Egyptian Literature Part 12

"[The following] words are to be recited in the _Sektet_ boat: [Hail,]

sceptre of Anubis, I have made the four _Khu_s who are in the train of the lord of the universe to be at peace with me, and I am the lord of the fields through their decree. I am the divine father Bah (_i.e._, the G.o.d of the water-flood), and I do away with the thirst of him that keepeth ward over the Lakes. Behold ye me, then, O great G.o.ds of majesty who dwell among the Souls of Annu, for I am lifted up over you. I am the G.o.d Menkh (_i.e._, Gracious one) who dwelleth among you. Verily I have cleansed my soul, O great G.o.d of majesty, set not before me the evil obstacles which issue from thy mouth, and let not destruction come round about me, or upon me. I have made myself clean in the Lake of making to be at peace, [and in the Lake of] weighing in the balance, and I have bathed myself in Netert-utchat, which is under the holy sycamore tree of heaven. Behold [I am] bathed, [and I have] triumphed [over] all [mine enemies] straightway who come forth and rise up against right and truth. I am right and true in the earth. I, even I, have spoken(?) with my mouth [which is] the power of the Lord, the Only one, Ra the mighty, who liveth upon right and truth.

Let not injury be inflicted upon me, [but let me be] clothed on the day of those who go forward(?) to every [good] thing."

Of Bringing A Boat Along In Heaven

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

THE CHAPTER OF BRINGING ALONG A BOAT IN HEAVEN. The chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, saith:

"Hail to thee, O thou Thigh which dwellest in the northern heaven in the Great Lake, which art seen and which diest not. I have stood up over thee when thou didst rise like a G.o.d. I have seen thee, and I have not lain down in death; I have stood over thee, and I have risen like a G.o.d. I have cackled like a goose, and I have alighted like the hawk by the divine clouds and by the great dew. I have journeyed from the earth to heaven.

The G.o.d Shu hath [made] me to stand up, the G.o.d of Light hath made me to be vigorous by the two sides of the ladder, and the stars which never rest set [me] on [my] way and bring [me] away from slaughter. I bring along with me the things which drive back calamities as I advance over the pa.s.sage of the G.o.d Pen; thou comest, how great art thou, O G.o.d Pen! I have come from the Pool of Flame which is in the Sekhet-Sasa (_i.e._, the Field of Fire). Thou livest in the Pool of Flame in Sekhet-Sasa, and I live upon the staff of the holy [G.o.d]. Hail, thou G.o.d Kaa, who dost bring those things which are in the boats by the ... I stand up in the boat and I guide myself [over] the water; I have stood up in the boat and the G.o.d hath guided me. I have stood up. I have spoken. [I am master of the]

crops. I sail round about as I go forward, and the gates which are in Sekhem (Letopolis) are opened unto me, and fields are awarded unto me in the city of Unnu (Hermopolis), and laborers(?) are given unto me together with those of my own flesh and bone."

Of Bringing The Makhent Boat

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 21 and 22).]

THE CHAPTER OF BRINGING ALONG A BOAT IN THE UNDERWORLD. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"Hail, ye who bring along the boat over the evil back [of Apepi], grant that I may bring the boat along, and coil up [its] ropes in peace, in peace. Come, come, hasten, hasten, for I have come to see my father Osiris, the lord of the _ansi_ garment, who hath gained the mastery with joy of heart. Hail, lord of the rain-storm, thou Male, thou Sailor! Hail, thou who dost sail over the evil back of Apep! Hail, thou that dost bind up heads and dost stablish the bones of the neck when thou comest forth from the knives. Hail, thou who art in charge of the hidden boat, who dost fetter Apep, grant that I may bring along the boat, and that I may coil up the ropes and that I may sail forth therein. This land is baleful, and the stars have overbalanced themselves and have fallen upon their faces therein, and they have not found anything which will help them to ascend again: their path is blocked by the tongue of Ra. Antebu [is] the guide of the two lands. Seb is stablished [through] their rudders. The power which openeth the Disk. The prince of the red beings, I am brought along like him that hath suffered shipwreck; grant that my _Khu_, my brother, may come to me, and that [I] may set out for the place whereof thou knowest."

"Tell me my name," saith the wood whereat I would anchor; "Lord of the two lands who dwellest in the Shrine," is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Rudder; "Leg of Hapiu" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Rope; "Hair with which Anpu (Anubis) finisheth the work of my embalment" is thy name.

"Tell us our name," say the Oar-rests; "Pillars of the underworld" is your name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Hold; "Akar" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Mast; "He who bringeth back the great lady after she hath gone away" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Lower deck; "Standard of Ap-uat" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Upper post; "Throat of Mestha" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Sail; "Nut" is thy name.

"Tell us our name," say the Pieces of leather; "Ye who are made from the hide of the Mnevis Bull, which was burned by Suti," is your name.

"Tell us our name," say the Paddles; "Fingers of Horus the first-born" is your name.

"Tell me my name," saith the _Matchabet_; "The hand of Isis, which wipeth away the blood from the Eye of Horus," is thy name.

"Tell us our names," say the Planks which are in its hulk; "Mesthi, Hapi, Tuamautef, Qebh-sennuf, Haqau (_i.e._, he who leadeth away captive), Thet-em-aua (_i.e._, he who seizeth by violence), Maa-an-tef (_i.e._, he who seeth what the father bringeth), and Ari-nef-tchesef (_i.e._, he who made himself)," are your names.

"Tell us our name," say the Bows; "He who is at the head of his nomes" is your name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Hull; "Mert" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Rudder; "Aqa" (_i.e._, true one) is thy name, O thou who shinest from the water, hidden beam(?) is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Keel; "Thigh (or Leg) of Isis, which Ra cut off with the knife to bring blood into the _Sektet_ boat," is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Sailor; "Traveller" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Wind by which thou art borne along; "The North Wind which cometh from Tem to the nostrils of Khenti-Amenti"(60) is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the River, "if thou wouldst travel upon me;"

"Those which can be seen," is thy name.

"Tell us our name," say the River-Banks; "Destroyer of the G.o.d Au-a (_i.e._, he of the specious hand) in the water-house" is thy name.

"Tell me my name," saith the Ground, "if thou wouldst walk upon me;" "The Nose of heaven which proceedeth from the G.o.d Utu, who dwelleth in the Sekhet-Aaru, and who cometh forth with rejoicing therefrom," is thy name.

THEN SHALL BE RECITED BEFORE THEM THESE WORDS:

"Hail to you, O ye divine beings with splendid _Ka_s, ye divine lords of things, who exist and who live forever, and [whose] double period of an illimitable number of years is eternity, I have made a way unto you, grant ye me food and sepulchral meals for my mouth, [and grant that] I may speak therewith, and that the G.o.ddess Isis [may give me] loaves and cakes in the presence of the great G.o.d. I know the great G.o.d before whose nostrils ye place _tchefau_ food, and his name is Thekem; both when he maketh his way from the eastern horizon of heaven and when he journeyeth into the western horizon of heaven may his journey be my journey, and his going forth my going forth. Let me not be destroyed at the _Mesqet_ chamber, and let not the devils gain dominion over my members. I have my cakes in the city of Pe, and I have my ale in the city of Tepu, and let the offerings [which are given unto you] be given unto me this day. Let my offerings be wheat and barley; let my offerings be _anti_ unguent and linen garments; let my offerings be for life, strength, and health: let my offerings be a coming forth by day in any form whatsoever in which it may please me to appear in Sekhet-Aarru."

IF THIS CHAPTER BE KNOWN [BY THE DECEASED] HE SHALL COME FORTH INTO SEKHET-AARRU, AND BREAD, AND WINE, AND CAKES SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO HIM AT THE ALTAR OF THE GREAT G.o.d, AND FIELDS, AND AN ESTATE [SOWN] WITH WHEAT AND BARLEY, WHICH THE FOLLOWERS OF HORUS SHALL REAP FOR HIM. AND HE SHALL EAT OF THAT WHEAT AND BARLEY, AND HIS LIMBS SHALL BE NOURISHED THEREWITH, AND HIS BODY SHALL BE LIKE UNTO THE BODIES OF THE G.o.dS, AND HE SHALL COME FORTH INTO SEKHET-AARRU IN ANY FORM WHATSOEVER HE PLEASETH, AND HE SHALL APPEAR THEREIN REGULARLY AND CONTINUALLY.

Of Entering The Boat Of Ra

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 27 and 28).]

THE BOOK OF MAKING PERFECT THE _KHU_ AND OF CAUSING HIM TO GO FORTH INTO THE BOAT OF RA ALONG WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN HIS FOLLOWING(?). The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"I have brought the divine _Bennu_ to the east, and Osiris to the city of Tattu. I have opened the treasure-houses of the G.o.d Hap, I have made clean the roads of the Disk, and I have drawn the G.o.d Sekeri along upon his sledge. The mighty and divine Lady hath made me strong at her hour. I have praised and glorified the Disk, and I have united myself unto the divine apes who sing at the dawn, and I am a divine Being among them. I have made myself a counterpart of the G.o.ddess Isis, and her power (_Khu_) hath made me strong. I have tied up the rope, I have driven back Apep, I have made him to walk backward. Ra hath stretched out to me both his hands, and his mariners have not repulsed me; my strength is the strength of the _Utchat_, and the strength of the _Utchat_ is my strength. If the overseer of the house, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, be separated [from the boat of Ra], then shall he (_i.e._, Ra) be separated from the Egg and from the _Abtu_ fish."

[THIS CHAPTER] SHALL BE RECITED OVER THE DESIGN WHICH HATH BEEN DRAWN ABOVE, AND IT SHALL BE WRITTEN UPON PAPYRUS WHICH HATH NOT BEEN WRITTEN UPON, WITH [INK MADE OF] GRAINS OF GREEN _ABUT_ MIXED WITH _ANTI_ WATER, AND THE PAPYRUS SHALL BE PLACED ON THE BREAST OF THE DECEASED; IT SHALL NOT ENTER IN TO (_I.E._, TOUCH) HIS MEMBERS. IF THIS BE DONE FOR ANY DECEASED PERSON HE SHALL GO FORTH INTO THE BOAT OF RA IN THE COURSE OF THE DAY EVERY DAY, AND THE G.o.d THOTH SHALL TAKE ACCOUNT OF HIM AS HE COMETH FORTH FROM AND GOETH IN THE COURSE OF THE DAY EVERY DAY, REGULARLY AND CONTINUALLY, [INTO THE BOAT OF RA] AS A PERFECT _KHU_. AND HE SHALL SET UP THE _TET_ AND SHALL STABLISH THE BUCKLE, AND SHALL SAIL ABOUT WITH RA INTO ANY PLACE HE WISHETH.

Of Protecting The Boat Of Ra