On April 3, 2021, The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade took place in Egypt, a beautiful procession of sarcophagi with the mummy of twenty-two Kings and Queens of Ancient Egypt. During this event, singer Amira Selim sang a hymn to Aset in Ancient Egyptian language.
Many Egyptologists and scholars went after getting the hymn in its original language and the translation. Some information said that the Hymn belonged to the Temple of Shelwit in Luxor, but no official information confirmed this. The music supervisor was Dr. Maissara Abdallah Hussein, who I tried to get in touch with but didn’t get a response, so I was one of the people who went after translating the hymn by ear. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that, as we do not have an official lyrics, variations in the understanding of the lyrics will happen from each person who did the same process as I did.
First of all, I would like to thank immensely for the help of Rev. Dr. Tamara Siuda and Joan Lansberry (Neheh) who helped me with this translation, to the various researchers who also did the same, enabling a comparison, and also to Aset for guiding me through this whole process.
Some phrases were in disagreement as to which term to use by the various people who studied these lyrics, so, having several versions, this is mine, which I feel best fits with what was sung, based on studies, sound perception and comparison with hymns and titles common to Aset!
I hope this study of mine can help anyone who needs it! I, Asethepetwi, am immensely happy to have done this in honor of Aset and I ask that if you use this version of mine, credit it to me! Below is the hymn in four versions: hieroglyphics, Ancient Egyptian transliteration, pronunciation and translation.
TRANSLITERAtion without repetition
Dwa r nTrw nbt
tA nts Hnwt wat
snD n Ast bX n sDt’f
snD n Ast Hnwt imnty
tAwy n spwy
snD n Ast Hddt m bHdty
iryt ra wrt Hswt m m imntyw
snD n Ast rdi n’s aAt n nswt bity
PRONUNCIATION
Dua er Netjeru Nebet
Dua er Netjeru Nebet
Ta Netes Henut Waet
Ta Netes Henut Waet
Senedj en Aset Bekh en Sedjet’ef
Bekh en Sedjet’ef
Senedj en Aset Henut Amenti
Bekh en Sedjet’ef
Bekh en Sedjet’ef
Senedj en Aset Henut Amenti
[INSTRUMENTAL]
Tawy en sepwy
Senedj en Aset, Hededet em Behedety
iryt Ra weret Hesut emem… emem Amentiu
[CHOIR]
Senedj en Aset Bekh en Sedjet’ef
Senedj en Aset Henut Amentiu
[INSTRUMENTAL]
(choir) Bekh en Sedjet’ef
(choir) Bekh en Sedjet’ef
(choir) Senedj en Aset Henut Amenti
(choir) Senedj en Aset Henut Amenti
[CHOIR]
Senedj en Aset Redi en’es A’at en Nisut-Bity
[INSTRUMENTAL+CHOIR]
TRANSLATION
Praises to the Lady of the Netjeru
Praises to the Lady of the Netjeru
She is the Unique Lady
She is the Unique Lady
Feared is Aset, She who gives birth to His fire *
Feared is Aset, She who gives birth to His fire
She who gives birth to His fire
Feared is Aset, The Lady of Amenti*
She who gives birth to His fire
She who gives birth to His fire
Feared is Aset, The Lady of Amenti
[INSTRUMENTAL]
And of the Two Lands together
Feared is Aset, Hededet of Behedety***
The Great Eye of Ra, honored… Honored among those in the West****
[CHOIR]
Feared is Aset, She who gives birth to His fire
Feared is Aset, The Lady of Amenti
[INSTRUMENTAL]
(choir) She who gives birth to His fire
(choir) She who gives birth to His fire
(choir) Feared is Aset, The Lady of Amenti
(choir) Feared is Aset, The Lady of Amenti
[CHOIR]
Feared is Aset Aset, She who gives Greatness to the Nisut-Bity*****
[INSTRUMENTAL+CHOIR]
*The Light of Ra, i.e. “She who gives birth to the morning”
**Amenti means “West”. In the song they pronounce Amenti as Ameneti.
***Behedety means “He of Edfu”, a form of Heru-Wer; This was one of the hardest phrases to identify. In my first version I had put “Hereret in Mehety” (The Flower of the North).
**** That is, the ancestors.
*****The King of Upper and Lower Egypt
Asethepetwi 