The next new moon, after the heliacal rising of Sirius, which happened in the last month of the calendar year, marked the New Year.
“偕日出”之后,一年最后一個月里的新月,標志著古埃及人新年的到來。
And because the ancient Egyptians were using the lunar cycle in combination with this heliacal rising, some years ended up having 12 lunar months, while others had 13 lunar months, if Sirius didn't rise in the 12th month.
因為古埃及人的歷法包括了月相和天狼星的“偕日出”,有的年份有12個月;如果天狼星沒有在第12個月升起的話,那么當年就會有13個月。
Even though the length of the agricultural calendar still fluctuated, with some years having 12 months and others having 13, it ended up being much more reliable than it was before.
即使這個農業的日歷仍然是波動的,一些有12個月,一些有13個月。它卻比以前的歷法系統更為可信了。
They continually adjusted it to the heliacal rising of Sirius, ensuring that they never got too far off in their seasons.
他們不斷協調歷法,以保證與天狼星的出現保持一致,確保他們不會錯過各種季節。
This new calendar was ideal, because, well, it worked well for agricultural purposes as well as for knowing when to have traditional religious festivals.
這個新日歷很理想。因為,嗯,它既很好地服務于農業,又能夠提醒宗教的節日的到來。
So, that was their first calendar.
總之,這就是他們的第一個日歷。
But was it any way to run a government? They didn't think so.
但他們用這一套來管理政府嗎?他們不這么認為。
For administrative purposes, it was very inconvenient to have years of different lengths.
對于行政管理功能,長短變化的日歷并不方便。
So another calendar was introduced, an administrative one.
所以另外一個日歷就出現了,它專門被用于行政管理。
Probably soon after 3,000 BC, they declared a 365-day year, with 12 months per year, with exactly 30 days each month, with an extra 5 days at the end of each year.
大概在3000年之后,他們宣布了一個長度為365天的年,每年有12個月,每個月嚴格地對應了30天,年尾有5天。
This administrative calendar existed alongside the earlier agricultural and religious calendar that depended on the heliacal rising of Sirius.
這個政府的日歷與早期的農業歷、依賴于天狼星的宗教歷并行不悖。
This administrative calendar was much easier to use for things like scheduling taxes and other things that had to be paid on time.
這個行政日歷很好地用于安排稅收或者其他的需要按時交納的東西。
Over time, the calendar got out of step with seasons and the flooding of the Nile, but for bureaucratic purposes, they didn't mind.
隨著時間的流逝,這個日歷逐漸與季節和尼羅河的淹沒脫離了關系,但由于這項日歷是被用于官方目的,政府官員并不看重它是否有農業方面的用途。