Hymn of the Seven Hathors from the Temple of Dendera

Hymn of the Seven Hathors from the Temple of Dendera

We play the tambourine for Your Ka,
We dance for Your Majesty,
We exalt You
To the height of heaven.
You are the Mistress of Sekhem,
The Menat and the Sistrum,
The Mistress of Music,
For whose Ka one plays.

We praise Your Majesty every day,
From dusk until the earth grows light,
We rejoice in Your Countenance, O Mistress in Dendera!
We praise You with song.
You are the Lady of Jubilation, the Mistress of the Iba-dance*,
The Lady of Music, the Mistress of Harp-playing,
The Lady of Dancing, the Mistress of  Tying on Garlands,
The Lady of Myrrh, and the Mistress of Leaping*.

We glorify Your Majesty,
We give praise before Your Face.
We exalt Your Power
Over the Gods and the Goddesses.
You are the Lady of Hymns,
The Mistress of the Library,
The Great Seshat
At the head of the Mansion of Records.

We propitiate Your Majesty every day.
Your heart rejoices at hearing our songs.
We rejoice when we see You, day by day.
Our hearts are jubilant when we see Your Majesty.
You are the Lady of Garlands, the Mistress of Dance,
The Lady of Unending Drunkenness.
We rejoice before Your face; we play for Your Ka.
Your heart rejoices over our performance.

*The iba is a sedate religious dance for the Gods. The title "Mistress of Leaping" refers to the kes-kes, called the "Hathor Leaping Dance" by R. Hannig but possibly also a dance with bending and bowing movements, if it is related to the word qsi, meaning "to bow."

From the 5th Crypt of the Temple of Dendera
Mariette: Dendérah, Tome 3, pl. 60.

Translated by Neferuhethert, © 2002

http://www.hethert.org/hymnsprayers.htm#Hymn of the Seven Hathors