The many military campaigns described in this text, and the unusually long reign of Harsiotef, suggest that the kingdom of Kush gained a resurgence of power at this time; and it clearly retained this power until Nastasen erected a similar stela, about half a century later.
The translation is taken from "Fontes Historiae Nubiorum", vol. 2, no. 78, p. 438 ( PDF ).
LUNETTE
{ Title of Ram-Headed Amen-Rê }
Utterance by Amen-Rê, lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, who dwells in Pure-mountain { Gebel Barkal } : given life, stability, and dominion.
{ Title of the King }
King-of-Upper-and-Lower-Egypt: "Beloved-son-of-Amûn" , Son-of-Rê: "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }.
{ Title of Queen Mother }
King's mother, king's sister, mistress of Kush, Tshis-ma-nufe.
{ Title of Human-Headed Amen-Rê }
Utterance by Amen-Rê, lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, foremost of Karnak : given life.,
{ Title of the King }
King-of-Upper-and-Lower-Egypt: "Beloved-son-of-Amûn" , Son-of-Rê: "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }.
{ Title of Queen Consort }
King's sister, great king's wife, Beheyrey.
MAIN TEXT
Thirty-fifth regal year, second month of the Winter Season, 13th day, under the majesty of Horus : "Mighty-bull, Who-appears-in-Napata" , Two-Ladies: "Who-seeks-the-counsel-of-the-gods" , Golden-Horus: "Subduer, Given-all-the-desert-lands", King-of-Upper-and-Lower-Egypt: "Beloved-son-of-Amûn" , Son-of-Rê, Lord of the Two Lands, Lord of Appearances , Lord of Performing Rituals , son of Rê of his body, whom he loves , "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }, may he live for ever , beloved of Amen-Rê, lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, who dwells in Pure-mountain { Gebel Barkal }.
We {the gods} have given him all life, stability, and dominion, and all health, and all happiness, like Rê, for ever. Behold, Amûn 5 of Napata, my good father, gave me the land of Nubia from the moment I desired my crown and his eye looked favourably on me.
They spoke to me, saying, "The temple complex of Amûn of Napata has collapsed in the court of the north.' I was afraid, and I questioned an old man, saying, "What is this?" He spoke to me, saying, "Let your hand be active. You shall build. 10 You shall make it sound."
Behold, I went before Amûn of Napata, my good father, saying, "Give me the crown of the land of Nubia ." Amûn of Napata said to me, "To you is given the crown of the land of Nubia. I give to you the 4 corners of the land in its entirety. I give to you the good water {ie. the inundation}. I give you a sky of good rain. I give you every rebel under your 15 sandals. The enemy that comes against you will not fare well. The enemy of yours that goes against you, it will not be, neither his might nor his feet."
Now I saw a great Inundation which Amûn, my good father, gave to me, while I was standing in the Harem of Amûn of Napata, inside his tabernacle. After this I went to Amen-Rê, the lord dwelling in Finding-the-Aton { Kawa }, and told about what Amûn of Napata said to me. I went to Amen-Rê, 20 the lord dwelling in Pnubs { Tabo } and told about what Amûn of Napata said. I went to Bastet of Tare, and told about what Amûn of Napata said. When they said to me, "Let him go down to the temple complex of Amûn of Taraonensi," people said, "They have not completed constructing it yet!" I rebuilt it and had it inscribed, the work being finished within four months.
When, however, I saw 25 the temple, the Karnak of Amûn of Napata, without any gold on it, I put on the temple, Karnak, specification, total : gold, deben-weight 40; making: gold, thin sheets, 5120. When they spoke to me, saying, "It lacks a shrine of gold," I brought the acacia wood of Arkure. Furthermore, I had it brought to Napata. I had gold put on its two faces: gold, deben-weight 30 40. I had put in its treasury: gold, deben-weight 20, making: gold, deben-weight 100.
O Amûn of Napata, I gave to you:
a neck-ring . . ., deben-weight 4,
an image of Amûn the city god which is made by the meseney-process 35 in gold,
together with divine triads . . . of gold, which are made by the meseney-process, 2
together with a statue of Rê, which is made by the meseney-process, 1;
together with mirrors of gold, 3;
together with pectorals of gold, 2;
together with 40 beads of gold, 134;
together with silver, deben-weight, 100;
together with a vessel for milk of silver, 1;
together with a hara-vessel of gold, 1;
together with a sekara-bowl of silver, 1;
together with a hara-bowl of silver, 45 1;
together with a mehen-bowl of silver, 1;
together with a rhyton, 1;
together with a menu-vase, 1;
making 9 vessels of silver;
together with kara-vessels, bronze, 4;
together with megatemiy-vases, bronze, 5;
together with vases with a lion's-face, bronze, 50 2;
together with 5-branched candlesticks, bronze, 2;
together with an offering-table, bronze, 1;
together with sekara-bowls, bronze, 15;
together with . . ., bronze, 5;
together with the great cauldron, bronze, 2;
making 32 vessels of bronze;
together with myrrh, deben-weight, 200;
together with incense, 55 karer-vessels, 3;
together with honey, karer-vessels, 5;
And moreover another matter: when The-house-of-the-thousand-years collapsed,I rebuilt it for you; and I erected for you its columned hall. I built 60 for you its stall for long-horned oxen, 154 cubits square?.
Whether I [saw] a temple complex or a small chapel which was fallen into ruin, I inquired, saying, "What is this?" and I spoke, saying, "Behold, as king of Egypt, I 65 rebuilt them for you, and I had divine offering given."
And moreover: I gave you long-horned oxen, 500 head; and I gave you milk, mehen-jugs, 2, day after day. I gave you worshippers, phyles, 10; I gave you prisoners, male 50, female 50, making 70 100. O Amûn of Napata, although you keep no account, it is I myself who gave you what is required.
And, behold: second regnal year, third month of the Winter Season, 23rd day, a leader of rebels came, that the land of Rehrehsa might do what harm it could. But Amûn 75 cut his forces to pieces, and they were delivered into my hands. Against him I performed mighty deeds and made a slaughter as well!
Third regnal year, second month of the Winter Season, 4th day, I fought with the rebels of the land of Metete, and I slaughtered it as well. But you it was that acted for me.
Fifth regnal year, second month of the Summer Season, 12th day, of the Son-of-Rê: 80 "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }, may he live, be prosperous and healthy for ever. I sent my infantry and my cavalry against the rebels of Metete. They acted against 3 towns of Anreware to fight against it and made a great slaughter of it. They even took its lord, Sawearaga-ta, prisoner and killed him.
Sixth regnal year, second month of the Summer Season, 4th day, of the Son-of-Rê: "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }, may he live for ever. I called 85 to many to march against Metete. I fought with . . . in a town, and I made a very great slaughter of it as well. I took captive its long-horned oxen, its short-horned cattle, its donkeys, its sheep, its goats, its male slaves, its female slaves, its . . . Your awesomeness is good. It was you that acted for me. The chief of Metete sent to me, saying, "You are my god. I am your servant. 90 I am a woman. Come to me." He had the deputy brought in the hand of a man, that I might withdraw. I came to you Amûn of Napata, my good father, that I might give you many head of long-horned oxen.
Eleventh regnal year, first month of the Winter Season, 4th day, I sent my army against Akne on account of my servant Gasau; specification, the names {of the enemy}: Braga and Saamanisa. When Aswan was reached, he (?) did battle 95 with it. He slaughtered Braga and Saamanisa, their lords! Your awesomeness is good. You yourself it was that acted for me.
Sixteenth regal year, first month of the Inundation Season, 15th day, I sent my army and cavalry against the rebels of Mekhuf. Battle was done with my army; it slaughtered it. They captured their cattle.
Eighteenth regnal year, first month of the Winter Season, 13th day, of the Son-of-Rê: "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }, may he live for ever. Rebels of Rehrehsa 100 came - specification, his name: Kharawe - all the way into Birawe { Meroe }. I made him weak. Your awesomeness is good. Your scimitar is mighty. I fought with him. I slaughtered him, a great slaughter. I defeated him. But you it was that acted for me; and the desert dwellers rose up in the middle of the night and he fled.
Twenty-third regnal, third month 105 of the Summer Season, 29th day, of the Son-of-Rê: "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }, may he live for ever. He came, to wit the chief of the desert people Rehrehsa, Arawe, with his lord right into Birawe { Meroe }. I joined battle and had him slaughtered - a great slaughter; and he was defeated and was driven off. I had Shaykara killed, when he came to plead for himself. Your awesomeness is good. Your sciritar is victorious. The chief 110 at [my] side made him withdraw. He made my army and my cavalry safe.
Thirty-fifth regnal year, first month of the Winter Season, 5th day, of the Son-of-Rê: "Horus-son-of-his-father" { Harsiotef }, may he live for ever. I sent a message to Amûn of Napata, my good father, saying, "Shall I send my army against the desert land Mekhty?" Amûn of Napata sent a message to me, saying, "Let it be sent!" I sent it, the mutilators, 115 men: 50, together with the cavalry of the four desert lands of Mekhty which is in Tagotshe; and it slaughtered them. They did not leave any among them. They did not give a way of escape among them. They did not let them take to their heels. They did not give their heads. They did not . . . the bow. They captured their lord.
They spoke to me, saying, 120 "A temple complex has collapsed in the third month of the Winter Season, the Day of Ptah ." I rebuilt it for you. I built the temple complex Gold-of-Life, the main building of which has six chambers, the main building of which has 4 columns as well.
They 125 spoke to me, saying, "The royal residence has collapsed, there not being any place into which people go." I rebuilt the royal residence and chambers in Napata, chambers: 60, I had 130 the enclosure wall surround it as well. I built Tara, one side being 50 cubits, making four sides: cubits 200, as well. I had 6 palm 135 groves planted for you, together with a vineyard with each, making 6 in Napata. I gave you the beautiful palm groves in Birawe { Meroe }, making 6. I had founded a divine offering, for one 140 night, barley: 115 hekat-measures; spelt: 38 hekat-measures; making barley and spelt together: 153 hekat-measures.
And, behold, there was no town where I did not do work, and 145 on which my finger did not touch. And, behold:
I had Osiris appear in procession in Yôttaye { Sedeinga ? },
I had Osiris appear in procession in Birawe { Meroe },
I had Osiris appear in procession together with Isis in Maratae { Defeia? },
150 I had four Osirises together with Isis appear in procession in Garere,
I had Osiris, Isis and Horus appear in procession in Sehrase,
I had Osiris together with Amaniabti appear in procession in Sekarage,
155 I had Horus appear in procession in Karate,
I had Rê appear in procession in Mahae { Abu Simbel ? },
I had Onuris appear in procession in Aratanaye,
I had Osiris appear in procession in Napata,
I had two Osirises appear in procession in Nehane,
160 I had Osiris and Isis appear in procession in House-of-Finding { Kawa }, and
I had three Osirises appear in procession in Pnubs { Tabo }, for ever.
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