Despite its critical importance, Egyptians don't understand the nature of the flood. They believe the Nile bubbles up far to the south from the depths of an underground sea. Over a few weeks the water level rises by nearly ten metres. The sun-baked land is transformed into a flooded plain covering thousands of square kilometres. Although welcome, the arrival of this much water is potentially dangerous. To tame the water, the pharaoh oversees dam building and irrigation to channel it safely over the land. The pharaoh has not failed his people. The rebirth of the Nile marks the Egyptian New Year.


虽然泛滥极具重要性，但是埃及人并不了解泛滥的原理。他们认为蔓延到南部的尼罗河大水来自于地底海洋深处。几个星期的时间河水水位上升了将近十米。遭到烈日炙烤的大地转变成为广达几千平方公里的水泽。虽然备受欢迎，但大量洪水的到来依然具有潜在的危险。为了驯服洪水，法老监督建设水坝和灌溉工程，将河水安全地导入大地之中。法老王没有辜负他的子民。尼罗河的重生标志着埃及新年的到来。