--- type: article status: Published slug: "great-hymn-aten" title: "Great Hymn to the Aten" author: "Unknown court composer" tradition: "egyptian" language: "egy" genre: "hymn" period: "14th c. BCE" source_url: "https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/amarna/belief.html" certainty: observed source: "https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/amarna/belief.html" unknowns: none known --- # Great Hymn to the Aten ## Original ### Title and Dedication 001 dwA (anx-ra-Hrw-Axty-Hay-m-Axt)| 002 (m-rn.f-m-Sw-nty-m-itn)| 003 anx(w) Dt (n)HH itn anx wr imy Hb-sd nb 004 Snnt nb itn nb pt nb tA nb n pr itn m Axt itn nsw bity anx mAat nb tAwy 005 (nfr-xprw-ra-wa-n-ra)| sA 006 anx mAat nb Axtw (itn Ax n)| 007 aA m aHa.f Hmt mryt.f nbt tAwy (nfr-nfrw-itn nfrt-iiti)| 008 anxt snbti rnp ti Dt tA nHH ### Main Hymn 001 xay.k nfr m Axt nt pt 002 itn anx SAa anx 003 iw.k wbn.ti m Axt 004 mH.n.k tA nb m nfrw.k 005 iw.k an.ti wr.ti THn.ti qA.ti Hr-tp tA nb 006 stwt.k inH.sn tAw r r-a irt.n.k nb 007 iw.k m ra in.k r r-a.sn 008 waf.k sn (n) sA-mr.k 009 iw.k wA.ti stwt.k Hr tA 010 tw.k m Hr.sn nw Smw.k 011 Htp.k m Axt imntt tA m kk m sxr n mwt 012 sDrw m Ssp tpw Hbs 013 n ptr.n irt snwt.s 014 iTA.tw xt.sn nb iw.w Xr tp.sn n am.sn 015 mAi nb pr m rwty.f 016 Ddft nb psH.sn 017 kkw HAw tA m sgr pA ir.sn Htp m Axt.f 018 HD-tA wbn.ti m Axt psd.ti m itn m h(rw) 019 rwi.k kkw di.k stwt.k 020 tAwy m Hb rs aHa Hr rdwy 021 Tsy.n.k sn wab Haw.sn Sspw wnxw 022 awy.sn m iAw n xaa.k 023 tA r-Dr.f ir.sn kAt.sn 024 iAt nb Htp Hr smw.sn 025 Snw smw Hr AxAxw 026 Apdw pAw m Ssw.sn 027 dnHw.sn m iAw n kA.k 028 awt nb Hr Tbhn Hr rdwy 029 pAyw xnnt nb 030 anx.sn wbn n.k sn 031 aHaw m xd xnty m-mitt 032 wAt nb wn n xa.k 033 rmw Hr itrw Hr tft n Hr.k 034 stwt.k m-Xn wAD-wr 035 sxpr mAyw m Hmwt 036 ir mw m rmT 037 sanx sA m Xt n mwt.f 038 sgrH sw m tmt rmy.f 039 mnat m Xt dyw TAw r sanx irt.f nb 040 hA.f m Xt r tpt hrw msw.f 041 wpw.k r.f Hr qd 042 ir.k xrt.f 043 iw TA m swHt mdw m inr 044 di.k n.f TAw m-Xnw.s r sanx.f 045 ir.n.k n.f dmdy.f r sd.s m swHt 046 pr.f m swHt r mdt r dmdy.f 047 Sm.f Hr rdwy.fy pr.f im.s 048 aSA.wy siry.k iw.w StAw m Hr 049 pA nTr wa nn ky Hr-xw.f 050 qmA.k tA n ib.k iw.k wa.ti 051 m rmT mnmnt awt nb 052 nty Hr tASm.w Hr rdwy 053 nty m ax Hr pAyw m dnHw.sn 054 xAswt xAr kS pA tA n kmt 055 di.k s nb r st.f 056 ir.k Xrt.sn 057 wa nb Xry r wnmw.f Hsb aHa.f 058 nsw wpw m mdwt qdw.sn m mitt 059 inmw.sn stnw stn.k xAswt 060 ir.k Hapy m dwAt in.k sw r mr.k 061 r sanx rxyt mi ir.k sn n.k 062 nb iry.sn r-Aw im.sn 063 pA nb n tA nb wbn n.sn pA itn n hrw aA Sft 064 xAst nb wAt ir.k anx.sn 065 di.n.k Hapy m pt hAy.f n.sn 066 ir.f hnw Hr Dww mi wAD-wr 067 r txb AHwt.sn m dmi.sn 068 smnx.wy sy sxrw.k pA nb HH 069 Hapy m pt sw n xAstyw n awt xAst nb Smw rdwy 070 Hapy iy.f m dwAt n tA mri 071 stwt.k Hr mna SA nb 072 wbn.k anx.sn rwd.sn n.k 073 ir.k trw r sxpr iry.k nb 074 prt r sqb.sn hh dp.f st tw 075 ir.n.k pt wA.ti r wbn im.s 076 r mA iry.k nb iw.k wa.ti wbn.ti m xprw.k m itn anx 077 xa.ti psd.ti wA.ti Xn.ti 078 ir.k HHw n xprw im.k way 079 niwt dmiw AHt mtn itrw 080 gmH tw irt nb r aqy.sn 081 iw.k m itn n hrw Hr tp n Sm.n.k 082 n wnn irt nb qmA.k Hr st r tm.k mA Haw [...] wa irt.n.k 083 iw.k m ib.i nn wn ky rx.tw 084 wp Hr sA.k nfr-xprw-ra wa-n-ra 085 di.k sSA.f m sxrw.k m pHty.k 086 xpr tA Hr a.k 087 mi ir.k sn 088 wbn.n.k anx.sn 089 Htp.k mwt.sn 090 ntk aHa r Haw.k 091 anx.tw im.k 092 wn irw Hr nfrw.k r Htp.k 093 wAH.tw kAt nb 094 Htp.k Hr imny 095 wbn srwd [...] nswt 096 wn m rd nb Dr snT.k tA 097 wTs.k sn n sA.k pr m Haw.k 098 nswt anx m mAat nb tAwy 099 nfr-xprw-ra wa-n-ra 100 sA ra anx m mAat nb xaw 101 ax-n-itn wr m aHa.f 102 Hmt nswt wrt mrt.f nbt tAwy 103 nfr-nfrw-itn nfrt-ii.ti anx.ti Dt ## Translation — Mouseia > Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the complete extant 103-line UCL body witness and the separately identified eight-line secondary dedication witness for fidelity, clarity, structure, imagery, and cadence. ### Title and Dedication 001 Adoration of Re-Horakhty, who rejoices in the horizon, 002 in his name as Shu who is in the Aten, 003 living forever and ever—the living Aten, great in jubilee festivals, lord of all 004 the Aten encircles, lord of sky, lord of earth, lord of the House of Aten in Akhetaten; King of Upper and Lower Egypt, living in truth, lord of the Two Lands, 005 Neferkheperure-Waenre, son, 006 living in truth, lord of appearances, Akhenaten, 007 great in his lifetime; his beloved wife, lady of the Two Lands, Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, 008 may she live, be sound, and grow young forever and ever. ### Main Hymn 001 You appear beautifully in the horizon of the sky, 002 living Aten, origin of life. 003 When you rise in the horizon, 004 you fill every land with your beauty. 005 You are radiant, great, gleaming, high above every land. 006 Your rays embrace the lands to the limit of all you have made. 007 You are Re, and you reach their limits; 008 you bind them for your beloved son. 009 Though you are far away, your rays are upon the earth; 010 you are in their faces, though your going is unknown. 011 When you rest in the western horizon, the earth lies in darkness, in the condition of death. 012 They sleep in chambers, their heads covered; 013 no eye sees its fellow. 014 All their possessions may be stolen from beneath their heads, and they do not know it. 015 Every lion comes out from its den; 016 every serpent bites. 017 Darkness is a shroud, the land in silence, for its maker rests in his horizon. 018 At daybreak, when you rise in the horizon, shining as the Aten by day, 019 you drive away darkness and give your rays. 020 The Two Lands are in festival, awake and standing on their feet. 021 You have raised them; their bodies are cleansed, their clothes put on, 022 their arms lifted in praise at your appearing. 023 The whole earth performs its work. 024 Every herd rests upon its pasture; 025 trees and plants flourish. 026 Birds fly from their nests, 027 their wings raised in praise of your spirit. 028 All cattle leap upon their feet; 029 all that fly and alight, 030 they live when you rise for them. 031 Ships sail downstream and upstream alike; 032 every road opens at your appearing. 033 Fish in the river dart before your face; 034 your rays are within the great green sea. 035 You create seed in women, 036 and make semen in men. 037 You give life to the son in his mother’s womb, 038 calming him so that he does not weep. 039 Nurse within the womb, giver of breath to sustain everything he has made, 040 when he descends from the womb on the day of his birth, 041 you open his mouth completely 042 and provide what he needs. 043 When the chick in the egg speaks within the shell, 044 you give it breath inside her to keep it alive. 045 You have made for it its appointed time to break her from within the egg. 046 It comes out of the egg to speak at its appointed time; 047 it walks upon its two feet when it comes from her. 048 How many are your works, though hidden from sight, 049 sole god, with no other beside him! 050 You created the earth according to your heart, while you were alone: 051 people, herds, every kind of animal, 052 all that tread the earth on their feet, 053 and all that are in the sky, flying on their wings; 054 the foreign lands of Syria and Kush, and the land of Egypt. 055 You set every person in his place 056 and provide what they need. 057 Each has his food, and his lifetime is reckoned. 058 Their tongues differ in speech, and their forms likewise; 059 their skins are distinct, for you distinguish the peoples. 060 You make the Nile flood in the underworld and bring it forth as you desire, 061 to keep the people alive, just as you made them for yourself, 062 lord who made them all and is among them. 063 Lord of every land, who rises for them, Aten of daytime, great in majesty, 064 every distant foreign land—you make their life. 065 You have placed a Nile flood in the sky, that it may descend for them. 066 It makes waves upon the mountains like the great green sea, 067 to drench their fields within their towns. 068 How effective are your plans, lord of eternity! 069 The Nile flood in the sky is for the foreigners and for the animals of every foreign land that walk on feet; 070 the Nile flood comes from the underworld for the beloved land. 071 Your rays nurse every field. 072 When you rise, they live and flourish for you. 073 You make the seasons to bring forth everything you have made: 074 winter to cool them, and heat that they may taste you. 075 You made the distant sky so that you might rise within it, 076 to see everything you made, while you alone rise in your form as the living Aten, 077 appearing, shining, far away and near. 078 You make millions of forms from yourself, the one: 079 cities, towns, fields, roads, and river. 080 Every eye beholds you as you face them. 081 You are the Aten of daytime overhead, for you have not departed. 082 No eye exists that you created in its place not to see your body [...] the one alone that you made. 083 You are in my heart, and there is no other who knows you 084 except your son, Neferkheperure-Waenre. 085 You cause him to understand your plans and your power. 086 The earth comes into being by your hand, 087 just as you made them. 088 When you rise, they live; 089 when you rest, they die. 090 You yourself are the span of life; 091 life is lived through you. 092 Faces are open to your beauty until you rest. 093 Every work is laid aside 094 when you rest in the west. 095 When you rise, you sustain [...] the king. 096 Every leg is in motion since you founded the earth. 097 You raise them for your son who came from your body, 098 the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, living in truth, lord of the Two Lands, 099 Neferkheperure-Waenre, 100 son of Re, living in truth, lord of appearances, 101 Akhenaten, great in his lifetime, 102 and the great royal wife, his beloved, lady of the Two Lands, 103 Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, living forever. ## Translation — Mouseia > Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the complete extant 103-line UCL body witness and the separately identified eight-line secondary dedication witness. ### Title and Dedication 001 Praise of the Living Re-Horakhty, who rejoices in the horizon, 002 in his name as Shu who is in the Aten, 003 living forever and ever, the living Aten, great in jubilees, lord of all, 004 all that the Aten encircles, lord of heaven, lord of earth, lord of the House of the Aten in Akhetaten, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, living by truth, lord of the Two Lands, 005 Neferkheperure-Waenre, son 006 living by truth, lord of the horizons, the Aten effective for 007 the great one in his lifetime, and his beloved wife, lady of the Two Lands, Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti. 008 May she live, be healthy, and remain young forever and ever. ### Main Hymn 001 You appear beautifully in the horizon of heaven, 002 living Aten, origin of life. 003 When you rise in the horizon, 004 you fill every land with your beauty. 005 You are radiant, great, gleaming, and high above every land. 006 Your rays embrace the lands, as far as everything you have made. 007 You are Re, and you reach their limits. 008 You bind them for your beloved son. 009 Though you are far away, your rays are on the earth. 010 You are in their faces, though no one knows your movement. 011 When you set in the western horizon, the earth is in darkness, in the state of death. 012 People sleep in rooms, their heads covered, 013 and no eye sees another. 014 All their belongings may be stolen from beneath their heads, and they do not know it. 015 Every lion comes out of its den. 016 Every snake bites. 017 Darkness covers the earth, which lies silent while its maker rests in his horizon. 018 At daybreak, you rise in the horizon, shining as the Aten by day. 019 You drive away darkness and give your rays. 020 The Two Lands celebrate, awake and standing on their feet. 021 You have raised them up. Their bodies are washed and clothed, 022 and their arms are raised in praise at your appearance. 023 The whole earth does its work. 024 Every animal is content with its pasture. 025 Trees and plants flourish. 026 Birds fly from their nests, 027 their wings raised in praise of your life force. 028 Every animal leaps on its feet, 029 and all that fly and alight, 030 they live when you rise for them. 031 Boats sail downstream and upstream alike. 032 Every road opens when you appear. 033 Fish in the river leap before your face. 034 Your rays are within the great green sea. 035 You create seed in men and form offspring in women. 036 You make water into human beings. 037 You give life to the son in his mother’s womb, 038 soothing him so that he does not cry. 039 You are the nurse within the womb, giving breath to sustain everything you have made. 040 When he descends from the womb on the day of his birth, 041 you open his mouth completely 042 and provide what he needs. 043 When the chick is in the egg, speaking within the shell, 044 you give it breath inside to sustain it. 045 You have made its appointed time for breaking the shell. 046 It comes out of the egg to chirp at its appointed time. 047 It walks on its two feet when it comes out. 048 How numerous are your creations, though they are hidden from sight, 049 sole god, with no other beside him. 050 You created the earth according to your heart while you were alone: 051 people, herds, and every animal, 052 everything that runs on the ground on its feet, 053 and everything in the sky that flies with its wings, 054 the foreign lands of Syria and Kush, and the land of Egypt. 055 You place each person in his proper place 056 and provide what they need. 057 Each one has his food, and the length of his life is counted. 058 Their tongues differ in speech, and their forms likewise. 059 Their skins are distinct, for you distinguish the foreign peoples. 060 You make the Nile in the underworld and bring it as you wish, 061 to sustain the people, just as you made them for yourself, 062 lord of them all, who labors for all of them. 063 Lord of every land, who rises for them, the Aten of the day, great in majesty, 064 you make every distant foreign land live. 065 You have placed a Nile in the sky, so that it descends for them. 066 It makes waves upon the mountains like the great green sea, 067 to irrigate their fields within their towns. 068 How effective are your plans, lord of eternity! 069 The Nile in the sky is for the foreign peoples and for the animals of every foreign land that walk on their feet. 070 The Nile comes from the underworld for the beloved land. 071 Your rays nourish every field. 072 When you rise, they live and flourish for you. 073 You make the seasons to sustain everything you have made: 074 winter to cool them, and heat so that they may experience you. 075 You made the sky distant so that you could rise in it 076 and see everything you have made, while you alone rise in your form as the living Aten, 077 appearing, shining, distant, yet near. 078 You make millions of forms from yourself, the sole one: 079 cities, towns, fields, roads, and rivers. 080 Every eye beholds you when you enter its sight. 081 You are the Aten of the day above the earth, even when you have gone. 082 No eye at all that you created remains in its place so as not to see the body [...] the sole one you made. 083 You are in my heart, and there is no other who knows you 084 except your son, Neferkheperure-Waenre. 085 You make him wise in your plans and in your power. 086 The earth came into being through your hand, 087 just as you made them. 088 When you rise, they live. 089 When you set, they die. 090 You yourself are the span of life. 091 People live through you. 092 Eyes remain fixed on your beauty until you set. 093 All work is put aside 094 when you set on the right. 095 When you rise, you strengthen [...] the king. 096 There is movement in every leg since you founded the earth. 097 You raise them up for your son who came from your body, 098 the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, living by truth, lord of the Two Lands, 099 Neferkheperure-Waenre, 100 son of Re, living by truth, lord of appearances, 101 Akhenaten, great in his lifetime, 102 and the great king’s wife, his beloved, lady of the Two Lands, 103 Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, living forever.