Egyptian Literature: Comprising Egyptian tales, hymns, litanies, invocations, the Book of the Dead, and cuneiform writings
Religion
Egyptian Literature: Comprising Egyptian tales, hymns, litanies, invocations, the Book of the Dead, and cuneiform writings
Egyptian literature -- Translations into English
And when the next day came, and the earth was lightened, the acacia was
cut down. And Anpu, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house, and
washed his hands; and one gave him a cup of beer, and it became troubled;
and one gave him another of wine, and the smell of it was evil. Then he
took his staff, and his sandals, and likewise his clothes, with his
weapons of war; and he betook himself forth to the valley of the acacia.
He entered the tower of his younger brother, and he found him lying upon
his mat; he was dead. And he wept when he saw his younger brother verily
lying dead. And he went out to seek the soul of his younger brother under
the acacia tree, under which his younger brother lay in the evening. He
spent three years in seeking for it, but found it not. And when he began
the fourth year, he desired in his heart to return into Egypt; he said, “I
will go to-morrow morn.” Thus spake he in his heart.
Now when the land lightened, and the next day appeared, he was walking
under the acacia; he was spending his time in seeking it. And he returned
in the evening, and labored at seeking it again. He found a seed. He
returned with it. Behold this was the soul of his younger brother. He
brought a cup of cold water, and he cast the seed into it: and he sat
down, as he was wont. Now when the night came his soul sucked up the
water; Bata shuddered in all his limbs, and he looked on his elder
brother; his soul was in the cup. Then Anpu took the cup of cold water, in
which the soul of his younger brother was; Bata drank it, his soul stood
again in its place, and he became as he had been. They embraced each
other, and they conversed together.
And Bata said to his elder brother: “Behold I am to become as a great
bull, which bears, every good mark; no one knoweth its history, and thou
must sit upon my back. When the sun arises I shall be in the place where
my wife is, that I may return answer to her; and thou must take me to the
place where the King is. For all good things shall be done for thee; for
one shall lade thee with silver and gold, because thou bringest me to
Pharaoh, for I become a great marvel, and they shall rejoice for me in all
the land. And thou shalt go to thy village.”
And when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Bata became in
the form which he had told to his elder brother. And Anpu sat upon his
back until the dawn. He came to the place where the King was, and they
made his Majesty to know of him; he saw him, and he was exceeding joyful
with him. He made for him great offerings, saying, “This is a great wonder
which has come to pass.” There were rejoicings over him in the whole land.
They presented unto him silver and gold for his elder brother, who went
and stayed in his village. They gave to the bull many men and many things,
and Pharaoh loved him exceedingly above all that is in this land.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account