THE HYMN TO OSIRIS
"Homage to thee, Osiris, Lord of eternity, King of the Gods,
whose names are manifold, whose forms are holy, thou being of
hidden form in the temples, whose Ka is holy. Thou art the
governor of Tattu (Busiris), and also the mighty one in Sekhem
(Letopolis). Thou art the Lord to whom praises are ascribed in
the nome of Ati, thou art the Prince of divine food in Anu. Thou
art the Lord who is commemorated in Maati, the Hidden Soul, the
Lord of Qerrt (Elephantine), the Ruler supreme in White Wall
(Memphis). Thou art the Soul of Ra, his own body, and hast thy
place of rest in Henensu (Herakleopolis). Thou art the beneficent
one, and art praised in Nart. Thou makest thy soul to be raised
up. Thou art the Lord of the Great House in Khemenu (Hermopolis).
Thou art the mighty one of victories in Shas-hetep, the Lord of
eternity, the Governor of Abydos. The path of his throne is in
Ta-tcheser (a part of Abydos). Thy name is established in the
mouths of men. Thou art the substance of Two Lands (Egypt). Thou
art Tem, the feeder of Kau (Doubles), the Governor of the
Companies of the gods. Thou art the beneficent Spirit among the
spirits. The god of the Celestial Ocean (Nu) draweth from thee
his waters. Thou sendest forth the north wind at eventide, and
breath from thy nostrils to the satisfaction of thy heart. Thy
heart reneweth its youth, thou producest the.... The stars in the
celestial heights are obedient unto thee, and the great doors of
the sky open themselves before thee. Thou art he to whom praises
are ascribed in the southern heaven, and thanks are given for
thee in the northern heaven. The imperishable stars are under thy
supervision, and the stars which never set are thy thrones.
Offerings appear before thee at the decree of Keb. The Companies
of the Gods praise thee, and the gods of the Tuat (Other World)
smell the earth in paying homage to thee. The uttermost parts of
the earth bow before thee, and the limits of the skies entreat
thee with supplications when they see thee. The holy ones are
overcome before thee, and all Egypt offereth thanksgiving unto
thee when it meeteth Thy Majesty. Thou art a shining Spirit-Body,
the governor of Spirit-Bodies; permanent is thy rank, established
is thy rule. Thou art the well-doing Sekhem (Power) of the
Company of the Gods, gracious is thy face, and beloved by him
that seeth it. Thy fear is set in all the lands by reason of thy
perfect love, and they cry out to thy name making it the first of
names, and all people make offerings to thee. Thou art the lord
who art commemorated in heaven and upon earth. Many are the cries
which are made to thee at the Uak festival, and with one heart
and voice Egypt raiseth cries of joy to thee."Thou art the
Great Chief, the first among thy brethren, the Prince of the
Company of the Gods, the stablisher of Right and Truth throughout
the World, the Son who was set on the great throne of his father
Keb. Thou art the beloved of thy mother Nut, the mighty one of
valour, who overthrew the Sebau-fiend. Thou didst stand up and
smite thine enemy, and set thy fear in thine adversary. Thou dost
bring the boundaries of the mountains. Thy heart is fixed, thy
legs are set firm. Thou art the heir of Keb and of the
sovereignty of the Two Lands (Egypt). He (Keb) hath seen his
splendours, he hath decreed for him the guidance of the world by
thy hand as long as times endure. Thou hast made this earth with
thy hand, and the waters, and the winds, and the vegetation, and
all the cattle, and all the feathered fowl, and all the fish, and
all the creeping things, and all the wild animals therof. The
desert is the lawful possession of the son of Nut. The Two Lands
(Egypt) are content to crown thee upon the throne of thy father,
like Ra.
"Thou rollest up into the horizon, thou hast set light over
the darkness, thou sendest forth air from thy plumes, and thou
floodest the Two Lands like the Disk at daybreak. Thy crown
penetrateth the height of heaven, thou art the companion of the
stars, and the guide of every god. Thou art beneficent in decree
and speech, the favoured one of the Great Company of the Gods,
and the beloved of the Little Company of the Gods.
His sister [Isis] hath protected him, and hath repulsed the
fiends, and turned aside calamities (of evil). She uttered the
spell with the magical power of her mouth. Her tongue was
perfect, and it never halted at a word. Beneficent in command and
word was Isis, the woman of magical spells, the advocate of her
brother. She sought him untiringly, she wandered round and round
about this earth in sorrow, and she alighted not without finding
him. She made light with her feathers, she created air with her
wings, and she uttered the death wail for her brother. She raised
up the inactive members of whose heart was still, she drew from
him his essence, she made an heir, she reared the child in
loneliness, and the place where he was not known, and he grew in
strength and stature, and his hand was mighty in the House of
Keb. The Company of the Gods rejoiced, rejoiced, at the coming of
Horus, the son of Osiris, whose heart was firm, the triumphant,
the son of Isis, the heir of Osiris."