Re: Great Hymn to...

From: Toread DuDerysi <jakyer_at_bK7nKpii3CxGILXrm-0O9OJRrhUBA4S54wYH3L9BLYlpODu2tbuIvWSdJSclJb5OeB34t>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:03:10 -0000

Yes. Its taken from tomb inscriptions.

A fairly basic treatment and translation is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Hymn_to_the_Aten but I can see if I can dig up something drier and more academic if you like. I've cut and pasted the translation (which sounds remarkably good in plainsong sung antiphonally)

    How manifold it is, what thou hast made!     They are hidden from the face (of man).     O sole god, like whom there is no other!     Thou didst create the world according to thy desire,     Whilst thou wert alone: All men, cattle, and wild beasts,     Whatever is on earth, going upon (its) feet,     And what is on high, flying with its wings.

    The countries of Syria and Nubia, the land of Egypt,     Thou settest every man in his place,     Thou suppliest their necessities:
    Everyone has his food, and his time of life is reckoned.     Their tongues are separate in speech,     And their natures as well;
    Their skins are distinguished,
    As thou distinguishest the foreign peoples.     Thou makest a Nile in the underworld,     Thou bringest forth as thou desirest     To maintain the people (of Egypt)
    According as thou madest them for thyself,     The lord of all of them, wearying (himself) with them,     The lord of every land, rising for them,     The Aton of the day, great of majesty.

For me, this sounds like a paean to Yelm during Re-Ascent period when all foreign influences were purged from the cults. Interestingly, this is very similar to the effects on Egyptian cults during the early New Kingdom period after they drove out the Hyscos, which was when the hymn was written)

Jeff            

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