The Egyptian Book of the Dead
Papyrus
of Ani; Egyptian Book of the Dead [Budge]
240 BC
THE PAPYRUS OF ANI
(THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD)
Translated by E.A. Wallis Budge
THE
CHAPTER OF OPENING THE MOUTH OF THE OSIRIS ANI.
To be said:- The god Ptah shall open my mouth, and the god
of my town shall unfasten the swathings, the swathings
which are over my mouth. Thereupon shall come Thoth, who is
equipped with words of power in great abundance, and shall
untie the fetters, even the fetters of the god Set which
are over my mouth. And the god Tem shall cast them back at
those who would fetter me with them, and cast them at him.
Then shall the god Shu open my mouth, and make an opening
into my mouth with the same iron implement wherewith he
opened the mouth of the gods. I am the goddess Sekhmet, and
I take my seat upon the place by the side of Amt-ur the
great wind of heaven. I am the great Star-goddess Saah, who
dwelleth among the Souls of Anu. Now as concerning every
spell, and every word which shall be spoken against me,
every god of the Divine Company shall set himself in
opposition thereto.
THE
CHAPTER OF BRINGING WORDS OF POWER TO THE OSIRIS ANI, who
saith:-
I am Tem-Khepera who produced himself on the thighs of his
divine mother. Those who dwell in Nu have been made wolves,
and those who are among the Tchatcha Chiefs have become
hyenas. Behold, I will gather together to myself this charm
from the person with whom it is [and from the place]
wherein it is [and it shall come to me] quicker than a
greyhound, and swifter that light. Hail, thou who bringest
the Ferry- Boat of Ra, thou holdest thy course firmly and
directly in the north wind as thou sailest up the river
towards the Island of Fire which is in Khert-Neter. Behold,
thou shalt gather together to thee this charm from
wheresoever it may be, and from whomsoever it may be with
[and it shall come to me] quicker than a greyhound, and
swifter than light. It (the charm) made the transformations
of Mut; it fashioned the gods [or] kept them silent; by it
Mut gave the warmth [of life] to the gods. Behold, these
words of power are mine, and they shall come unto me from
wheresoever they may be, or with whomsoever they may be,
quicker than greyhounds and swifter than light, or,
according to another reading, "swifter than shadows."
APPENDIX
THE
CHAPTER WHICH MAKETH A MAN TO REMEMBER HIS NAME IN
KHERT-NETER. [The deceased] saith:-
Let my name be given to me in the Great House (Per-ur), and
let me remember my name in the House of Fire (Per Neser),
on the night wherein the years are counted up, and the
number of the months is told. I am dwelling with the Divine
One, I take my seat on the eastern side of the sky. If any
god cometh after me, I shall be able to declare his name
forthwith.
THE
CHAPTER OF GIVING A HEART TO THE OSIRIS ANI IN KHERT-NETER.
He saith:-
Let my heart be with me in the House of Hearts. Let my
heart- case be with me in the House of heart-cases. Let my
heart be with me, and let it rest in [me or] I shall not
eat the cakes of Osiris in the eastern side of the Lake of
Flowers, nor have a boat wherein to float down the river,
nor a boat to sail up the river to thee, nor be able to
embark in a boat with thee. Let my mouth be to me that I
may speak therewith. Let my legs be to me that I may walk
therewith. Let my arms be to me that I may overthrow the
foe therewith. Let the two doors of the sky be opened to
me. May Keb, the Erpat of the gods, open his jaws to me.
May he open my two eyes which are blinded by swathings. May
he make me to lift up my legs in walking which are tied
together. May Anpu make my thighs to become vigorous. May
the goddess Sekhmet raise me, and lift me up. Let me ascend
into heaven, let that which I command be performed in
Het-ka-Ptah. I know how to use my heart. I am master of my
heart-case. I am master of my hands and arms. I am master
of my legs. I have the power to do that which my KA
desireth to do. My Heart-soul shall not be kept a prisoner
in my body at the gates of Amentet when I would go in in
peace and come forth in peace.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF THE OSIRIS, THE
ASSESSOR OF THE DIVINE OFFERINGS OF ALL THE GODS, ANI,
WHOSE WORD IS TRUTH BEFORE OSIRIS, BE DRIVEN BACK FROM HIM
IN KHERT-NETER. He saith:-
My heart of my mother. My heart of my mother. My heart-case
of my transformations. Let not any one stand up to bear
testimony against me. Let no one drive me away from the
Tchatcha Chiefs. Let no one make thee to fall away from me
in the presence of the Keeper of the Balance. Thou art my
KA, the dweller in my body, the god Khnemu who makest sound
my members. Mayest thou appear in the place of happiness
whither we go. Let not make my name to stink Shenit Chiefs,
who make men to be stable. [Let it be satisfactory unto us,
and let the listening be satisfactory unto us, and let
there be joy of heart to us at the weighing of words. Let
not lies be told against me before the Great God, the Lord
of Amentet. Verily, how great shalt thou be when thou
risest up in triumph!]
RUBRIC
I: These
words are to be said over a scarab of green stone encircled
with a band of refined copper, and [having] a ring of
silver; which shall be placed on the neck of the Khu (the
deceased), etc.
RUBRIC
II (From the Papyrus of Nu, Sheet 21):
If this
Chapter be known [by the deceased] he shall be declared a
speaker of the truth both upon earth and in Khert-Neter,
and he shall be able to perform every act which a living
human being can perform. Now it is a great protection which
hath been given by the god. This Chapter was found in the
city of Khemenu upon the slab of ba, which was inlaid with
[letters of] genuine lapis-lazuli, and was under the feet
of [the statue] of the god, during the reign of His
Majesty, the King of the South and North, Menkaura
(Mycerinus), true of word, by Prince Herutataf, who found
it during a journey which he made to inspect the temples.
One Nekht was with him who was diligent in making him to
understand it, and he brought it to the king as a wonderful
object when he perceived that it was a thing of great
mystery, [the like of] which had never [before] been seen
or looked upon. This Chapter shall be recited by a man who
is ceremonially clean and pure, who hath not eaten the
flesh of animals, or fish, and who hath not had intercourse
with women. And behold, thou shalt make a scarab of green
stone, with a rim [plated] with gold, which shall be placed
above the heart of a man, and it shall perform for him the
"opening of the mouth." And thou shalt anoint it with myrrh
unguent, and thou shalt recite over it the following words
of magical power. [Here follows the text of the Chapter of
Not Letting the Heart of Ani Be Taken from Him.]
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART-SOUL OF A MAN BE SNATCHED
AWAY FROM HIM IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris the scribe Ani
saith:--
I, even I, am he who cometh forth from the Celestial Water
(Akeb). He (Akeb) produced abundance for me, and hath the
mastery there in the form of the River.
(This
is a portion of a longer Chapter which is included in the
appendix.)
APPENDIX
(The
following is from the Papyrus of Nefer-uben-f, Naville, op.
cit., I, Bl. 72.)
THE
CHAPTER OF DRINKING WATER IN KHERT-NETER. The am khent
priest, Nefer-uben-f, whose word is truth,
saith:-
I, even I, am he who cometh forth from the god Keb. The
water-flood is given to him, he hath become the master
thereof in the form of Hapi. I, the am khent Nefer-uben-f,
open the doors of heaven. Thoth hath opened to me the doors
of Qebh (the Celestial Waters). Lo, Hepi Hepi, the two sons
of the Sky, mighty in splendour, grant ye that I may be
master over the water, even as Set had dominion over his
evil power on the day of the storming of the Two Lands. I
pass by the Great Ones, arm to shoulder, even as they pass
that Great God, the Spirit who is equipped, whose name is
unknown. I have passed by the Aged One of the shoulder. I
am Nefer-uben-f, whose word is truth. Hath opened to me the
Celestial Water Osiris. Hath opened to me the Celestial
Water Thoth-Hapi, the Lord of the horizon, in his name of
"Thoth, cleaver of the earth." I am master of the water, as
Set is master of his weapon. I sail over the sky, I am Ra,
I am Ru. I am Sma. I have eaten the Thigh, I have seized
the bone and flesh. I go round about the Lake of Sekhet-Ar.
Hath been given to me eternity without limit. Behold, I am
the heir of eternity, to whom hath been given
everlastingness.
(The
following two Chapters are from the Papyrus of Nu, Sheets 7
and 12)
THE
CHAPTER OF DRINKING WATER AND OF NOT BEING BURNT UP BY FIRE
[IN KHERT-NETER]. Nu saith:-
Hail, Bull of Amentet! I am brought unto thee. I am the
paddle of Ra wherewith he transported the Aged Gods. Let me
neither be burnt up nor destroyed by fire. I am Beb, the
firstborn son of Osiris, to whom every god maketh an
offering in the temple of his Eye in Anu. I am the divine
Heir, the Mighty One, the Great One, the Resting One. I
have made my name to flourish. Deliverer, thou livest in me
[every day].
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT BEING BOILED IN FIRE. Nu saith:-
I am the paddle which is equipped, wherewith Ra transported
the Aged Gods, which raised up the emissions of Osiris from
the Lake of blazing fire, and he was not burned. I sit down
like the Light-god, and like Khnemu, the Governor of lions.
Come, cut away the fetters from him that passeth by the
side of this path, and let me come forth therefrom.
THE
CHAPTER OF GIVING AIR IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani
saith:-
I am the Egg which dwelt in the Great Cackler. I keep ward
over that great place which Keb hath proclaimed upon earth.
I live; it liveth. I grow up, I live, I snuff the air. I am
Utcha-aab. I go round about his egg [to protect it]. I have
thwarted the moment of Set. Hail, Sweet one of the Two
Lands! Hail, dweller in the tchefa food! Hail, dweller in
the lapis-lazuli! Watch ye over him that is in his cradle,
the Babe when he cometh forth to you.
APPENDIX
(From
the Papyrus of Nu, Sheet 12)
THE
CHAPTER OF GIVING AIR TO NU IN KHERT-NETER. He
saith:-
Hail, thou God Temu, grant thou unto me the sweet breath
which dwelleth in thy nostrils! I am the Egg which is in
Kenken-ur (the Great Cackler), and I watch and guard that
mighty thing which hath come into being, wherewith the god
Keb hath opened the earth. I live; it liveth; I grow, I
live, I snuff the air. I am the god Utcha-aabet, and I go
about his egg. I shine at the moment of the mighty of
strength, Suti. Hail, thou who makest sweet the time of the
Two Lands! Hail, dweller among the celestial food. Hail,
dweller among the beings of blue (lapis-lazuli), watch ye
to protect him that is in his nest, the Child who cometh
forth to you.
THE
CHAPTER OF GIVING AIR IN KHERT-NETER. Nu
saith:-
I am the jackal of jackals. I am Shu. I draw air from the
presence of the Light-god, from the uttermost limits of
heaven, from the uttermost limits of earth, from the
uttermost limits of the pinion of Nebeh bird. May air be
given unto this young divine Babe. [My mouth is open, I see
with my eyes.]
THE
CHAPTER OF SNUFFING THE AIR WITH WATER IN
KHERT-NETER.
Hail, Tem. Grant thou unto me the sweet breath which
dwelleth in thy nostrils. I am he who embraceth that great
throne which is in the city of Unu. I keep watch over the
Egg of Kenken-ur (the Great Cackler). I grow and flourish
as it groweth and flourisheth. I live as it liveth. I snuff
the air as it snuffeth the air.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF A MAN BE SNATCHED AWAY
FROM HIM IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani, whose word is
truth, saith:-
Get thee back, O messenger of every god! Art thou come to
[snatch away] my heart-case which liveth? My heart-case
which liveth shall not be given unto thee. [As] I advance,
the gods hearken unto my propitiation [prayer] and they
fall down on their faces [whilst] they are on their own
land.
APPENDIX
(From
the Papyrus of Nu)
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT ALLOWING THE HEART.... TO BE CARRIED AWAY
DEAD IN KHERT-NETER. [Nu, whose word is truth,
saith]:-
My heart is with me, and it shall never come to pass that
it be carried away. I am the Lord of Hearts, the slayer of
the heart-case. I live in truth, I have my being therein. I
am Horus, the Dweller in Hearts, [I am] in the Dweller in
the body. I have life by my word, my heart hath being. My
heart-case shall not be snatched away from me, it shall not
be wounded, it shall not be put in restraint if wounds are
inflicted upon me. [If] one take possession of it I shall
have my being in the body of my father Keb and in the body
of my mother Nut. I have not done that which is held in
abomination by the gods. I shall not suffer defeat [for] my
word is truth.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART-CASE OF A MAN BE TAKEN
AWAY FROM HIM IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani
saith:-
Hail, ye who steal and crush heart-cases [and who make the
heart of a man to go through its transformations according
to his deeds: let not what he hath done harm him before
you]. Homage to you, O ye Lords of Eternity, ye masters of
everlastingness, take ye not this heart of Osiris Ani into
your fingers, and this heart-case, and cause ye not things
of evil to spring up against it, because this heart
belongeth to the Osiris Ani, and this heart-case belongeth
to him of the great names (Thoth), the mighty one, whose
words are his members. He sendeth his heart to rule his
body, and his heart is renewed before the gods. The heart
of the Osiris Ani, whose word is truth, is to him; he hath
gained the mastery over it. He hath not said what he hath
done. He hath obtained power over his own members. His
heart obeyeth him, he is the lord thereof, it is in his
body, and it shall never fall away therefrom. I command
thee to be obedient unto me in Khert-Neter. I, the Osiris
Ani, whose word is truth, in peace; whose word is truth in
the Beautiful Amentet, by the Domain of Eternity.
APPENDIX
(From
the Papyrus of Nu, Sheet 5)
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF NU, WHOSE WORD IS
TRUTH, BE CARRIED AWAY FROM HIM IN KHERT-NETER. He
saith:-
Hail, thou Lion-god! I am Unb (the Blossom). That which is
held in abomination to me is the block of slaughter of the
god. Let not this my heart-case be carried away from me by
the Fighting Gods in Anu. Hail, thou who dost wind bandages
round Osiris, and who hast seen Set. Hail, thou who
returnest after smiting and destroying him before the
mighty ones! This my heart weepeth over itself before
Osiris; it hath made supplication for me. I have given unto
him and I have dedicated unto him the thoughts of the heart
in the House of the god (Usekh-her), have brought unto him
sand at the entry to Khemenu. Let not this my heart-case be
carried away from me. I make you to ascend his throne, to
fetter heart-cases for him in Sekhet-hetep, [to live] years
of strength away from things of all kinds which are
abominations to him, to carry off food from among the
things which are thine, and which are in thy grasp through
thy strength. And this my heart-case is devoted to the
decrees of the god Tem, who guideth me through the caverns
of Suti, but let not this my heart, which hath performed
its desire before the Tchatcha Chiefs who are in
Khert-Neter, be given to him. When they find the leg and
the swathings they bury them.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF NU, WHOSE WORD IS
TRUTH, BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM HIM IN KHERT-NETER. He
saith:-
My heart of my mother. My heart of my mother. My heart-case
of my existence upon the earth. Let no one stand up against
me when I bear testimony in the presence of the Lords of
Things. Let it not be said against me and of that which I
have done "He hath committed acts which are opposed to what
is right and true," and let not charges be brought up
against me in the presence of the Great God, the Lord of
Amentet. Homage to thee, O my heart (ab). Homage to thee, O
my heart-case. Homage to you, O my reins. Homage to you, O
ye gods, who are masters of [your] beards, and who are holy
by reason of your sceptres. Speak ye for me words of good
import to Ra, and make ye me to have favour in the sight of
Nehebkau.
THE
CHAPTER OF BREATHING THE AIR AND OF HAVING POWER OVER WATER
IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani saith:-
Open to me! Who art thou? Whither goest thou? What is thy
name? I am one of you. Who are these with you? The two
Merti goddesses (Isis and Nephthys). Thou separatest head
from head when [he] entereth the divine Mesqen chamber. He
causeth me to set out for the temple of the gods Kem-heru.
"Assembler of souls" is the name of my ferry-boat. "Those
who make the hair to bristle" is the name of the oars.
"Sert" ("Goad") is the name of the hold. "Steering straight
in the middle" is the name of the rudder; likewise, [the
boat] is a type of my being borne onward in the lake. Let
there be given unto me vessels of milk, and cakes, and
loaves of bread, and cups of drink, and flesh, in the
Temple of Anpu.
RUBRIC:
If the
deceased knoweth this Chapter, he shall go into, after
coming forth from Khert-Neter of [the Beautiful Amentet].
THE
CHAPTER OF SNUFFING THE AIR, AND OF HAVING POWER OVER THE
WATER IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani saith:-
Hail, thou Sycamore tree of the goddess Nut! Give me of the
[water and of the] air which is in thee. I embrace that
throne which is in Unu, and I keep guard over the Egg of
Nekek-ur. It flourisheth, and I flourish; it liveth, and I
live; it snuffeth the air, and I snuff the air, I the
Osiris Ani, whose word is truth, in [peace].
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT DYING A SECOND TIME IN KHERT-NETER. The
Osiris Ani saith:-
My hiding place is opened, my hiding place is opened. The
Spirits fall headlong in the darkness, but the Eye of Horus
hath made me holy, and Upuati hath nursed me. I will hide
myself among you, O ye stars which are imperishable. My
brow is like the brow of Ra. My face is open. My heart-case
is upon its throne, I know how to utter words. In very
truth I am Ra himself. I am not a man of no account. I am
not a man to whom violence can be done. Thy father liveth
for thee, O son of Nut. I am thy son, O great one, I have
seen the hidden things which are thine. I am crowned upon
my throne like the king of the gods. I shall not die a
second time in Khert-Neter.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT ROTTING IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani
saith:-
O thou who art motionless, O thou who art motionless, O
thou whose members are motionless, like unto those of
Osiris. Thy members shall not be motionless, they shall not
rot, they shall not crumble away, they shall not fall into
decay. My members shall be made [permanent] for me as if I
were Osiris.
RUBRIC:
If this
Chapter be known by the deceased he shall never see
corruption in Khert-Neter.
APPENDIX
(From
the Papyrus of Nu, Sheet 18)
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE BODY PERISH. The Osiris Nu
saith:-
Homage to thee, O my divine father Osiris! I come to embalm
thee. Do thou embalm these my members, for I would not
perish and come to an end [but would be] even like unto my
divine father Khepera, the divine type of him that never
saw corruption. Come then, strengthen my breath, O Lord of
the winds, who dost magnify these divine beings who are
like unto thyself. Stablish me, stablish me, and fashion me
strongly, O Lord of the funeral chest. Grant thou that I
may enter into the land of everlastingness, according to
that which was done for thee, along with thy father Tem,
whose body never saw corruption, and who himself never saw
corruption. I have never done that which thou hatest, nay,
I have acclaimed thee among those who love thy KA. Let not
my body become worms, but deliver thou me as thou didst
deliver thyself. I pray thee, let me not fall into
rottenness, as thou lettest every god, and every goddess,
and every animal, and every reptile, see corruption, when
the soul hath gone out of them, after their death.
And when the soul hath departed, a man seeth corruption,
and the bones of his body crumble away and become stinking
things, and the members decay one after the other, the
bones crumble into a helpless mass, and the flesh turneth
into foetid liquid. Thus man becometh a brother unto the
decay which cometh upon him, and he turneth into a myriad
of worms, and he becometh nothing but worms, and an end is
made of him, and perisheth in the sight of the god of day
(Shu), even as do every god, and every goddess, and every
bird, and every fish, and every creeping worm, and every
reptile, and every beast, and every thing whatsoever. Let
[all the Spirits fall] on their bellies [when] they
recognize me, and behold, the fear of me shall terrify
them; and thus also let it be with every being that hath
died, whether it be animal, or bird, or fish, or worm, or
reptile. Let life [rise out of] death. Let not the decay
caused by any reptile make an end [of me], and let not
[enemies] come against me in their various forms. Give thou
me not over to the Slaughterer in this execution-chamber,
who killeth the members, and maketh them rot, being
[himself] invisible, and who destroyeth the bodies of the
dead, and liveth by carnage. Let me live, and perform his
order; I will do what is commanded by him. Give me not over
to his fingers, let him not overcome me, for I am under thy
command, O Lord of the Gods.
Homage to thee, O my divine father Osiris, thou livest with
thy members. Thou didst not decay, thou didst not become
worms, thou didst not wither, thou didst not rot, thou
didst not putrefy, thou didst not turn into worms. I am the
god Khepera, and my members shall have being everlastingly.
I shall not decay, I shall not rot, I shall not putrefy, I
shall not turn into worms, and I shall not see corruption
before the eye of the god Shu. I shall have my being, I
shall have by being; I shall live, I shall live; I shall
flourish, I shall flourish, I shall flourish, I shall wake
up in peace, I shall not putrefy, my intestines shall not
perish, I shall not suffer injury. My eye shall not decay.
The form of my face shall not disappear. My ear shall not
become deaf. My head shall not be separated from my neck.
My tongue shall not be removed. My hair shall not be cut
off. My eyebrows shall not be shaved away, and no evil
defect shall assail me. My body shall be stablished. It
shall neither become a ruin, nor be destroyed on this
earth.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT PERISHING AND OF BEING ALIVE IN KHERT-NETER.
The Osiris Ani saith:-
Hail ye children of the god Shu. The Tuat hath gained the
mastery over his diadem. Among the Hamemet Spirits may I
arise, even as did arise Osiris.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT GOING IN TO THE BLOCK OF THE GOD. The Osiris
Ani saith:-
My head was fastened on my body in heaven, O Guardian of
the Earth, by Ra. [This] was granted [to me] on the day of
my being stablished, when I rose up out of a state of
weakness upon [my] two feet. On the day of cutting off the
hair Set and the Company of the Gods fastened my head to my
neck, and it became as firm as it was originally. Let
nothing happen to shake it off again! Make ye me safe from
the murderer of my father. I have tied together the Two
Earths. Nut hath fastened together the vertebrae of my
neck, and [I] behold them as they were originally, and they
are seen in the order wherein they were when as yet Maat
was not seen, and when the gods were not born in visible
forms. I am Penti. I am the heir of the great gods, I the
Osiris the scribe Ani, whose word is truth.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE EAST IN
KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani saith:-
Hail, Phallus of Ra, which advanceth and beateth down
opposition. Things which have been without motion for
millions of years have come into life through Baba. I am
stronger thereby than the strong, and I have more power
thereby than the mighty. Now, let me not be carried away in
a boat, or be seized violently and taken to the East, to
have the festivals of Sebau Devils celebrated on me. Let
not deadly wounds be inflicted upon me, and let me not be
gored by horns. Thou shalt neither fall [nor] eat fish made
by Tebun.
Now, no evil thing of any kind whatsoever shall be done
unto me by the Sebau Devils. [I shall not be gored by]
horns. Therefore the Phallus of Ra, [which is] the head of
Osiris, shall not be swallowed up. Behold, I shall come
intome fields and I shall cut the grain. The gods shall
provide me with food. Thou shalt not then be gored,
Ra-Khepera. There shall not be then pus in the Eye of Tem,
and it shall not be destroyed. Violence shall not be done
unto me, and I shall not be carried away in [my] boat to
the East to have the festivals of the Sebau Devils
celebrated on me in evil fashion. Cruel gashes with knives
shall not be inflicted upon me, and I shall not be carried
away in [my] boat to the East. I the Osiris, the assessor
of the holy offerings of all the gods, Ani, whose word is
truth, happily, the lord of fealty [to Osiris].
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEAD OF A MAN BE CUT OFF FROM
HIS BODY IN KHERT-NETER. The Osiris Ani saith:-
I am a Great One, the son of a Great One. [I am] Fire, the
son of Fire, to whom was given his head after it had been
cut off. The head of Osiris was not removed from his body,
and the head of Osiris Ani shall not be removed from his
body. I have knitted myself together, I have made myself
whole and complete. I shall renew my youth. I am Osiris
Himself, the Lord of Eternity.