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# Egyptian: Great Hymn to the Nile

🏷 Egyptian text interlinear recommended · text — by Gerry · Dec 2024 · 1692 words

The great hymn to the Nile is an Egyptian poem that celebrates the Nile. Under the hood, it’s encrypted and celebrates aristocratic secrecy, and the cheating of the subjects.

## Introduction

The Great Hymn to the Nile is an Egyptian poem, very similar to the Great Hymn to Aten. And just like that other poem, it is also encrypted, and celebrates the deception of the subjects by the rulers. The main pun is the Nile god ḥˤpj “Hapi” punning with ḥȝp “secrecy”.

Since the 2 texts are so similar, and the Hymn to the Nile was found in worse shape with many words illegible, I’ve only decrypted a few lines here, to show how it works.

### References

The glyphs, transcription and official translation were taken from this website:

- Thesaurus Linguae Egyptiae

Most of the vocabulary comes from Mark Vygus’ dictionary, made available in these formats:

- Mark Vygus dictionary (online search)
- Mark Vygus dictionary (small Hierowords file)
- Mark Vygus dictionary 2018 (huge PDF)

### How to read this

- In the interlinear word-by-word translation, each word is shown as a little block; each verse is a paragraph of little blocks.
- Use the Pun Config to choose your level: Minimal for secret meaning only, Beginner for secret & official English texts, Intermediate for word-by-word vocabulary, Expert for original text & glyphs.
- Possible pun-encrypted meaning is marked with light red.
- Official meaning is marked with light green.
- Pun vocabulary is in red, whenever the meaning differs. All vocabulary is linked to online dictionaries.
- Please read the introduction, and judge yourself whether I got it right.
- Religious readers should proceed with care.

## Great hymn to the cover

### The nobility display a great cover to the inferiors, to make them obey.

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 3

> Encrypted: Hail you, great Cover, who is displayed to the inferiors, and comes to enclose the servants!

> Official: Hail you, great Hapi, who comes forth from the earth, and comes to revive Egypt!

> Hail
> 𓐩𓏌𓀁𓁷𓏤 nḏ: greet, hail
> ---𓐩𓏌𓆓𓏛 j:nḏ
> 𓐩𓏌𓀁𓁷𓏤 nḏ: greet, hail
> Hail
> you,
> 𓁷𓏤 ḥr: face, sight
> 𓁷𓏤--- ḥr-k
> 𓁷𓏤 ḥr: face, sight
> you,
> [great] Cover,
> 𓇉𓄿𓊪𓋳 ḥȝp: secret, hide, conceal, cover
> ---𓊅---𓈗𓈘𓈇 ḥˤpj
> 𓎛𓂝𓊪𓏭𓈘 ḥˤpj: Hapi
> [great] Hapi,
> [who] is displayed
> 𓉐𓂋𓂻 prj: display, show
> 𓉐𓂋𓂻 ⸢p⸣rj
> 𓉐𓂋𓂻 prj: come forth
> [who] comes forth
> to
> 𓅓 m: in, to
> 𓅓 m
> 𓅓 m: from
> from
> the inferiors,
> 𓏏𓍯𓄿𓀢𓀀 twȝ: inferior, low status
> 𓇿𓏤𓈇 tȝ
> 𓇾𓏤𓈅 tȝ: earth, land, ground
> the earth,
> and comes
> 𓂻𓅱 jwj: come, return
> 𓇍𓇋𓇋𓏭𓂻 jyj.y
> 𓂻𓅱 jwj: come, return
> and comes
> to
> 𓂋 r: in order to, towards
> 𓂋 r
> 𓂋 r: in order to, towards
> to
> enclose
> 𓋴 s-: make; 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓎛𓀜 jnḥ: surround, envelope, enclose
> 𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍 sˤnḫ
> 𓋴 s-: make; 𓋹𓈖𓐍 ˤnḫ: live
> revive
> the servants!
> 𓍛𓀀𓁐𓏧 ḥmt: Servants
> 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 ⸢k⸣m.t
> 𓆎𓏏𓊖 kmt: Black Land, Egypt
> Egypt!

> Great Hymn to the Nile 3

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 4

> Encrypted: Concealed is your image, dark even on the day, yet sung about by the followers.

> Official: Concealed is your image, dark even on the day, sung about by your followers.

> Concealed
> 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀃 jmn: hidden, concealed
> 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀄𓏛 jmn
> 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀃 jmn: hidden, concealed
> Concealed
> [is your] image,
> 𓋴𓌫𓅓𓅱𓀭 sšmw: statue, image
> 𓋴𓌫--- sšm.w
> 𓋴𓌫𓅓𓅱𓀭 sšmw: statue, image
> [is your] image,
> dark
> 𓎡𓎡𓇰 kkw: dark
> 𓎢𓎢𓏲𓏭𓇱𓇳𓏤 kk.wj
> 𓎡𓎡𓇰 kkw: dark
> dark
> [even] on
> 𓅓 m: in, on
> 𓅓 m
> 𓅓 m: in, on
> [even] on
> the day,
> 𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤 hrw: day
> 𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏤 hrw
> 𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤 hrw: day
> the day,
> [yet] sung [about]
> 𓎛𓋴𓂢 ḥsj: sing, make music
> 𓎛---𓎿𓋴𓀁 ḥsj
> 𓎛𓋴𓂢 ḥsj: sing, make music
> sung [about]
> by
> 𓈖 n: through, by
> 𓏌𓏤 n.w
> 𓈖 n: through, by
> by
> the followers.
> 𓌞𓅱𓂻𓏥 šmsw: following, suite
> 𓌞--- ⸢šmsw⸣.f
> 𓌞𓅱𓂻𓏥 šmsw: following, suite
> [your] followers.

> Great Hymn to the Nile 4

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 5

> Encrypted: You entrap the multitudes as an appearance for the nobility, in order to envelop the people’s minds all.

> Official: You moisten the plants created by Ra, in order to let live the goats all.

> [You] entrap
> 𓃛𓏲𓈅 jwḥ: rob; 𓇋𓎛𓌤 ˤḥ: entrap, snare
> 𓃛𓏲𓎛𓂝𓈗𓏛𓀜 jwḥ
> 𓃛𓅱𓎛𓈗𓀜 jwḥ: sprinkle, moisten
> [You] moisten
> the multitudes
> 𓆈𓄿𓏥 ˤšȝ: multitude
> 𓆷𓈇𓏤𓆰𓏫 šȝ
> 𓆷𓄿𓆰𓏥 šȝ: plants, vines
> the plants
> [as?] an appearance
> 𓈎𓌳𓄿𓅓𓌙𓏛𓏥 qmȝ: form, appearance
> 𓈎𓌴𓄿𓅓𓏲𓌙𓏫 qmȝm
> 𓈎𓌳𓄿𓌙 qmȝ: create, produce
> created
> [for?] the nobility,
> 𓀗 wr: noble, great; 𓉻𓂝𓄿 ˤȝ: noble, great
> 𓂋𓂝𓇳𓅆 rˤ
> 𓂋𓂝𓇳 rˤw: Re
> [by] Ra,
> in order to
> 𓂋 r: in order to, towards
> 𓂋 r
> 𓂋 r: in order to, towards
> in order to
> envelop
> 𓋴 s-: make; 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓎛𓀜 jnḥ: surround, envelope, enclose
> 𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍 sˤnḫ
> 𓋴 s-: make; 𓋹𓈖𓐍 ˤnḫ: live
> let live
> [the people’s minds?]
> 𓇋𓃀𓄣 jb: heart, mind
> --- jb
> 𓇋𓃀𓃙 jb: kid, goat
> [the goats???]
> all.
> 𓎟 nb: every, all
> 𓎟𓏏 nb.t
> 𓎟 nb: every, all
> all.

> Great Hymn to the Nile 5

### The human flocks are governed with augmented images & shows.

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 6

> Encrypted: If one wishes to augment one’s appearance with the human flocks, then not is far away an appearance that one can enter.

> Official: If one wishes to drink water even in the desert, then not is far away the water that falls as rain.

> [If one wishes?] to augment
> 𓋴𓅨𓂋 swr: augment, multiply
> 𓋴𓅨𓂋𓇋𓈗𓀁𓏏𓏲 swrj.tw
> 𓊃𓅨𓂋𓀁 swr: drink
> [If one wishes?] to drink
> [one’s] appearance
> 𓌵𓏲 mȝw: aspect, appearance
> 𓈗--- mw
> 𓈗 mw: water
> water
> with
> 𓁷𓏤 ḥr: concerning, with
> 𓁷𓏤 ḥr
> 𓁷𓏤 ḥr: on, in
> [even?] in
> the [human] flocks,
> 𓎛𓊃𓏏 ḥst: flock (of sheep)
> 𓈉𓏏𓏤 ḫȝs.t
> 𓆼𓋴𓏏𓈉 ḫȝst: desert, hill country
> the desert,
> [then] not
> 𓃀𓅱 bw: no, not
> 𓃀 bw
> 𓃀𓅱 bw: no, not
> [then] not
> is far away
> 𓍯𓄿𓈐 wȝj: far, remove oneself
> ---𓏲𓈐𓂻 wȝj.ww
> 𓍯𓄿𓈐 wȝj: far, remove oneself
> is far away
> an appearance
> 𓌵𓏲 mȝw: aspect, appearance
> 𓈗 mw
> 𓈗 mw: water
> the water
> [that one can] enter.
> 𓉔𓄿𓂻 hȝj: enter
> 𓉔𓄿𓇋𓏭𓂻 hȝj.y
> 𓉔𓄿𓂻 hȝj: descend, fall
> [that] falls [as rain?].

> Great Hymn to the Nile 6

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 7

> Encrypted: Who loves the images of cheating, who governs the show, who makes successful the production of shapes.

> Official: Who loves the bread of the earth god Geb, who guides the grain god Neper, who makes prosper the workshop of the builder god Ptah.

> [Who] loves
> 𓌻𓂋𓀁 mrj: love, wish
> 𓌸𓂋 mrj
> 𓌻𓂋𓀁 mrj: love, wish
> [Who] loves
> the images
> 𓏏𓂇 tjt: image, form, shape, figure
> 𓏏𓏐 ⸢t⸣
> 𓏏𓏐 t: bread
> the bread
> [of cheating],
> 𓎼𓄿𓃀𓏲𓅪𓏭 gb: cheating, cheat
> --- gb
> 𓅬𓃀 gbb: Geb
> [of the earth god Geb???],
> [who] governs
> 𓐍𓂋𓊪𓀜 ḫrp: govern, control
> 𓂋𓊪𓏲𓌂𓏛𓀜𓀀𓏥 ḫrp
> 𓐍𓂋𓊪𓏲𓌂𓏛𓀜𓀀𓏥 ḫrp: lead, direct
> [who] guides
> the show [???],
> 𓈖 n: of; 𓉐𓂋𓂻 prj: display, show
> 𓊪---𓇡𓅆𓏫 nprj
> 𓈖𓊪𓂋𓇋𓇠 npr: Neper
> [the grain god] Neper,
> [who] makes successful
> 𓋴𓄿𓆓𓇅 sȝḏ: make successful
> 𓋴𓇆𓏛 swȝḏ
> 𓋴𓇅𓆓𓏛 swȝḏ: make green, make prosper
> [who] makes prosper
> the production
> 𓍍𓅱𓏜 ḥmw: produce, build; 𓏏 -t: (suffix)
> 𓍍𓏤𓉐 ⸢ḥmw⸣.t
> 𓍎𓏏𓏤𓉐 ḥmwt: workshop
> the workshop
> of
> 𓈖 n: of
> 𓈖𓏏 n.t
> 𓈖 n: of
> of
> shapes.
> 𓊪𓏏𓎛 ptḥ: create, shape
> 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓅆 ptḥ
> 𓊪𓏏𓎛 ptḥ: Ptah
> [the builder god] Ptah.

> Great Hymn to the Nile 7

### Noblemen are adorned with a false virtuous image, to avoid public anger.

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 8

> Encrypted: Lord over the complainers, who makes glad the disobedient, so there is no servant failing in his service. Who makes things which don’t exist, who creates a virtuous character, in order to adorn the noble houses.

> Official: Lord of fish, who makes fly upstream the water fowl, so there is no bird falling into the waters. Who makes the barley, who creates the emmer, in order to make festive the temple.

> [Lord]
> 𓎟 nb: lord, master
> --- nb
> 𓎟 nb: lord, master
> [Lord]
> [over?] the complainers [??],
> 𓂋𓅓𓁿 rmw: cry, weep, complain
> ---𓏲𓆝𓏫 rm.w
> 𓂋𓅓𓆟 rm: fish
> of fish,
> [who] makes glad
> 𓋴 s-: make; 𓏃𓈖𓍘𓇋 ḫntj: pleased, glad
> 𓋴𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏭𓍘𓇋𓇋𓊛 sḫntj.y
> 𓋴 s-: make; 𓏃𓈖𓏏𓏭𓊛 ḫntj: sail upstream
> [who] makes [fly] upstream
> the disobedient [???],
> 𓈎𓃀𓎛𓏂 qbḥ: calm, cool; 𓌌𓏴𓅪 ḥḏj: disobey
> 𓈎𓃀𓎛 ⸢qbḥ⸣
> 𓏁𓈗𓅭𓏥𓈉 qbḥ: water fowl; 𓐍𓂧𓈋𓏲𓅭𓏥 ḫdḏw: waterfowl
> the water fowl,
> [so there is] no
> 𓂜𓈖 nn: no, not
> ---𓈖 nn
> 𓂜𓈖 nn: no, not
> [so there is] no
> servant
> 𓉻𓂝𓃀𓂧𓀀 ˤbd: servant, attendant
> 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓏲𓅯𓏥 ȝpd.w
> 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅬 ȝpd: bird, fowl
> bird
> failing
> 𓄿𓉔𓏴𓅪 whj: escape, fail, be lacking
> 𓉔𓄿𓇋𓇋𓏭𓂻 hȝj.y
> 𓉔𓄿𓂻 hȝj: descend, fall
> falling
> [in his] service.
> 𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏌𓏲𓎨𓏛 ḥnw: job, service; 𓎛𓆰𓈖𓉺 ḥn: command
> 𓆰𓈖𓏌𓏲𓇋𓇋𓏏𓈇𓏤𓊡𓊮 ḥny.t
> 𓎛𓆰𓈖𓏌𓏲𓎨𓈗𓈘𓈇 ḥnw: canal, watercourse
> [into] the waters [??].
> [Who] makes
> 𓁹 jrj: do, make
> 𓁹 jrj
> 𓁹 jrj: do, make
> [Who] makes
> [things] which don’t exist [???],
> 𓂜𓅱𓏏𓏏 jwtt: what is not, does not exist
> 𓌾𓏥 jt
> 𓇋𓏏𓇠 jt: barley, grain
> the barley,
> [who] creates
> 𓋴𓆣𓂋 sḫpr: create, bring into being
> 𓋴--- ⸢s⸣ḫpr
> 𓋴𓆣𓂋 sḫpr: create, bring into being
> [who] creates
> a virtuous character [???],
> 𓃀𓇋𓏏𓊌 bjt: virtue, character, qualities
> ---𓌾𓏥 btj
> 𓃀𓂧𓏏𓇣 bdt: emmer
> the emmer,
> in order to
> 𓂋 r: in order to
> 𓂋 r
> 𓂋 r: in order to
> in order to
> adorn
> 𓊃𓎛𓃀𓎱𓏛 sḥb: adorn
> 𓋴𓎛𓃀𓎱𓇳𓏫 sḥȝb
> 𓊃𓎛𓃀𓎱𓏛 sḥb: make festive
> make festive
> the noble houses.
> 𓀗 wr: great, noble; 𓉐𓏥 prw: houses
> 𓂋𓏥𓏤𓉐𓏤𓏫 rʾ-pr
> 𓂋𓏤𓉐𓏤 r pr: temple
> the temple.

> Great Hymn to the Nile 8

#### Great Hymn to the Nile 10

> Encrypted: If you are neglected however, then everything is blocked up with public anger, then everyone becomes humiliated.

> Official: If you are idle however, then are blocked up even the noses from dryness, then everyone becomes poor.

> [If you] are neglected
> 𓅱𓊃𓆑𓅬𓂻 wsf: idle, neglect
> 𓅱---𓅯𓅪𓏫 ⸢w⸣sfȝ
> 𓅱𓊃𓆑𓅬𓂻 wsf: idle, neglect
> [If you] are idle
> however,
> 𓐍𓂋 ḫr: so, however
> 𓐍𓂋 ḫr
> 𓐍𓂋 ḫr: so, however
> however,
> [then everything] is blocked up [??]
> 𓌥𓃀𓏛 ḏbȝ: stop up, blocked up
> 𓌥𓃀𓏲𓊅𓀜 ḏbȝ
> 𓌥𓃀𓏛 ḏbȝ: stop up, blocked up
> [then] are blocked up [??]
> [with public] anger [??],
> 𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉 fnḏ: rage, angry; 𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉 fnḏ: disdain, disregard
> 𓆑𓈖𓂧𓂉𓏤𓄹𓏭 fnd
> 𓆑𓈖𓆓𓂉 fnḏ: nose, nostrils
> [even] the noses [from dryness??],
> [then]
> 𓐍𓂋 ḫr: so, however
> 𓐍𓂋 ḫr
> 𓐍𓂋 ḫr: so, however
> [then]
> everyone
> 𓁷𓏤𓎟𓀀𓁐𓏥 ḥr-nb: everyone
> 𓁷𓏤𓀀𓎟𓁐𓏫 ḥr-nb
> 𓁷𓏤𓎟𓀀𓁐𓏥 ḥr-nb: everyone
> everyone
> becomes humiliated [??].
> 𓈖𓌰𓅓𓎛𓀔 nmḥ: poverty, humility
> 𓈖𓌰𓅓𓎛𓏲𓀔𓀀𓁐 nmḥ
> 𓈖𓌱𓅓𓎛𓀔𓅪 nmḥ: poor, lowly
> becomes poor.

> Great Hymn to the Nile 10

🏷 Egyptian text interlinear recommended · text