The Literature of Ancient Egypt

The boats weigh anchor up and down the river.
At your arrival all the paths are opened.
Before your face the fish hop in the river.
Your rays reach the green ocean.
You are he who puts the male seed in the woman,
You are he who creates the male seed
You are he who awakens the child in the mother’s womb,
Caressing him so he won’t cry.
Even in the womb you are his wet-nurse.
You give breath to all your creation,
Opening the baby’s mouth,
And giving him nourishment.

When the chick chirps in the egg
You give him breath so he can live.
You bring his body to maturity
So he can break the shell
And so when he breaks it, he runs on his little legs,
Announcing his creation.

How many are your works!
They are mysterious to men’s eyes.
Oh only, incomparable Almighty God,
You have created the earth in solitude
As your heart desired,
You have created men, the big and the small animals,
All that is on earth, you have created it,
And all that walks,
All that parts the supreme air,
You have created strange countries, Khor and Kush
And also the land of Egypt,
You put each man in the right place
With food and possessions
And the days are counted.

-Ahkenaten, Hymn to the Sun

Quoted on May 4, 2013