KYP T-482

KYPRIANOS DATABASE OF ANCIENT RITUAL TEXTS

KYPRIANOS T482

Manuscript:	M290
Sigla:	PCM 1 10 PCM I 10 Pierpont Morgan Library MS M.662B.22 P. Morgan Copt. 10 B1 363 D MS M.0662 Box 3
Text no. Position of the text within the manuscript.	1
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date:	601 – 700

Text position:	Ro ll. 1-22
Type of text:	Healing to cause pregnancy/undo infertility (magical, formulary)

Original title:
Original title (translated):
Conventional title:	Prayer for pregnancy (healing)

Language:	Egyptian (Coptic)
Dialect:	Sahidic (non-standard)
Script:	Coptic
Image:	http://corsair.morganlibrary.org/collimages/3/351423v_0001.jpg

Text:

Translation:

→
1. + δέσποτα παντωκράτωρ κύριου ὡ θεός ⲛⲧⲟⲕ
2. ⲅⲁⲣ ϫⲓⲛ ⲉϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲁⲕⲧⲁⲙⲓⲟ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ
3. ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲓⲛⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲉⲕϩⲓⲕⲱⲛ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲟⲛ
4. ⲁⲕⲧⲁⲓⲉⲓ ⲧⲁϭⲛⲏⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉⲧⲙⲓⲥⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ
5. ⲁⲕϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲉⲛⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲥⲁⲁⲣⲁ ϫⲉ ϩⲛ ⲡⲓⲟⲉⲓϣ
6. ⲛⲧⲕⲉⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲟⲩⲛ ⲟⲩϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲉ
7. ⲛⲧⲓϩⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲧⲓⲥⲟⲡⲟⲡⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲓⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲓ ⲙⲟⲕ
8. ⲡⲉⲧϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲛ ⲛⲉⲕⲭⲣⲉⲣⲓⲃⲓⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕ-
9. ⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲡⲁⲧⲱⲃϩ ⲛ̣ⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡϣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ
10. ⲉϫⲛ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲧ ⲛⲉⲣ̣⧹ⲏ̣⧸ⲡ ⲉⲧϩⲛ ⲧⲁϭⲓϫ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ
11. ⲉⲓϣⲁⲛⲧ̣ⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲙⲉϣ̣ⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲧϣⲉ ⲛⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲕⲉ-
12. ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥⲍⲉ ⲛⲁⲥ ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁⲓⲱ ⲡϫ̣ⲥ̣
13. ⲡⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲱϣ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲣⲟϥ
14. ⲁⲇ̅ⲱ̅ⲛⲉ ⲉⲗⲱ̅ⲛ̣ ⲥⲁⲃⲁⲱ̅ⲑ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
15. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲉϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲅⲁⲛ ⲧⲁⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲙⲟⲩⲣ
16. ⲛⲟⲩⲫⲩⲗⲁ̣ⲕⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲅⲁⲛ ⲧⲁⲟⲩⲁ ⲧⲓ ⲛⲁⲥ
17. ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲡⲟⲧ ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲅⲁⲛ ⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲕ ⲡⲉ
18. ⲙ̣ⲁⲣⲉⲥϥⲱⲗ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϭⲓ ⲧⲙⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲥⲟⲟⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ
19. [ⲧⲉⲥ]ⲛ̣ⲉⲡⲏ̣ⲗ ⲙⲛ [ⲧⲉⲥ]ⲕ̣ⲁⲗⲁϩ̣ⲉ̣ ⲉⲓⲱⲣⲕ ⲉⲣⲟⲕ
20. ⲛⲡⲉⲕⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲕϣⲟⲡⲟⲩ
21. ϩ̣ⲓϫⲛ ⲡⲉⲥⲧⲁⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲕⲉϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛ[ⲓⲙ]
22. ⲛⲧ̣ⲁ̣ⲩ̣ϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲉϫⲛ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲧ ⲧϩⲓ ⲧⲁϭⲓϫ +

[1] + O Master, Almighty Lord God, [2] since from the beginning, you created man according to your [3] likeness and according to your image, and you also [4] honoured the barren woman and the one who gives birth, you [5] yourself said to our mother Sarah: “By this time [6] next year you will have a child”. [7] Again in this way, I entreat you and I invoke you, [8] you who sit upon the cherubim, that you [9] listen to my prayer today, I, NN, son of NN, [10] over this cup of wine that is in my hand, so that [11] when I give it to NN, the daughter of NN, you will [12] grace her with a seed of man! Yea, Lord, [13] you who listen to anyone who calls upon you, [14] Adonai Elon Sabaoth, god of gods [15] and lord of lords, even if a man has bound [16] a phylactery to her, even if someone has given her [17] an enchanted cup, even if it is from you, [18] may the binding of her womb be released, and [19] [of her] navel (?) and of her belly! I adjure you by [20] your great name and by the sufferings you received [21] upon the cross, that you accomplish every word [22] which has been spoken over this cup which is in my hand! +

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

1. ⲇⲉⲥⲡⲟⲧⲁ i.e. Greek δέσποτα | ⲡⲁⲛⲧⲱⲕⲣⲁⲧⲱⲣ i.e. Greek παντοκράτωρ | ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲟⲩ i.e. Greek κύριος | ⲱ ⲑⲉⲟⲥ i.e. Greek ὁ θεός
2. ⲅⲁⲣ i.e. Greek γάρ | ⲕⲁⲧⲁ i.e. Greek κατά
3. ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲓⲛⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉⲕ-ⲉⲓⲛⲉ : ⲧⲉⲕⲛⲓⲛⲉ MacCoull, Hasitzka | ϩⲓⲕⲱⲛ i.e. Greek εἰκών
4. ⲧⲁⲓⲉⲓ i.e. Sahidic ⲧⲁⲉⲓⲉ⸗ | ⲁϭⲛⲏⲛ i.e. Sahidic ⲁϭⲣⲏⲛ
5. ⲟⲉⲓϣ i.e. Sahidic ⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ
7. ⲥⲟⲡⲟⲡⲥ corrected from ⲥⲟⲡⲟⲥⲥ by overwriting i.e. Sahidic ⲥⲟⲡⲥ : ⲧⲓⲥⲟⲡ ⲟ ⲉⲓⲥ MacCoull | ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲓ i.e. Greek παρακαλεῖν | ⲙⲟⲕ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗ⲕ
8. ⲭⲣⲉⲣⲓⲃⲓⲛ i.e. Greek χερουβίν
9. ⲛ̣ⲡⲟⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲡⲟⲟⲩ : ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ MacCoull, Hasitzka
10. ⲛⲉⲣ̣ⲏ̣/ⲡ ⲉⲧϩⲛ : ⲛⲉⲣ̣ⲡ ⲡⲉⲧϩⲛ MacCoull : ⲛⲉⲣ̣ⲡ Hasitzka
11. ⲉⲓϣⲁⲛϩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲙⲉϥ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ⸗ⲓ-ϣⲁⲛ-ϩⲱⲃ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗ϥ ? | ⲛⲛⲓⲙ : ⲛⲓⲙ MacCoull : ⲉⲓϣⲁⲛⲧ̣ⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲙⲉϣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ Hasitzka
12. ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥϩⲉ i.e. Greek χαρίζειν : ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥⲉ MacCoull | ⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ i.e. Greek σπέρμα | ⲁⲓⲱ : ⲁⲩⲱ MacCoull, Hasitzka | ϫ̣ⲥ̣ l. ϫ(ⲟⲉⲓ)ⲥ
14. ⲉⲗⲱ̅ⲛ ⲥⲁⲃⲁⲱ̅ⲑ : or ⲉⲗⲱⲗ̣ⲓ̣ (?) : ⲉⲗⲱ̅ ⲛⲭⲁⲃⲁⲱ̅ⲑ MacCoull : ⲉⲗⲱ︦ ⲛⲥⲁⲃⲁⲱ︦ⲑ Hasistzka | ⲛⲉⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛ-ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
15. ⲛⲉϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛ-ϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ | ⲅⲁⲛ i.e. Greek κἀν i.e. Sahidic ϫⲉ Hasitzka | ⲧⲁⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲁ-(ⲟ)ⲩ-ⲣⲱⲙⲉ: ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ Hasitzka
16. ⲫⲩⲗⲁⲕⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ i.e. Greek φυλακτήριον | ⲅⲁⲛ i.e. Greek κἀν i.e. Sahidic ϫⲉ Hasitzka | ⲧⲁⲟⲩⲁ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲁ-ⲟⲩⲁ : ⲛⲧⲁⲟⲩⲁ Hasitzka |ⲧⲓ ⲛⲁⲥ : ⲧⲓⲛⲟⲥ MacCoull
17. ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ | ⲅⲁⲛ i.e. Greek κἀν i.e. Sahidic ϫⲉ Hasitzka | ⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ Hasitzka
18. ϥⲱⲗ i.e. Sahidic ⲃⲱⲗ | ϭⲓ l. ⲛϭⲓ | ϭⲓ ⲧⲙⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲥⲟⲟⲧⲉ MacCoull, Meyer (ACM) translate “through redeeming love”
19. [ⲧⲉⲥ]ⲛ̣ⲉⲡⲏ̣ⲗ ⲙⲛ : . . . . ⲡⲉⲙⲱⲗⲏⲛ MacCoull, Hasitzka | ⲧⲉⲥⲕ̣ⲁⲗⲁϩ̣ⲉ̣ i.e. Sahidic ⲕⲁⲗⲁϩⲏ : [ . ? ] MacCoull : ⲁ̣ⲗ̣ⲁ̣ⲥ̣ⲉ̣ Hasitzka
20. ⲛ-ⲡⲉ⸗ⲕ- i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲡⲉ⸗ⲕ-
21. ⲥⲧⲁⲩⲣⲟⲥ i.e. Greek σταυρός
22. ⲛⲧ̣ⲁ̣ⲓ̣ϫⲟⲟⲩ : ⲛⲧⲉⲩ̣ϫⲟⲟⲩ MacCoull | ⲧϩⲓⲧⲁϭⲓϫ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲧ-ϩⲛ̅ ⲧⲁ-ϭⲓϫ : ⲡϩⲓⲧⲁϭⲓϫ MacCoull : [ⲉ]ⲧϩⲓ ⲧⲁϭⲓϫ Hasitzka

Notes:

2–3. ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲓⲛⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲉⲕϩⲓⲕⲱⲛ : An allusion to Genesis 1.26: “God said, “Let us make a man according to our image and according to our likeness” (ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϫⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲧⲁⲙⲓⲟ ⲛⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲉⲛϩⲓ̈ⲕⲱⲛ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓ̈ⲛⲉ; Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Ms. or. fol. 1605 fol. 1v col. 1 ll. 10–15). For other references to this passage, see PCM I 26 (KYP T17) p. 3 ll. 25–26, p. 4 l. 12, p. 5 l. 1, p. 9 31–32, p. 11 l. 17, p. 15 ll. 19–20.
5. ⲁⲕϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲉⲛⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲥⲁⲁⲣⲁ : A reference to Genesis 17.15–18.15, 21.1–3, in which God promises Abraham that his wife Sarah will bear a child, Isaac, despite the fact that Abraham is one hundred years old and Sarah ninety; the miraculous pregnancy of Sarah serves as a model for God’s capacity to allow women to conceive. For a similar Jewish text from the Cairo Genizah intended to make a woman give birth quickly, drawing upon the prototype of Sarah and other Biblical mothers (including Eve, Hagar, Rebecca, Lea, Rachel, and Zipporah), see MTKG I T.-S. NS 322.10 1a ll. 12–28.
12. ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ For this expression, cf. Ben Sirach 10.19 (σπέρμα ἀνθρώπου) and Förster WBGW 743 (cf. van der Vliet forthcoming). This could also be translated “human offspring”, but we maintain the more poetic, literal translation.
14. ⲉⲗⲱ̅ⲛ̣ : “Elon” Cf. PCM I 34 (KYP T1085) p. 3 l. 3 [ . ]ⲗ̅ⲱ̅ⲛ̅, and Eloei in the glossary of PCM I.
15. ⲛⲟⲩⲫⲩⲗⲁ̣ⲕⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ : An amulet as a possible cause of infertility is surprising; normally a “phylactery” refers to an amulet which would itself represent a source of healing. It is possible that this therefore represents a case in which anti- ‘magic’ discourse is being deployed; the woman may have previously sought out the use of a phylactery which has harmed her and may itself constitute the source of the problem. Compare the story reported in Augustine, City of God 22.8, in which a woman receives a miraculous cure from a long illness when she throws away an amuletic belt which she had been given by a Jewish practitioner. The other possible causes for infertility envisaged here are clearer—that someone has given her a curse in the form of a potion (cf. note to PCM I 26 (KYP T17) p. 16 l. 9), or that God himself has caused it.
19. [ⲧⲉⲥ]ⲛ̣ⲉⲡⲏ̣ⲗ : “navel?” Perhaps understand Sϩⲗ̅ⲡⲉ, “navel” with a loss of the initial ϩ and ⲗ-ⲡ metathesis; compare the additional ⲛ added in ll. 3, 4 (ⲡⲉⲕⲛⲓⲛⲉ, ⲧⲁϭⲛⲏⲛ).

Bibliography:

MacCoull, Leslie S. B. “ P. Morgan Copt.: Documentary Texts from the Pierpont Morgan Library.” Bulletin de la Société d’archéologie copte 24 (1979–1982): 1–19, pp. 10–14.

Meyer, Marvin W., and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 176, no. 83 (ACM).

P. Schäfer & S. Shaked, Magische Texte aus der Kairoer Geniza, 3 vols. (1994–1999).

Van der Vliet, Jacques. “Coptic Magic Coming of Age” (Review Korshi Dosoo and Markéta Preininger, Papyri Copticae Magicae I, 2023), Bibliotheca Orientalis, forthcoming.

Editor:

Text from MacCoull, transcribed by KD (1/2/2020); MPS (14/5/2020) entered new transcription, translation and apparatus, produced with KD; team from photograph (10/3/2021); updated to PCM version by SG + KD (22/7/2026); JS (9/1/2023)

How to cite:

[Editor names]. "KYP T482: Prayer for pregnancy (healing)," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, Korshi Dosoo, Markéta Preininger, & Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin (principal editors), www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/text/kyp-t-482. Accessed on 03/08/2026
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