Creation Accounts in the Ancient Near East
Sources
Biblical Texts
Bereshit 1בראשית א׳
| (1) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (2) And the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was on the surface of the deep, and a Heavenly wind was hovering over the surface of the waters. (3) God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good; God separated between the light and the darkness. (5) God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” There was evening and there was morning, day one. (6) God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it separate between waters and waters.” (7) God made the expanse and separated between the waters which were under the expanse and the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. (8) God called the expanse “sky.” There was evening and there was morning, a second day. (9) God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered to one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. (10) God called the dry land “earth,” and the collected waters He called “seas.” God saw that it was good. (11) God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth”; and it was so. (12) The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. (13) There was evening and there was morning, a third day. (14) God said, “Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the sky to separate between the day and the night; and let them be for signs, and for the appointed times, and for days and years. (15) And let them be for luminaries in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth”; and it was so. (16) God made the two great luminaries: the greater luminary to rule the day, and the lesser luminary to rule the night, and the stars. (17) God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth, (18) and to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate between the light and the darkness. God saw that it was good. (19) There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. (20) God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” (21) God created the large sea creatures, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good. (22) God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” (23) There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. (24) God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. (25) God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. (26) God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (27) God created man in His image; in God’s image He created him; male and female He created them. (28) God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (29) God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed; it will be your food. (30) To every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is a living soul, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. (31) God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. | (א) בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. (ב) וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. (ג) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר. (ד) וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. (ה) וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד. (ו) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם. (ז) וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָרָקִיעַ וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ וַיְהִי כֵן. (ח) וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם שֵׁנִי. (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה וַיְהִי כֵן. (י) וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב. (יא) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע עֵץ פְּרִי עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי כֵן. (יב) וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע לְמִינֵהוּ וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב. (יג) וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי. (יד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים. (טו) וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי כֵן. (טז) וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים אֶת הַמָּאוֹר הַגָּדֹל לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם וְאֶת הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים. (יז) וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ. (יח) וְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה וּלְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב. (יט) וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם רְבִיעִי. (כ) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ עַל פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם. (כא) וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים וְאֵת כׇּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב. (כב) וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת הַמַּיִם בַּיַּמִּים וְהָעוֹף יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ. (כג) וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי. (כד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי כֵן. (כה) וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב. (כו) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכׇל הָאָרֶץ וּבְכׇל הָרֶמֶשׂ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ. (כז) וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם. (כח) וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁהָ וּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְכׇל חַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת עַל הָאָרֶץ. (כט) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כׇּל עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי כׇל הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת כׇּל הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ פְרִי עֵץ זֹרֵעַ זָרַע לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאׇכְלָה. (ל) וּלְכׇל חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וּלְכׇל עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְכֹל רוֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֶת כׇּל יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב לְאׇכְלָה וַיְהִי כֵן. (לא) וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי. |
Bereshit 2:1-3בראשית ב׳:א׳-ג׳
| (1) The heavens and the earth were completed, and all of their legions. (2) On the seventh day God completed His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. (3) God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because on it He rested from all His work which He had created and made. | (א) וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכׇל צְבָאָם. (ב) וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִכׇּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. (ג) וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכׇּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת. |
Bereshit 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳
| Hashem, God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. | וַיִּיצֶר י״י אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה. |
Yeshayahu 27:1ישעיהו כ״ז:א׳
| In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent, and leviathan the tortuous serpent; and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea. | בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִפְקֹד י״י בְּחַרְבּוֹ הַקָּשָׁה וְהַגְּדוֹלָה וְהַחֲזָקָה עַל לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִחַ וְעַל לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן וְהָרַג אֶת הַתַּנִּין אֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם. |
Yeshayahu 51:9-10ישעיהו נ״א:ט׳-י׳
| (9) Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; Awake, as in the days of old, The generations of ancient times. Art thou not it that hewed Rahab in pieces, That pierced the dragon? (10) Art thou not it that dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the depths of the sea a way For the redeemed to pass over? | (ט) עוּרִי עוּרִי לִבְשִׁי עֹז זְרוֹעַ י״י עוּרִי כִּימֵי קֶדֶם דֹּרוֹת עוֹלָמִים הֲלוֹא אַתְּ הִיא הַמַּחְצֶבֶת רַהַב מְחוֹלֶלֶת תַּנִּין. (י) הֲלוֹא אַתְּ הִיא הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת יָם מֵי תְּהוֹם רַבָּה הַשָּׂמָה מַעֲמַקֵּי יָם דֶּרֶךְ לַעֲבֹר גְּאוּלִים. |
Chavakkuk 3:9-10חבקוק ג׳:ט׳-י׳
| (9) Thy bow is made quite bare; Sworn are the rods of the word. Selah Thou dost cleave the earth with rivers. (10) The mountains have seen Thee, and they tremble; The tempest of waters floweth over; The deep uttereth its voice, And lifteth up its hands on high | (ט) עֶרְיָה תֵעוֹר קַשְׁתֶּךָ שְׁבֻעוֹת מַטּוֹת אֹמֶר סֶלָה נְהָרוֹת תְּבַקַּע אָרֶץ. (י) רָאוּךָ יָחִילוּ הָרִים זֶרֶם מַיִם עָבָר נָתַן תְּהוֹם קוֹלוֹ רוֹם יָדֵיהוּ נָשָׂא. |
Tehillim 74:13-17תהלים ע״ד:י״ג-י״ז
| (13) Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength; Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters. (14) Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness. (15) Thou didst cleave fountain and brook; Thou driedst up ever-flowing rivers. (16) Thine is the day, Thine also the night; Thou hast established luminary and sun. (17) Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter. | (יג) אַתָּה פוֹרַרְתָּ בְעׇזְּךָ יָם שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַנִּינִים עַל הַמָּיִם. (יד) אַתָּה רִצַּצְתָּ רָאשֵׁי לִוְיָתָן תִּתְּנֶנּוּ מַאֲכָל לְעָם לְצִיִּים. (טו) אַתָּה בָקַעְתָּ מַעְיָן וָנָחַל אַתָּה הוֹבַשְׁתָּ נַהֲרוֹת אֵיתָן. (טז) לְךָ יוֹם אַף לְךָ לָיְלָה אַתָּה הֲכִינוֹתָ מָאוֹר וָשָׁמֶשׁ. (יז) אַתָּה הִצַּבְתָּ כׇּל גְּבוּלוֹת אָרֶץ קַיִץ וָחֹרֶף אַתָּה יְצַרְתָּם. |
Tehillim 89:8-12תהלים פ״ט:ח׳-י״ב
| (8) A God dreaded in the great council of the holy ones, And feared of all them that are about Him? (9) O Lord God of hosts, Who is a mighty one, like unto Thee, O Lord? And Thy faithfulness is round about Thee. (10) Thou rulest the proud swelling of the sea; When the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them. (11) Thou didst crush Rahab, as one that is slain; Thou didst scattered Thine enemies with the arm of Thy strength. (12) Thine are the heavens, Thine also the earth; The world and the fulness thereof, Thou hast founded them. | (ח) אֵל נַעֲרָץ בְּסוֹד קְדֹשִׁים רַבָּה וְנוֹרָא עַל כׇּל סְבִיבָיו. (ט) י״י אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאוֹת מִי כָמוֹךָ חֲסִין יָהּ וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ. (י) אַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בְּגֵאוּת הַיָּם בְּשׂוֹא גַלָּיו אַתָּה תְשַׁבְּחֵם. (יא) אַתָּה דִכִּאתָ כֶחָלָל רָהַב בִּזְרוֹעַ עֻזְּךָ פִּזַּרְתָּ אוֹיְבֶיךָ. (יב) לְךָ שָׁמַיִם אַף לְךָ אָרֶץ תֵּבֵל וּמְלֹאָהּ אַתָּה יְסַדְתָּם. |
Iyyov 26:12-13איוב כ״ו:י״ב-י״ג
| (12) He stirreth up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He smiteth through Rahab. (13) By His breath the heavens are serene; His hand hath pierced the slant serpent. | (יב) בְּכֹחוֹ רָגַע הַיָּם [וּבִתְבוּנָתוֹ] (ובתובנתו) מָחַץ רָהַב. (יג) בְּרוּחוֹ שָׁמַיִם שִׁפְרָה חֹלְלָה יָדוֹ נָחָשׁ בָּרִחַ. |
Ancient Near Eastern Texts
Pyramid Text Utterance 527, translated by S. A. B. Mercer
| 1248a. To say: Atum created by his masturbation in Heliopolis. 1248b. He put his phallus in his fist, 1248c. to excite desire thereby. 1248d. The twins were born, Shu and Tefnut |
Pyramid Text Utterance 600, translated by S. A. B. Mercer
| 1652a. To say: O Atum-Khepri, when thou didst mount as a hill, 1652b. and didst shine as bnw of the ben (or, benben) in the temple of the "phoenix" in Heliopolis, 1652c. and didst spew out as Shu, and did spit out as Tefnut, 1653a. (then) thou didst put thine arms about them, as the arm(s) of a ka, that thy ka might be in them. 1653b. Atum, so put thine arms about N., 1653c. about this temple, about this pyramid, as the arm (s) of a ka, 1653d. that the ka of N. may be in it, enduring for ever and ever. 1654a. O Atum, put thy protection upon N., 1654b. upon this his pyramid, (upon) this temple of N.; 1654c. prevent any evil thing happening to him for ever and ever; 1654d. just as thy protection was put upon Shu and Tefnut. 1655a. O Great Ennead who are in Heliopolis, 1655b. Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys, 1655c. children of Atum--his heart is broad (glad) because of his children, in your name of "Nine [Bows]." |
Coffin Text Spell 76, translated by R. O. Faulkner
| ASCENDING TO THE SKY, GOING ABOARD THE BARK OF RE, AND BECOMING A LIVING GOD. you eight Chaos-gods who are in charge of the chambers of the sky, whom Shu made from the efflux of his members, who put together the ladder of Shu, come and meet your father in me, give me your arms, put together the ladder for me, for I am he who created you and made you, even as I was created by your father Atum. I am weary of the Supports-of-Shu since I lifted up my daughter Niit from upon myself, so that I might give her to my father Atum in his realm, and I have set Geb under my feet... I was not built up in the womb, I was not knit together in the egg, I was not conceived, lo but Atum spat me out in the spittle of his mouth together in chaos, in the Abyss, in darkness and in gloom.. |
Coffin Text Spell 78, translated by R. O. Faulkner
| I am the soul of Shu, for whom Nut was placed above and Geb under his feet, and I am between them, you eight Chaos-gods whom Shu conceived, whom Shu fashioned, whom Shu created, whom Shu knit together, whom Shu begot from the efflux which was in his flesh as jackals of the seed of Shu, whom Nu begot, whom Atum made, whom Nut raised up under Atum, who guard the path of Nut which is under Atum, whose length is that of the sky, whose breadth is that of the earth … I am the soul of Shu who ascended on the wings of Shu the father of the gods. O you bowmen(?) of Shu, regard me, for I am eternity, the.father of the Chaos-gods; my sister is Tefenet, the daughter of Atum,who bore the Ennead. O you gods, bow your heads, extend the arms of Shu until I go Up upon the ladder, regard my father Atum in these his processions with the wrrt-crown for ever. I am he who fashioned the Chaos-gods, whom Atum repeated, and this my sister is eternity. |
Coffin Text Spell 80, translated by R. O. Faulkner
| O you eight Chaos-gods, being veritable Chaos-gods, who encircle the sky with your arms, who gather together sky and earth for Geb, Shu fashioned you in chaos, in the Abyss, in darkness and in gloom, and he allots you to Geb and Nut, while Shu is everlasting and Tefenet is eternity. I am the soul of Shu… I am he whom Atum created, and I am bound for my place of eternity. I am Everlasting, who fashioned the Chaos- gods, reproduced(?) by the spittle of Atum which issued from his mouth when he used his hand; his saliva will be made to fall to the earth. Thus said Atum: Tefenet is my living daughter, and she shall be with her brother Shu; 'Living One' is his name, 'Righteousness' is her name. I live with my two children, I live with my two fledgelings, for I am in the midst of them, both of them follow after my body, and I lie down and live with my daughter Maet; one within me and one behind me, I stand up because of them both, their arms being about me. It is my son who will live, whom I begot in my name. He knows how to nourish him who is in the egg in the womb for me, namely the human beings who came forth from my eye which I sent out while I was alone with Nu in lassitude, and I could find no place on which to stand or sit, when On had not yet been founded that I might dwell in it,when my throne had not yet been put together that I might sit on it; before I had made Niit that she might be above me, before the frst generation had been born, before the Primeval Ennead had come into being that they might dwell with me…. |
Coffin Text Spell 1130, translated by M. Lichtheim
Hail in peace! I repeat to you the good deeds which my own heart did for me from within the serpent-coil, in order to silence strife ... |
Book of the Dead Spell 17
| Mine is all in existence alone in Nun, I am Ra in his rising, first in ruling what he made. What does it mean? It means Ra in his rising when first ruling what he made, It means the first rising of Ra in Henennesut, when there was the creation of the supports of Nun when he was on the high ground which is in Khemenu, when the children of the rebel were destroyed for him on the high ground which is in Khemenu. I am the great god who comes to be of himself, there is water, there is Nun, father of the gods What does it mean? It means Ra creating his body, when those god in the following of Ra took shape. I am the unopposed among the gods What does it mean? Atum in his sun-disk Another version: It is Ra in his sun-disk shining from the eastern horizon of the sky... |
The Memphite Theology, translated by M. Lichtheim
| The living Horus: Who prospers the Two Lands; the Two Ladies: Who prospers the Two Lands; the Golden Horus: Who prospers the Two Lands; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Neferkare; the Son of Re: Sha[baka], beloved of Ptah-South-of-his-Wall, who lives like Re forever. This writing was copied out anew by his majesty in the House of his father Ptah-South-of-his-Wall, for his majesty found it to be a work of the ancestors which was worm-eaten, so that it could not be understood from beginning to end. His majesty copied it anew so that it became better than it had been before, in order that his name might endure and his monument last in the House of his father Ptah-South-of-his-Wall throughout eternity, as a work done by the Son of Re [Shabaka] for his father Ptah-Tatenen, so that he might live forever.... The gods who came into being in Ptah: Ptah-on-the-great-throne [. . .] Ptah-Nun, the father who [made] Atum. Ptah-Naunet, the mother who bore Atum. Ptah-the-Great is heart and tongue of the Nine [Gods].6 [Ptah . . .] who bore the gods. [Ptah . . .] who bore the gods. [Ptah . . .] [Ptah . . .] Nefertem at the nose of Re every day. There took shape in the heart, there took shape on the tongue the form of Atum. For the very great one is Ptah, who gave [life] to all the gods and their kas through this heart and through this tongue, in which Horus had taken shape as Ptah, in which Thoth had taken shape as Ptah. Thus heart and tongue rule over all the limbs in accordance with the teaching that it (the heart, or: he, Ptah) is in every body and it (the tongue, or: he, Ptah) is in every mouth of all gods, all men, all cattle, all creeping things, whatever lives, thinking whatever it (or: he) wishes and commanding whatever it (or: he) wishes. His (Ptah’s) Ennead is before him as teeth and lips. They are the semen and the hands of Atum. For the Ennead of Atum came into being through his semen and his fngers. But the Ennead is the teeth and lips in this mouth which pronounced the name of every thing, from which Shu and Tefnut came forth, and which gave birth to the Ennead. Sight, hearing, breathing—they report to the heart, and it makes every understanding come forth. As to the tongue, it repeats what the heart has devised. Thus all the gods were born and his Ennead was completed. For every word of the god came about through what the heart devised and the tongue commanded. Thus all the faculties were made and all the qualities determined, they that make all foods and all provisions, through this word. [Thus justice is done] to him who does what is loved, [and punishment] to him who does what is hated. Thus life is given to the peaceful, death is given to the criminal. Thus all labor, all crafts are made, the action of the hands, the motion of the legs, the movements of all the limbs, according to this command which is devised by the heart and comes forth on the tongue and creates the performance of everything. Thus it is said of Ptah: “He who made all and created the gods.” And he is Tatenen,who gave birth to the gods, and from whom every thing came forth, foods, provisions, divine offerings, all good things. Thus it is recognized and understood that he is the mightiest of the gods. Thus Ptah was satisfied after he had made all things and all divine words. He gave birth to the gods, He made the towns, He established the nomes, He placed the gods in their shrines, He settled their offerings, He established their shrines, He made their bodies according to their wishes. Thus the gods entered into their bodies, Of every wood, every stone, every clay, Every thing that grows upon him In which they came to be. Thus were gathered to him all the gods and their kas, Content, united with the Lord of the Two Lands. |
Bremner-Rhind Papyrus, translated by E. A. Wallis Budge
| THE BOOK OF KNOWING THE EVOLUTIONS OF RA, AND OF OVERTHROWING APEP. [These are] the; words which the god Neb-er-tcher spake after he had, come into being:--"I am he who came into being in the form of the god Khepera, and I am the creator of that which came into being, that is to say, I am the creator of everything which came into being: now the things which I created, and which came forth out of my month after that I had come into being myself were exceedingly many. The sky (or heaven) had not come into being, the earth did not exist, and the children of the earth, and the creeping, things, had not been made at that time. I myself raised them up from out of Nu, from a state of helpless inertness. I found no place whereon I could stand. I worked a charm upon my own heart (or, will), I laid the foundation [of things] by Maat, and I made everything which had form. I was [then] one by myself, for I had not emitted from myself the god Shu, and I had not spit out from myself the goddess Tefnut; and there existed no other who could work with me. I laid the foundations [of things] in my own heart, and there came into being multitudes of created things, which came into being from the created things which were born from the created things which arose from what they brought forth. I had union with my closed hand, and I embraced my shadow as a wife, and I poured seed into my own mouth, and I sent forth from myself issue in the form of the gods Shu and Tefnut. Saith my father Nu:--My Eye was covered up behind them (i.e., Shu. and Tefnut), but after two hen periods had passed from the time when they departed from me, from being one god I became three gods, and I came into being in the earth. Then Shu and Tefnut rejoiced from out of the inert watery mass wherein they I were, and they brought to me my Eye (i.e., the Sun). Now after these things I gathered together my members, and I wept over them, and men and women sprang into being from the tears which came forth from my Eye. And when my Eye came to me, and found that I had made another [Eye] in place where it was (i.e., the Moon), it was wroth with (or, raged at) me, whereupon I endowed it (i.e., the (second Eye) with [some of] the splendour which I had made for the first [Eye], and I made it to occupy its place in my Face, and henceforth it ruled throughout all this earth. When there fell on them their moment through plant-like clouds, I restored what had been taken away from them, and I appeared from out of the plant-like clouds. I created creeping things of every kind, and everything which came into being from them. Shu and Tefnut brought forth [Seb and] Nut; and Seb and Nut brought forth Osiris, and Heru-khent-an-maati, and Set, and Isis, and Nephthys at one birth, one after the other, and they produced their multitudinous offspring in this earth." |