Hymns of Philae IV

The Temple - Tomb and Body of Isis

These words are inscribed on Nectanebo´s portal that is leading
from the outer court into the inner court of the Isis temple.

The temple is at the same time the body of Isis and the grave.
The king is born out of that symbolical body and returns to it when he dies,
to regain life for himself and for Egypt.

The King Enters the Temple Tomb

He hands out to his father

the bread of light

He lights incense

and pours out the lifegiving water

Before his father Osiris

He hands out wine

to his father

He hands out Ma´at to his father

who makes him lifegiving

Performs the Royal Offering

of food and drink

The King Meets the Mother

Son of Re, the lord

appears in glory

Comes with gifts to thee, Isis

giver of life, queen of the birth house

He brings you the members

from the Holy Land

He walks forth like the river from Bigge

that hides the body well

And the fields are fertilized

The Holy Land is the Land of the Dead. Bigeh is an island close to Philae,
where it was thought that Osiris was buried, thus the source of the Nile was believed to come from there.
The members are the torn pieces of Osiris´body, which are now presented to Isis as an offering

For each of the 24 hours of the day and night there is a god keping vigil,
and now is the hour of Horus. It is being held in the Inner Courtyard in the temple.