Book of Dead - 9

The Papyrus of Ani 240 BC, Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, Translated by E.A. Wallis Budge

Not Dying a second time

Thoth! What is it that hath happened to the children of Nut, they have waged war, they have upheld strife, they have done evil, they have created the fiends, they have made slaughter, they have caused trouble; in truth - In all their doings the strong have worked against the weak. Grant, O might of Thoth, that that which the god Tem hath decreed may be done! And thou regardest not evil, nor art thou provoked to anger when they bring their years to confusion, and throng in and push in to disturb their months. For in all that they have done unto thee they have worked iniquity in secret. I am they writing - palette, O Thoth, and I have brought unto thee thine ink-jar. I am not of those who work iniquity in their secret places; let not evil happen unto me.
Temu! What manner of land is this unto which I have come? It hath not water - It hath not air; it is depth unfathomable - It is black as the blackest night, and men wander helplessly therein. In it a man cannot live in quietness of heart; nor may the longings of love be satisfied therein. But let the state of the Spirit-souls be given unto me instead of water and air, and the satisfying of the longings of love, and let quietness of heart be given unto me instead of cakes and ale. The god Tem hath decreed that I shall see thy face, and that I shall not suffer from the things which pain thee. May every god transmit unto thee his throne for millions of years. Thy throne hath descended unto thy son Horus, and the god Tem hath decreed that thy course shall be among the holy princes. In truth he shall rule from thy throne, and he shall be heir to the throne of the Dweller in the fiery Lake Neserser. In truth it hath been decreed that in me he shall see his likeness, and that my face shall look upon the face of the Lord Tem. How long then have I to live? It is decreed that thou shalt live for millions of years, a life of millions of years. Let it be granted to me to pass on to the holy princes, for indeed - I have done away all the evil which I committed, from the time when this earth came into being from Nu, when it sprang from the watery abyss even as it was in the days of old. I am Fate and Osiris - I have made my transformations into the likeness of divers serpents. Man knoweth not, and the gods cannot behold the two-fold beauty which I have made for Osiris, the greatest of the gods. I have given unto him the region of the dead. And, verily, his son Horus is seated upon the throne of the Dweller in the fiery Lake of Neserser, as his heir. I have made him to have his throne in the boat of Millions of Years. Horus is stablished upon his throne among his kinsmen, and he hath all that is with him. Verily, the Soul of Seth, which is greater than all the gods, hath departed. Let it be granted to me to bind his soul in fetter in the boat of the god, when I please, and let him hold the Body of the god in fear. O my father Osiris, thou hast done for me that which thy father Ra did for thee. Let me abide upon the earth permanently. Let me keep possession of my throne. Let my heir be strong. Let my tomb, and my friends who are upon the earth, flourish. Let my enemies be given over to destruction, and to the shackles of the goddess Serq. I am thy son. Ra is my father. On me likewise thou hast conferred life, strength, and health. Horus is established upon his tomb. Grant thou that the days of my life may come unto worship and honour.
This Chapter shall be recited over a figure of Horus, made of lapis-lazuli, which shall be placed on the neck of the deceased. It is a protection upon earth, and it will secure for the deceased the affection of men, gods, and the Spirit-souls which are perfect. Moreover it acteth as a spell in Khert-Neter, but it must be recited by thee on behalf of the Osiris Ra, regularly and continually millions of times.

Entering the Hall of Maat to praise Osiris

I have come unto thee. I have drawn nigh to behold thy beauties (thy beneficient goodness). My hands are extended in adoration of thy name of "Maat." I have come. I have drawn nigh unto the place where the cedar-tree existeth not, where the acacia tree doth not put forth shoots, and where the ground produceth neither grass nor herbs. Now I have entered into the habitation which is hidden, and I hold converse with Seth. My protector advanced to me, covered was his face.... on the hidden things. He entered into the house of Osiris, he saw the hidden things which were therein. The Tchatchau Chiefs of the Pylons were in the form of Spirits. The god Anpu spake unto those about him with the words of a man who cometh from Ta-mera, saying, "He knoweth our roads and our towns. I am reconciled unto him. When I smell his odour it is even as the odour of one of you." And I say unto him: I the Osiris Ani, whose word is truth - In peace, whose word is truth, have come. I have drawn nigh to behold the Great gods. I would live upon the propitiatory offerings made to their Doubles. I would live on the borders of the territory of the Soul, the Lord of Tetu. He shall make me to come forth in the form of a Benu bird, and to hold converse with him. I have been in the stream to purify myself. I have made offerings of incense. I betook myself to the Acacia Tree of the divine Children. I lived in Abu in the House of the goddess Satet. I made to sink in the water the boat of the enemies. I sailed over the lake in the temple in the Neshmet boat. I have looked upon the Sahu of Kamur. I have been in Tetu. I have held my peace. I have made the god to be master of his legs. I have been in the House of Teptuf. I have seen him, that is the Governor of the Hall of the god. I have entered into the House of Osiris and I have removed the head-coverings of him that is therein. I have entered into Rasta, and I have seen the Hidden One who is therein. I was hidden, but I found the boundary. I journeyed to Nerutef, and he who was therein covered me with a garment. I have myrrh of women, together with the shenu powder of living folk. Verily he (Osiris) told me the things which concerned himself. I said: Let thy weighing of me be even as we desire.
And the Majesty of Anpu shall say unto me, "Knowest thou the name of this door, and canst thou tell it?" And the Osiris the Scribe Ani, whose word is truth - In peace, whose word is truth, shall say, "Khersek-Shu" is the name of this door. And the Majesty of the god Anpu shall say unto me, "Knowest thou the name of the upper leaf, and the name of the lower leaf?" And the Osiris the scribe Ani shall say: "Neb-Maat-heri-retiu- f" is the name of the upper leaf and "Neb-pehti-thesu-menment" is the name of the lower leaf. And the Majesty of the god Anpu shall say, "Pass on, for thou hast knowledge, O Osiris the scribe, the assessor of the holy offerings of all the gods of Thebes Ani, whose word is truth, the lord of loyal service to Osiris."

The negative confession

Usekh-nemmt from Anu - I haven't committed sin.
Hept-khet from Kher-aha - I haven't committed robbery with violence.
Fenti from Khemenu (Hermopolis) - I haven't stolen.
Am-khaibit from Qernet - I haven't slain men and women.
Neha-her from Rasta - I haven't stolen grain.
Ruruti from heaven - I haven't purloined offerings.
Arfi-em-khet from Suat - I haven't stolen the property of god.
Neba, who comes and goest - I haven't uttered lies.
Set-qesu from Hensu - I haven't carried away food.
Utu-nesert from Ptah - I haven't uttered curses.
Qerrti from Amentet - I haven't committed adultery - I haven't lain with men.
Her-f-ha-f from thy cavern - I have made none to weep.
Basti from Bast - I haven't eaten the heart.
Ta-retiu from the night - I haven't attacked any man.
Unem-snef from the execution chamber - I am not a man of deceit.
Unem-besek from Mabit - I haven't stolen cultivated land.
Neb-Maat from Maati - I haven't been an eavesdropper.
Tenemiu from Bast - I haven't slandered no man.
Sertiu from Anu - I haven't been angry without just cause.
Tutu from Ati (the Busirite Nome) - I haven't debauched the wife of any man.
Uamenti from the Khebt chamber - I haven't debauched the wife of any man.
Maa-antuf from Per-Menu - I haven't polluted myself.
Her-uru from Nehatu - I have terrorized none.
Khemiu from Kaui - I haven't transgressed the law.
Shet-kheru from Urit - I haven't been wroth.
Nekhenu from Heqat - I haven't shut my ears to the words of truth.
Kenemti from Kenmet - I haven't blasphemed.
An-hetep-f from Sau - I am not a man of violence.
Sera-kheru from Unaset - I haven't been a stirrer up of strife.
Neb-heru from Netchfet - I haven't acted with undue haste.
Sekhriu from Uten - I haven't pried into matters.
Neb-abui from Sauti - I haven't multiplied my words in speaking.
Nefer-Tem from Ptah - I have wronged none - I have done no evil.
Tem-Sepu from Tetu - I haven't worked witchcraft against the Pharaoh.
Ari-em-ab-f from Tebu - I have never stopped the flow of water.
Ahi from Nu - I have never raised my voice.
Uatch-rekhit from Sau - I haven't cursed god.
Neheb-ka from thy cavern - I haven't acted with arrogance.
Neheb-nefert from thy cavern - I haven't stolen the bread of the gods.
Tcheser-tep from the shrine - I haven't carried away the khenfu cakes from the Spirits of the dead.
An-af from Maati - I haven't snatched away the bread of a child, nor treated with contempt the city god.
Hetch-abhu from Ta-she (the Fayyum) - I haven't slain the cattle belonging to the god.