Hieroglyphic diagrams that accompany the text.
Prayers to the Gods CHAPTER ONE Divisions 1-25 The prayers of the scribe Pahery, the Guiltless Pahery lived during the start of the 18th Dynasty ___BC, and was mayor of el-Kab and Esna. The walls of his tomb at el-Kab offer the most extensive characterization of the Afterlife in ancient Egypt, other than the royal and divine funerary invocations of the Book of the Entering the Light. From his prayers and descriptions, the function of the tomb and the necessity of regular offerings to sustain the soul are set forth. We also observe what life with Osiris would be like, and the possibilities for moving back and forth between the present world and the next, our soul glorious from redemption. Note the concept of the god that is within the living human heart (bosom). PRAYERS TO THE GODS 1. Prayer to the Gods for Offerings, an offering which the king makes, 2. to Amun, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, King of eternity, Lord of Forever, 3. divine Ruler, Lord of the high double plume, 4. Sole one beforetimes, greatest of Ancients of primeval days, without equal, 5. creator of men and gods, Living flame which rose out of chaos in order to lighten the Sunfolk; 6. And to Nekhbet, the Shining One, Mistress of Heaven, Lady of the Two Lands; 7. To Osiris, Foremost of Westerners, Lord of Thinis, great in Abydos; 8. To Hathor, Mistress of Desert Borders, fearless among the gods; 9. To Ptah-Sokar, Lord of Shetyt; 10. to Anubis, Lord of Rosetau; 11. And to the Enneads, the Greater and Lesser: 12. May They give a thousand of bread, beer, meat, and fowl, a thousand offerings of provisions, 13. a thousand offerings of every plant which flourishes upon earth, 14. and a thousand of everything good and pure which is offered in the presence of the All-Lord. 15. And may They receive the bread and drink which is before the Lord of Eternity and the milk which appears upon the offering table, 16. and the water which gushes forth from the city of Elephantine, and the northwind that breezes over the land 17. at the festivals of the Month, the 6th Day, the Half-Month, 18. the Great Procession, the Rising of Sothis, 19. The feast of jubilation, of Thoth, of the First Birth of Osiris, and of Isis, 20. The Procession of Min, the Procession of the 4th Day, the Evening Offering, 21. the Rising of the River, and the festivals of heaven according to their days and according to the daily rituals. 22. May They provide for you a sacred robe of finest linen from those taken from the limbs of the god; 23. May They anoint you with sacred oil, may you drink the water that is left upon the altar, 24. and may you receive offerings from what is upon it, as one honored among the foremost of the blessed. 25. For the Soul of the Mayor of el-Kab, the scribe Pahery, vindicated, filled with devotion to his Lord. Prayers to the Gods CHAPTER TWO Divisions 26-45 Prayer for Life in the Afterworld PRAYERS TO THE GODS 26. May you come and go, while living, with joyful heart by favor of the Lord of gods, 27. with a fine burial in old age, after your length of years has come. 28. May you take your place in your sarcophagus, unite with earth in the Western Land, 29. become transformed into a living Spirit —powerful over bread, and water, and air— 30. which may take shape as the phoenix or the swallow, a falcon or a heron, just as you wish. 31. May you ferry across without hindrance and sail upon the waters of the flood. 32. May your life return once more, your spirit never deserting your body again! 33. May your spirit be holy among the transfigured, and may the blessed hold converse with you; 34. Your likeness is there among them in heaven while you are receiving your offerings on earth. 35. May you have power over water, and breathe air, and drink whatever your heart desires; 36. May you be given your eyes to see, your ears for hearing what is said, 37. your mouth for speaking, and your feet to walk. 38. May your arms move for you, and your shoulders, may your flesh be firm, your muscles thriving; 39. May you have joy of all your members and count your body whole and well. 40. No evil is accountable to you, your heart is with you truly; your mind is yours as formerly as you go forth to the sky. 41. May you explore the Afterworld in whatsoever shape you shall desire. 42. May they call you every day to the Table of Osiris, who was truly good; 43. And may you enjoy the offerings in his presence and the gifts for the Lord of the Sacred Land. 44. For the Soul of the Mayor of el-Kab, the Mayor of Esna, Counter of Grain from Denderah to el-Kab, 45. The vigilant administrator, free of wrongdoing, the scribe Pahery, vindicated. Prayers to the Gods CHAPTER THREE Divisions 46-65 Prayer Describing the Afterlife PRAYERS TO THE GODS 46. May you eat the loaves in the presence of God by the Great Staircase of the Lord of the Ennead; 47. May you turn from there to the place where He is in the midst of the high tribunal of judges; 48. May you move about freely among them, a friend to the Followers of Horus. 49. May you come and go unhindered and not be turned back from the doors of the Otherworld; 50. May the gates of heaven be opened to you, and the very doorbolts unlock of themselves; 51. May you enter the Hall of Two Truths and the god who is in it honor you. 52. May you be at ease in the underworld, and travel freely about in the City of Hapy; 53. May your heart have joy in your ploughing in your plot in the Field of Reeds; 54. May your portion attain what has been set for you and the harvest arrive full of grain; 55. May the draw-rope be taut in the ferryboat, and you sail to your heart’s desire. 56. May you go forth from the tomb each dawn and find your way back each evening. 57. May they kindle a candle for you at night until the sun shines on your breast. 58. Let them say to you, ‘‘Welcome, welcome to your house of the ever-living!’’ 59. May you gaze upon Rê in the circuit of Heaven and glimpse Amun when he shines; 60. May you be mindful of beauty each day, 61. may all that impedes you be driven to earth; 62. May you spend eternity in gladness of heart esteemed by the god who is within you. 64. Your heart is with you, it will never abandon you, 65. and your provisions will endure in their place. [due to your good heart] Prayers to the Gods CHAPTER FOUR Divisions 66-85 Pahery’s Autobiography, and his Claim of Upright Deeds PRAYERS TO THE GODS 66. For the soul of the scribe, Pahery, (the) vindicated. He says: 67. I was a nobleman, effective for his lord, wise, not negligent. 68. I proceeded on the path which I sought out and came to understand the goal of living. 69. I reckoned up the farthest limits in those writings which dealt with actions of the king; 70. and all the affairs of the royal palace were smooth as Hapy river flowing to the great green sea. 71. My voice was skilled in furthering the interests of my lord, concerned as I was with balancing accounts; 72. I was not neglectful of the payments, nor did I profit from the surpluses. 73. My own heart guided me along the path to praises of the king. 74. My pen made me famous; it made my voice heard among the magistrates, 75. And it enhanced my reputation so that I outdistanced noblemen. 76. [My eloquent writing honored?] me in the presence of the king's court, and my good character elevated me. 77. Summoned as one unbiased and placed in the balance, I emerged as one esteemed and trusted, without taint. 78. I came and went with my heart my sole companion. 79. I did not speak falsely to another person, knowing the god who dwells in humankind, 80. I could perceive Him and thus distinguish one p ath from another. 81. I acted exactly as commanded, did not confuse report with its reporter; 82. I did not speak the language of the streets nor consort with those of little character. 83. I was one who attained benevolence, one praised who came forth favored from the womb. 84. The Mayor of el-Kab, Pahery, begotten of the Prince’s tutor, the Scribe Itef-reri, vindicated, 85. and born to the Mistress of the Estate, Kam, the vindicated, he says: Prayers to the Gods CHAPTER FIVE Divisions 86-110 Appeal to the Living PRAYERS TO THE GODS 86. Pray listen, all you who have now come to be, let me speak to you without equivocation. 87. O living ones, you who exist, nobles and commons who are upon the earth, servants of God hallowed in their calling, 88. each scribe who bears the staff of office, the one conversant with God’s language, 89. each one skilled in dealing with subordinates, the speaker distinguished for his readings of the liturgy, 90. May you all give praise to Rê, Lord of Eternity, and to Nekhbet, the shining goddess of el-Kab. 91. And all of you passersby, effective in your varied offices, may you live to endow your children! 92. Just so, may you recite the offering prayer in the manner found in the writings, 93. and the invocation offering as spoken by those long dead just as it came from the mouth of God. 94. Anyone who shall here bend his arm shall grow in the counsels of righteousness; 95. to act properly according to tradition is to bear witness before this gravestone: 96. [more than] your thousand of bread, your thousand of beer, your hundred-thousand of everything good, true, and pure, 97. for the osiris, Mayor of el-Kab, Mayor of Esna, 98. treasurer on the southward voyage, the scribe excellent at reckoning, Pahery, the vindicated. 99. Let me speak to you all, help you to understand: 100. This is a recitation without excesses or exaggerations, there is no slander, no disputation in it, 101. There is no contending with another person, no troubling some poor man in his misery. 102. These are sweet words of consolation! 103. The mind cannot be indulged by hearing them! 104. The breath of the mouth can never be used up, there is no breathlessness, nor no weariness in this. 105. Goodness is yours when you perform it for [you], discover [that it earns] you favor. 106. While I was on earth among the living, no injustices toward God were counted against me, and I became a blessed spirit. 107. O! I have furnished my house in the realm under God, and my share is by me in everything. 109. I shall not fail to answer a prayer, 108. [yet] a dead man is father to any who aid him; He does not forget one who pours water to honor him. 110. It is good for you to consider this. The Teaching of a Man for his Son CHAPTER ONE Dvisions 1-25 that of Tuaf and Pepi TEACHING OF A MAN FOR HIS SON 1. Beginning of the teaching made by a man for his son He says: 2. Hear my voice, do not avoid my words, do not untie your heart from what I tell you. 3. Have character, without exaggerating it; for a sensible man idleness does not happen. 4. Silence is precise, the leveller of the arm. 5. The heart that does what is told is the effective one; rejection of words leads to strife; 6. there is no baggage-man raised to the audience-hall. 7. Whoever enters into words, opens the way for hearing, there is no winnower (no seperation from the others, or demotion) from whom one takes advice. 8. Interpret words without humiliating; a mean phrase slights its sayer. 9. Do not let your heart stray from god. 10. Praise the king, may you love him, as a worker. 11. He makes radiant by the giving of his powers yet whoever neglects him is deprived of a mooring. 12. He is greater than a million men for the one he has favoured, he is the shield for the one who makes him content. 13. Whoever has escorted will be great in wealth It is to the one he has loved that he gives his heart; guard against speaking out and vexing him. 14. Can the day of Renenet be varied? Can you add a day to a lifespan? Can you subtract from it either? 15. Meskhenet is like the time of creation, there is none who can destroy what he has ordained. 16. See then, great is the favour of god, exceedingly great is his control, mighty his power. 17. I have seen his eminence, that none can come into being against him. 18. He can transform the ignorant into the wise, the hater become the loving, 19. he enables the least to be like the great, the one in last place to become first, 20. The man without property to be a lord of riches the miserable to be a lord of jubilation. 21. He enables the man without mooring-post to moor, and the man who was traded to be lord of the docks. 22. He teaches the love of speaking, he opens the ears of the deaf. 23. All this is within a lifetime, beyond the day of Renenet, 24. and Meskhenet can guarantee nothing for it, other than guaranteeing breath for the nose. 25. Greatness can be yours by your action, if you have spent your life within the frame of your god. The Teaching of a Man for his Son CHAPTER TWO Dvisions 26-50 of Tuaf for Pepi TEACHING OF A MAN FOR HIS SON 26. Praise the king, adore the king that is the post that is before the god. 27. Increaase his powers, rejoicing when he has decreed, and devising plans for what he has desired. 28. The nameless will become a revered man, yet the king reduces whoever makes him the lesser priority. 29. [The king has rule over the life of his subjects'] body, he has opened it up when he was among the [charitable and merciful] 30. He has made a slaughterhouse [of the Impure], and overthrown [the lawless with violence]. 31. He is the bodily health of the nameless he exercises his body for him. [with orders from on high] 32. He is the right arm of the man whose arms are weak. 33. A person is buried (only) as one cleansed by him, and is made radiant and secure at his name. 34. The anxious king finds peace at his pyramid, 35. yet there is no tomb for the one who pronounces [evil against] his name, there is no pouring of water for the one who plots against him. 36. We see every foreign land in terror of him and their leaders bowing down to him. 37. His powers have crossed the great green water, the islanders alive in fear of him. 38. Punt and the shores of the farthest islands, the god has roped them in for him. 39. Whoever does not attack him, has already touched land. 40. Whoever does not plot against him, rests at his pyramid. 41. Do not tell lies in the quest to build a speech. 42. Witnesses to a dispute make that difficult, 43. for a man is tripped by an awkward moment, and cannot tell his lie a second time. 44. Effectiveness arises from accuracy of tongue. 45. Speech of malice cannot fall to the ground, and there is no building on what it has fostered. 46. There is no peace of mind in delaying by a moment of evil. 47. Collect a speech, grasp what has effect on the mat, truth works for the one who speaks it. 48. [When asked for your] advice, Give what you would have preferred. 50. Relax your shoulder, and do not raise your arm at your asking for advice, yet nurture the heart with love. The Teaching of a Man for his Son CHAPTER THREE Dvisions 51-75 of Tuaf for Pepi TEACHING OF A MAN FOR HIS SON 51. It is the silent man that people respect, it is the courteous man who is treated well on the road. 52. People ask for refreshment in speech, and react against a 'mouth-master', avoiding one whose voice is too loud. 53. The difficult character oppresses his master, and the master brings him to (his) return. 54. There can be no fruit for the one that [answers his lord's command with] 'what?' 55. There can be no swallowing for the voice of a man who loves to hear his tongue, it is the heart that creates talent. 56. A mission should be the cooling of the inflamed subject. 57. Acquiesce is gained by silence in the hall. 58. A crowd of mouths collapses at a lone voice. 59. That which is sweet is seized upon, rather than which is hateful, yea, choiceness of forms brings success. 60. If you become one who receives petitioners, and are judging two men in a dispute, 61. hear them at the arrival of one, with the other to the side. 62. If there are two men whose characters are both each under judgment, they will leave content. [opposed to just one person receiving judgment and discipline] 63. [Do not be partial] for the one whom you favor, that corrupts the judgement. 66. [Beware the] falsehood of leaders, for the multitude stands [watching]. 67. [Do not prefer] the ignorant to a hearer. 68. Truth is both water and dam; the teller of lies is quick to [pour them forth]. 69. Let your words fall to earth [like rain]; a fool [will not hear them, yet the wise man will.] 70. The king is a refuge for the one who petitions him. 71. Do not mock [at victims of injustice or violence], for crime can befall any man. 72. One should not harm with gladness, or bring submission [with violence or threats.] 73. It is man who brightens grief [with his pleasing] words [of good] report, as he answers [the angry or viiolent man.] 74. Do not unleash your heart; let your silence be long. 75. Reply [to a man's request for charity or help [according to his need. The Teaching of a Man for his Son CHAPTER FOUR Dvisions 76-100 of Tuaf for Pepi TEACHING OF A MAN FOR HIS SON 76. Do not [forsake nor abuse the educated scribe,] he acts as scribe as a colleague. [not an enemy] 77. [He assists with] foreign corpses because he indeed is his [diplomat]. 78. If he knows the hour [of treason] he is silent under the words against him, 79. to report to the god of his city, because he indeed is a [fugitive] [friend] of the hall. 80. Do not [favor] a man stronger than you, when judging two men in dispute. 81. Separate [the inflamed and witnesses] for the evil moment, like that which comes from the mouth of the answerers. 82. If you judge two men in council, you should sit silent, with your hand on your mouth. 83. There can be no evil against you when you are silent; your words and your share can take place in time. 84. [Do not receive evil] words from the one who delivers them, do not hear them - it is evil for you, 85. do not agree with the words of [a wicked one] the god judges him in his forms. 86. [Accept no bribes,] there can be no refuge for him [that is greedy]. 87. Gladden your heart with what you have. 88. As for the criminal that is lord of wealth by seizure, [do not cower from him] in fear. 89. Do not join someone who has been put to flight, do not stand [against him] either. 90. Like words coming from the mouth of the joyful [soul], and like one sleeping afgter daybreak, overtalking will fight against you. 91. May you give [rein to your tounge like horses in a chariot]. 92. Speech is the echo of fire, it is the scorching (?) in the answer of the ignorant, 93. it is bright in the mouth of the silent, it makes the cool man loudmouthed. 94. Harmony works, patience is good. 95. Answer the wise man, avoid the ignorant. 96. No hasty speech is free of stench, or given an open heart. 97. Be cool in fire, and complete in love. 98. Do not heed words that recruit hastily, do not agree to everything that is said. 99. Resist when you have consulted. [in order to contemplate] 100. To hear 'I want, I want' is painful. The Teaching of a Man for his Son CHAPTER FIVE Dvisions 101-130 of Tuaf for Pepi TEACHING OF A MAN FOR HIS SON 101. There is no lord of cruelty that has managed to touch Heaven.. 102. The seeker who is near to the heart is the one who arrives. 103. No light-hearted man can be free of his enemies, it is the lord of favor to whom workers accrue profits. 104. There is nobody that can plan to have his words measured out to him. [when he speaks] 105. If you are silent, the end of it will come to pass for you. 106. Answer [fools] with nothing; 107. A single utterance, that is the desire of most people. 108. [Seek to be] at peace with things. 109. People seek the words of the patient man. 110. Him who is not overextended of tongue is the one who draws in a family. 111. There are no supporters for the loudmouthed, he [cultivates] hostility. [like weeds] 112. There is no founding a house for the one with excess of words; 113. Nobody joins company with one that acts with envy, for he is like a snake coiled on its strike. 114. An evil character oppresses its owner; he cannot escape the apportioning of what is his. 115. [Do not agitiate your superior you are] under [with] hostility, [instead treat them with] respect. 116. Control your actions and words, do not upset him, 117. Restrain your mouth from [speaking to a superior], answer only when you are addressed. 118. That is the man who flourishes, and his mother praises him. 119. Do as you are ordered [by your superiors,] Do not [resist your lord], lest you add to suffering. 120. Any man who is praised by all, all [the lands] faces desire to be friends in his following. 121. [To let go of anger with] raging [temper is] like [losing and] finding everyone. 122. He may sleep to daybreak, he [may apologize to] others, yet Both halves flourish for him in his [level-headed conduct]. 123. What happens [justly] to a man according to his character, he finds [just] to him, until [his character] cuts [him short from] his talent. [of gold or silver] (i.e. his lot) 124. Do not lust after fighting, your passing can be cut short by your family. [who don't want a soiled reputation] 125. Do not judge two men in their rage; a dispute can turn against the one judging it. 126. It makes one loud-mouthed, and the other acts as enemy. 127. He who remains deaf to it can rest, by not aggravating [the angry]. [Wringing of the nose brings blood, and words of strife bring violence.] 128. It is [a loud-mouthed] man that strengthens his enemy. 129. He that restrains his mouth is he who flourishes; complaints turn into declarations of war. 130. [The teaching of Tuaf for Pepi] it is ended, perfect, in peace'. Victory Song of Thothmos CHAPTER ONE Dvisions 1-20 Engraved on a black granite tablet at the Great Temple of Karnak at Thebes, is a record of the conquests of Thothmos the 3rd, a conquering general comparable to Alexander and Napoleon. He had the same appetite for conquest, ever on the march and ever victorious, as he conquered much of the civilized world of __ BC. It was his magnificent boast that he planted the frontiers of Egypt where he pleased; and he did so. He reached South to the great equatorial lakes of Africa. Egypt reached North to the islands of the Ægean Sea, and to the upper waters of the Euphrates river, and East over Syria and Sinai, to Mesopotamia and Arabia. To the West past Libya and the North African coast to Algeria, he carried fire and sword, and advanced the Egyptian power. He was by far the greatest warrior-king of Egyptian history, and his Song of Victory, though does not exaggerate the facts. The chant, written by the laureate of the day, is among the finest example extant of the poetry of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians, despite their primitive grammar and the cumbersome structure of their language, had poetry, and of a very high order. It was not like our poetry, it had neither rhyme nor metre; yet it had rhythm, much like the ancient Greeks and others. It was largely alliterative, cadenced, symmetrical. It abounded in imagery, theology, and parallelisms. The same word, or the same phrase, was repeated at measured intervals. In short, it had style and music. And although the old Egyptian language is far more obsolete than the languages of Greece and Rome, that sound is still faintly audible to the ears of them that listen to its distant echo. At the top of the tablet of Thothmos the 3rd, a diarama represents the king in adoration before Amen-Ra; and the context shows the poem to have been composed in commemoration of the opening of the Hall of Columns, added by this Pharaoh to the Temple of Amen at Karnak. It is the god who speaks. He begins with a few lines of prose and them speaks in rythmic poetry. VICTORY SONG OF THOTHMOS 1. The discourse of Amen-Ra, Lord of Thrones. 2. "Approach unto me! Quake with joy, O my Son, my avenger, Ra-men-Kheper, endowed with life everlasting! 3. I am resplendent through thy love, and my heart is dilated on beholding thy joyous entrance into my Temple. 4. My hands have endowed thy limbs with living strength; thy perfections are pleasant in my sight. 5. I am established in my Abode. 6. I give thee victory and power over all the nations. 7. I have spread the fear of thee throughout all lands, and thy terror unto the limits of the four props of heaven. 8. It is I who magnify the dread of thy name, and the echo of thy war-cry in the breasts of the outer barbarians. 9. I stretch forth my arm, and I seize the people of Nubia in myriads, 10. and the nations of the North in millions, and I bind them for thee in sheaves! 11. I have cast thine enemies under thy sandals, and thou hast trampled their chiefs under thine heel. 12. By my command, the world in its length and its breadth, from East to West is thy throne! 13. Joyful of heart, thou dost traverse the lands of all the nations, none daring to oppose thee. 14. Thou hast sailed the waters of the great sea, and thou hast scoured Mesopotamia in victory and power. 15. I have made the nations to hear thy war-cry in the depths of their caves, and I have cut off the breath of life from their nostrils. 16. I made their hearts to turn back before thy victories. 17. My glory was on thy brow, dazzling them, leading them captive, burning to ashes their settlements. 18. Thou hast struck off the heads of the Asiatics, and their children cannot escape from thee. 19. Every land illuminated by thy diadem is encircled by thy might; and in all the zone of the heavens there is not a rebel to rise up against thee. 20. The enemy bring in their tribute on their backs, prostrating themselves before thee, their limbs trembling and their hearts burned up within them." Victory Song of Thothmos CHAPTER TWO Dvisions 21-50 Ten poetic paragraphs in rhythmic verse. VICTORY SONG OF THOTHMOS 21. "I came, I gave thee might to fell the princes of Taha. 22. I cast them beneath thy feet, marching across their territories. 23. I made them to behold thy Majesty as a Lord of Light, shining in their faces, even in my own likeness! 24. I came, I gave thee might to fell the nations of Asia. [Minor] 25. Thou hast reduced to captivity the chiefs of the Rotennu. Sinuhe's domicile in Ammon 26. I made them to behold thy Majesty in the splendor of thy panoply of war, wielding thy weapons and combating in thy war-chariot. 27. I came, I gave thee might to fell the people of the far East ! 28. Thou hast traversed the provinces of the Land of the Gods. 29. I made them to behold thee like unto the Star of Morning, shedding radiance and showering dew! 30. I came, I gave thee might to fell the nations of the West! 31. Phoenicia and Cyprus have thee in terror. 32. I made them to behold thy Majesty even as a young Bull, bold of heart, horned, and unconquerable! 33. I came, I gave thee might to fell the dwellers in the harbors of the coast-lands! 34. The shores of Maten tremble before thee. 35. I made them to behold thy Majesty even as the Crocodile, the Lord of Terror of the water, whom none dare to encounter. 36. I came, I gave thee might to fell those who dwell in their islands! 37. Those who live in the midst of the great deep hear thy war-cry and tremble. 38. I made them to behold thy Majesty as an avenger who bestrides the back of his victim. 39. I came, I gave thee might to fell the people of Libya! 40. The isles of the Danæans are under the power of thy will. 41. I made them to behold thy Majesty as a furious Lion, crouching over their corpses and stalking through their valleys. 42. I came, I gave thee might to fell those beyond the limits of the sea! 43. The circuit of the great waters lies within thy grasp. 44. I made them to behold thy Majesty as the Hawk which hovers on high, beholding all things at his pleasure. 45. I came, I gave thee might to fell the tribes of the marsh-lands, and to bind in captivity the Herusha, the lords of the desert sands. 46. I made them to behold thy Majesty as the Jackal of the South, Lord of Swiftness, who scours the plains of the upper and lower country. 47. I came, I gave thee might to fell the nations of Nubia, even to the barbarians of Punt! 48. I made them to behold thy Majesty like unto thy two brothers, Horus and Set, whose arms I have united to give thee power and strength." The poem concludes with a few lines of measured prose, where the god approves the additions which Thothmos had made to his temple. 49. "Longer is it and wider," he says, "than it has ever been till now, and great is its gateway. 50. I bade thee make it, and thou hast made it. I am content." Mariette wrote of this ancient hymn of praise being aromatic with "the perfume of Oriental poetry;" while Brugsch ranks it with the heroic poem of Pentaur and a few other similar composition, destined tto ever to remain representative of ancient Egyptian literature at its finest era. The Book of Breathings CHAPTER ONE
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Divisions 1-35
Hieroglyphic diagrams that accompany the text.
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
1.
[ ] god’s servant of Amon-Re, [king] of the gods,
god’s servant of Min, beautiful,
2.
priest of Khonsu,
the controller of [ ],
Hôr, justified,
3.
the son of one of the same titles,
master of the secrets,
god’s priest,
Wosir-wer, the justified, [born of] Taikhebyt.
4.
May your soul live in their midst.
5.
May you be buried the West.
6.
[May you give to] him beautiful and useful things on the west [of Thebes] like [ ].
The Book of Breathings
7.
They carry Osiris in to the Pool of Khonsu,
and likewise [the Osiris, Hôr, justified] born of Taikhebyt, justified,
after he has grasped his heart.
8.
They bury the Book of Breathings which made,
which is written on both its inside and outside, (wrapped) in royal linen,
and it is placed the left arm near his heart.
9.
The bearer makes his coffin on the outside of it.
10.
This document is made for him
so that he might breathe like the souls of the gods forever and ever.
11.
The Beginning [of the Book of Breathings] which [Isis] made [for her brother, Osiris,
12.
to cause his soul to live, to cause his body to live,
to rejuvenate all his limbs] again,
13.
[so that he might join] the horizon with his father, Re,
[and to cause his soul to appear in heave as the disk of the moon,
14.
so that his body might shine like Orion in the womb of Nut,
and to] cause [the same] thing to happen to the Osiris, Hôr, justified,
[born of Taikhebyt, justified.
15.
Keep it secret!]
Do not let anyone read it.
16.
It is useful [ for one in the necropolis,
for he will live again successfu]lly millions of times.
17.
O [Osiris,] Hôr, justified,
born of Ta[ikhebyt, justified.
18.
You have been purified,
your heart has been purified.
19.
Your front is in] a state of purity,
your back is in a state of cleanliness.
20.
Your midsection is cleansed with soda [and natron,
no part of you is involved in wrong-doing.
21.
The Osiris, Hôr,] justified,
born of [Taikhebyt, justified,
begotten of] Remny-qa,
is purified in that pool of [the Field of Offerings
to the north of the Field of the Grasshopper.]
22.
Wadjet and Nekhbet have purified you in the 4th hour of the night
and the [4th] hour [of the day.]
23.
[Come, Osiris, Hôr, justified,
born of Taikhebyt], justified.
24.
May you enter the Hall (9) of the Two Goddesses of Truth.
25.
You have been purified from every sin [and misdeed.
Stone of Truth is your name.]
The Book of Breathings CHAPTER TWO
Divisions 26-50
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
26.
[O] Osiris, Hôr, justified,
may you enter into the afterlife [in] a state of great purity.
27.
[The two goddesses of truth] have cleansed you [in the great hall.
28.
A purification has been performed for you in the hall of Geb. [the earth God]
29.
Your body has been purified in the Hall] of Shu.
30.
You see Re when [he] sets [and Atum in the evening.
31.
Amon is with you, giving breath to you,
32.
Ptah is fashioning] your limbs.
33.
May you enter into the horizon together with Re.
34.
[Your soul has been received into the Neshmet ship with Osiris.
35.
Your soul is made divine in the House of Geb,
you are justified forever and ever.]
36.
[Osiris,] Hôr, justified,
born of Tai[khebyt, justified,
37.
May your name endure,
May your body last.
38.
Then your mummy will endure,
and you shall not be turned back from heaven or earth.
39.
May you be made happy in the presence of Re.]
40.
May your soul live in the presence of Amon.
41.
May your body be renewed in the presence of Osiris.
42.
May you breathe forever [and ever.]
43.
[May your soul make invocation offerings for you of bread, beer, beef, and fowl,
libations and] incense during the course [of every day.
44.
Your flesh is on] bones, made like your form on earth.
45.
May you drink with [your throat.
46.
May you eat with your mouth.
47.
May your receive] offerings with [the souls of the gods.
48.
May] Anubis [protect] you and may he guard you.
49.
You shall not be turned back from the gates [of the afterlife.]
50.
May the twice [great] and mighty [Thoth,] Lord of Hermopolis,
come to you and write for you the Book of Breathings with his own fingers.
The Book of Breathings CHAPTER THREE
Divisions 51-75
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
51.
May your soul breathe forever.
52.
May you assume again your form on earth among the living.
53.
You are divine with the souls of the gods.
54.
Your heart is the heart of Re.
55.
Your limbs [are the limbs of the Great God.]
56.
[O Osiris,] Hôr, justified,
Amon is with you every day in the House of Re.
57.
May you live again.
58.
May Wepwawet open for you the [beautiful] path.
59.
[May you see with your eyes and hear with your] ears,
speak with your mouth, and walk with your legs.
60.
Your souls is divine in the afterlife so that it can assume any form it desires.
61.
May you cause the rustlings of the noble Ished-tree in Heliopolis.
62.
May you awake every day and see the rays of the sun.
63.
May Amon come to you bearing the breath of life.
64.
May he cause you to breathe [in] your coffin.
65.
May you go forth to the earth every day.
66.
May you be given the Book [of Breathings of Thoth for] your protection.
67.
May you breathe by means of it like Re.
68.
May your eye see the rays of the (sun’s) disk.
69.
May truth be spoken to you [in the presence of Osiris.
70.
May “justified” be written upon your body.
71.
Horus, the Avenger of His Father, Horus of Edfu,
may he enfold your body in protection,
and may he cause your soul to be divine like all the gods do.
72.
The soul of Re is animating [your soul].
73.
[The soul of Shu unites with your [nos]trils.
74.
O Osiris, Hôr, justified, born of Taikebyt, justified.
75.
May your soul breathe [any place you want.]
The Book of Breathings CHAPTER FOUR
Divisions 76-105
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
76.
[You are in the seat of Osiris.
Foremost of the Westerners is your name.
77.
May the Great Inundation come to you from Elephantine,
and may he fill your offering table with provisions.]
78.
Osiris, Hôr, [justified,
born of Taikhebyt, justified.
79.
May the gods of Upper and Lower Egypt come to you
and guide you to the Alcha’a together with your soul.
80.
May] you [accompany] Osiris
and may you breathe within the necropolis [together with the Great God.
81.
May your body live] in Busiris and the Thinis district. [the most ancient governing district]
82.
May your soul live in heaven every day.
[Osiris, Hôr, justified,
born of Taikhebyt, justified.
83.
May Sekhmet have power over those who conspire against you.
Horus,] Great of Heart, is protecting you.
84.
Horus of Edfu [does what you want. Horus the Beloved guards your body.
85.
May you endure in] life, prosperity, and health.
86.
You have been established upon your seat in the Sacred Land.
87.
[Come now Osiris, Hôr, justified,
born of Taikhebyt, justified.
88.
You] have arisen in your likeness,
the likeness of your royal regalia.
89.
May you be established in life.
90.
[May you spend your time in health.
91.
May you walk and breathe] anywhere.
92.
May Re shine upon in cave like (he did upon) Osiris.
93.
May [you] breathe [and live on his rays.
94.
May Amon animate] your ka,
may it live, prosper, and be healthy.
95.
May he cause you to flourish by the Book of Breathings.
96.
May you accompany Osiris
[and Horus, Lord of the Henu-boat.
97.
You are the Great God,] foremost among the gods.
98.
May your face live and your form be beautiful.
99.
Your name is established every day.
100.
May you enter into the god’s [great hall (or council)] in Busiris,
and may you see the Foremost of the Westerners at the Wag-festival.
101.
May your odor be as pleasant as a young man.
102.
[May your name be as great as] an august [noble].
103.
O Osiris, Hôr, justified.
May your soul live by means of the Book of Breathings.
104.
[May you join with] soul.
105.
May you enter into the afterlife without your enemy.
The Book of Breathings CHAPTER FIVE
Divisions 106-130
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
106.
You are a divine soul [in Busiris.]
(One papyrus breaks off here, and another is used for the missing text.)
107.
You have your heart. It is not far from you.
108.
You have your eyes, which are open every day.
109.
Words spoken by the gods who are in attendance on Re.
110.
Osiris NN, may you accompany Osiris.
111.
May your soul live forever and ever.
112.
Words spoken by the gods who are in the afterlife to Osiris,
Foremost of the Westerners,
113.
and to Osirs NN in order to open for him the doors of the afterlife.
114.
May you be received in the necropolis.
115.
Come, let your soul live forever.
116.
May it build a portal in the necropolis.
117.
May your ka praise its god,
for it has received the Book of Breathings.
118.
Come, let it cause breathing.
119.
A boon which the king gives to Osiris,
Foremost of the Westerners,
the Great God, Lord of Abydos.
120.
May he give a invocation offering of bread, beer, beef, fowl,
wine, milk, offerings, provisions,
and every good thing to the ka of Osiris NN.
121.
May you be healthy.
122.
May your corpse live, enduring at the command of Re himself,
and like Re neither perishing nor being sick forever and ever.
123.
O Far Strider who has come forth from Heliopolis.
124.
Osiris NN has not done any wrong.
125.
O Great of Strength, who comes forth from Hery-aha.
126.
Osiris NN has not committed any robbery.
127.
O one with the Nose, who comes forth from Hermopolis.
128.
Osiris NN has not shown favoritism.
129.
O Eye Swallower, who comes forth from the Double Caverns.
130.
Osiris NN has not made any seizure of property by theft.
The Book of Breathings CHAPTER SIX
Divisions 131-160
BOOK OF BREATHINGS
131.
O Terrible of Visage, who comes forth from the necropolis,
Osiris NN has not engaged in any disputes.
132.
O Ruty, who comes forth from heaven,
Osiris NN has not caused a false reading of the balance.
133.
O He Whose Eye is on Fire,
who comes forth from Letopolis,
Osiris NN has not committed any deception.
134.
O Gods who are in the hereafter, hear the voice of Osiris NN.
135.
He has come before you without any evil committed by him,
136.
without any wrong-doing held against him,
and without any witness who rises up against him.
137.
He lives by righteousness.
138.
He consumes righteousness.
139.
The hearts of the gods are content with all that he has done.
140.
He has given bread to the hungry,
water to the thirsty,
and clothing to the naked.
141.
He has given offerings to the gods
and invocation offerings to the blessed dead.
142.
There is no accusation against him before any of the gods.
143.
Let him enter into the afterlife without being turned away.
144.
Let him accompany Osiris together with the gods of the cavern,
for he has life, prosperity, and health among the living,
and he is divine among the justified dead.
145.
Let him live,
and let his soul live.
146.
Let his soul be admitted into any place he desires.
147.
Accept his Book of Breathings.
148.
Let him breathe together with that soul of his in the afterlife
with any form his heart desires,
together with the Westerners.
149.
Let his soul go wherever it wants.
150.
Let him live upon the earth forever and ever.
Diagrams accompanying the end of the Book of Breathings. Presumably the original diagrams came at the end of the Book of Breathings text, (yet not necessarily the end of the papyrus). A tentative translation of the text follows. [with tenative numbering 151-160]
Bottom line:
151.
The gods of the West, the gods of the cavern,
the gods of the south, north, west, and east say,
152.
May Osiris, Hôr, justified, prosper.
153.
Make [ ] summon.
Line to the Right of Figure 2:
154.
The great Isis, mother of the god.
The Three Lines to the Right of Figure 1:
155.
Words spoken by Osiris, the Foremost of the Westerners,
156.
May Osiris, Hôr, abide at the side of the throne of his greatness.
Line in Front of Figure 4:
157.
Ma’at [ ]
The Two Lines in Front of Figure 5:
158.
Osiris, Hôr, the justified forever.
The Three Lines in Front of Figure 6:
159.
Words spoken by Anubis, [ ]
160.
Lord of heaven,
preeminent in the Hall of the God.
Translated by M. Rhodes
The Laws of Ma'at CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-42
42 Professions of Fidelity
The Laws of Ma’at, otherwise called the 42 Negative Confessions, are from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, circa ___ BC..
LAWS OF MA'AT
1.
I have not committed transgressions of the law.
2.
I have not committed robbery with violence.
3.
I have not stolen.
4.
I have not slain men and women.
5.
I have not stolen food.
6.
I have not swindled offerings.
7.
I have not stolen from God.
8.
I have not told lies.
9.
I have not carried away food.
10.
I have not cursed.
11.
I have not closed my ears to truth.
12.
I have not committed adultery.
13.
I have not made anyone cry.
14.
I have not felt sorrow without reason.
15.
I have not assaulted anyone.
16.
I have am not deceitful.
17.
I have not stolen anyone’s land.
18.
I have not been an eavesdropper.
19.
I have not falsely accused anyone.
20.
I have not been angry without reason.
21.
I have not seduced anyone’s wife.
22.
I have not polluted myself.
23.
I have not terrorized anyone.
24.
I have not disobeyed the law.
25.
I have not been excessively angry.
26.
I have not cursed God.
27.
I have not behaved with violence.
28.
I have not caused disruption of peace.
29.
I have not acted hastily or without thought.
30.
I have not overstepped my boundaries of concern.
31.
I have not exaggerated my words when speaking.
32.
I have not worked evil.
33.
I have not used evil thoughts, words or deeds.
34.
I have not polluted the water.
35.
I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly.
36.
I have not cursed anyone in thought, word or deed.
37.
I have not placed myself on a pedestal.
38.
I have not stolen that which belongs to God.
39.
I have not stolen from or disrespected the deceased.
40.
I have not taken food from a child.
41.
I have not acted with insolence.
42.
I have not destroyed property belonging to God.
Translated by E.A. W. Budge
Petitioner Announces the 42 Divine Principles of the Maat
After the petitioner’s affirmative testimony of the 42 declarations, the weighing of the ka for truth, and the reading of the scales of judgment, it is said that the doer of Maat is administered Maat (justice). If the petitioner is deemed by the goddess Maat to be in substantial compliance with the 42 Laws of Maat, the petitioner passes from du-at to the Field of Reeds (Arus) where Osiris sits as the final gatekeeper.
Intro by V. Cross
Maat was an Egyptian Goddess.
Ma’at, unlike Hathor and Nephthys, seemed to be more of a concept than an actual goddess. Her name, literally, meant ‘truth’ (or justice) in Egyptian. She was truth, order, balance and justice personified. She was harmony, what was right, what things should be. It was thought that if Ma’at didn’t exist, the universe would become chaos, once again.
Intro by Tour Egypt
Kemet is the ancient name the native African people of the region of Egypt called themselves in their writings. Many scholars refer to the people as "kmt" or Kemet. The ancient artifacts of the Kemet viziers and scribes say that Kemet rule of law was “Maat,” at least in part the observation of the 42 Laws of Maat. [Compared with the 77 commandments of the 1770's Ghana prophet Okoye, there is a resemblance.]
Creation stories of the Kemet people from the Heliopolis era report that in the beginning Atum emerged from the Isfet (chaos) of Nu (primordial waters). Atum created the god Shu (personification of air/cool dryness) and goddess Tefnut (personification of moisture) from Nu. Shu is depicted in the Kemet iconography as an ostrich feather.
Under Kemet cosmology, Maat is designed to avert chaos (Isfet) and maintain truth (Maat). The symbol for truth, justice, balance, and order is the Goddess Maat. The iconography for Maat in the hieroglyphs depict the single ostrich feather (Shu), worn atop the goddess Maat’s head.
During the reign of Pharaoh Menes around 2925 BC, after the unification of upper and lower Kemet, there is evidence of the administration of the 42 Laws of Maat among the Kemet people on Kemet coffin writings and funerary scrolls.
The du-at (the underworld, as the place for judgment) is where the popular Kemet funerary scene of the Hall of Two Truths is depicted in the various versions of the “Egyptian Book of the Dead, on the papyrus of “Ani” A closer interpretation of the title from the Kemet language is said to be “Book of Coming Forth by Day.”, a funerary text written for the "coming forth" of the Kemet scribe Ani.
In Chapter 30B of the papyrus of Ani, the chapter for “Not Letting Ani’s Heart Create Opposition Against Him, in the Gods’ Domain,” we see the scribe Ani standing before his own ka (spirit/soul) on the scale of Maat. On the opposite scale is the goddess Maat’s feather of truth (Shu). The head of the goddess Maat is depicted atop the scales of justice.
Thoth, also known by other names such as Tehuti, stands holding a tablet and a writing tool to record the results from the scales. The ibis-headed Thoth is the patron saint of Maat scribes and priests.
The Sayings of Onkhu CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-40
Khekheperre-sonbu was born under Senusret the 2nd. The manuscripts with copies of this text date to the time of Ramses the 2nd, in the ___ dynasty, ___ BC.
THE SAYINGS OF ONKHU
1.
The collection of words, the gathering of sayings,
the pursuit of utterances with searching of heart,
made by the priest of Heliopolis, Khekheperre-sonbu, called Onkhu.
2.
He says:
Would that I had unknown utterances, [I wish I had]
sayings that are unfamiliar,
3.
even new speech that has not occurred before, free from repetitions,
not the utterance of what has [long] passed, which the ancestors spake.
4.
I squeeze out my breast for what is in it, (my breast)
in dislodging all that I say;
5.
for it is merely to repeat what has been said
when what has already been said has been said.
6.
There is no support for the speech of the ancestors when the descendants find it.
7.
I have spoken this in accordance with what I have seen,
beginning with the first men down to those who shall come after.
8.
Would that I might know what others have not known,
even what has not been repeated,
9.
that I might speak them,
and that my heart might answer me;
10.
that I might make clear to it (my heart) concerning my ill,
11.
that I might throw off the burden that is on my back.
12.
I am meditating on the things that have happened,
the events that have occurred in the land.
13.
Transformations go on,
it is not like last year,
one year is more burdensome than the next.
14.
Righteousness is cast out,
iniquity is in the midst of the council-hall.
15.
The plans of the gods are violated,
their dispositions are disregarded.
16.
The land is in distress,
mourning is in every place,
towns and districts are in lamentation.
17.
All men alike are under wrongs;
as for respect, an end is made of it.
18.
The lords of quiet are disquieted.
19.
A morning comes every day and turned back again to what has been formerly.
20.
When I would speak thereof, my limbs are heavy laden.
21.
I am distressed because of my heart,
it is suffering to hold my peace concerning it.
22.
Another heart would bow down,
yet a brave heart in distress is the companion of its lord.
23.
Would that I had a heart able to endure suffering,
then would I rest in it.
24.
I would load it with words of [ ]
that I might dislodge through it my malady.
25.
He said to his heart,
Come then my heart, that I may speak to thee
and that thou mayest answer for me my sayings
and mayest explain to me that which is in the land.
26.
I am meditating on what has happened.
27.
Calamities come in today,
tomorrow afflictions are not past.
28.
All men are silent concerning it,
although the land is in great disturbance.
29.
Nobody is free from evil;
all men alike do it.
Hearts are sorrowful.
30.
He who gives commands is as he to whom commands are given;
the heart of both of them is content.
31.
Men awake to it in the morning daily,
yet hearts thrust it not away.
32.
The fashion of yesterday therein is like today
and resembles it because of many things.
33.
There is none so wise that he perceives and none so angry that he speaks.
34.
Men awake in the morning to suffer every day,
long and heavy is my malady.
35.
The poor man has no strength to save himself from him that is stronger than he.
36.
It is painful to keep silent concerning the things heard,
yet it is suffering to reply to the ignorant man.
37.
To criticise an utterance causes enmity,
for the heart receives not the truth,
and the reply to a matter is not endured.
38.
All that a man desires is his own utterance.
39.
I speak to thee, my heart;
answer thou me,
for a heart assailed is not silent.
40.
Lo, the affairs of the servant are like those of the master,
manyfold is the burden upon thee.
Translated by J. Breasted
The Letter of Wermai CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
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