The Begining of the Rise of Ra

Here is a link to a PDF of my complete Hieroglyph translation. This has a quadruple format, 1. Hieroglyph 2. MdC transliteration 3. highly literal English translation 4. prose English translation.

From the tombs of Seti I, Ramesses II, Ramesses III, Ramesses IV, and Tutankamun. I have followed the collation of Hieroglyph by Hornung.

Here is a variation on my final literal translation, adding a little bit more context for readability:

The Beginning of the Rise of the Sun

The beginning of the rise into heaven of Ra, the god who begot himself. When he ruled as king on Earth, mankind and gods were one. But then mankind began planning for when his majesty Ra; may he have life, fire, and health; someday he would be elderly with silver bones, his flesh golden, his hair true lapis lazuli. Right away Ra heard the thoughts of mankind, that they were planning for his ascension.

He said to his followers, "Whoever hears this, bring me Air, Rain, Earth and Sky. Also the fathers and mothers who were with me when I was creating. Also my god the Waters of Creation, with his court. Bring them secretly so mankind doesn't see, so they don't lose heart. Bring them to the palace, where they will say what advice they have. I will be with the Waters of Creation at the place of my beginning."

The gods were assembled, coming to face him and bowing to the ground, in awe of his speech and words. They also bowed before his father, the Waters of Creation, and the elders, mankind, the kingship, and the population.

They said to Ra, "Explain the situation, we don't understand."

Ra said to the Waters of Creation, "You are the eldest god, here when I created myself. Assembled here are the original gods, already in existence when I made humans. They have thoughts they wish to express, thinking I made mankind rebellious. But my methods are infinite, and I won't kill off mankind until hearing what the eldest gods have to say."

The Waters of Creation said, "My son Ra, you are a god great at making himself very visible. Your blinding radiance as king causes the people to fear you. You made them work against you."

Our majesty Ra said, "The humans run into the hills, their hearts terrified of what I will say to them."

Ra decided to send someone else to punish the people plotting with evil intent. No one sees more then him, so he sent the wife of Horus. The goddess was to act on his behalf, cutting down mankind in the desert.

Ra said, "I will call upon Hathor, born to pacify mankind."

Hathor said, "You have given me life, and I will take care of mankind, and I will love doing it."

Ra said, "Perhaps this is the key to kingship, burdening them with lots of little things?"

This is when sickness began to brew at night, wading into the peoples blood, coming from the capitol.

Ra said, "Bring swift messengers, who run as fast as shadows beside a body."

The messengers were brought right away.

Ra said, "Organize a work gang to fetch a load of red ochre from Elephantine."

The red ochre was brought right away. Ra gave it to the chief priestess of Ra in Luxor. She pulverized it, and her women ground barley for beer. The red ochre was added to the beer mash, and it became like the blood of mankind. They made 7,000 gallons of beer. The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra, came with his council of gods to inspect the beer, for the day would soon dawn when Hathor would come to cut down mankind, when she came south.

Ra said, "It would be good if I saved mankind from her."

Ra told them to haul the beer to where the slaughter was to commence. The night before she was to arrive he woke while everyone else was sleeping, to pour out the beer. The fields were flooded to a height of 12 inches. The goddess came in the morning to find a fresh flood of blood, and she drank until she was satisfied. She got so drunk she no longer recognized mankind.

Ra said to her, "The charming goddess is welcomed with gifts."

This is the beginning of perfect women with urban charm.

Ra said she should be given sleeping potions all year long. He assigned the priestesses of Hathor to brew this beer for all time onward.

Ra said to Hathor, "Heart ache leads to fire which leads to heart break, but it began with love sickness. As I live, my heart is exhausted from living with the humans. Killing them more is not right, though my power is without limit."

The council of the gods said, "With your retirement and dimming the people will come to love you."

Ra said to the Waters of Creation, "My body is trembling for the first time, I wish to leave right away."

The Waters of Creation said, "My son Air, give your father help. My daughter Sky, let him sit on your back."

Sky said, "How would I do that?"

The Waters of Creation made Sky into a cow, and Ra sat on her back. First they went to the portion of mankind which was loyal to Ra. The people saw Ra approaching on the back of a cow.

The people said to Ra, "We thought you had left the Earth to us. We are here to defeat your enemies, the ones who scheme against you."

Ra arrived at his palace, and the people came with him. Night came. When Ra rose in the morning the people were waging war against their enemies, raining arrows on them.

Ra said to the people, "Stop being evil, stop killing other people."

This is the beginning of killing among mankind.

Ra said to Sky, "I want to ride you up into heaven."

She prayed for it to be so. This is the beginning of the night sky and the daylight sky. Ra became distant from the sight of mankind. Sky became the daylight sky, and the majesty of our god was visible inside her.

She cried out, "I need help."

This is the beginning of the stars.

Ra said, "I wish to give the people a gift, they shall have farmland."

And so the Delta came to be.

"I will seed it with spices."

Then vegetation came to be.

"The tireless planets will help bring in the harvest."

These stars joined Sky, now trembling even more from her altitude above the Earth.

Ra said, "She needs millions to support her."

This is the beginning of the Universe.

Ra said, "My son Air, help your sister Sky, make sure the millions and millions of people below are safe, and tell them to praise the dim lights above. Give your breast to them as a nurse, like with a son or daughter."

This is the beginning of a father bequeathing his son command of the hereditary domaine.

Here is a description of the image of the cow, "Millions suck on her breasts, millions ride on her back, supported by the 4 pillars of her legs. Nine stars are painted on her belly. Don't forget her tail. Under her belly is Air. The cow is yellow. He spreads his arms out below the stars on her belly. Write his name, "Air". Ra himself steers a sacred boat, on which is a shrine to the sunlight of Aten. This is towards the front of the cow. Another boat is at the back of the cow, above her udders, from her womb, sailing from the East, containing Pharaoh. It is all drawn in relief on her thighs, and to the side is written, "I am not giving it to them, they will get what falls." Under the boat it says, "Do not tire my children." Lower it says, "It's like living forever." Further along, "May the children have life, fire, and health, breathing the breath of Air." Beside Air's arm it says, "Guard them." In front of his chest, in mirror image, it says "The righteous will enter every day through my breath." Under the front thighs it says, "All things are decided based on what is in his head." Below this it says, "He comes." This is by two people, their heads no higher then her belly, who celebrate and praise Ra's passage. Over the head of the two people it says, "Look up, wisdom is raining down."

Then Ra said to Thoth, "Bring me Earth, tell him to come right away."

Earth arrived, and Ra said to him, "Watch out for the snakes, they are crawling all over you. They feared me when I was there, but they have no respect for you. You should visit my father, the Waters of Creation, tell him to police the snakes and eels. He should write a warning for you to place on every mound of earth, wherever the snakes are, which says, "Don't disturb anything." Tell them that I am now far away, but I still shine for them. They will be slithering on your land forever. Be on guard against the magicians. Pay attention to their mouths, that's where the magic comes from. I am one who swallows, so I had no need to protect myself from these schemers. As for the humans, I have put my son Osiris in charge. He will protect the vulnerable children, and bless the hearts of the parents. Then they will love their country, filled with his magic."

Then Ra summoned Thoth. He was brought right away. Ra said to him, "The ecliptic in the sky is the seat of my rule, where I catch the spirits that rise to heaven from the cities of the dying. Post a notice in human civilization that says, "Neuter the revolutionaries who oppose Ra." Aten will pass off authority to Aker, the god of boundaries, to police the ones with angry hearts. You will sit in my throne on Earth and rule, and they will call you "Thoth ruler of Ra". I will give you everything you need."

This is the beginning of Saint Thoth.

Ra said, "It will be done by you, ruling mankind, overseen by the first gods. It would be good of you to do everything perfectly."

This is the beginning of the ibis of Thoth.

Ra said, "I will surround you with the two heavens, the perfect night sky and the brilliant daytime sky."

Thus began the moon of Thoth.

Ra said, "You will retire a wealthy man."

This is how the baboon of Thoth began.

Ra said, "You will become the leader of mankind, running the government on your throne, drilling down into matters. I have written your destiny into the stars."

A man should read these words to himself. Purifying himself with oil. Holding the incense. Washing his face and hands, even his mouth. His protection is clothing himself in righteousness, washing himself in the floodwaters, his shoes free of mud, truth written on his tongue in white paint.

This is written according to the heart of Thoth, to be read by Ra. It takes 9 days to clean oneself, and mankind in bondage would be wise to follow suite.

Read every word for the sculptors carving the image of the cow. These ideas make a man upright, and double his yearly income. His eyes and his hands will not fail him. The people will say about him, "He is like Ra on the day of his birth."

His wealth will not shrink, his door won't shut.

And there are a million more true things, praising the Waters of Creation.

Ra himself said to the new gods emerging in the Eastern sky, "Respect the elder gods. I made the Universe, and wove the spirits of the gods into it. I will be with them forever, with the gift of time that never ends. Words are one of my many forms. Clay is a form of Air. Rain is a form of eternity. Night is a form of darkness. Ra is a form of Creation. Osiris is a form of the spiritual city. Crocodiles are a form of Sobek. Snakes are a form of god. Monotheism is a form of the body's spirit."

These are all forms of Ra throughout the land. And speaking of the flood waters washing the flesh of Ra, now the gods can only distantly hear the words of Ra's spirit. It is the sunlight of Aten, gone to heaven before you, passing into the dawn again. Aten was an enemy of Ra, but his soul will be magic forever, an eternal being in the era of the gods. Aten descended from Ra and was therefore a ruling god. A ruler who loved his godly fathers now that magical waters are washing his head.

Make the image of the cow directly opposite the entrance, place the cow in the middle, snakes standing on her tail, on her body, her back. All the craftsmen from the temple of Thoth should praise the noble Sky for this gift. Seal the tomb from the reach of Air, so there is more for the gods to see.

Ra said, "The night sky and daylight sky break in the Eastern sky. Watch over the sky, watch over land, and keep the mysteries secret. Tell the people the great one is arriving to see the Waters of Creation, having said the right things for 10 months. Through this image of a cow he put forth the word of life through god, she was the first to bring fear to the Earth. Repeat these names forever in the eternal lands. Tell the people about god and truth, tell them this is reachable by the long road. There are other names for god, like the one who watches over the flooded fields, Herishef. He is committed to fire and my twilight hours."

Ra is with his council of 9 gods, magically igniting prosperity. Fire is not for enemies but for the people, gods, saints, mothers, and anything living upon the Earth. These are the innovative ideas of Ra.

The gods all bow their heads, Ra is distant, now just a flame in the sky. Write down all the excellent ideas from his mouth. He is rising, he is setting, living in the sky, passing to the West effortlessly, his face a river of fire. He didn't take anything up with him. He's not wildly telling us what to do. He is the wisest of all the gods, his will never thwarted. Don't see him as distant, he is watching over everyone, his dominance has not diminished. Don't fear his wrath, because when you are generous with the saints he will bless you. Don't curse his fruits. Don't hide in the shadows, step out into the sunlight, and grab ahold of Ra.