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Abedjou

The Lamentations of Isis and Nephtys



Two Sisters on a Sad Search

 
 

This text, of which only the two first parts are cited here from Miriam Lichtheim: "Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol III", was found in the Book of Going Forth By Day, dated to the Ptolemeian Period in Ancient Egypt. There are instructions for its use, a sketch is showing two women sitting on the ground, holding a vase and a bread offering. The text is similar but not same as a longer piece of writing, called 'The Songs of Aset and Nebt-Het' is found on Papyrus Brehmer-Rhind, dating to the 4th century b.c. Its purpose was for reciting in the temple of Wesir during festivals. The two versions are published and discussed by R.O. Faulkner.

This part, the Lamentations, focuses on the sister-wife Aset (Gr: Isis) and the sister Nebt-Het (Gr: Nephtys) of Wesir and their mourning and search for the body of the dead Wesir (Gr:Osiris).



"....Recitation:

Aset speaks, she says:
Come to your house, come to your house!
You of On*, come to your house,
Your foes are not!

O good musician, come to your house!
Behold me, I am your beloved sister,
You shall not part from me!

O good youth, ocme to your house!
Long, long have I not seen you!
My heart mourns you, my eyes seek you,
I search for you to see you!

Shall I not see you, shall I not see you,
Good King, shall I not see you?
It is good to see you, good to see you,
You of On, it is good to see you!

Come to your beloved, come to your beloved!
Wennofer, justified, come to your sister!
Come to your wife, come to your wife,
Weary-hearted, come to your house-mistress!

I am your sister by your mother,
You shall not leave me!
Gods and men look for you,
Weep for you together!

While I can see I call to you,
Weeping to the height of heaven!
But you do not hear my voice,
Though I am your sister whom you loved on earth,
You loved none but me, the sister, the sister!

Nebt-Het speaks, she says:

O good King, come to your house!
Please your heart, all your foes are not!
Your Two Sisters beside you guard your bier,
Call for you in tears!

Turn around on your bier!
See the women, speak to us!
King our lord, drive all pain from our hearts!

Your court of gods and men beholds you,
Show them your face, King our lord!
our faces live by seeing your face!

Let your face not shun our faces!
Our hearts are glad to see you, King!
Our hearts are happy to see you!

I am Nebt-Het, your beloved sister!
Your foe is fallen, he shall not be!
I am with you, your body.guard,
For all eternity!



* On = Heliopolis. Wesir is here said to come from Heliopolis due to his relationship with the Ennead and the sun god Re.

Sources:
'Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol III - Miriam Lichtheim
'Ägypten, Die Welt Der Pharaonen': article by Regine Shculz & Hourig Sourouzian
'British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt' - Ian Shaw & Paul Nicholson
'Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods' - Dimitri Meeks & Christine Favard-Meeks




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