Great Hymn to the Moon

The Lunar celebrations in Kemet are a rather mysterious topic. Despite having an entire lunar-focused calendar, we have very little material about the actual Moon phases festivals. From what we know, there were two major lunar-focused festivals, the psḏntyw and the tpy-smdt, which celebrated the New Moon and the Full Moon.

Much of what we know about these celebrations comes from funerary texts that mention these dates but provide little information about what was actually done or recited. Fortunately, through the preservation of temples and the search for papyri, there is a hymn found in multiple sources that I would like to present here.

This hymn was found in Papyrus BM 10474, in two areas of the Temple of Dendera, in two other areas of the Temple of Edfu, in the Temple of Kom Ombo, and in the Temple of Bigah. It celebrates Iah, the God of the Lunar Disk (literally, the Moon we see in the sky), and references various mythologies involving the Moon. Since the text appears in various sources, many variations, omissions, or additions of phrases occur from source to source. With that said, I tried to incorporate all the possibilities within my translation, to make it as full as possible.

It is important to emphasize here that in Kemet, all Names of Netjer directly associated with the Moon are masculine. Most of these Names can be found in the hymn, but in general, we have Iah, Djehuty, Khonsu, Wesir, Sokar, etc. The connection of Goddesses with the Moon occurs indirectly when they are related to the Udjat Eye of Heru, which undergoes the process of injury and healing, symbolizing the phases of the Moon. However, only male deities are directly linked to the Moon. Therefore, the New Moon and the Crescent Moon were moments related to healing and health, and this hymn is unique in describing the process of the Moon’s growth and its phases.

Within this hymn, there are two mythological events that are important to contextualize. Firstly, the Udjat Eye, the Eye of Heru, which is injured by Set and healed by a variety of deities (Djehuty, Aset, Hethert, Nebt-het, etc.), is the primary representative of the changes that occur in the Moon. Heru’s left eye is the Moon, while the right eye is the Sun. Due to liturgical wordplay and mythological associations, the Udjat became associated with the Eye-Goddesses, protectors of Creation, so their appeasement myths are also found in small fragments within this hymn.

Next, we have the relationship between Wesir and the Moon, which is not so much a connection solely with the Moon but with any celestial body that in some way has a creative aspect. This is part of the Mysteries of Wesir, where this foundation and syncretism of Wesir with Ra or Iah literally represent the Beginning and the End as one, Eternity in its never-ending, never-beginning cycle.

FINALLY, I want to make a note about the translation: the translation of this text is MINE, from the hieroglyphs and with the assistance of the translation found in François-René Herbin’s article “Hymne à la lune croisante [avec 1 planche].” I also provide a link with the TRANSLITERATION of the hieroglyphs, which I have also done. Therefore, feel free to use this hymn in your practices, but please give credit for this translation to me in any case where you publish it (I spent weeks translating it).

In addition to translating it, I have also divided the hymn into 8 sections:

1. Instructions
2. Beginning
3. The arrival of the Names who fill the New Moon
4. The moon cycle
5. The shining of the moon and the pacification of the Eye-Goddess
6. Exaltation and Protection
7. The temples are in Feast
8. End

1
Dua Iah and Djehuty, who pacifies the Udjat-Eye. Words to be said:

2
The sky is in joy, carrying the mystery of the left eye
The Bau of the Netjeru appear in procession before him
and Wesir shines in him as Iah
Djehuty, by means of a net, make protection for Him

3
The Netjeru here come in peace
Montu, at the beginning of the month, his heart is in double joy
Atum, certainly, is at peace
Shu and Tefnut shine through him, and exultation in his members are settled
Geb and Nut come in happiness
Khenty-Mekes, it is united with the left eye
Wesir stably shines like a Netjer within him
Khepera, the August, makes full the one who has diminished
and rejoices to mingle with him
a Netjer unites with a Netjer
Heret [Heaven] is raised distant and sanctified under his Majesty
(when) she illuminated the Two Lands as Iah
Aset, the Netjeret, came in Jubilation
to make his protection and his iru as recount the cycle
Heru (came) in joy to give instructions for her [the Eye], so that he is renewed and rejuvenated (twice), in accordance to his beauty
Nebt-Het (came) in joy to make her body healthy and provide the concernings through her powers
Hethert, Mistress of Dendera, appeared high in the horizon in the left eye
Heru-Behdety, the great Netjer, the master of the sky, is placed in him
Tjenenet and Iunyt came to the seat
on account of filling his day
Djehuty, the great, emerges triumphant [lit. True of Voice]

4
The left eye receives the right eye
and Iah comes to his place
without bringing to the Festivals of his phases any concern, from the rise to rest

5
You are the light [lit. Shu] that shines in heaven and earth
Ra and the Peacefull Ones [the Dead] rejoices to see you
The Netjeru of the Horizons, their hearts are happy
The Het-Benben [House of the Primordial mount] and the Het-Heru [House of Heru] are in joy!
Djehuty comes triumphant, He recorded his Udjat-Eye for Her Lord
Pacifiying Her with Her measures

6
Sovereign, beloved of the Netjeru, may your Name be stable forever
Triumphant is Ra in his disc [lit. Aten], Sovereign of the Netjeru, against his enemies
Triumphant is Wesir-Iah-Djehuty, Bull of the Sky, Sovereign of the Netjeru, against his enemies

7
For you are founded Dendara, Iat-di, the Throne of Heru of Behedet, and all the temples, for eternity and perpetuity.
Dendara is celebrating, and Tat-di rejoices
the birthplace of Nut is rejoicing, Waret-kheper-khat [a chapel in Dendera] entered into exultation
the Het-Menat [Temple of Menat] is in happiness, and the Het-Hay [Temple of Jubilation] is in jubilation
the Het-nehem [Temple of Joy] is in joy, and the Place-of-Aset is rejoicing;
Tareret [Dendera] takes possession of the Feast!

8
Behold, Atum is with Wesir;
O Venerable Ba of Wesir, rejuvenated on the first day of the month to fill the Udjat-Eye