Egyptian Literature Part 8

IF THIS COMPOSITION BE KNOWN [BY THE DECEASED] HE SHALL COME FORTH BY DAY, AND HE SHALL BE IN A POSITION TO JOURNEY ABOUT OVER THE EARTH AMONG THE LIVING. AND HE SHALL NEVER SUFFER DIMINUTION, NEVER, NEVER.

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 81).]

ANOTHER CHAPTER.

"I am the Fire-G.o.d, the divine brother of the Fire-G.o.d, and [I am] Osiris the brother of Isis. My divine son, together with his mother Isis, hath avenged me on mine enemies. My enemies have wrought every [kind of] evil, therefore their arms, and hands, and feet, have been fettered by reason of their wickedness which they have wrought upon me. I am Osiris, the first-born of the divine womb, the first-born of the G.o.ds, and the heir of my father Osiris-Seb(?). I am Osiris, the lord of the heads that live, mighty of breast and powerful of back, with a phallus which goeth to the remotest limits [where] men and women [live]. I am Sah (Orion) who travelleth over his domain and who journeyeth along before the stars of heaven, [which is] the belly of my mother Nut; she conceived me through her love, and she gave birth to me because it was her will so to do. I am Anpu (Anubis) on the day of the G.o.d Sepa. I am the Bull at the head of the meadow. I, even I, am Osiris who imprisoned his father together with his mother on the day of making the great slaughter; now, [his] father is Seb, and [his] mother is Nut. I am Horus, the first-born of Ra of the risings.

I am Anpu (Anubis) [on the day of] the G.o.d Sepa. I, even I, am the lord Tem. I am Osiris. Hail, thou divine first-born, who dost enter and dost speak before the divine Scribe and Doorkeeper of Osiris, grant that I may come. I have become a _khu_, I have been judged, I have become a divine being, I have come, and I have avenged mine own body. I have taken up my seat by the divine birth-chamber of Osiris, and I have destroyed the sickness and suffering which were there. I have become mighty, and I have become a divine being by the side of the birth-chamber of Osiris, I am brought forth with him, I renew my youth, I renew my youth, I take possession of my two thighs which are in the place where is Osiris, and I open the mouth of the G.o.ds therewith, I take my seat by his side, and Thoth cometh forth, and [I am] strengthened in heart with thousands of cakes upon the altars of my divine father, and with my beasts, and with my cattle, and with my red feathered fowl, and with my oxen, and with my geese, and with my ducks, for Horus my Chieftain, and with the offerings which I make to Thoth, and with the sacrifices which I offer up to An-heri-ertaitsa."

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 82).]

ANOTHER CHAPTER.

"I have sacrificed unto An-heri-ertaitsa, and I am decreed to be strengthened in heart, for I have made offerings at the altars of my divine father Osiris; I rule in Tattu and I lift myself up over his land.

I sniff the wind of the east by its hair; I lay hold upon the north wind by its hair, I seize and hold fast to the west wind by its body, and I go round about heaven on its four sides; I lay hold upon the south wind by its eye, and I bestow air upon the venerable beings [who are in the underworld] along with the eating of cakes."

IF THIS COMPOSITION BE KNOWN [BY THE DECEASED] UPON EARTH HE SHALL COME FORTH BY DAY, AND HE SHALL HAVE THE FACULTY OF TRAVELLING ABOUT AMONG THE LIVING, AND HIS NAME SHALL NEVER PERISH.

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 16).]

THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH BY DAY. The libationer, the lord of reverence, Nebseni, saith:

"Hail, thou hawk who risest in heaven, thou lord of the G.o.ddess Meh-urt!

Strengthen thou me according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon the earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done."

"Behold the G.o.d of One Face is with me. [I am] the hawk which is within the shrine; and I open that which is upon the hangings thereof. Behold Horus, the son of Isis."

"[Behold] Horus the son of Isis! Strengthen thou me, according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done."

"Behold, the G.o.d of One Face is with me. [I am] the hawk in the southern heaven, and [I am] Thoth in the northern heaven; I make peace with the raging fire and I bring Maat to him that loveth her."

"Behold Thoth, even Thoth! Strengthen thou me according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done."

"Behold the G.o.d of One Face is with me. I am the Plant of the region where nothing sprouteth, and the Blossom of the hidden horizon."

"Behold Osiris, yea Osiris! Strengthen thou me according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done."

"Behold, the G.o.d of One Face is with me. Hail, thou who [standest] upon thy legs, in thine hour," or (as others say), "Hail, thou who art victorious upon thy legs in thine hour, thou lord of the two divine _Tchafi_,(46) who livest [in] the two divine _Tchafi_, strengthen thou me according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done."

"Behold, the G.o.d of One Face is with me. Hail, thou Nekhen who art in thine egg, thou lord of the G.o.ddess Meh-urt, strengthen thou me according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done."

"Behold, the G.o.d of One Face is with me. The G.o.d Sebek hath stood up within his ground, and the G.o.ddess Neith hath stood up within her plantation, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, show thyself upon earth and let thy will be done."

"Behold, the G.o.d of One Face is with me. Hail, ye seven beings who make decrees, who support the Scales on the night of the judgment of the _Utchat_, who cut off heads, who hack necks in pieces, who take possession of hearts by violence and rend the places where hearts are fixed, who make slaughterings in the Lake of Fire, I know you and I know your names, therefore know ye me even as I know your names. I come forth to you, therefore come ye forth to me, for ye live in me and I would live in you.

Make ye me to be vigorous by means of that which is in your hands, that is to say, by the rod of power which is in your hands. Decree ye for me life by [your] speech year by year; give me mult.i.tudes of years over and above my years of life, and mult.i.tudes of months over and above my months of life, and mult.i.tudes of days over and above my days of life, and mult.i.tudes of nights over and above my nights of life; and grant that I may come forth and shine upon my statue; and [grant me] air for my nose, and let my eyes have the power to see among those divine beings who dwell in the horizon on the day when evil-doing and wrong are justly a.s.sessed."

IF THIS CHAPTER BE RECITED FOR THE DECEASED HE SHALL BE STRONG UPON EARTH BEFORE RA, AND HE SHALL HAVE A COMFORTABLE BURIAL (OR TOMB) WITH OSIRIS, AND IT SHALL BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO A MAN IN THE UNDERWORLD. SEPULCHRAL BREAD SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO HIM, AND HE SHALL COME FORTH INTO THE PRESENCE [OF RA] DAY BY DAY, AND EVERY DAY, REGULARLY, AND CONTINUALLY.(47)

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 3).]

THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH BY DAY AND OF OPENING UP A WAY THROUGH THE AMMEHET. Behold the scribe Nebseni, triumphant, who saith:

"Homage to you, O ye lords of _Kas_, ye who are without sin and who live for the limitless and infinite aeons of time which make up eternity, I have opened up a way for myself to you! I have become a _khu_ in my forms, I have gained the mastery over my enchantments, and I am decreed to be a _khu_; therefore deliver ye me from the crocodile [which liveth in] this country of right and truth. Grant ye to me my mouth that I may speak therewith, and cause that my sepulchral meals be placed in my hands in your presence, for I know you, and I know your names, and I know also the name of the mighty G.o.d, before whose nose ye set your _tchefau_ food; and his name is 'Tekem.' [When] he openeth up his path in the eastern horizon of heaven, and [when] he fluttereth down in the western horizon of heaven, may he carry me along with him and may I be safe and sound! Let not the _Mesqet_ make an end of me, let not the Fiend gain the mastery over me, let me not be turned back at your portals, and let not your doors be shut in my face, because my cakes are in the city of Pe and my ale is in the city of Tep. And there, in the celestial mansions of heaven which my divine father Tem hath stablished, let my hands lay hold upon the wheat and the barley which shall be given unto me therein in abundant measure, and may the son of mine own body make [ready] for me my food therein. And grant ye unto me therein sepulchral meals, and incense, and wax, and all the beautiful and pure things whereon the G.o.d liveth, in very deed forever in all the transformations which it pleaseth me [to perform]; and grant me the power to float down and to sail up the stream in Sekhet-Aarru [and may I reach Sekhet-hetep!]. I am the double Lion-G.o.d."

IF THIS CHAPTER(48) BE KNOWN [BY THE DECEASED] UPON EARTH, [OR IF IT BE DONE] IN WRITING UPON [HIS] COFFIN, HE SHALL COME FORTH BY DAY IN ALL THE FORMS WHICH HE IS PLEASED [TO TAKE], AND HE SHALL ENTER IN TO [HIS] PLACE AND SHALL NOT BE DRIVEN BACK. AND CAKES, AND ALE, AND JOINTS OF MEAT UPON THE ALTAR OF OSIRIS SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO HIM; AND HE SHALL ENTER IN PEACE INTO SEKHET-AARRU TO KNOW THE DECREE OF HIM WHO DWELLETH IN TATTU; THERE SHALL WHEAT AND BARLEY BE GIVEN UNTO HIM; THERE SHALL HE FLOURISH AS HE DID UPON EARTH; AND HE SHALL DO WHATSOEVER IT PLEASETH HIM TO DO, EVEN AS THE COMPANY OF THE G.o.dS WHICH IS IN THE UNDERWORLD, CONTINUALLY, AND REGULARLY, FOR MILLIONS OF TIMES.

Of Lifting Up The Feet

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

THE CHAPTER OF LIFTING UP THE FEET AND OF COMING FORTH UPON THE EARTH. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"Perform thy work, O Seker, perform thy work, O Seker, O thou [who dwellest in thy house], and who [standest] on [thy] feet in the underworld! I am the G.o.d who sendeth forth rays of light over the Thigh of heaven, and I come forth to heaven and I sit myself down by the G.o.d of Light (_Khu_). Hail, I have become helpless! Hail, I have become helpless!

but I go forward. I have become helpless, I have become helpless in the regions of those who plunder in the underworld."

Of Journeying To Annu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 13).]