Description:

240 BC

THE PAPYRUS OF ANI

THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD

Translated by E.A. Wallis Budge

 

  (From the Papyrus of Nu, Brit. Mus. No. 10477, Sheet 22)

  [THE FOLLOWING] WORDS SHALL BE SAID BY THE STEWARD OF THE KEEPER

OF THE SEAL, NU, WHOSE WORD IS TRUTH, WHEN HE COMETH FORTH TO THE HALL

OF MAATI, SO THAT HE MAY BE SEPARATED FROM EVERY SIN WHICH HE HATH

COMMITTED, AND MAY BEHOLD THE FACES OF THE GODS. The Osiris Nu,

whose word is truth, saith: Homage to thee, O great God, Lord of

Maati! I have come unto thee, O my Lord, and I have brought myself

hither that I may behold thy beauties. I know thee, I know thy name, I

know the names of the Forty-two Gods who live with thee in this Hall

of Maati, who live by keeping ward over sinners, and who feed upon

their blood on the day when the consciences of men are reckoned up

in the presence of the god Un-Nefer. In truth thy name is

"Rehti-Merti-Nebti-Maati." In truth I have come unto thee, I have

brought Maati (Truth) to thee. I have done away sin for thee. I have

not committed sins against men. I have not opposed my family and

kinsfolk. I have not acted fraudulently in the Seat of Truth. I have

not known men who were of no account. I have not wrought evil. I

have not made it to be the first [consideration daily that

unnecessary] work should be done for me. I have not brought forward my

name for dignities. I have not [attempted] to direct servants [I

have not belittled God]. I have not defrauded the humble man of his

property. I have not done what the gods abominate. I have not vilified

a slave to his master. I have not inflicted pain. I have not caused

anyone to go hungry. I have not made any man to weep. I have not

committed murder. I have not given the order for murder to be

committed. I have not caused calamities to befall men and women. I

have not plundered the offerings in the temples. I have not

defrauded the gods of their cake-offerings. I have not carried off the

fenkhu cakes [offered to] the Spirits. I have not committed

fornication. I have not masturbated [in the sanctuaries of the god

of my city]. I have not diminished from the bushel. I have not filched

[land from my neighbour's estate and] added it to my own acre. I

have not encroached upon the fields [of others]. I have not added to

the weights of the scales. I have not depressed the pointer of the

balance. I have not carried away the milk from the mouths of children.

I have not driven the cattle away from their pastures. I have not

snared the geese in the goose-pens of the gods. I have not caught fish

with bait made of the bodies of the same kind of fish. I have not

stopped water when it should flow. I have not made a cutting in a

canal of running water. I have not extinguished a fire when it

should burn. I have not violated the times [of offering] the chosen

meat offerings. I have not driven away the cattle on the estates of

the gods. I have not turned back the god at his appearances. I am

pure. I am pure. I am pure. My pure offerings are the pure offerings

of that great Benu which dwelleth in Hensu. For behold, I am the

nose of Neb-nefu (the lord of the air), who giveth sustenance unto all

mankind, on the day of the filling of the Utchat in Anu, in the second

month of the season Pert, on the last of the month, [in the presence

of the Lord of this earth]. I have seen the filling of the Utchat in

Anu, therefore let not calamity befall me in this land, or in this

Hall of Maati, because I know the names of the gods who are therein,

[and who are the followers of the Great God].