The following Litany of Rā is the translation of a long text which is to be found at the entrance of several of the largest tombs of the kings, in the valley called Biban el Moluk at Thebes. It is a kind of introduction to the long pictures which adorn the walls of the royal sepulchres, and which generally represent the course of the sun at the different hours of night.
Although very nearly connected with the “Book of the Dead,” this text has not yet been found complete in any funereal papyrus; the second section of the fourth chapter only is contained in a papyrus of the British Museum.
The importance of this text consists in this, that it gives us an idea of the esoteric doctrine of the Egyptian priests, which was clearly pantheistic, and which certainly differed from the polytheistic worship of the common people.
The present translation has been made from the book “La Litanie du Soleil” (Leipzig, 1875, avec un vol. de XLIX planches), where this text has been first translated in French, with a commentary. Among the different tombs where this inscription was collected, that of Seti I, commonly called Belzoni's tomb, has been chosen as the standard text.
The Litany of Ra
CHAPTER I
Title. The beginning of the book of the worship of Rā in the Ament[588] of the worship of Temt[589] in the Ament. When anyone reads this book, the porcelain figures are placed upon the ground, at the hour of the setting of the Sun, that is of the triumph of Rā over his enemies in the Ament. Whoso is intelligent upon the earth, he is intelligent also after his death.
1 Homage to thee, Rā! Supreme power, the master of the hidden spheres who causes the principles to arise, who dwells in darkness, who is born as[590] the all-surrounding universe.
2 Homage to thee, Rā! Supreme power, the beetle that folds his wings, that rests in the empyrean, that is born as his own son.
3 Homage to thee, Rā! Supreme power, Tonen[591] who produces his members,[592] who fashions what is in him, who is born within his sphere.