Religion
Hymns To Amen
Translated by C. W. Goodwin (in Egyptian Literature, 1901) · From Cuneiform Inscriptions and Hieratic Papyri
“O Amen, lend thine ear to him
who is alone before the tribunal,
he is poor (he is not) rich.
The court oppresses him;
silver and gold for the clerks of the book,
garments for the servants. There is no other Amen, acting as a judge,
to deliver (one) from his misery;
when the poor man is before the tribunal,
(making) the poor to go forth rich.”
HYMN TO AMEN
“I cry, the beginning of wisdom is the way of Amen,
the rudder of (truth).
Thou art he that giveth bread to him who has none,
that sustaineth the servant of his house.
Let no prince be my defender in all my troubles.
Let not my memorial be placed under the power
of any man who is in the house... My Lord is (my) defender;
I know his power, to wit, (he is) a strong defender,
there is none mighty except him alone.
Strong is Amen, knowing how to answer,
fulfilling the desire of him who cries to him;
the Sun the true King of gods,
the Strong Bull, the mighty lover (of power).”
HYMN TO AMEN
“Come to me, O thou Sun;
Horus of the horizon give me (help);
Thou art he that giveth (help);
there is no help without thee,
excepting thou (givest it).
Come to me Tum, hear me thou great god.
My heart goeth forth toward An
Let my desires be fulfilled,
let my heart be joyful, my inmost heart in gladness.
Hear my vows, my humble supplications every day,
my adorations by night;
my (cries of) terror... prevailing in my mouth,
which come from my (mouth) one by one.
O Horus of the horizon there is no other beside like him,
protector of millions, deliverer of hundreds of thousands,
the defender of him that calls to him, the Lord of An.
Reproach me not with my many sins.
I am a youth, weak of body.
I am a man without heart.
Anxiety comes upon me as an ox upon grass.
If I pass the night in... and I find refreshment,
anxiety returns to me in the time of lying down.”
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous Egyptian Poets. “Hymns To Amen.” Translated by C. W. Goodwin. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-egyptian/12/.
Chicago
Anonymous Egyptian Poets. “Hymns To Amen.” Translated by C. W. Goodwin. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-egyptian/12/.
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