"Utterances 575 and 600" English Translation of Pyramid Texts by Samuel A.B. Mercer

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From: Book · Samuel Alfred Browne Mercer · 1952

"Utterances 575 and 600" is a 1952 English translation of the Pyramid Texts, Utterances 575 and 600, by Samuel A. B. Mercer. The lines seem to detail a creation myth related to the deity named Atum and the city of Heliopolis.
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Text: Full Translation, Collation (full)

Archaic Egyptian  ⟶  English a

Line #Translation
p. 253
Utterance 600
1652aTo say: O Atum-Khepri, when thou didst mount as a hill,
1652band didst shine as bnw of the ben (or, benben) in the temple of the "phoenix" in Heliopolis,
1652cand 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.
1653bAtum, so put thine arms about N.,
1653cabout this temple, about this pyramid, as the arm (s) of a ka,
1653dthat the ka of N. may be in it, enduring for ever and ever.
1654aO Atum, put thy protection upon N.,
1654bupon this his pyramid, (upon) this temple of N.;
1654cprevent any evil thing happening to him for ever and ever;
1654djust as thy protection was put upon Shu and Tefnut.
1655aO Great Ennead who are in Heliopolis,
1655bAtum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys,
1655cchildren of Atum--his heart is broad (glad) because of his children, in your name of "Nine [Bows]."
p. 254
1656ano one among you separates himself from Atum, (when) he protects N.,
1656b(when) he protects this pyramid of N., (when) he protects this his temple,
1656cagainst all the gods, against all the dead.
1656dHe prevents any evil thing from happening to him for ever and ever.
1657aO Horus, this N. is Osiris;
1657bthis pyramid of N. is Osiris; this his temple is Osiris;
1498a"O Rē‘," say men, when they stand by the side of N. on the earth,
1497ctake him with thee to the southern side of the sky."
1658aThou wast complete, thou wast great, in thy name of "House of the Great black."
1658bThot has put the gods under thee, because they are intact and just,
1658cin the ddȝ-fortress, in the dmȝ‘-fortress.
1658dO Horus, like thy father, Osiris, in his name of, "He of the royal castle,"
1659aHorus has given the gods to thee; he has caused them to ascend to thee, as (reed)-pens,
1659bthat they may illuminate thy face (cheer thee) as temples.
p. 236
Utterance 575
1492aTo say: "Behold, he comes; behold, he comes," says Sḥpw;
1492b"behold, the son of Rē‘ comes; the beloved of Rē‘ comes," says Sḥpw;
1492c"I caused him to come; I caused him to come," says Horus.
1493a"Behold, he comes; behold, he comes," says Sḥpw;
1493b"behold, the son of Rē‘ comes; the beloved of Re, comes," says Sḥpw.
1493c"I caused him to come; I caused him to come," says Set.
1494a"Behold, he comes; behold, he comes," says Sḥpw;
1494b"behold, the son of Rē‘ comes; the beloved of Rē‘ comes," says Sḥpw;
1494c"I caused him to come; I caused him to come," says Geb.
1495a"Behold, he comes; behold, he comes," says Sḥpw;
1495b"behold, the son of Rē‘ comes; the beloved of Rē‘ comes," says Sḥpw;
1498bwhile thou dawnest at the centre of the sky, "give thy hand to N.,
1495c"I caused him to come; I caused him to come," say the Souls of Heliopolis and the Souls of Buto.
1496a"O Rē‘," say men, when they stand by the side of N. on the earth,
1496bwhile thou dawnest on the east of the sky, "give thy hand . to N.;
1496ctake him with thee to the eastern side of the sky."
1497a"O Re," say men, when they stand by the side of N. on the earth,
1497bwhile thou dawnest on the southern side of the sky, "give thy hand to N.;
1498ctake him with thee to the centre of the sky."
1499One hastens with thy message; the runners are before thee.
Source(s) a Mercer, Pyramid Texts I, 236, 253-254 launch .

Original source data

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Sourceomnika.conscious.aiRetrieval date06/26/2020
Sourceomnika.conscious.aiRetrieval date06/26/2020
Sourceomnika.conscious.aiRetrieval date06/26/2020
Sourceomnika.conscious.aiRetrieval date06/26/2020
Source record No.p. 236MediumPrintImage date1952Source notesMercer, PT 1, 236.
Source record No.p. 237MediumPrintImage date1952Source notesMercer, PT 1, 237.
Source record No.p. 253MediumPrintImage date1952Source notesMercer, PT 1, 253.
Source record No.p. 254MediumPrintImage date1952Source notesMercer, PT 1, 254.
Source a Mercer, Pyramid Texts I, 236, 253-254 launch .

Background

The Samuel A. B. Mercer translation of the Egyptian Pyramid Texts is a 1952 book published by the author. Mercer was the first person to publish a complete English translation of the funerary carvings in ancient Egyptian pyramids in Saqqara. The references to the city of Heliopolis are cited in Utterances 575 (lines 1492-1499) and 600 (lines 1652-1659):

"1495c. "I caused him to come; I caused him to come," say the Souls of Heliopolis and the Souls of Buto."

Utterance 600 talks about the city of Heliopolis, Atum, and the great Ennead. Atum is hailed at the primary deity responsible for creation, citing the 'spitting' action referenced in Utterance 575. Utterance 575 outlines the creation process, as initiated by Atum. This description has also been described as an act of ejaculation via masterbation. Samuel Mercer was considered an expert in Egyptian translations, likely based on his extensive experience with the culture.

Cite this page

MLA Modern Language Association (8th ed.)

OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. ""Utterances 575 and 600": English Translation of Pyramid Texts by Samuel A.B. Mercer." OMNIKA – World Mythology Index, OMNIKA Foundation, 14 Apr. 2019, omnika.org/stable/59. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

APA American Psychological Association (6th ed.)

OMNIKA (2019, April 14). "Utterances 575 and 600": English Translation of Pyramid Texts by Samuel A.B. Mercer. Retrieved from https://omnika.org/stable/59

CMS Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.)

OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. ""Utterances 575 and 600": English Translation of Pyramid Texts by Samuel A.B. Mercer." Las Vegas, NV: OMNIKA Foundation. Created April 14, 2019. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://omnika.org/stable/59.

Bibliography

Mercer, Samuel A. B. The Pyramid Texts: In Translation and Commentary, Vol. I. Vol 1. London, UK: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1952.
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About

Egyptian Heliopolis Creation myth Myth icon
Egyptian Belief system
Atum Main deity

The first main Egyptian deities and the rest of the world were created by Atum (later known as Ra or Horus) out of water. Atum gave rise to Shu and Tefnet, who later birthed the deities that would make up the rest of the world, including Isis and Osiris. Isis and Osiris may have represented fertility and motherhood, which gave rise to humanity.