1 A hymn of praise to God, when His sign, the sun, rises over the two horizons, by Suti, the overseer of the works at Thebes, and by Her, the overseer of the works. They say: Homage to Thee, O Beneficent One of every day! Thou causest the dawn to shoot up

2 at sunrise without fail; Thou art Creator, great in works. Thy radiance is in Thy face, Thou Unknown. Shining metal does not resemble Thy splendours.

3 Giving birth, but He was not born; One by Himself by reason of His power; Traverser of eternity; He who is over the ways of millions of years.

4 As are the beauties of the celestial regions, even so are Thy beauties. More brilliant is Thy complexion than that of heaven. Thy sign sails across the heavens; all faces look at it as it goes, though Thou Thyself art hidden from their faces.

5 At break of day Thou showest it in beams of light. In a little day Thou makest it journey over a road of millions and hundreds of thousands

6 of moments. Its day passes, and it sets. The hours of the night likewise Thou dost make to fulfil themselves. No interruption takes place in Thy work. All eyes

7 direct their gaze upon it; they cease not to do so. When it sets, Thou makest it rise again in the morning, and its sparkling rays flash in the eyes.

8 Thou causest it to set in the west, whereupon men sleep after the manner of the dead.

Hail to Thee, O God of the day, Creator of mortals and Maker of their life!

9 Hail to Thee, who art from everlasting! He was not born. Men cry out joyfully

10 at its rising and at its setting likewise. He is the fashioner of what the ground produces, Lord of the Two Lands, from the greatest to the least. Gracious Artificer, exceedingly great, prospering in His work.

11 The cattle cannot be counted. Thou art the strong Provider, and Thou art their shelter. He provides their life,

12 their sustenance. He illumines the Two Lands with the sun, His sign. He is the Creator of the Two Lands.

13 He looks upon what He has made, the Lord One, observing those who walk about upon the earth. He makes the seasons out of the months. By His command is the heat of summer,

14 and by His command is the cold of winter, which makes every limb droop. He encompasses every land. The creatures glorify Him when the sun rises daily.

15 Suti, overseer of works, and Her, overseer of works, each say: "I was the director of the works of Thy house of worship, which, as was right, Thy servant, the ruler of the Two Lands, Nebmaatra, made for Thee. My lord appointed me to be the officer in charge of the monuments.

16 I kept watch diligently; I served the office of director of the monuments strenuously, performing what was right. I knew how to uphold Truth, making it great upon the earth.

17 I performed it, and Thou didst make me great. Thou didst set the favours shown to me on the earth in the Apts (Karnak). I was among the followers of the king when he ascended the throne. I am truth, who abominates false words and deeds.

18 I never took pleasure in any conversation wherein were words of exaggeration and lies. My brother was like myself. I took pleasure in his affairs; he came forth from the womb with me on this same day.

19 Suti, the overseer of the works in the Southern Apt (Luxor), and Her, the overseer of works, say: I was director over the western side, and he was director over the eastern side; we two were directors of the great monuments

20 in the Apt, more particularly those of Thebes. Grant me an old age in Thy city, and in Thy beneficence a burial in the West, that place of rest of the heart.

21 Let me be numbered among Thy favoured ones, departing in peace. Grant me sweet air."