P.Fouad 203

Trismegistos: 63231

Transcription from: Pierre Benoit, “Fragment d'une prière contre les esprits impurs?” Revue Biblique 58 (1951): 549–565. English title is “A Prayer for Protection against Unclean Spirits.” The text is likely from a roll. Benoit has some fragmentary characters represented on either side of the column, but I have only provided transcription for the full column. This prayer is likely Jewish and not Christian.

Fragment 1

recto

  1. τὸ ἔντειμον ὄνο[μ]α
  2. [κ]α̣ὶ̣ ἔ̣σ̣τε ἀκάθαρτ[α] ἐξα-
  3. ποστείλαι ἡμεῖν τὸν*
  4. ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ τὸν προ-
  5. καθηγησάμενον τοῦ
  6. λαοῦ τούτου τῇ ἐξαγω-
  7. γῇ ὡς ὤφθ̣η̣ τ̣ῷ̣ Ἰεσοῦ̣ τῷ*
  8. του Ναυμ ἑ̣[ ̣] καὶ κατερ̣εί-*
  9. ψας ἡμᾶ̣ς̣ εἰς ἄβυσσον*
  10. εἰς τό̣π̣[ο]ν̣ ἀπωλε̣ί̣ας
  11. καὶ ἐπικαλύψας υ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣
  12. χ̣άο̣ς δ̣ιὸ οὐκετ̣ʼ [ὀ]φθ̣ή*
  13. σεσθε οὐδʼ ὑπάρ[ξ]ετε κα-
  14. κοποιῆσα[ι] ψυχή̣[ν ἡ] δ̣ὲ
  15. τειμὴ καὶ ἡ δόξα κ̣υ̣ρ̣[ί]ῳ̣
  16. διʼ αἰωνος̣ τ̣ῷ ἐξορκιζ̣ο̣-*
  17. μένῳ τῷ [ ̣ ̣ ̣] καὶ τοῖ̣ς̣
  18. παρʼ αὐτοῦ πᾶσιν καὶ
  19. σ̣υ̣μ̣παρ̣ο̣ῦ̣σ̣[ ̣].*
  1. the honored na[m]e.
  2. [A]ṇḍ ỵọụ are unclea[n], may he
  3. send out to us the*
  4. messenger of him, who gu-
  5. ided of the
  6. people this, who lead
  7. out, as he appeaṛẹḍ ṭọ Joshụạ the*
  8. son of Nun, ị[f̣] and who cạs*
  9. t uṣ into the abyss,*
  10. into the pḷạ[c]ẹ of destrucṭịon
  11. and covered up  ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣
  12. c̣ḥaọs, f̣ọṛ this reason no long̣ẹṛ [wi]ll be*
  13. seen, nor will you exist to
  14. do evil to a soụ[l the] ḅut
  15. honor and the glory ṭọ ̣ṭḥẹ ̣Ḷọ[r]ḍ
  16. through eternạḷ, ṭo solemnḷỵ*
  17. commandingͅ the [ ̣ ̣ ̣] and thọṣẹ
  18. from him all and
  19. p̣ṛẹṣent ạḷọṇg̣ṣịḍẹ[ ̣].*

… the honored name. And you are unclean, may he send you out to his messengers, who guided this people, who lead out, as he appeared to Joshua, son of Nun, and who cast you out into the abyss, into the place of destruction. And who covered up … chaos, for this reason will no longer be seen, nor will you exist to do evil to a soul, but the honor and glory to the Lord through eternal, solemnly commanding the … and all those from him and those present alongside … .

Notes