Egyptian: Great Hymn to the Nile
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:
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 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.