon the flood, to his daughter, the mistress of the sycamore (Hathor), on the south of Memphis. The people rejoice at the sight of him, and there is jubilee before him to his august house. I protected the sacred cattle of Apis, male and female, which had been neglected in the herds of every house. I made them all more divine than their sacred cattle. I extended their boundaries to their accustomed places, which others had taken from them for fields. Their landmarks were set up, engraved with your name; and there were made for them decrees for administering them on earth. I brought to you plentiful tribute of myrrh, in order to go around your temple with the fragrance of Punt for your august nostrils at early morning. I planted incense and myrrh-sycamores in your great and august court in Ineb-Sebek, being those which my hands brought from the country of God’s-Land, in order to satisfy your two serpent-goddesses every morning. I made for you table-vessels for your “Great Seat,” being censers, vases, altar-vessels bearing gen-vases, heset-vases, ekhu-vessels, enkhi-vases, and great altar-vessels for oblations, bearing divine offerings. They were of fine gold and silver, in beaten work, with inlay of every costly stone without number, in order to present them to your ka every day, O Ptah, father of gods, former of men. I celebrated for you the first jubilee of my reign, as a very great feast of Tatenen. I doubled for you that which was done in the midst of the court, and there was offered to you a festival offering, consisting of numerous oblations of bread, wine, beer, shedeh, vegetables, bulls, bullocks, calves by the hundred-thousand, cows by the ten-thousand, without number: the products of the lands of Egypt like the sand of the shore. The gods of South and North were gathered in the midst of it. I restored your temple, the jubilee-houses which were before in ruins, since the (former) kings. I wrought upon your divine ennead, the lords of the jubilee, in gold, silver, and costly stones, as formerly. I made for them clothing of royal linen and mek-linen; I mixed for them ointment for their serpent-crests. I founded divine offerings, offered to their ..., abiding as daily offerings for their ka’s forever. Behold, I have listed the benefactions which I did before you, O Ptah-South-of-His-Wall, lord of the White Wall (Memphis), that the gods of the house of Ptah may know of my benefactions. Give to me your eyes and your ears, O lord, Ptah, father of fathers, former of the gods; and hear my plea, which I make before you. I am your beloved son, great in benefactions. Install my son to be king, establish him upon your throne as ruler of every land over the people, Usermare-Setepnamon, L. P. H., the child who came forth from your limbs. Grant that he may be crowned upon earth like the son of Isis (Horus), when he took the etef-crown, bearing the ... Grant that he may rest upon your throne as king of the Two Lands, as Horus, the mighty Bull, beloved of Mat. Give to him my kingdom according as you make his life happy upon earth, possessed of joy. Make his sword victorious, while the lands and countries fall beneath his feet forever. Let him take possession of Egypt as ruler, L. P. H., of the Two Lands; let him be divine before you, possessed of your favor. Extend for him the boundaries of the Nine Bows; let them come because of his might, that they may do obeisance to him. Give satisfying life, united with his limbs, and health for his members at every season, 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.