the husia - ukuunki.org

SELECTIONS
FROM
THE HUSIA
ALSO BY MAULAIUAKAREIUGA
TheAfricanAmericanHoliday
of Kwanzaa:
A celebration
of
Family,
Community
andCulture(1g8g)
The Bookof ComingForrhBy Day:
The Ethicsof the Declanations
(1gBg)
of Innocence
Studiesin KemeticCulture(1g8g)
The Foundations
of KawaidaTheony(1g8g)
(1g861
Kemetandthe AfricanWorldview
Intr'oduction
to BlackStudies(1982)
KawaidaTheory:An IntroductoryOutline(1gBO)
Essayson Struggle:PositionandAnalysis(1978)
(19771
Kwanzaa:
Origins,Concepts,Pnactice
FROM
SELECTIONS
THE HUSIA
EGYPT
SACRED
WISDOMOF ANCIENT
Selected and Fletranslatedby
MAULANAKARENGA
PRESS/ LOSANGELES
OFSANKORE
THEUNIVERSITY
First Printing,1984
SecondPrinting,1989
Cover design and artwork Kweli
sELEcrloNS FROM THE HUSIA: sACRED wlsDoM oF ANO|ENT EGYPT.
Copyright@1984 by Maulana Karenga.All rights reserved.Printed in the United
states of America. No part of this book may be used or reproducedin any manner
whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in cnitical articles and reviews. For information address: The University
of Sankore Press,2650 West 54th Str€et, Los Angeles,CA 90O43
lsBN 0-943412{,64
To CheikhAnta Diop who posedthe proiect of rescuing
the legacyof ancientEgyptand using
and reconstructing
African
cultureandto producea truly African
it to revivify
paradigmof what humansoughtto be andbecome.
And to Afnicanpeoplehenein the U.S. and evenywhene
w h o s en i c ha n d a n c i e n tm o n a la n d s p i n i t u ahl e n i t a g e
i'epresentsa fundamentallegacynot only for themselvesbut for all humanity.
CONTENTS
Foreword
xiii
The Book of Knowingthe Cneations. .. .
The Book of Knowingthe Creations
The Bookof Pnayensand Sacred Pnaises
T h e B o o ko f P r a y e r sa n d S a c r e dP r a i s e s . . . . .
The Book of the MonalNamative
T h e B o o ko f K h u n - A n u p. . .
T h e B o o k so f W i s e l n s t n u c t i o n. . . .
1
5
11
15
27
31
The Book of Ptah-Hotep ,.
T h eB o o ko f K a g e m n.i . . . .
The Book of Kheti
The Book of Ani
The Book of Amenomope
The Book of Ankhsheshonqi
The Book of Phebhon
37
41
49
50
53
58
64
67
The Books of Contemplation
7s
T h e B o o ko f
The Book of
The Book of
The Book of
The Book of
K h a k h e p e r - R a - S o n e. .b. ,
lpuwer
Dialogwith the Soul .
Songs
Neferti
The Bookof Declanations
of Vintues
The Book of Declarationsof Virtues . . . .
The Booksof RisingLike Ra ..
The Book of ComingForth By Day
The Book of Vindication
The Book of Risingand Transformation
77
78
80
82
85
89
g3
99
105
112
118
FOREWOBD
Fon at least two centuries conscious and committed
B l a c k t h i n k e n sh a v e t a u g h t B l a c k p e o p l e a b o u t o u n
ancient Ethiopianand Egyptian heritage. Intenestingly,
consciousnessabout this cultunalhenitageduring that
period seems to have oniginatedamong Blacks in the
Diasponaand neturned from the Western Hemisphere
t o t h e A f r i c a n c o n t i n e n t . C e r t a i n l y ,s u c h c o n s c i o u s ness has been an integral fonce in the Black nationalist movementsin the Western Hemisphene,as well as
Africa fon well oven a hundnedyeans. Thnoughoutthe
period thene has been a stnong appreciation fon the
highly developedspirituality of rhe Black people of the
N i l e V a l l e y w h o m w e c a l l t h e a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n s .S o
dominant was this aspect of the gneatest civilization
of antiquity that Martin Delaney, wniting in the ninebeenth century, proclaimedthat the governmentalsystem of ancientEgypt was a "neligiouspolity".
Dr. Maulana Karenga following the teachings of Dr.
Carter G. Woodson, George G.M. James and Dr. Cheikh
Anta Diop,has made a distinct contnibutionto an honorabre
tradition. The Husia is an outstanding compirationand
rendition of selections from the most important sacred
litereture of all time. The need for such works is rong
past due, and Dr. Karenga shouldbe commendedfor his
pioneeringeffort in this direction.
The quest fon spiritual ennichmentamong Black people in the physicaland cultunal Diasponahas led to the
adoption of the Holy Books of other peoples; the
Tonah,the Bible and the Guran. lronically,the sacned
literature of ancient Egypt which pnedates those texts
by thousands of yeans is the source of much of the
wisdom in those Holy Books, as Dr, Karenga points
out. The fact that Black peoplecould find spir-itual
comfont in those alien scriptunes speaks both to the
African contnibutionsto those religions and the intensity of the Afnican spiritual quest. with all due regand
to the Black tnadition within the so-calledgneat neligions,it is now time to "return to the sounce".
The Husia is thus a vital step towand the ne-cneation
and restonation of our spirituar foundation. The texts
selected by Dr. Karenga ane from the tnuly great
books of ancient Egypt. These serections as well as
the cneativearnangementinto seven sections provide a
suggested fnamewonkfon the developmentof a langen
and more definitiveHoly Book for Afnicanpeople.
The netnanslationsdone by Dr. Kanengaane gneatly
enhancedby his wide familianitywith many languages,
especiqllybhe Afnican languages,as well as his talent
as a poet. He has not only rescued the texts from the
"libenal"and stilted translations of the egypbologists,
but in my opinion,he has also nenderedbhem in spinit
m u c h m o n e a k i n t o t h e t n u e m e a n i n go f t h e a n c i e n t
scribes. In a typicallyEgyptiansense, he has bneathed
l i f e i n t o t h e m , T h e n e s u l t i s a t h o n o u g h l yn e a d a b l e ,
enjoyableand inspiningvolumeof spinitualliteratune.
The commentariesat the beginningof each of the
seven sections ane veny insightful in helpingthe reader
put the text in the proper context. Dr. Kanengademonstnates a profound gnasp of the inner meaning of
the various concepts as well as the ovenall ontology.
His modest and subtle critique of the amoganceof the
egyptologists in these commentaries as well as in his
intnoductionis a good argument for the task he has
undentaken.
The artwonk done by Kweli is superb. The illustrations ane clear and authentic and very appropriately
selected in accondancewith the theme of the wonk.
Thus, all of these elements: the appnopniateselections: the cneativearrangement;the poetic and contextual retranslations; the insightful commentaries; and
the superb antwonknesult in a book that will be
immenselyuseful to millions of Black people seeking
spiritual enrichment and cultural renewal. The is especially tnue of those who have recently founded temples
based upon ancient Egyptian spinituality.The work will
also be useful to Black scholars in thein effonts to
chart new dinectionsin our intellectualdevelopment.
To the ancient Black peopleof the Nile Valley, Maat
was the highest ethical commitment. The social formula for Maat is reciprocity: the creaton "Di.fAnkh"
(He gives life). Human beings in tunn must give that'
which sustains life - both mental and physical, ln that
regard, The Husiais an outstandingmodelof Maat.
Jacob H. Canruthers
The Kemetrclnstitute, Chtcago
INTRODUCTION
For years African scholanson the Continent and in the
Diaspora have taught on the rich moral and spiritual
legacy of ancient Afnica,especiallythat of Egypt.But no
one has written more on or given more substantive
proof - textually,logicallyand historically- of the achievement of Egypt and the debt owed Africa by the world
than Dr. Cheikh Anta Biop. He has constantly urged us
to study the ancient texts and extract from them their
rich and varied cultural legacyand use it as a basis for a
renewed and reinvigorated Afnican culture. Moreover,
Dr. Jacob Canruthers, Directon of the Kemetic Institute in Chicagoand his colleaguesane doing impontant
wonk focused on the need to nescue and netranslate
the sacred and seculanliEeratuneof ancient Egypt as
a means to gnasp more effectivelyour histonyand our
role in the fonwand thrust of human history. This
volume is a self-consciouscontribution to this histonical and cunnentpnoject.
A pnimanyaim of this volume is to pnovidea bnief
repnesentativeselectionof ancient Egyptiansacned litenatunewhich can senve as a readable and enjoyable
refenencefor those intenested specificallyin ancient
Egyptian and Afnican sacned litenature and those who
ane interested in ancient Egyptian and African litenatune in genenalwhebhensacred or secular, Moneoven,
as a part of a langenwork, it nepnesentsa contnibut i o n t o d e v e l o p i n ga d e f i n i t i v e A f r i c a n s a c n e d t e x t
w h i c h w i l l s e n v e a s a m o r a l a n d s p i n i t u a lg u i d e a n d
reinforcement in the same way othen sacned texts do
fon their adhenentsand believers. The langer volume
when it is completedwill be publishedby Thind World
Press.
I have organized The Husia into seven sections
xiii
which represents the vaniouskinds of texts I found in
m y n e s e a n c h ,i .e , , b o o k s o f c n e a t i o n , p n a y e r s a n d
sacnedpraises, monalnannative,wise instnuction,contemplation,declanationsof vintues and "nisinglike Ra',.
As thene is no single ancient Egyptian sacned text, it
was necessary not only to collect wnitings fnom
vanioussouncesand attempt to impose some onder on
them, but to givethe wnitingsa name also.
The title of this text, The Husia, is raken fnom two
ancient Egyptian wonds which signify the two divine
powers by which Ra (Ptah) cneatedthe wonld,i,e,, Htr,
authoritative utterance and sia, excepbionafinsight,
Thus, I have put the two together to expnessthe concept "auLhonitativeuttenance of exceptional insighl".
Given the impontance of authoritative utterance and
exceptionalinsight to the monal and spinitualnealm and
t h e i n d i v i n e c h a n a c t e ni n a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n t h e o l o g y ,
Husiaappeansas both compellingand p.ope. as a title
for a text of ancientEgyptiansacnedwnitings.
In preparingthis volume, I have made necessanyuse
of the existing tnanslationsand studies in Englishand
F r e n c h a n d a m t h u s i n d e b t e d t o t h e m . H o w e v e n ,I
often disagneedwith thein conceptual conclusionson
many passages and the words they used to express
them. lt was and is my conclusionthat they have provided essentiallydull and neductivetranslations of a
very beautiful and rnovinglitenature. In their epignaphic
fascinationfon litenaltnanslations,the epignaphens
and
traditional egyptologistshave given us tnanslationsof
literatunenot only devoidof much of its originalbeauty
but much of its meaningalso. One can appreciatethe
need fon exact translations but litenaltnanslationsane
n o t a l w a y s e x a c t o n c o n n e c t . F o n e x a m p l e ,o n e c a n
tnanslatethe Swahilisentence "WanasemaKizulukama
maji" litenallyand get "They speak Zulu like water".
But it figuratively and connectly means "They speak
Zulu fluently." Thus, I have taken the libenty of being
figunativewhene a literal tnanslationwould deprive the
p a s s a g e o f e i t h e n b e a u t y o l ' m e a n i n go n b o t h . A n d
whene thene are questions of conrectness in tnanslation on whene I have added a wond on phrase fon clanity, I have used italics, Also, fon the most pant' I have
used modern English nathen than the stilted Elizabethan, biblical languageso often used by tnanslators.
H o w e v e n ,w h e n a n c h a i cw o n d s l i k e " b e h o l d " s e e m e d
more poeLicand appnopriate,I took poetic license and
used them. And with the same license,I attempted to
n e d u c ea n d n e m o v et h e m a l e a n d c l a s s b i a s o f t h e
writings.
M o n e o v e n ,I h a v e u s e d o n e n a m e f o n G o d , R a ,
except in the Men-nofenitetMemphite) descniptionof
cneation.Even then, I used Ra aften the name Ptah. In
othen cases, I simply tnanslatedthe wond as an attr^ibu t e o n p n a i s en a m e o f R a , i . e . , A t u m , t h e C o m p l e t eo n
Penfecten;Khepen, the Bningen-into-Being,
etc. I also
tnanslatedthe names of "gods" and "goddesses" by
their attnibu[es and tnanslated the words "god" and
"goddess" as powens of heaven, divine powens on
e x a l t e do n e s , T h i s w a s d o n e f o n s i m p l i f i c a t i o na s w e l l
as the fact that thene is suppor"t fon the angument
that all of these ane simply attnibutes and manifestations of Ra, Also, "netchen"or "netel'" is not only the
wot'd fon god or goddess as in English,but penhapsis
best bnanslated
as powenon pninciple.
Finally,it is important to state herethat this retranslation,
as I havetenmedit, is neithenset in cement nor resistant to
revision.lt is, in truth, a working versiononly,a tentative
presentation,inviting response,cornectionand a ssistance.
It is for this reasonthat I have preparedthis volumeto be
releasedduningthe First AnnualAncientEgyptianStudies
Conference,whichis to be held24-26 Febnuary1984 in Los
Angelesand which is sponsorcdby the Institute of PanAf ricanStudiesandco-chairedby Dr. JacobCarruthensand
me.
It is at this point I acknowledgemost gnatefullythe
fraternal and important collaboration anJ hetp I have
had fnom Dr. canruthers in prepaningthis volume. His
translations, advice and encouragement are important
material out of which this volume is made, Also, I give
thanks to my friend and wife, Tiamoyo, who pnepaned
the manuscript for the pubrisher,and to the lnstitute
of Pan-African studies and the advocates of us fon
suppont, suggestions and inspiration. As always, I am
grateful to my people whose stnuggre and aspinations
for liberation and a higher lever of human life encour-ages me constantly to seek effective models and
meansfon both,
MaulanaKanenga
Instituteof Pan-African
Studies
LosAngeles,
Califonnia
January,1g84
xvl
Book of Knowingthe Gneations
T H E B O O K O F K N O W I N G T H E C R E A T I O N S ,T h i s b o o k
takes its title from "The Book of Knowing the Creations of
Ra and of Striking Down Apophis" [the serpent of evil and
chaosJ,but it contains writings from other sources as well.
Since thene is no single Eext which pnesents a composite of
the ancient Egyptian concept of cneation,an effective grasp
o f i t i s p o s s i b l e o n l y t h n o u g h g a L h e r i n ga n d s y n L h e s i z i n g
passagesfrom sevenalsources.
As the title suggests, the ancient Egyptians viewed creaEionas a continuousprocess. Thus, we have "The Creations"
rather than "The Creation". The finst cneation was the finst
event at the first time. But creation is nepeatedeach day in
nature and in human history. In nature, sunniseand the new
b e ginningit bningse a c h d a y i s a re fl e c ti o n o f thi s, l n human
history, it is reflected in humanity's constant establishment
and neestablishmentof order and righteousnessin the midst
of chaos and evil in a nolesimilarto Ra.
ln just these few passages we nead the eanliest wnitten
record of the dawning of humanity's sEnucturedconsciousness concerningontology and ethics. These sacred writings
predaEeHebnew, Christian and Muslim ontologiesand ethics
by thousands of years and apparently contributed to them,
Thus, we find for the first time in human history the conce p t of Logos , i, e. , c re a ti o n th n o u g hc o n c e p tu althought and
authoritative utterance; the concept of fnee will and human
equality in Ra's statement on His Four Good Deeds; and a
reflective monality which indicates definite social judgments
on that which is loved and that which is hated. and the
belief that God wourd gnant rife for the righteous
and punishment and death for the wicked.
It is intenestingand important to note that Ra cr.eates
the
u n iv ens et hnough ma a t, a te n m w i th m u l ti p l e meanrngs,
i .e.,
n i g h t e o u s n e s st,r u t h , j u s t i c e , o r d e r , h a r m o n y ,
nightness,
e vennes s ,lev elne s s e
, tc . l ts i mp o rta n c el i e s i n the fact that
i t i s a d i v i n ec o n c e p t , p o w e r a n d p r a c t i c e w h i c h
not onry
informed and aided Ra's action, but was establishedas
the
fundamental concept, power. and practice for- the organizaEton, maintenance and development of human society also.
T h u s , i n e a c h b o o k m a a t i s a c e n t r a r c o n c e n na n d f o c u s ,
whether as tnuth, justice, r-ighteousness,
ordenon hanmony.
The
Book of Knowing the Greations
l.
R A ' sD E S C R T p T o F
NH r sc R E A T t o N
Thus said Ra, the Lond of All, Lord of the Utmost
L i m i t s , a f t e r H e h a d c o m e i n t o b e i n g :l a m t h e o n e
who came into being as Khepen, He who comes into
being and brings into being. When I came into being,
b e i n gi t s e l f c a m e i n t o b e i n g .A l l b e i n g sc a m e i n t o b e i n g
aften I came into being, Many wene the beings that
came forth fnom the commands of my mouth. Heaven
had not yet come into being. Non had earth come into
being. Non had the gnoundbeen cneated on the things
which creep and cnawl upon it. I raised up beings in
the pnimondial
watens as inent things. I found no place
on which to stand. I for-medit from the desire in my
heart; I laid the foundation thr-oughMaat. I cr-eated
fonms of eveny kind, Many wene the fonms which
issued fonth fnom the commandsof my mouth. Not yet
had t established Shu, the power and principle of ligh|
and air, Nor sent fonth Tefnut, the power and principle
of moisture. Thene existed no one who acted togethen
w i t h m e . I c o n c e i v e di t i n m y o w n h e a n t , A n d t h e n e
c a m e i n b o b e i n g a v a s t n u m b e no f f o n m s o f d i v i n e
beings as fonms of offspr-ing and fonms of their. offspningfrom them . . .
I came fonth fnom among the plants which I created
and I cneated all things which cneep and cnawl and all
that exists among them. Then by the power and pnincip l e s o f l i g h t a n d a i r a n d t h e p o w e r a n d p n i n c i p l eo f
moistune,heaven and eanth were br.oughtinto being,
and by eanuhand heaven Osinis, Hor.us,Seth, lsis and
Nephthyswene bnoughtinto being fnom the womb, one
aften anothen,and they gave binth to the multitudes in
this land,
tl
II .
T H E C R E A T I O NO F R A A S P T A H
lt is Ptah b form of Bd, the Most Gneat, who has
given existence to all the divine powens and to their
essencesthnough his heant, mind and tongue, Thus it
came to pass that the heart, mind and tongue ruled all
the othen membensthnoughteaching that ptan Hd is
within every body, as heart and mind, and within eveny
mouth, as .tongue, of all the divine powers, of ait
humankind,of cattle, of all creeping things and of all
living bhings.And He thinks as heart and mind and
commandsas tongue whatever He wishes.
Ptah's (Ra'd cCImpanyof divine powens ane before
H i m a s t e e t h a n d l i p s . . . a n d . . a n et h e t e e t h a n d l i p s
w h i c h e s t a b l i s h e dt h e n a m e s o f a l l t h i n g s a n d f r o m
which came fonth Shu, the powensof light and ain and
Tefnut, the powen of moistuneand brought into being
the companyof divinepowers themselves.
The seeing of the eyes, the hearing of the eans and
the bneathingof the nose ane communicatedto the
heant and mind, and the heant and mind cause all perceptions to come forth. And what the heant and mind
think and wish is declared by the tongue. So wene all
divine powens created and the company of divine powers completed.
Indeed every wond of God came into being through
that which the heart and mind thought and the tongue
commanded,
Thus, by means of the Word, all faculties and qualities wene fashionedand created which furnish all food
and yieldall nourishment,
And thus, Justice is given to one who does what is
loved and punishmentis given to one who does what is
hated.
Thus, also, is life given to the peaceful and death
givento one who violates the Law.
And thus wene made every work and all cnafts, the
action of the anms and hands, the motion of the legs,
the movementof every membenof the body, according
to the command which is conceived by the heant and
mind and bnought fonth by the tongue, and which cneates the usefulnessand action of evenything.
It is said of Ptah (Fla)then, He is He who made all
and created the divine powers. He is Ta-tenen tthe
Risen Landl who pnoducedthe divine powens and from
food and pnovisions,
whom everything came forth
good
thing.
divineofferings and eveny
Thus, it was necognizedand understood that He is
the mightiest of all divine powers. And after He had
cneated all Ehings and all the divine uttenances, Ptah
(Ra)was pleasedand nested.
| | l . T H EF o u RG o o DD E E D S
o F T H Ec R E A T o R
These are wonds spoken by Him-Whose-Names-AneHidden, the Lord of All, as He speaks befone those
who silence the stonm duning the sailing of the company of Ra: Hail and Peacel I r'epeat to you the Foun
Good Deeds which my own heant and mind did for me
in the midst of the senpent coil of evil, in orden to
s i l e n c et h e t u r m o i l . I d i d F o u n G o o d D e e d s o n t h e
thresholdof the horizon.
I created the foun winds so that every penson might
bneathe in his on her time and place, This is one of
the deeds.
I cneated the great flood for inrigation so that the
humblemight benefit from it like the gneat. This too,
is one of the deeds.
I made eveny person like his and her fellow; and I did
not command them to do evil. lt was in their own
hearts and minds which caused them to disobey
that
which I commanded.This too is one of the deeds.
I made the heants of men and women so that they
would not fonget the day of death, so that sacned
offerings might be made to the divine powe.s of the
districEs.And this too is one of the deeds.
Thus, I have created the divine powens fnom my
sweat and humankindfnom the tears of my eye,
lV.
s E L FD E F r N r r o N
By RA
_ And His Majesty Ra, Lord of Ail, spoke to rsis the
Gneat,saying:
I am He who made heavenand eanth and knitted
together the mountainsand cneatedall thal exist upon
them,
I am He who made the pnimevalwaten and caused
heavento come into being.
I am He who made the male and the female so that
the joys of love might come into the wonld,
I am He who made the heavensand the hidden
placesof the two honizonsso that the sours may dwell
in them.
I am He who when He opens His eyes, it becomes
light and when He closes His eyes, it becomes dark;
He at whose commandthe watens of the Nire nise and
whosenamethe ExaltedOnes do nob know,
I am He who cneatesthe hounsso that the days
come into being.
I am He who initiates the new yean festivals and
cneatesthe flood watens.
I am He who made living fire so that bhe works of
the houses might be performed.
I am Kheper, the Bringer into Being, in the morning,
Ra, the Most High and Glorious at noon and Atum,
the Complete One in the evening.
The
Book of Pnayersand Sacned
Praises
BOO K O F P RA Y E R SA N D SA C R ED P R A | SE S. Prai se poerry
is a mode of verbal celebrationof both the secular and
sacred which is a distinct and undeniableAfnican institution
a n d a c h i e v e m e n t .A l t h o u g h o t h e n p e o p l e s i n o t h e n t i m e s
engagedin poetic praising, it was and is not as pervasiveor
vital bo the seculan and sacned as in Afnica. And the fact
that praise poetry of both kinds - or "songs of praising and
glorifying"as they ane called in the Book of Coming Forth by
D a y - w a s s o p e r v a s i v ea n d v i t a l t o a n c i e n t E g y p t n e i n forces the tr-uth of its African rootedness. The praise poem
is both aesthetic and spiritual. In fact, its beauty is a part
of its spinituality,for it enhancesthe sense of wonden,grandeur and onenesswith the God on pensonpnaised,
The effective word in Africa is divirreand cneative.rt cails
t o m i n d R a , a t t h e f i r s t e v e n t , w h o c o n c e i v e da n d c o m mandedand the universe and all in it came into being. lt not
o n l y a n n o u n c e s ,i t e v o k e s a t t i t u d e a n d b e h a v i o r a n d r e i n fonces both. Moreoven,the praise poem is an act of participation and sharing in the qualities and action of the praised,
Thus, the pnaise poems to Ra ane not only acts of worship
and offering, but a shaning in His strength and glory, His
beneficenceand beauty and in His creation and active care
of it.
I h a d o r i g i n a l l yi n t e n d e d t o c a l l t h i s b o o k t h e B o o k o f
Psalms, fon psalms ane sacred songs or hymns. However, I
changedfor two basic neasons,Finst, I did not want to give
13
the impression I or ancient Egypt was borrowing from
the
Bible. F or in t r u th i t w a s th e o th e r w a y anound as
both
chronologicaland textual evidence pnove. And secondly, the
term psalms is not as aesthetic or definitive of the contents
of the book as the chosen tible, "prayers and sacred
Prais es . "
In this book we find descriptions and praises of God that
would later appear in Hebrew, christian and Muslim sacned
texts. Ra is the Good shepard fond of His flock which is in
His own image. He rescues the humble and needy, heans and
answers the prayens of the prisoner and the oppressed. He
is "the helmsman Uhat knows the water well" and the rescuer and "pnime minister of the poor", He is the physician
w h o c u r e s w i t h o u t m e d i c i n ea n d t h e j u d g e t h a t t a k e s n o
bribes. lt is this imagery of God and humankind'srelationship
a n d t he us e of h u m a n s o c i e ty a n d n a tu re as real ms of
revealingthe Cneator's benevolencethat senved as a source
of not onfy the Hebrew Psalms but, as we shall see of their
theologyin generalalso.
14
The
Bookof Prayers and Sacred Praises
l.
And Amenomopeand his wife Hathonsaid:
Blessed is one who sits in the hands of Amen Ra,
for it is He who dinects the timid, who nescues the
humbleand the needy, who gives the breath of life to
bhe one whom He loves and gnants him or her a long
life in the West of Thebes.
Oh my God, Lond of Londs, Amen Ra, Lond of Karnak. Give me your hand and save me. Shine upon me
and sustain me. You ane the only God and there is
none like you. You ane Ra who rises in the heavens,
the God who created men and women.
It is you who heans the prayers of one who calls on
Him, who saves a man and woman from the hands of
the violent and who makes the Nile rise and flow fon
those who are in Him. Ra is the perfect guide for
evenyone.
When He nises men and women live and thein heants
are lifted up when they see the one who gives the
breath of life to those who are in the egg, who make
people and birds to live, who supplies even food fon
mice in their holes as well as for wonms and fleas.
May He grant us an honorablebunialafter an old age,
so that we may be safe in His hands.
lt.
Neb-Ragives praise to Amen Ra saying:
Amen, Ra, Lord of Karnak, the great God, who pne15
sides over Thebes, the Holy God who heans pnayens,
who comes at the call of the humbleand needy and to
those in distress, who gives stnength to the one who
is weak.
I give pnaise to Amen Ra, Lord of the Thrones of
Egypt who presidesover Thebes. I kiss the gnound
befone Amen Ra of Thebes, the great God, the Lor.d
of the sanctuary, gneat and beautiful,that He may let
my eyes see His beauty.
Praise be to Amen Ra. I make hymns in His name, I
give Him praise to the heights of heaven and to the
ends of the earth. I tell of His majesty and might
to those who sail downstream and those who sail
upstneam.
Stand in awe of Him, DeclaneHim to your-son and
daughter,to the gneat and the small. Declare Him tb
g e n e n a t i o na f t e n g e n e r a t i o n w h o a n e n o t y e t b o n n ,
DeclaneHim to the fish in the deep and to the binds in
the sky. Declare Him to the ignonantand to Lhe wise.
Stand in awe of Him.
You, O' Amen Ra, are Lond of those who have no
voice. You come at the call of the humble and needy.
When I cry out to you in my distness, y-oucome quickly
to my rescue, you come to give strength to one who is
weak and to save me fnom my enslavement.
Y o u , A m e n R a , L o n d o f T h e b e s ,a r e O n e w h o n e s cues those who are shut in and cut off. For you ane
He who is menciful.And when people cny out to you,
you come fnom afar.
The painter of Amen Ra in the Place-of-Truth,NebRa, who stands vindicated,son of anothen painten in
t h e P l a c e - o f - T n u t hP, a i w h o s t a n d s v i n d i c a t e da l s o ,
made this stela in the name of His Lond Amen Ra,
Lord of Thebes who comes at the call of the humble
and needy.
16
I made fon Him pnaisesto His name' For His might
and majesty ane gneat, And I prayed to Him before
Him and in the pnesenceof the whole land, on behalf
of my son, the painter, Nakht-Amen,when he lay sick
and nean unto death, being in the power of Amen
becauseof his deeds.
I found the Lond of Lords coming as a northwind and
that sweet breezes went befone Him. And He nescued
my son, Nakht-Amen, the vindicated, the son of God's
painten in the Place-of-Tnuth,Neb-Ra, and of the lady
Peshed,both of whom stand vindicated.
Neb-Rasays:
Though the senvant be inclined to make mistakes,
the Lond is inclined to be merciful. The Lord of Thebes does not spend a whole day in angen.He is angry
fon but a moment and none of it nemainsbehind, The
wind tunns for us in His mency and Amen Ra comes
back upon the bneeze. May youn spirit be always kind,
may you always fongive. And may what has once been
tunnedaway not come back to us.
This stela, then, I will make in youn name and I shall
recond this hymn of praise on it in writing. For you
saved fon me my son, Nakht-Amen. I spoke to you and
you heard me. Now, behold I do what I promised. Fon
you are the Lond to the one who calls on you and He
who is satisfiedwith nighteousness.
lll.
A m e n R a i s t h e h e l m s m a nw h o k n o w s t h e w a t e r
well, He is the ruddenfon the weak. He gives bread to
those who have none, and sustains those who senve
Him in His temple.
17
I take not the powerful as a protecton. I
depend
not on those with wearth. And I place not my
rife
under the strong arm of another. For my wealth
and
strength are in the house of my Lond. My t-oro is my
p n o t e c t o r ;I k n o w H i s m i g h t . l n d e e d , H e i s
a helper
strong of arm and none is truly stnong but He.
Amen Ra is He who knows compassion who heankens to those who call Him. Amen Ra, Lord of Lords.
The Bull of gneatstrength who delightsin mightiness.
lv.
My heart longs to beholdyou, O' Lond of the acacia
trees. My heant desines to see you O' Amen Ra. you
ane the protecton of the humble and needy, a father
and mothento the orphan, a husbandto the widow.
Sweet it is to speak youn name, it is like the taste
of life, yes, like the taste of bneadbo a child, like the
breath of freedom to the captive.
Turn yourself to us, O' Etennal One, who was hene
befone any other existed. Though you make for me
dankness,yet cause light to shine on me lhat I may
see you. As youl' soul endures fon eternity and as your
beautiful and belovedface lasts forever, may you come
from afar and let me see you. To worship you O' Ra,
is good. You are, O' Lord, great to seek, for if found
you turn away all fean. Place joy, 0' Ra, in the hearts
of the people. For happy are those who see you, O'
Ra, and they nejoiceeach day.
V.
O' Amen Ra, you shepherd who brings forth the
18
flock in the morning, leadingthe hungnyto green pastunes. As the shephendleads his flock to gneenmeadows, so do you, O' Ra, lead the needy to food. For Ra
is indeeda good shephend,neven idle, attending those
who leanon Him.
O' Ra, I love you and I have filled my heart with you.
You will nescue me fnom the mouth of the multitude
on the day when they speak lies against me. Fon the
Lond of Righteousness lives in nighteousness.Thus I
will not dwell on bhe anxiety in my heart, fot' surely
what Ra has said will come to pass.
vl.
And PhanoahRamesses ll surnoundedon the battlefield by enemiesand gneatlytnoubledpr-ayedsaying:
Now I call on you from the ends of the eanth,
O' Amen Ra. All that I have done was fon love of you,
O' Fathen,Amen Ra, I cny out to you, fon I am in the
midst of many enemies and the whole of this land is
against me, I am alone and my only defense, for my
many soldienshave desented me; my chaniots nefused
to nemainwith me. Though I called out to them, there
was nonewho respondedto my call.
Now, I cny [o you O' Ra, and I find that you, Ra, ane
more helpfulto me than millionsof soldiens,mone than
h u n d n e d so f t h o u s a n d s o f c h a n i o t s .m o n e t h a n t h o u sands of bnothers and sons, all put together. Fon bhe
effort of many is naught compar.edto Ehe majesty and
might of Amen Ra.
Then said Pharoah Ramesses ll: Now, though I pnayed in a distant land, my voice nesoundedin southennOn.
I found Amen Ra came when I called to Him. He gave
me His hand and . . . I found my heant stnong and full of
19
joy. And all I did succeeded.
vll.
Pnaiseto you, Amen Ra, who spoke with His mouth
and there came into being men, powens and pninciples
of the universe, cattle great and smail, and evenything
that flies and alights,all of them.
You created even the banks of the Hanebu people
who settle in thein cities and also the fruitful meadows
fertilized by the originat waters and giving birth thereafter to good things without number to suppontall
that lives.
You ane mighty as a shephend,tending all peoplefon
a l l e t e n n i t y .B o d i e s a r e f i l l e d w i t h y o u n b e a u t y , a n d
eyes see because of you. You inspire awe in evenyone
and Lheinhearts tunn to you, Fon you are good at all
times. And all the wonldlivesfrom yout"presence.
Evenyonesays: "We ane youns," the stnong and the
weak togethen, the nich and the poon with one mouth
and all othens likewise.You are lovely in their hearts.
And no body lacks some of younbeauty.
Do not the widows say: You ane oun husband, and
the small childnensay you are our fathen and mothen?
The rich boast wibh youn beauty and the poor revere
youn pnesence.The prisonentunns to you and the sick
call out to you.
Youn name will be a protection for the body of anyone who is alone. lt is salvation and health fon those
on the waEenand deliverancefnom the cnocodile.lt is
good to remembenRa in the time of tunmoil, for He is
a deliverance
from the mouth of the aggnessive,
O' Ra, all can tunn to you and place thein petitions
before you. Your eans are open to hean them and you
20
grant what they desine. You are the Creator who
loves those in His image, the shepherd who is fond of
His flock.
vlll.
Praise be to you O' Ra, Lord of Tnuth, whose sanctuary is hidden, Lord of Londs. The Bringen-into-Being
in His sacred boat, who commanded and the powers
a n d p r i n c i p l e so f t h e u n i v e r s e c a m e i n t o b e i n g . T h e
CreaEorwho cneatedhumankindand distinguishedtheir
characters, who made their life, who made their colors
diffenenrfnom each other,
Praise to Ba, He who hears the prisoner's prayen,
beneficientof heart when one calls to Him. He who
rescues the oppnessedfrom the oppnesson,who judges between the weak and the strong, Lord of Perception, in whose mouth is authoniEy.
Fon love of Him, the Nile comes. The Beneficenb
One, the greatly beloved,and when He comes the people live
O' Almighty One, Lord of Londs, we nevereyour
might becauseyou created us; we shout 1oyto you
because you molded us; we offer you praise because
you weaniedyounselfwith us.
Pnaisebe unto you, who did make all of this; unique
and only one with many hands who passes the night
awake while men and women sleep, seeking the best
fon His cneatunes.
lx.
PharoahAkhenatensang praises saying:
21
You nise in beauty on the horizon of heaven,o' Living Aten, creator of life, when you l-ise on the eastenn
horizon, you fill eveny land with your- beauty. you are
Ra and you reach the limits of the lands and restrain
them fon your belovedson (Akhenated. you make
seed gnow in women and cneate people fnom sperm.
You feed the embnyoin the mothen'swomb, soothing
it to still its teans.
H o w m a n i f o f da r e y o u r w o r k s t h o u g h h i d d e n f r o m
sight, o' sole God besides whom thene is none, you
cneatedearth accordingto youn desine,you alone. All
peoples, cattle and all kinds of animals, all on earth
that walk on legs and all on high rhat fly with wings.
Y o u s e t e v e n yp e r s o n i n h i s ( h e d p l a c e a n d s a t i J f y
their needs. All have food and rheir time of life is
detenmined.Their tongues differ in speech and so do
their chanacters.The colors of their skins are diffenent also. For you distinguishedthe people. How excellent aneyounways O' Londof etennity.
X.
Evenycity is under the shadow of Amen Ra, so that
His heart can move in that which He has loved. people
s i n g E o R a u n d e n e v e n y r - o o f ,a n d e v e n y f o u n d a t i o n
sLands fir-m under His love. They celebrate for Him
on festival days and pass the night still awake at
midnight
Ra is He who fnees one from evil and drives away
suffening,He is a docton who heals the eye wibhout
medicine,who opens the eye and cunes squinting, He
saves whomevenHe will even though they ane ah.eady
in the gnave.
He hears lhe pr.ayersof those who call on Him, and
comes in a moment from afar to those who cny out to
Him,
22
He lengthens the span of life and shortens it and
gives beyond what is allotted by fate to those whom
He chenishes,
Amen Ra is magic, words of power, over water
when His name is said above the deep. And the crocodile has no power when a pensoncalls His name.
The winds change and the headwind moves anound.
It grows calm when one remembensRa. His name is a
useful word in the time of tnouble, a gentle bneezefor
one who calls on Him.
It is Ra who saves those who have come to grief, a
gentle God with effective counsel, He belongsto those
who rest their back on Him when they are in their
hour of trouble.
He is more powerful than millions to those who set
Him in their heart and one is mightier than the many
through the power of His name. He is the compassionabe protecton, the Beneficent One, one who makes no
mistakes,and one whom humanscannot hold off.
xl.
Amen Ra who was the first King, the God of the
earliest time and He who remains Ehe Pnime Ministen
of the poor. Ra accepts no bribes fnom the guilty; He
takes no tesbimony from the witness and pays no
attention to one who promises. Amen Ra judges the
land with a wave of His finger. He speaks to the heart
and judges the guilty. And He assigns the guilty to the
fire of the East and the righteous to Ehe peace of the
West.
Amen Ra, lend youn ean to Ehose who stand alone
in court. They ane poor and not nich. And the counts
extort from them saying, "silver and gold for the
clerks and clothes fon the attendants." May you,
Amen, appearas pnimeministenand let the poor go
free. May the poor be vindicatedand their just ne.o
outweighwealth."
xll.
Pharoah Piankhiinstructed his men before battle
praisingthe powenof Amen Ra and saying:
when you arrive at Thebes, before Karnak, you shall
enter the water and bathe yourself. you shall dress rn
fine clothing, unstring your bows and set aside your
arrows. Let no overlondor ruler boast of being mighty.
For there is no strength fon the mighty without Amen
Ra. He makes Ehe weak-armed into the strong-armed,
so that the multitudes flee from the feeble and one
alone takes a thousand captive. Anoint yourselves,
then, with the waters of His altars and bow down to
the eanth before Him and say "Make for us a way
that we might fight in the shadow of your sword. For
when the young men you have sent forth launch their
attack, the multitudes flee from Ehem."
xlll.
Montemhet, the Prophet of Amen Fla, prayeCsaying:
Homage to you, O' Amen Ra, maker of humankind,
God who created all beings. Beneficent King, First One
of Egypt, The Two Lands, who conceived in His heant
and mind the eternity which He created. One great in
power, awesome in His might, whose forms are exalted
above all other divine powers. The Most Strong who
sbrikes down Ehe violators of the Law, whose horn
attacks the doers of evil. I rely on your name. May it be
24
my physician.May it eliminatemy body's illness and drive
away all pain from me.
May Ra put love of me in the hearEs of the people
so that all may be fond of me. May He grant me a
good burial in the cemeteny of my city. For bhe sacned
land is in His grasp. May He make my name last like
the stars of heaven and my monument last like those
of His followers. May my divine essence be nemembened in His temple day and night. May I renew my
youth like the moon and may my name not be forgotten in the yeansthat come forever after.
a5
The
Book Of The Moral Narrative
THE BOOK OF THE MORAL NARHATIVE. Although there
are other moral narratives in ancient Egyptian sacred wisdom, none is so clear, beautiful and definitiveas the Book of
Khun-Anup.This Book is called "The Eloquent Peasant" by
tnaditionalegyptologists, However, I have chosen to call it by
th e nam e of t he m a n w h o i s i ts c e n tra l c h aracter and
spokesman,a peasant or farmen who is unjustly treated and
appeals for relief, justice and nighteousnessfr"om the High
S t e w a r d , F l e n s i ,w h o h a n d l e d s u c h m a t t e r s . B e n s i i s
impressed with Khun-Anup's eloquence and reponts it to bhe
pharoah. The pharoah impressed by the nepont asks Flensi to
delay ruling on the case in order to benefit from Khun-Anup's
beautiful speech which in ancient Egypt as in othen parts of
Afnica was/is highly appreciated. Rensi was also ondered to
take care of Khun-Anup's family for the days he kept KhunAnup waiting for a decision and to meticulouslycopy down all
he said.
What follows is a senies of nine petitions made by KhunAn u p f or jus t ic e a n d ri g h te o u s n e s s o r a s th e E gypti ans
calfed both, maat. As stated in the intnoduction to the Book
of Knowing the Creations, maat was the foundation of both
the natural and social order, lts cone concept is nightnessin
nature and righteousness (which makes an onder or system
right) in human society. Although traditional egyptologists
translate maat mostly as justice in this narrative, I tnanslate
it mostly as righteousness. For among the three most used
meanings- tnuth, iustice and righueousness- righteousness seems to me to be the most comprehensiveand inclusi ve t enm and s ug g e s ts a n d n e c e s s i ta te s b o th tnuth and
justice.
29
K h u n - A n u pa p p e a r st o R e n s i ' s s e n s e o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s ,
truth and justice, for maat was seen in ancient Egyptian
s o c i e t y a s t h e s p i r i t a n d m e t h o d o f o r g a n i z i n ga n d c o n ducting the relations of human society. ThE phanoahand his
s o c i e t y w e n e t h e s y m b o l a n d e m b o d i m e n to f m a a t a n d
judges, as the representativesof the pharoah,wore
on thein
chest an image of the divine powen, Maat, (see above) pointing it towand the vindicated in a case. Khun-Anupbegins by
praisingRensi, pharoah'srepresentative,as one who
destroys falsehood and brings nighteousness,and challenges
him to win etennal life by his righteousness.He subsequ"ntly
criticizes him for not acting accondingto maat. But in the
end a judgmentis renderedin Khun-Anup'sfavon.
The languageof the narnativeis fulr of nautical and measurement terminology.This is because religion is reflective of
a people'ssocial life. Ancient Egyptian life was greatly
shaped by activities on and anound the Nile and by agricultural activities such as plowing, hanvesting and measuring
grain. Thus, the phanoahand his representative are seen as
the helmsmanof the ship of state and are wished good sailing, Likewise,they ane seen as the balance on scares which
should not tilt, Ehe plummet which should not stray or the
tongue that should not swerve - lest the system itself
become unbalancedand the social orden be interrupted and
upset. The appreciation for the balance on weighing comes
a l s o f r o m r e f e n e n c et o t h e s a c n e d B a l a n c e i n w h i c h t h e
heant of the depantedand nisen will be weighed on the Day
of Judgment.(see belowthe Books of RisingLike Ral.
30
The
Book of Khun-Anup
Then Khun-Anupsaid to the High Steward, Rensi:
l.
When you embark on the Lake of Maat (truth, justice
and nighteousness).May you sail on it with a good wind.
May no stonm tean away your sail nor your boat lag
behind. May no misfortune fall on your mast and may
youn mainstays not snap. May you not run agnoundnor
the cunnent carny you away. May you not taste the evils
of the nivennor see a face of fean. And may the fish
come quickly to you and plump birds gather around you,
For you ane the father of the orphan, the husband of
the widow, the bnother of the divorced woman and a
proEecEive
garment for the motherless.
Let me raise up youn name in this land as the
embodimentof every good law. For you are, a leader
without gneed,a great man free of baseness,one who
d e s t n o y s f a l s e h o o d a n d b n i n g s n i g h t e o u s n e s si n t o
being,one who comes at the voice of the caller, When
I speak may you hear me. Grant me justice, O' Praisewonthy One to whom those who are praised give
pnaise. Put an end to my oppression, for I am greatly
bundened.
Count me and you will find me lacking.
ll.
A montalman dies along with his dependentsbut will
you be a man of etennity by your righteousness? ls it
not wnongwhen a balancetilts, a plummet strays, and
t h e s t n a i g h t b e c o m e s c n o o k e d ?L o , j u s t i c e h a s f l e d
fnom you, dnivenfnom its place, The judges do wnong
a n d n i g h t - s p e e c hh a s b e c o m e o n e - s i d e d ,T h e j u d g e s
take what has been stolen. He who should set mat31
tens right makes things go wnong. He who should give
bneath chokes one who is on the ground and he who
should make breathing easier makes one gasp fon ain.
The mediator is a robber and he who should destroy
n e e d , c o m m a n d s i t s c n e a t i o n .T h e t o w n i s i t s o w n
floodwatenand he who should combat evil, commits
cnimeshimself,
Bedress is short but misfortune is long and a good
deed neturns to those who do it, This is the pnecept:
Do to the doen that he or she may also do. lt is
t h a n k i n go n e f o n w h a t o n e m a y d o , b l o c k i n ga b l o w
befoneit strikes and giving an assignmentto one who
is skillful,Be a shelten and make your shore safe. See
how your whanf is covened with cnocodiles.Let your
tongue speak stnaight and not go astnay.
lll.
Punish the nobbenand save those who suffen. Do
not be a flood against the petitionen. Be aware of the
appnoachof eternity. Desire to live long, fon as it is
said: Doing right is breath for the nose. Punish those
who desenvepunishmentand none will equal youn righteousness. Answer not good with evil and put not one
thing in the placeof anothen,
The balancingof the land lies in Maat - truth, justice and nighteousness.Do not speak falsely fon you
are great; do not act lightly for. you have weight; be
not untrue fon you are the balance and do not swenve
fon you ane the standard. You are on the level with
the balance,lf it tilts, then, you will lean too. Do not
drift, rathen steen. Do not nob, nather act against the
nobber. For one is not really great, if he is gneat with
gneed. lf you tunn youn face fnom violence, who will
punishwnongdoing?
lv.
Thene is none quick of speech who is fnee of hasty
words and none light of heant and mind whose thoughts
have weight. Be patient that you may leann nighteousness and nestnainyour angen for the good of one who
entens humbly. No one hasty achieves excellence and
one who is impatient is not leaned on. Let your eyes
see and your heart take notice. Do not act harshly with
younpower lest a misfortunefall on you,
Helmsman,do not let youn ship go astray. Life-given,
do not let the peopledie. Pnovider,do not let the people penishfrom need. Shade, do not let the people
become dny in the sun. Protecton, do not let the cnocodilesseizethe peopleand dnagthem away.
V.
R o b n o t t h e p o o n o f t h e i n g o o d s , t h e , h u m b l ew h o m
y o u k n o w , F o n t h e p o o n ' s b e l o n g i n g sa n e b n e a t h t o
them and to take them away is to stop up theinnose.
vt.
One who lessens falsehood encounagestnuth. One
who suppontsgood diminishesevil - even as satisfact i o n c o m e s a n d e n d s h u n g e na n d c l o t h i n g n e m o v e s
n a k e d n e s s ;e v e n a s t h e s k y b e c o m e s c a l m a f t e r a
stonm and warms all who are cold; even as fine cooks
that which is naw and water quenchesfhinst. He who
cheats diminishesjustice. But lustice nightlygiven neiEhenfalls shont non bnims oven. Do not delay;deal with
the matten at hand. lf you sepanaLewho will join? The
soundingpole is in youl-hand, take the measunements.
33
surely the waten is shailow. And if the
boat runs
aground,its cangowill not on shone.
vil.
Be patient so that one may cail on you concer-nrng
his on he. just cause. Do not be angnyio. it
does not
become you. The bnoodingface becomes easily
upset,
Bnood not on what has not yet happened,nor rejoice
o v e nw h a t h a s n o t y e t c o m e t o p a s s . p a t i e n c e p n o _
longs fniendshipand disposes of a pasb concern,
for
one does not know what is in the heart. lf the law
is
undenminded
and order destroyed,the poor cannot
survive' Fo' when they ane nobbed justice does not
a p p l yt o t h e m ,
vilt.
People fall low thnough gneed. Those who prey on
othens achieve no real success. Thein success is, in
truth, a loss, Thoughyou ane greedy, it yields you
nothing;though you steal you do not benefit by ib. Act
righteouslyfon the Lor"dof Righteousnesswhose righteousness is righteousnessindeed. When goodness is
good, it is truly good. Sur.ely,r.ighteousness
is fon etennity. lt goes bo the gnavewith those who do it. When
they ane buniedand the eanth envelopsthem, thein name
is not enased fnom the face of the eanth. They ar.e
nemembened
because of their goodness, For this is a
pnincipleestablishedby the wond of God. Speak night
and do right. For righteousnessis mighty. lt is greaE it
endunes;its wonth is neal and it leads one to blessedn e s s . W r o n g d o i n gd o e s n o t a c h i e v e i t s g o a l , b u t o n e
who is nighteousneachesdnyland,
tx.
The tongue is a person's balanceand it is the
b a l a n c ew h i c h d i s c o v e r s d e f e c t s , P u n i s h t h o s e w h o
s h o u l d b e p u n i s h e da n d n o n e s h a l l e q u a l y o u n n i g h t eousness.When falsehood walks anoundit goes
astnay. lt does not cross over in the ferry nor does ib
go forwand. One who becomes nich by it has no children or heirs on earth. Those who sail with it do not
neachdry land and their boat does not drop anchonat
the inbendedtown.
Be not too heavy nor yet too light. Do not delay or
be foo hasty. Be not partial non listen to pure emotion, Do not burn youn face fnom one whom you know.
Be not blind to one whom you have seen and do not
reject one who petitions you. Abandon this sluggishness and let your speech be heand.Act for one who
acts for you. Do not listen to evenyone,but call those
who have a just cause, The slow and idle have no heritage; one deaf to tnuth has no fniends and those who
anegneedyhave no holiday.
35
Books Of Wise lnstnuction
TH E B O O K S O F WIS E IN S T R U C T ION . C e r-ta i nl one
y
of the
most important and well-written kinds of sacred literatune of
ancient Egypt are the Books of Wise Instruction. Although
some tnaditionalegyptologistswould argue that the Instnuctions are more secular than sacred, evidence does not suppont such a contention. One assumes they came to this
conclusionbecause the lnstructions offer explicit life-lessons
of how to conduct oneself, alone and with others. Howeven,
if that is their main angument- and it seems to be from all
readings- then they would have to nule the Book of Prove r b s s e c u l a n .F o n n o t o n l y d o e s i t c o n t a i n s i m i l a ni n s t r u c tions, but also it was based on the ancienL Egyptian model
and borrowed whole passages from the Book of Amenomope
lsee below).
The Books of Wise lnstruction ane as sacred as any of
the other books of lhe Husia, for the main focus is on maat
a n d t h e m o r a l a n d s p i r i t u a l o b l i g a t i o ne a c h p e n s o n h a s i n
preservingand practicing it in and for the community. Thus,
each person, not lust the pharoah, was urged to pneserve
and practice maat, Fon he or she was judged by it and
granted long life on eanth as well as eternal life in Amenta
(panadise)
or death and non-existencebased on this.
Therefore, Ptah-hotep says, "Maat is great, its value is
lasting and it has remained unchangedand unequaledsince
the time of its Creator." lt is, he continues, "a plain path
e v e n f o r b h e i g n o n a n ta n d t h o s e w h o v i o l a t e i t s l a w s a n e
punished."Thus, he unges monal excellencein all one does
"so no fault can be found in your chanacter". Likewise,
Kheti, tells his son Merikare that "righteousness is fitting
for a rulen" and that he should "do that which is right that
39
y o u m a y l i v e l o n g o n e a r t h " , F o n " m o r e a c c e p t a b l ei s t h e
bneadof Eherighteousthan the ox of those who do evil".
cleanly bhen, maat, uhe quintessen[ial monal and spiriuual
c o n c e p t o f a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n s a c r e d l i t e r - a t u r e ,f o n m s L h e
cone focus of the Instructions even though some rather secular situations and solutions ane posed. Moreoven,given the
inseparablelink in ancient Egypt and othen pants of Afr-ica
between the sacred and seculan, the attempt to separate
them makes liLtle sense and meets with even less success.
Thus , t he s ages te a c h th e i r c h i l d re na n d th e peopl eto thi nk
maat, speak maat and do maat in seculanand sacred situati ons . F or t his w i l l n o t o n l y i n s u re a mu tu a l lybenefi ci alcommunitybased on maat, but also everlastinglife,
In tenms of bhe names of the Books, I have made two
c h a n g e s i n n a m e s w h i c h s h o u l d b e n o t e d . F i r " s t ,t h e b o o k
called the "lnstructions for Merikare" by traditional egyptologists is re-titled "The Book of Kheti", This was done because
it is relatively centain the pharoah who wrote it was named
Kheti and the "Book fon Merikare"would be inconsrsrent
w i t h t h e o t h e r ' " B o o k s o f " , S e c o n d l y ,t h e b o o k c a l l e d t h e
Papyrus Insingenby traditional egyptologists is ne-titled the
Book of Phebhor after its authon. The traditional egyptologists and collector-shad the nather-unsettling and even arrog a nt habit of na m i n ga n c i e n t E g y p ti a np a p y n iby the name of
s o m e o n ew h o b o u g h t t h e m " o r c a m e i n t o p o s s e s s i o no f
them " by v ar iou sme a n s ,T h u s , In s i n g e r.,
H a n r" i s,B eatty, etc.,
ane affixed to papyri which often have their own names. Naturally,I saw no need or reason to follow chis pnactice.
40
The
Book of Ptah-Hotep
t.
Be not arnogantbecauseof youn knowledge.Take
counsel with the ignonant as well as with the wise.
F o n t h e l i m i t s o f k n o w l e d g ei n a n y f i e l d h a v e n e v e r
been set and no one has even neachedthem. Wisdom
is nanenthan emenalds,and yet it is found among the
womenwho gathenat the gnindstones.
ll.
lf you ane a leader and command many, stnive fon
excellencein all you do so Lhat no fault can be found
in youn chanacten.Fon Maat - the way of Tnuth, Justice and Righteousness- is gneab;its value is lasting
and it has nemainedunequalledand unchangedsince
the time of its Creaton. lt lies as a plain pabh befone
even the ignonant and bhose who violabe its laws ane
p u n i s h e d .A l t h o u g h w i c k e d n e s s m a y g a i n w e a l t h ,
w n o n g - d o i n gh a s n e v e n b n o u g h t i t s w a r e s t o a s a f e
por-t.In the end, it is Maat, the way of Tnuth, Juslice
and Righteousness
that endunes and enables the
u p n i g h tt o s a y " l t i s t h e l e g a c y o f m y f a t h e r a n d
"
mothen.
ilr.
Do not terrorize peoplefor. if you do, God will punish
you accondingly.lf anyone lives by such means, God
will take bread fnom his on her" mouth. lf one says I
shall be rich by such means, she will evenLuallyhave
41
to say my means have entnappedme. lf one says I will
nob anothen,he will end up being robbed himself. The
plans of men and women do not always come to pass,
fon in the end it is the will of God which prevails.
Thenefone,one should live in peace with othens and
they will come and willingly give gifts which another
would take from them through fear.
tv.
Be diligent as long as you live, always doing mone
than is commandedof you. Do not misuse your time
while following youn heart, for it is offensive to the
soul to waste one's time. Do not lose the daily oppontunity to incneasethat which you have. Diligencepnoduces gains and gains do not endure when diligenceis
abandoned.
V.
lf you are parents of wonth and wisdom, tnain youn
childnenso that they will be pleasingto God. And if
they do what is right, followingyout' example,and handle yout' affains as they should, do fon them all that is
good. Fon they are begotten of yout' own heart and
soul, Thenefone,sepanate noL youn heart fnom lhem.
But if they fail to follow your counse,oppose your will,
reject all counsel, and se[ their mouth in motion with
vile wonds, then dnive them away. Fon they ane not
youn childnenand were not bonn for you. Those who
a n e g u i d e dd o n o t g o w n o n g , b u t t h o s e w h o w i l f u l l y
lose their way will not find a str"aightcounse.
42
vl.
lf you move among people, gain nespect and tnust
thnoughspeakingopenly and tnuthfully. Those who ane
tnusted and speak tnuthfully, will become leaders and
mastens of themselves.Thosewho masten themselves
enjoya good name and ane not malignedT
. hey ane in
good health and their face is turned towand thein people. And they ane pnaisedwithout Eheinknowingit. But
t h o s e w h o s e h e a n t o b e y s b a s e d e s i n e sc a u s e s c o n t e m p t n a t h e n t h a n l o v e . T h e i r h e a n t d i m i n i s h e sa n d
thein body dwindles.Those of greaL heant ane the chosen of God, but those who obey base desines,become
bhepossessionof the enemy.
vll.
lf you are a leaden,see that the plans you make ane
canniedout. Do gneat things which will be nemembered
long after you. Whene thene is pnaise,detnactioncannol sunvive.But whene those of ill-willenten. like crocodiles,strife also comes.
vlil.
lf you are a leaden,be counteousand listen carefully
t o t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f p e t i t i o n e r . s ,S t o p n o t t h e i r speech until they have pounedout their heant and spoken that which they came to say. Those with gr.ievances like to speak out and have their petitions heard.
But whosoevensfops a pnesentationnaises the quest i o n o f w h y d o e s o n e h a v i n gt h i s p o w e n a c t i n t h i s
mannen.Not all that is asked fon can be granted, but
a fain hearingsatisfies the heart.
lx.
lf you want friendship to last in the house you enter
as masten,fniendon bnothen,or in any other place you
e n t e n , a v o i d a p p n o a c h i n gt h e w o m e n i n a n i m p n o p e n
mannen,No place is peaceful whene this is done and
he who intnudes on them is unwelcome,Thousands of
men have been ruined for the pleasure of a shont
moment, which passes like a dream and then brings
d e a t h t o t h o s e w h o h a v e i n d u l g e di n i t . M e n a n d
women leave home because of it and the heart should
refnain fnom it. As for those who go wnong because of
lust, noneof thein planswill pnospen,
X.
lf you wish your conduct to be perfect, to be free
fnom all that is evil, guand against the vice of gneed
for matenialthings. lt is a gnievoussickness and there
is no cune fon it. Thene can be no confidenceamong
those infected with it. lt tunns a kind fniend into a bitten enemy. lt causes conflict with fathens, moLhers
and the bnothensof mothers and rt separates the wife
from her husband.lt is a bundleof all kinds of evil and
a bag containingvices of every kind. Establishedane
t h o s e w h o s e s t a n d a n d i s r i g h t e o u s n e s s ,w h o w a l k
a c c o r d i n gt o i t s w a y s . T h e y s h a l l s u n e l y p r o s p e n
theneby,but the greedy will not have even a grave.
xl.
lf you are wise and seek to make youn house stable,
l o v e y o u n w i f e f u l l y a n d n i g h t e o u s l y .G i v e h e r f o o d ,
clothes and oil fon hen body and make her happy as
long as you live. For she is of great value to you her
husband.Be not bnutal to her.. Kindnessand considenation witl influence her better than fonce. Pay attention to what she wishes, aims ab and negandshighly.
Thus, she will nemainwith you. Open youn anms to hen;
call henand show henyounlove.
xll.
S h a n ew i t h y o u n f n i e n d s t h a t w h i c h y o u h a v e , f o n
that which is youns is a gift of God. Those who fail to
share with thein fniendsane shunnedfon havinga selfish soul. Although peoplemight plan for tomonnow,
they do not know what will come to pass, But it is
nighteousnessby which people ane sustained. Thenefone, if misfontunecomes and you have been nighteous
wibh younfniends,youn fniendswill welcomeyou. peace
will not be found in a city where fniendsane fongotten
and theinneedsnot answened.
xilt.
lf you ane one of worth and wisdom who stts on a
c o u n c i l o f g o v e n n a n c e ,a p p l y y o u r h e a rt a n d m i n d
toward that which is wise. Speak only when you know
you can assist in the solution of a difficulty. For
silenceis betten than useless chatter. Ther"eis an ant
lo givingsound advice in council,Sunelyib is mone difficult than all othen duties. Those who gnasp this can
makeit serve them well.
45
XIV.
lf you ane a powenfulpenson, gain nespect through
knowledgeand gentlenessof speech and conduct. Give
c o m m a n d so n l y w h e n e n e c e s s a n ya n d f i t t i n g , T h o s e
w h o a b u s e t h e i n a u t h o r i t y p n o v o k en e s i s t a n c e .A n d
those who place themselvesabove others ane brought
low. Be not silent when it is youl- duty to speak, buL
be cautious in youn speech lest you offend. When you
a n s w e nt h e a n g n y ,s h o w s e l f - c o n t r " o lF. o n L h e a n g n y
heant speaks fier-ywonds, but those who walk gently,
t h e i n p a t h i s a l n e a d yp a v e d . M o n e o v e n ,t h o s e w h o
worny all day will have no happy moment. But those
who punsuepleasuneall day will not be able to sustain
themselves.
XV.
lf you ane a judge chosen to maintain orden among
the people,handlemattens with a stnict sense of justice. Do nob lean to one side on the other'. Take care
t h a t n o o n e c o m p l a i n st h a t y o u a n e u n f a i n a n d y o u r
actionsnesultin a judgmentagainstyou,
XVI.
lf you ane angered by a wnong done you by anothen,
it, but toward nighteouslean not towand nemembening
ness, Pass oven it quickly and do not hold it in youtheantaften the first day it happens.
46
XVII.
lf you have gnown gneat after having lived in a lowly
condition, and have gained wealth aften having been
poor in youn town in the past, fonget not how it was
with you in fonmen times. Tnust not in youn wealth,
which came to you as a gift of God. And put not
behindyou another who is youn equal and to whom the
same has happened.
xvlll.
Be genenousas long as you live. what goes into the
stonehouseshould come out, Fon bread is made Lo be
s h a n e d .T h o s e w h o s e b e l l i e s a r e e m p t y t u n n i n t o
a c c u s e n sa n d t h o s e w h o a n e d e p r i v e d b e c o m e o p p o nents. see that none such as these ane your-neighbors. Generosityis a memoniarfon those who show it,
long aften they have departed.
XIX.
Know those who ane faithful to you and do not mistreat those who ane your friends. They ane a wellw a t e r e d f i e l d t o y o u a n d m o r e v a r u a b l et h a n g r e a t
riches. For what belongsto one friend belongsto
a n o t h e r . T h e c h a r a c t e n o f a n i g h t e o u sp e n s o ni s a n
hononto him or her and a thing of varue which is long
remembered,
47
XX.
lf nespect for night exists in the heant of those who
have been set in authority, they will be beneficent
a l w a y s a n d t h e i n w i s d o m s h a l l e n d u n ef o r e v e n . T h e
heant of the wise reloices when wisdom is estabrished
and is happy when it pnospers on earth. The wise ane
knownby thein wisdom and the great by thein good
actions. Thein heant is in harmony with thein tongue,
their lips are tnue when they speak,thein eyes see
rightly and their ears hear that which is profitable for
their childnen,so that they may do what is right and
are free fnom unnighteousness,
XXI.
lf a son and daughten accept the righteaus teachings of thein panents,none of thein plans will go
w n o n g . T e a c h y o u n c h i l d n e n ,t h e n , t o b e t h o s e w h o
hear well; Lhey will be valued by those of weight and
substance and their speech will be informed by what
they have heand,Respectedane those who listen well,
they will excel and thein deeds will distinguishthem,
But failune will follow those who hean not, The wise
wake eanly in ondento establish themselves, but fools
alwaysfail to nise at the oppontunetime.
48
The
Book of Kagemni
t.
The modest penson is stnong and one who is true in
wond and just in deed is pnaised.Houses ane opened
to the humble and a wide seat is given to one who is
gentle in speech and conduct. But sharp knives stand
n e a d yf o n t h e u n r i g h t e o u s i n t r u d e n . F o n t h e r e i s n o
entnanceexcept for the righteous,
ll.
Those who ane blamelessin mattens of conduct, no
wonds can prevail against them. And those who are
self-mastered,the harsh ane kindento them than their
own mothers, and all people become thein senvants.
Let your name go fonth, then, while you younself,ane
silenband you will be necognized
and nespected.
lll.
Be not annogantamong youn peens because of your
stnength. And bewane of acting in such a way to
e n c o u n a g eo p p o s i t i o n .F o r o n e k n o w s n o t w h a t w i l l
come to pass or the things God will do to punish the
evil.
49
The
Book of Kheri
t.
Be skilled in speech so that you will succeed. The
tongue of a man is his sword and effective speech is
stnongenthan all fighting. None can ovencomethe skiilful, A wise pensonis a school fon the nobles and
those who ane aware of his knowledgedo not attack
him. No evil takes place when he is near, Truuh comes
to him in its essential fonm, shaped in the sayings of
the ancestons.
il.
Follow in the footsteps of youn ancestons, fon the
mind is tnainedthnoughknowledge,Behold,their wonds
endunein books, Open and read them and follow their
wise counsel. Fon one who is taught becomes skilled.
Do not be evil fon kindnessis good. Make the memony
o f y o u l a s t t h n o u g hl o v e o f y o u . M u l t i p l y t h e p e o p l e
whom the city sheltens, then God will be pnaisedfon
your-donations.And the peoplewill . . . give thanks fon
youngoodnessand pnayfon younhealth.
lll.
Advance your officials so that they will act by your
l a w s . O n e w h o h a s a b u n d a n c ea t h o m e w i l l n o t b e
biased,One has wealth when he on she has no wants.
A poor person may not speak Eruly and one who says
"l wish I had" is not stnaightfonwand.
He leans towand
h i m w h o w i l l p a y h i m . T n u l yg r e a t i s a g n e a t p e n s o n
when his men and women of statune ane gneat. strong
is the king who has councillonsand wealthy is one who
is nichin personsof statune.
lv.
Speak tnuth in your house that the princes of the
eanth may nespect you. Righteousnessis fitting for a
nulen.For it is the front of the house that inspires
respect in the back. Do that which is right that you
may live long upon the earth. Comfort the weepenand
oppress not the widow. Dnive no one away from the
property of his or hen fathen, Defnaud not the nobles
of thein pnopenty.Bewaneof punishingunjustly. Do not
killfon it will not pr"ofityou,
V.
Make no distinction in your behavior between those
of rank and the common people,Rathen choese a penson because of his on her skills so that every craft
may be canniedon.
vl.
One generationsucceeds another and God who
knows human natune is hidden, One cannot avoid or
opposethe hand of God. He neachesall that the eyes
As
see. Thus, one should neveneGod on his path
no
niver
a dry watercourse is replaced by a stneam, so
a l l o w s i t s e l f t o b e c o n c e a l e d .l b b n e a k s t h e b a n n i e n
behind which it was hidden, So too the soul comes to
51
the placethat it knowsand sEraysnot from its fonmer
path.
vll.
Make wonthy your house in the west and make firm
your place in the city of the depantedby being
upnight
and just. lt is on this that the hearts of men and women
rely. For mone acceptable is the virtue of the righteous
than the ox of those that do evif.serve God thati" ,.y
also wonkfor you.
vilt.
well caned for is humankindwho are the flocks of
God. He made the sky and earth for their sake. He
destroyed the dangers of the waten. He gave the
bneath of life fon thein noses, They are in nis image
and came from His body. He shines in the sky fon
their sake. He made plants fon them and cattle, fish
and fowl to nounishthem. He has killed His enemies
and neducedHis childnenwhen they conspinedto nebel
against Him, He makes daylightfor their sakes and He
sails around in His sacred boat so that He can see
them. He has built His shnine anoundthem and when
they weep He heans. He made for them nulers even
fnom the egg, leaders to fift the load from the back of
the weak. He made fon them words of power as weapons to ward off the blow of evil events, guandingthem
by day and by night. He has slain the traitons among
them as a man stnikes his son for the sake of his
bnother.Fon God knows evenyname.
52
The
Book of Ani
l.
Do not go in and out of the court of justice so that
your name may not be soiled, Do not contend in a
quarnel.Keep silent and it will serve you well. Go not
in the pnesence of a dnunkard even if it promises to
bningyou honor.
il.
Pour libationfon youn fathen and mothen who nest in
the valley of the dead. God will witness your action
and accept it. Do not fonget to do this even when you
are away fnom home. For as you do for your panents,
younchildnenwill do fon you also.
lll.
D o n o t f n e q u e n t t a v e n n s l e s L e v i l w o r - d sf a l l f r o m
your mouth and you know not what you ane saying, lf
you fall, your limbs may be bnokenand thene will be no
one to help you. Even youn dninkingcompanions may
s t a n d u p a n d s a y " P u t t h e d n u n k a n do u t . " l f o n e
comes to seek and talk with you, one will find you lying
on the gnoundas if you wene a little child.
53
lv.
When the messengenof death comes to take you,
let him find you neadyto go to your nestingplace, say_
ing "Here comes one pnepar.ed
befoneyou.'; Do not say
then "l am too young to be taken." Fo. death comes
and seizes the baby at his on hen mothen'sbneast as
well as the man and woman who have r-eachedan old
age.
V.
G u a n da g a i n s t w o n d s a n d d e e d s o f d e c e p t i o n a n d
against wonds that ane untnue. Destnoy the desineto
do and speak evil within you, fon the evil man have no
nest.
vr.
Stay away fnom the aggnessiveman and take him
not fon a companion.Take then for a fr-iendone who is
true and just, one whose actions you have obsenved.
A n d i f y o u r n i g h t e o u s n e s se q u a l s h i s o l . h e n s , y o u n
fniendshrp
will be balanced.
vil.
Small gifts netunngreater and what is replaced
bnings abundance.The wise live off the house of the
fool. Pnotect what is yours and you will always find it.
Be watchful of what you own lest you end up as a
beggan,One who is always idle amounts to nothing but
one who is diligentis honored.
vlll.
lf God granbs you children, may the heant of thein
fathen and mother know them. Whoeven hungens, let
them be satisfied in the house of thein mothenand
father. Let them find thene a wall which pnotects
them, Be not without a genenousheant fon it is God
who givesyou wealth.
lx.
Do not sit when one who is oldenthan you is standing, even if you have achieveda highenstatus in your'
pnofession.No fault is found with good chanactenbut
an evilcharactenis alwaysblamed.
X.
Walk each day in the way of nighteousnessand you
will reach the place to which you ane going.Neven
speak evil wonds to any visitons; a wond spoken canelessly some day when you are gossipingmay oventunn
y o u r h o u s e . l f y o u a n e f o u n d g e n e n o u si n t i m e s o f
prospenity,when adversity comes you will be able to
bean it. lf you ane nighteousyou will be recognizedand
nespected.And, whether you are among many on few,
you will find youn family and fniends, and all you wish
will be gnanbed.
55
xl.
L e t n o t y o u r h e a n t b e r e v e a r e dt o s t n a n g e n s
rest
they use youn wonds against you. offensive wonds
that
come fnom your mouth, if nepeated,can make bitten
enemies.A pensoncan be nuinedby his on hen tongue.
Take care and you will fare well. The heant of humans
i s w i d e a s a s t o n e h o u s ea n d f u i l o f a n s w e n s o f a r l
kinds' choose then those that are good and speak
t h e m a n d k e e p t h o s e t h a t a n e b a d e n c r o s e di n y o u r
belly. A hansh answer pnovokesstnife, but one who
speakswith gentlenessis loved.
xll.
. Double the gifts youl" mothen gave you and cane fon
her as she cared of you. she bone a heavy bunden in
you and did not abandonyou. when she bnought you
fonth after youn months, she was still bound closelyto
you. Fon hen bneasts wene stiil in your-mouth for thr-ee
yeans. while you grew, she cleaned your-filth wiihout
disgusbin hen heart and without saying "o, rvhat can I
do?" she placed you in schoorto be educated and
came thene daily on your behalf with bnead and been
for your teachen.Thus, when you becomea young man
and marny a wife and establish youn house, lose not
s i g h t o f y o u n o w n c h i l d h o o d .R a i s e y o u n c h i l d n e na s
youn mothendid you. Do not let her find fault with
you, lest she naise her hands to God against you and
God hear hencomplaintsand punishyou.
xlll.
Eat not bnead while anothen stands by without
extendingyoun hand to him or hen. As fot' food, it is
always hene, it is man and woman who do nor remain.
A person may be nich on poon but bread remains with
those who share it, One who was nich last yean may
be a vagrant this yean. Thenefone,be noL anxious to
fill youn belly without regard for others. Fon you know
not whene your course will lead. lf you become needy,
another may do good by you. The waten counse of last
y e a r h a s d i s a p p e a n e da n d t h i s y e a n a n o t h e ns t n e a m
has appeared in its place. Gneat watens have become
t r a c t s o f d n y l a n d a n d s e a s h o n e sh a v e d i s a p p e a r e d
into the ocean depths. No man on woman, then, walks
a singleway. This is a lessonfnom the Lord of Life.
XIV.
Do not ondenyour wife around in her house when
you know she keeps it in excellent order. Do not ask
her "whene is it" on say to her "bning it to us" when
she has put it in the propenplace. Wabch hen carefully
and keep silent and you will see how well she manages. How happy is your house when you support her,
Theneane many men who do not know this. But if a
man nefrainsfrom provokingstrife at home, he will not
see its inception.Thus, every man who wishes to master his house,must first master his emotions.
57
XV.
Answer not elders who ane angry. Let them have
thein way. speak sweetly when they speak bittenly,Fon
i t i s a n e m e d yt h a t s o o t h e s t h e h e a n t . c o n t e n t i o u s
answens pnovokestrife and eventuallyyoun will will be
broken. Let not your heant be tnoubled,fon they will
soon netunnto pnaiseyou when thein houn of nage has
passed. When your wonds please the heant, the heart
is inclinedto accept them. seek serf-mastenyLhen and
your self-masterywill subduethem.
The
Book of Amenomope
t.
Bewane of robbing the poon and of oppnessingthe
weak and helpless. Raise not yout" hand against the
aged non addnessan elden with impnoperspeech. Let
not yourself be sent on an evil mission non stand in
the company of those who have penfonmedit. Rage
not against those who injuneyou, non on your account
answen them. The wharf falls fr^om unden the wicked
and a flood of waten washes them away, The nonth
wind comes down to end thein houn on ear-thand tunns
into a tempest; the thunder noars and the crocodiles
come without mercy,
ll.
L e t u s s t e e n a n i g h t e o u sc o u n s e s o t h a t w e m a y
carry the wicked acnoss without becoming like them.
Raise them up, give them youn hand and then, leave
them in the hands of God. Fill them with the food of
your kindnessthat they might be satisifed and repent,
Anofher thing good in the heart of God is that you
pause and think befonespeaking.
lll.
Do not argue with the contentious, non provoke
them with wonds. Pause before those who intenrupt
and give way to those who venballyattack you. Sleep
a night before speaking. For the unrestnainedpenson
is like a stonm which bursts forth like a flame in a pile
of straw.
lv.
Now, the unnestnainedman or woman in the temple
i s l i k e a t n e e g r o w n i n u n f e r t i l e g n o u n d ,l t s l e a v e s
wither quicklyand its unnipefruit falls to the earth. lt
neachesits end in the lumbenyand on it is floated far
fnom its place. And its bunialcloth becomesa flame of
fire. But the self-mastenedman or woman sets himself
on henselfapart. He or she is like a tree gnown in fert i l e g r o u n d . l t g n o w s g r e e n a n d d o u b l e si t s y i e l d o f
fnuit. lt has its place in the eyes of its ownen.lts fnuit
is sweet, its shade is pleasant and its end is reached
in the garden.
59
V.
Better is a bushelwhich God gives you than five
thousandwnongfullygotten, such gains
not a day
"l"y
in the stonehouseor bann and they ane
oi no use in
making beer', Their stay in the storehouse is no mone
than a moment. when morning comes they have sunk
f r o m s i g h t . B e t t e n t o b e p o o r -i n t h e h a n d s o f G o d
than niches in the stonehouse.Betten is bneadwith a
happyheantthan nicheswith much wonny.
vt.
Rejoicenot over nichesgainedby robbery non mounn
because of pover.ty. lf anchens in fnont advance too
far, then thein company abandons them. The boat of
the covetous is abandonedin the mud, but the ship of
the self-mastenedman and woman sails with the wind.
Pray then to God each day as the sun rises, saying,
"Gnant me pnospenityand health." And God will give
you all you need in life and you will be safe from fear.
vil.
Keep youn tongue away from words of detnaction,
and you will be one loved by the people. You will find
your seat in the Templeof God and your gifts shall be
among the offeningsto youn Lond. You will be gneatly
hononedin old age, duly concealedin your coffin, and
safe from the wnath of God.
60
vlll,
Fon the unrestnainedwoman and man ane like a wolfcub in the fanm yand. They turn one eye against the
othen. They cause bnothensand sistens to angue.They
go before evenywind like clouds. They dim the bnightness of the Sun. They bend their tail like a baby cnocodile, cur'lingup to inflict hanm. Thein lips ane sweet
but their tongue is bitter and a consumingfire burns
in thein belly, Do not jump to join such a one, lest you
bningmisfortuneuponyourself,
tx,
Do not speak falsely to anyone,fon it is an abominat i o n [ o G o d . D o n o t s e p a r a t e y o u l "h e a n t f n o m y o u n
tongue, and all youn plans will be successful. You will
have weight in the presence of others and be secune
in the hands of God. God hates one who falsifies
words. And the gneat abominationof God is decep[ion
and double-dealing.
X.
Do not misleada man or woman with pen and papynus. lt is an abominationto God. Do not bean witness
with false wonds non injune another with youn tongue.
Do nob tax one who has nothing, nor make your pen
wnite falsely. lf you find a large debt against a poor
penson,divide it into thnee pants, fongivetwo and let
one stand, You will find this a path of life. You will
pass the night in sound sleep and in the monning,you
will find it again like good news. Betten is praise with
the love of others than wealth in the stonehouse.Betten is bread when the mind is at peace than riches
with a troubledheant.
61
xl.
D o n o t c o n f u s e a p e n s o ni n t h e c o u r t o f r a w n o n
mistneat the righteous. Do not give considenationto
bhosein clean clothes and reject those who appear in
rags. Accept not the gift of the stnong man non
oppress the weak fon him. Justice is a gneat gift of
God and God gives it to whom God wiils. sr.ely, the
strength of one who is rike God saves the wretched
fnom thein oppresson.
xll.
Do not say: "Find me a stnong pnotecton,for one in
my city has injured me." And say not "Find me a
redeemer, for one who hates me has done me harm."
Sunely,you know not the plans of God and cannot see
t o m o n n o w .S e t t l e d o w n , t h e n , i n t h e h a n d s o f G o d .
And your self-mastery in silence will overthrow them.
For ancient and deep is the fean of the cnocodilewho
makesno sound.
xlll.
Bane not your soul to everybody non damage thereby
nespectfor you. Spneadnot youn wonds among others
non associate younself with those who bane their
heart. Better are those whose knowledgeremains
i n s i d et h e m , t h a n t h o s e w h o t a l k t o t h e i r d i s a d v a n tage. One does not nun to neach penfection. And one
does not cneate it in ondento destnoyit.
62
XIV.
Laughnot at the blind, nor make fun of a dwarf' nor
interfere with the plans of the lame. Do not hanass
those who are in the hands of God, nor be fience of
face against them if they enn. Surely, humans are clay
a n d s t n a w , a n d G o d i s t h e b u i l d e n .G o d t e a n s d o w n
and builds up daily. God makes a thousand humble as
He wills. lt is God who makes thousands into overseens when they ane in thein houn of thein life. Blessed
are those who neach the West while they ane safe in
the handsof God,
XV.
lf you see a person youn senior outside, walk behind
h i m o r h e r r e s p e c t f u l l y .G i v e a l s o a h a n d t o e l d e r s
filled with been, And nespect them as thein childnen
would. The stnong anm is not weakenedby being
uncovened.And the back is not broken by bendingit rn
respect. Better is a poor penson who speaks pleasant
wonds than a nich penson whose wonds are as hansh
and dry as straw. A pilot who sees fan ahead will not
wneckthe ship on rocks.
XVI.
Do not expose a widow if you catch her in the field,
N o n f a i l t o b e u n d e n s t a n d i n go f h e n n e p l y . D o n o t
nefuse your oil jan to a strangen to double it fon your'
friends and family. God loves those who nespect the
poonmonethan those who neverethe rich.
63
The
Book of Ankhsheshonqi
l.
senve God that He may protect you. senve you.
bnothensand sisters that you may enjoy a good reputaLion, senve a wise person that he or she may senve
you. senve one who senves you. senve any person so
you may benefit fnom it. And serve your- mother and
father that you may go fonwandand pnospen.
Examine every matter that you may undenstand it.
D o n o t s a y I a m l e a n n e db u t r a t h e n s e t y o u n s e l ft o
becomewise. Be gentle and patient, then your-chanacten will be beautiful. lt is in the deveropmentof character that instruction succeeds. Leann the stnuctune
and functioning of the sky. Learn the s[nucture and
functioningof the earth.
The good fontune of a town is a leader who acts
nighteously.
The good fortune of a temple is its pniest.
The good fontune of a field is the time it is worked.
The good fortune of a storehouse is the stocking of it.
And the good fontune of the wise is thein exceilent
advice.
ll.
May the "elden bnothen"of the town be the one to
whom it is entnusted. May the kindest bnother of the
family be the one who acts as "elden bnother' for it,
May I have somethingand my nelativeshave something
so that I may eat my own without holdingback. May
the floodwatennevenfail to come. May the field neven
fail to flounish.May childnendo honon to thein fathen
and mother. May the moon follow the sun and not fail
to nise. May I necognizemy fniends that I may share
my goods with them. May I necognizemy bnother and
sister that I may open my heart to them. And may life
alwaysfollow death.
Do not send a wise man in a small matter when an
important matten is waiting. Happy is the heart of him
who has made a judgment befone a wise man. A wise
master who asks advice, his house stands foneven.A
wise man seeks a friend, a fool seeks an enemy. The
children of a fool wander in the street, but those of
the wise ane always with them. A wise man is one
who knows what goes on anoundhim.
lll.
May the heart of a wife be the heart of her husband so that they may be free of contention, lf a
woman is at peace with hen man, they will neven fare
badly. lf a woman whispers about her man, they will
neven fare well. A good woman of noble chanacten is
food that eomes in times of hunger. A woman who
remains a woman at night is praised duningthe day.
He who violates a marniedwoman on the bed will have
his wife violated on the gnound.A woman lets herself
be lovedaccordingto the character of her man.
Do not send a fool in an important matter when you
can send one who is wise. Do not instruct a fool lest
he hate you fon it. When one isntnucts a fool, he or
she says "What they are doing insults me." The fniend
of a fool is a fool. The fniend of a wise person is
anothen wise person. lf you are given bread for being
stupid, you may learn to despise instruction. Although
the way of God is befone all people, the fool cannot
find it.
65
lv.
Do not belittle the eldenly in youn heant. Honon the
eldenlyin youn heart, and you will be hononedin the
heants of all. Do not laugh at youn son in front of his
mother lest you leann the measune of his fathen. Do
not prefer one of youn childnento the othen, for you
know not which one of them will be kind to you.
There is no tooth that decays that stays in its
place. Theneis no friend who walks alone. There is no
wise one who comes to grief. Thene is no fool who
finds profit. There is no one who deserts his tnavelling
companionwhom God does not hold accountablefor it.
Theneis no one who deceives who is not deceivedand
no one who does wnong that goes on and tnuly pnospers.
V.
Do not hunl a lance if you cannot aim connectly.Do
not do evil to a person and thus cause anothen to do
it to you. Let youn generosity neach one who needs it.
Do not be stingy, fon wealth is no real security. Speak
truth to evenyone;let it cling to your speech. Do not
do to a pensonwhat you dislike and thus cause
another to do it to you also, Thene is no good deed
except the good deed that is done fon one who needs
it, Those who stnuggle together with the people of
thein town will nejoicein the victory with them.
66
The
Book of Phebhor
t.
tf a beam is longer than its right measure, the
excess is cut off, lf the wind blows beyond its right
m e a s u n e ,i t w r e c k s t h e s h i p s , T h o s e w h o a p p l y t h e
right measure in all good things are not blamed. The
God of just measure has cneated a balance in orden to
esbablishright measuneon eanth. He placed the heart
deep in the body fon [he night measure of its owner.
Thus, if those who ane learned ane not balanced,their
learningis of little use and a fool who knows not balance does not escape misfortune. Pride and anrogance
ane the destnuction of their ownen. But those who are
gentle in chanactencreate bheir own fate.
il.
The foolish child whom a father or mother has not
instnuctedis like a statue of stone. lt is a son's and
daughter's advantage and good fortune to receive
instruction and to ask for it. But no instruction can
succeed, if thene is nesentment for it. Youth who are
nob cornupted by base desires ane not blamed and
those who contnol their sexual appetite, their name
does not send fonth an unpleasant odon. Those who
ane steadfast and thoughtful ane chosen among the
people and those who listen to a correction protect
themselvesfrom neceivinganothen.Surely, the fault in
eveny kind of chanactenlies in not listening.The God
of wisdom has placed the stick on earth in orden bo
teach the fool by means of it. But He gave the wise a
67
sense of shame in orden to avoid all punishment,Thus,
a youth who has nespect thnough shame is not
rejectedwith punishment.
lll.
It is betten for a serpent to be in the house than a
fool who comes often. Those who associatewith a
fool ane dnawn into wnongdoing.Those who live with a
fool die in captivity. The fniends of fools sleep tied to
t h e m . A n d L h e w n o n g d o i n go f f o o l s h a r m e v e n t h e i r
own nelatives. when a fool lights a fine he goes too
close to it and gets burnt. And when a fool starts a
!sht' she goes too close to it and gets knockeddown.
Those who walk with the wise shane their- praise, but
those who walk by in the company of a fool cneate an
evil odor in bhe street.
lv.
D o n o t b e g n e e d yl e s t y o u r n a m e s e n d f o n t h a n
offensiveodon. Gneed bnings conflict and fighting in a
house. lt takes all sense of shame, mency and trust
from one's heant and it causes turmoil in a family.
Those who ane greedy do not like to give to those who
g a v e t o t h e m . T h e y d o n o t c o n s i d e nt o m o n r o w , f o n
they are only concernedwith the moment, Theneis no
end to the wnong done when money and greed ane
togethen. Money is the trap God placed on eanth for
the ungodly so that they would wonny each day. But
He gives it to those whom He favons in order to take
away worny fnom thein hearts.
58
V.
T h o s e w h o g i v e f o o d g e n e n o u s l yw h e n t h e y h a v e
money ane the ones bo whom fate gives fontune. Fon
wealth goes to those who give food to othens by
means of it. The heant of God is satisfied when the
p o o n s t a n d p n o v i d e df o n b e f o n e H i m . T h u s , i f y o u
a c q u i n ep r o p e r t y , g i v e a p o n t i o n t o G o d b y g i v i n g a
pontionto the poon. lf you acquinepnopenty,spend it
on youl^town so that there will be no turmoil in it. lf it
is in youn powen, invite those fan away as well as
those nean you. Fon those who invibethose fnom afar,
their name will be great when they go afan. Those who
love thein neighborswill find a family anoundthem. God
allows one to acquinewealth in netunnfon doing good.
And those who give food to the poor, God takes them
to Himselfin mencywibhoutmeasune,
vl.
Gentlenessin conduct of every kind causes the wise
t o b e p n a i s e d .D o n o t m a k e y o u n m o u t h h a n s h o r
speak loudly with youn tongue. Fon a loud voice does
damage to members of the body just like an illness.
Do not be so impatientwhen you ask that you get
angry while you ane listening.The pnaiseof the wise is
gneat befone the people because they lisEen. Do not
yield ofben to your tongue in ondento advise when you
have not been asked. Those who hunry with thein
mouth, give an incornectanswenwhen they speak. One
does not take seriouslythe wonds of the talkative
w h e n c o n s i d e r i n ga n a c c u s a t i o n , A n d o n e d o e s n o t
judge the complaint of a fool based on how loud it is
presented.
69
vll.
lf the wise ane not carm, their manner is noL perfect. lf no calm comes in battle, the anmy gets no
rest. lf thene is no calm between feasts, the masten
and mistress of the house cannot enjoy themselves.
And if there is no calm in a temple, God abandonsit.
Thus, pnaiseis given to the wise because of thein calm
and old age is a good time in life because of the calm
that comeswith it.
vlll.
Do not take lightly a small thing lest you suffen fnom
it. Deadly hanm comes to the fool fon taking gneatness
lightly in his heart. Likewise, hanm comes to a great
person for taking smallness lightly. lt is God who gives
the wise the discerningheant in onden that they may
have appropriate nespect. one who fears all hanm
avoids all harm. Do not take rightrya small illness fon
which there is a nemedy,take the nemedy.
A small snake has poison.A small river has its dangens. A small fire should be feared. A small document
has gneat benefit. A small cond binds. A small truth
defends its ownen. A small rie causes tnouble for one
who tells it. A little food gives health to one who has
it, A little saving leads to wearth. The rittle heant sustains its ownen. A little good news make the heart
happy,A little dew gives life to rhe fields. A lirtle wind
carries bhe boat along.A little bee brings honey.A
small locust lays waste the grapevine.A smail wrong
leadstowands death. And a small good deed is not hidden from God. Thus, many ane the small things that
deserve nespect but few ane the gneat things that
menitadmination.
70
lx.
The heart and tongue of the wise and the gneatness
of the place in which they rest, all come from God.
When the people raise thein hands God knows it. He
knows the ungodly who imagines evil. He knows the
godly and that they have the greatness of God in their
heart. Before the tongue has been asked the question,
God knows its answer. He directs the heart and
tongue by His command. lt is He who makes the way
safe without a guard. lt is He who gives a just ruling
without having a hearing. He lets a person be great in
his or her lifetime because of His mency.And He
makes the poor beggar a master because He knows
his heant.
71
Books of Gontemplation
T H E B O O K S O F C O N T E M P L A T I O N .T h e s e b o o k s c o n t a t n
thnee fonms of contemplation:lamentations,pnopheticassertions and meditationson death and etennal life. These books
r e f l e c t a s k e p t i c i s m , s a d n e s s a n d c o n t e m p l a t i v ep o s t u n e
born of the collapse and transformaEionof the social order
and the resultant chaos and loss of cultural center this
and lpuwer repbnought.The Books of Khakheper-Ra-Soneb,
resent lamentations on Ehe low state to which the society
says, "Maat, righteoushad fallen. As Khakheper-Ra-Soneb
ness and order, has been cast out and isfet, evil and chaos,
i s in t he Counc il H a l l , T h e w a y o f G o d i s v i ol ated and H i s
Commandantsare bnushedaside, The land is in tunmoil and
there is mounningevenywhere."
lpuwer laments the revensalof the social order when
outsiders have destroyed the intennal hanmonyand stability
of ancient Egyptian society. "Behold now," he says, "how
greatly the people have changed," "The nobber has become
rich and the hononablepenson a thief." The foreigners have
imposednew ways and created new relations and the righteous "Egyptianof yesterdaycannot be found anywhere."
In the Book of Dialogwith the Soul a man expresses despair
at the changed social cincumstancesand contemplates death.
This is the eanliest known literary exampleof a soul in turmoil
confronting unjust suffening and raising the question of why
and what is to be done. lt predates the Hebnew Book of Job
approximatelyfifteen hundnedyeans which represenbs a similar
concennand question and to which it has been compared.The
75
Book of songs focuses meditation on the inevitabilityof death
and the need to enjoy life now fon Ehe most part and suggests
a p os t une t hat is e x p n e s s e dl a te r i n th e H ebr-ewB ook of
Ecclesiastes.The last song, however, focuses on praise of
learningand the learned and argues it rs learned achievement
which causes one's name to last foreven.
Finally,the Book of Nefenti offens pr"ophecyof the coming
of a r-ighteoussavior-king,a messiah to neestablishmaat anJ
ca s t out is f et . T h i s i s th e o l d e s t a n d c l e a n e s tmessi ani cpno_
jection and antedates the Hebr.ew rnodel
of David by more
than a thousand yeans. At least one tnaditionalegyptorogist
h a s a r g u e d t h a t s u c h m e s s i a n i s mw a s e v i d e n t i n l p u w e r ,
which is at least five hundred yeans earlier, but the passage
he quotes to support it seems more an appeatto God than
the pharoah. However, there are othen passages in rpuwer
th a t s ugges t s uc h a m e s s i a n i c h o p e a n d p ro yecti on.A l so,
a note of interest in this prophecyis the predictionof a
me s s iahk ing bor n o f a mo th e n fro m N u b i a , w hi ch w as the
source of nepeated Egyptian nenaissancesafter periods of
degenenation
and despair.
76
The
Bookof Khakheper-Ba-Soneb
l.
W o u l d t h a t I k n e w w h a t o t h e r s a n e i g n o n a n to f ,
somethingthat had not alneadybeen said, that I might
speak and have my heart answen me. That I might
explainto it my distness and shift to it the bundenon
my back and speak of that which afflicts me. That I
might tell it what I suffer and breathe a sigh of relief
afterwand.
I m e d i t a t e o n w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d ,o n t h e t h i n g s
which have come to pass thnoughout the land. Changes
are taking place and it is not like last year, One yean
is monetroublesomethan the next. The land is in tunmoil, and being destroyed. Maat, righteousness and
orden, has been cast out and lsfet, evil and chaos, is
in the CouncilHall. The way of God is violatedand His
commandmentsane brushed aside. The land is in tunmoil and thene is mounningevenywhene,
il.
Eveny day that dawns bnings events fnom which the
face is forced to turn. I speak out strongly against it.
My limbs are heavy laden and my heart is heavy with
gnief,lt is painfulnot to speak about it. Anothen heant
might bend on break, but a strong heant in the midst
of difficultiesis an allyto its ownen.
Then Khakhepen-Ra-Soneb
said to his heant: Come
my heant, that I might speak to you and you might
respond to what I have said, lnterpret for me what is
happeningin the land, why those who wene once so
bnilliantare now brought low. I meditate on what has
come to pass. Misery has come today and turmoil wifl
not end tomonrow.
lll.
Everyone is silent about
The whole fand is in
great tnouble. And none ane wise enough to know it;
none are angry enough to speak out and evenyday one
wakes to suffering. Thus, my suffering is long and
heavy. The weak and wretched lack the stnength to
save themselves from that which overwhelms them. lt
is painful to keep silent about what one heans and yet
it is of no use to answer the ignorant.
Peopleonly love their own words. Evenyonebuilds on
cnookednessand night-speakingis abandoned.I have
spoken to you my heart; now answer me. A heant that
is approachedmust not keep silent, fon surely the servant and the masten share the same fate. And thus,
many are the things that must weigh heavy on you,
also.
The
Book of lpuwer
l.
Lo, what the ancestors foretold has come bo pass.
The land is full of bands of evil-doersand the prowman
goes to plow with his shield. Faces are pale; the bowmen stand ready; wrongdoing is evenywhereand thene
is no man or woman of yesterday. Lo, the women are
bannenand none conceive,for God does not make children anymonebecause of the state of the land. There is
blood everr/rruhereand no shortage of the dead. lndeed
the bunialcloth cniesout befoneone appnoachesit.
Lo, the land tunns like a potter's wheel. The robber
has become rich and the honorablepenson a thief, The
foneignersfnom without have come to Egypt and the
Egyptian of yesterday cannot be found anywhene.Lo,
the great and small say "l wrsh I were dead" and little
childrensay "He should not have caused me to live."
Lo, the unrestnainedsays: "lf I knew whene God is, I
would senveHim."
ll.
Behold now, how greatly the people have changed.
One who once did not sleep even on a box now owns a
bed. Those who once owned nobes now ane in rags
and those who once did not weave fon themselves now
own fine linen. Behold, those who once did not build
boats, now own ships and the fonmenownens just look
a t t h e m , f o r t h e y a n e n o l o n g e nt h e i n s , T h o s e w h o
once lacked shelten now have homes and those who
had homes ane in the blast of bhe stonm. And those
who knew nothing of God now make offenings to Him
with the incenseof others.
Lo, why does God seek to create men and women,
when the gentle are not distinguishedfrom the violent?
B u t H e b n i n g sc o o l n e s s i n t h e m i d s t o f h e a t . A n d a l l
say: "He is the shepherd of all humankindand thene is
no evil in His heart. Though His flocks ane few, He
spends the whole day tending them. But there is fine in
their heants. Oh, that He had penceivedbheir nature in
the first genenation.Then He would have destnoyedthe
wicked, stretched out His arm against them. surely, He
wouldhavedestroyedtheir seed and their legacy,
The
Book of Dialog Wirh the Soul
l.
I spoke to my soul that I might answenwhat it said:
To whom shall I speak today? Bnothers and sisters ane
evil and fniends today ane not worth loving. Hearts ane
gneat with greed and everyone seizes his on her neighbon'sgoods, Kindnesshas passed away and violenceis
imposedon everyone.
To whom shall I speak today? people willinglyaccept
evil and goodness is cast to the gnound evenywhere.
Those who should enrage people by their wrongdoing
make them laugh at thein evll deeds. people piunoer
and everyoneseizes his or her neighbor'sgoods.
ll.
To whom shall I speak today? The one doing wnong
is an intimate fniend and the bnother with whom one
used to deal is an enemy, No one nemembensthe past
and none netunnthe good deed that is done. Bnothers
and sisters are evil and people turn to stnangers for
righteousness or affection.
To whom shall I speak today? Faces are empty and
all tunn their faces fnom thein brothers and sisters.
80
Heants ane great with gneed and thene is no heart of
a man on woman upon which one might lean. None ane
just on righteous and the land is left to the doers of
evil.
To whom shall I speak today? Thene ane no intimate
fniendsand the people turn to strangers to tell thein
troubles. None ane content and those with whom one
used to walk no longenexist. I am burdenedwith gnief
and have no one to comfont me. Thene is no end to
the wnongwhich noamsthe eanth.
||l.
Thus,
Death, to me, today is like health to the ill, like
goingoutdoors after confinement.Death, to me, today
is like the smell of myrnh, like sitting undenthe sail on
a windy day. Death, to me, today, is like the fnagnance
of lotus, like sitting on the shoneof feasting.
Death, to me, today is like a well-troddenway, like
netunninghome from wan. Death, to me, today, is like
the cleaningup of clouds fnom the sky, like a penson
discoveningthat which was unknown, Death, to me,
today, is like longingto see home aften spendingmany
yeansin captivity.
tv.
Sunely,one who neachesthe beyond will be a living
god, punishingthe offenses of the wrongdoen.Sunely,
one who reaches the beyondwill be one who stands in
the Sun Bark of Ra, causing abundant gifts to be
g i v e n t o t h e t e m p l e s . S u r e l y , o n e w h o n e a c h e st h e
b e y o n dw i l l b e c o n s i d e n e dw i s e a n d w i l l n o t b e p r e ventedfnom appealingto Ra when he on she speaks.
81
And my soul said to me. cast youn complaintsaside,
my comnadeand bnothen.Make offeningson the sacnificialfine and clingto life as lhave said. Love me,
yaur soul, hene. Set aside thoughts of death and
desinedeath only when youn body joins the eanth, Then
I will alight on you afren you have become tnuly weany
and we shalldwelltogethenfoneven.
The
Book of Songs
I
L
Song of PhanoahAntef, the vindicated:
Pnospenousis this good pnince.For his kind destiny
has come to pass. One genenationpasses and anothen
remains since the Lime of the ancestons.The exalted
ones who lived in formen times now nest in their pyram i d s . A n d t h e b l e s s e d n o b l e s a n e l i k e w i s e b u n i e di n
thein pynamidsalso. Yet those who built those pyr.amids, thein places ane no mone. Beholdwhat has been
doneto them.
I have heand the wonds of lmhotep and Handedef,
two sages of old, whose teaching ane nepeated often.
Yet whene ane thein places now. Their walls all have
wasted away and thein places ane gone as though they
h a d n e v e n e x i s t e d . T h e r e i s n o n e w h o n e t u n n sf n o m
thene that he on she may tell us how they fane, on
what they need so that oun hearts may be at peace
until we too neachthe placewhenethey have gone.
Let your heant be happy then, and fonget your day
of departure. Follow the desine of youn heart fon long
82
as you live, Put myrrh on your head and clad yourself
i n f i n e c l o t h e s , E n j o y t h e w o n d n o u st h i n g s f i t f o n a
god. lncneasethe number of the things you enjoy and
let not your heant become lax on lose its vigon, Follow
Ehe desires of your heart and do that which is good
fon you. Fulfill youn needs on eanth accondingto the
commandsof youn heart til the day of mounningcomes
fon you. For the God of the depantedheans nob the
mounning,and wailing saves no one fnom the grave'
Celebrate,then, the days of nejoicingand do not tine
of them, Fon lo, none may take their- goods with them
and nonewho depantevencome back again,
ll .
S o n gf o n t h e P n i e s to f R a , N e f e n h o t e p( l ) :
Generationspass away since the first day of creation and othen generations come in their places. The
splendonof Ra rises in the monningand goes to nest
in the west. Men beget and women conceive and eveny
nostril bneathesain. Day dawns and the new bonn go
to their appointedplaces, Celebrate the days of nejoicing, then, o' pniest. Put the finest scents to yout' nose
and ganlandsof lotus flowens anound your neck and
shouldensand on the body of your belovedsister"who
sits beside you, Set song and music before you and all
e v i l t h i n g s b e h i n d . R e m e m b e no n l y j o y u n t i l t h e d a y
comes when you reach the port in the land that loves
silence,And give bread to those who have no field, fon
so shallyou gain a good name fon the futune forever.
lll.
A l s o ,f o r t h e P n i e s tN e f e n h o t e p( l l ) :
I have heandthose songs which ane in tombs of
ancient times. And of what they say when they pnaise
life on eanth and belittle the city of rhe depanred.why
is this done to the land of etennity,bhe just and night,
where no feans ane found? Thene quannering
is an
abominationand no one places him on henselfagainst a
fellow. Fon this is a land which has no opponenrs.
T h e n ei s n o n e w h o w i l l f a i l t o n e a c h b h i s p l a c e . T h e
dunationof what is done on earth passes like a dneam.
But to those who neach panadisein the west, is said,
"Welcome,safe and sound."
lV.
Song in Pnaiseof rhe Leanned
As fon those leannedscnibesof the time that came
aften the powens of heaven and who fonetold the
futune, thein names have become evenrasbing
even
though they have depantedhaving completedthe days
o f t h e i r ' l i v e s . A n d a l l t h e i n n e r a t i v e sa n e f o r - g o t t e n ,
They made not fon themselvespynamidsof metal with
s t e l a e o f m e t a l f r o m h e a v e n .T h e y d i d n o t k n o w t o
leave heins, childnenthat might r-epeat their names,
Instead they made heins out of the books of instnuction which they composed.
They took fon themselvesthe scnollas teacher--priest
and bhe wnitingboard as a lovingson. Books of instnuctions are thein pynamids,the need pen their- chird and
the stone sunface on which they wrote, thein wife. The
gneat and small became thein childnen.For- the scr-ibe
became thein leaden.Man decays; his conpse becomes
dust and all his nelativesdie, But a book causes him to
be remembenedthnoughthe mouth of those who quote
it, Betten is a book than a well-builbhouse, than a tomb
in the West, lndeeda book is betten than a gneat house
with a solidfoundationon a stela in the temple,
ls thene any one like the sage Handedef,on anothen
B4
like lmhotep? None stands among oul' nelativeswho is
like Neferti or Kheti, the foremost of them. I submit
to you the name of Ptah-em-Djehutiand of KhakheperRa Soneb, ls there another like Ptah-hotep on one who
is equal to Ka-iris? That which came fnom the mouths
of these learned men who foretold Lhe future came to
pass. And it is found as a clear statement wnitten in
their books. Though they may have concealedthein
wonds of powen fnom evenyoneelse, they can be found
in thein books of instnuction. Death might have caused
their names to be forgotten, but it is thein wnitings
that causes them to be remembened.
The
Book of Neferti
l.
And His Majesty PhanoahSnefru said: "Come Neferti, my fniend and speak to me some beautiful words
and well-chosenphrases which might please me upon
heaning them. And the teachen-priest, Nefenti, deplonedwhat had come to pass in Egypt, speakingon
the conditionof the East where Asiatic peoples noam
in strength, frightening those about to hanvest thein
crops and seizingcattle even at the plough.He said:
Be moved my heart and mounnfor this land in which
you wene born, For there is silence befone evil; what
should be condemnedis feared and the great ane oventhnown in the land of your birth. Tine not then while
this evil exists. Rise up against that which is befone
you. Fon lo, the gneat no longennule the land and what
85
was established has now been undone. May Ra begin
to re-establish this land for it is ruined and nothing
o f v a l u e n e m a i n s .N o t e v e n t h e b l a c k o f a n a i l h a s
escaped this fate. Lo, the land is destnoyedand thene
ane none to cane fon it. Thene are none who speak and
nonewho weep. How then fares this land?
ll.
I shall speak of what is befone me. I will nevenfonetell
that which will not come, A strange bind will bneed rn
the Delta marsh and make its nest beside the people of
Egypt. For the peoplewill let it appnoachthnough lack of
action. And aftenwards,all good things will pass away.
Beasts of the desent will dnink at the nivenof Egypt
and take thein ease on the shones fon they will have
no one to fean. The land is in tunmoiland no one
knows what will come to pass, fon what the futune will
bningis hidden.And as it is said: when sight and heaning fail the many, those who cannot speak will lead.
ilt.
I s h o w y o u a l a n d t o r n u p b y t u n m o i l .T h a t w h i c h
should nob be has come to pass. people will take up
w e a p o n so f w a n a n d t h e l a n d w i l l l i v e i n c o n f u s i o n ,
People will spill blood for bnead and laugh out loud at
pain and miseny.And none will weep over death. Everyone's heant shall cane only for him on herself. A person will sit with hisihenback tunned while one murdens
anothen. I show you the son and daughter as enemy,
t h e b n o t h e na n d s i s t e r a s f o e a n d t h e c h i l d s l a y i n g
mother and fathen. I show you the undenmost turned
to the uppermost.
lv.
But a king shall come from the south named Ameni,
the vindicated one, the son of a woman of Nubia. He
will join together the Double Cnown and the land will
be enclosed in his gnasp. The people of his neign will
nejoice,for Ameni, the son of man, will make his name
for all eternity. The evil-mindedplottens of treason will
hold back their speech thnough fear of him. The Asiatic invaders will fall before his funy and the Libyan
invaders will be consumed by his flame. Rebels will
yield before his wrath and tnaitors will be brought low
by his might. Then, Maat, righteousnessand orden, will
retunn to its place and lsfet, evil and chaos, will be
driven away.
87
The
Book of Declanations
of Uirtues
THE B O O K O F D EC L AR AT ION SO F V IF T U E S . A s stated
earlier, the heart of ancient Egyptian ethics and spiritual
striving is maat. Ancient Egyptian ethics and spirituality, like
all African ethics and spinituality,have and stress a practical
dimension.Righteousness is real only in personal and social
practice, Maat, Ehen,is a social as well as spiritual task for
w h i c h t h e r e w a r d i s a n e n j o y a b l ea n d b e a u t i f u l r i f e i n t h e
communityon earth and a spiritual life in the heavens as a
living god. [see below in the Books of Bising Like Ra). In a
word, maat is both a pensonaland social Eask and the promise and reward for completingit.
The ancient Egyptians, thus, developedan ideal characten
type rooEed in and neflective of maat which the Instructions
urge and the Declarationsof Vintues state as both an accomplishedfact and a model to emulate. This ideal type was the
gerLt,the self-mastened,i,e,, calm, silent, controlled, modest,
wise, gentle and socially active; and the geru maaf, who was
truly the self-mastened.The first was the serf-mastered.the
second a kind of master of the self-mastered.The opposite of
the self-mastered is the unnestrained person - hot-mouthed,
hot-Eempered,aggressive,and generallyinfused with isfet, the
oppositeof maat.
what one sees, then, in the Declarations of Virtues is the
p n a c t i c eo f b a s i c v a l u e s o n t h e p e r s o n a l a n d s o c i a l l e v e l
which pose an ideal type and serve as a model of maat for
others to emulate, lt is important to note that the personal
i s i ns epar able f n o m th e s o c i a l , th a t ri g h te ousness and
nestnaintare always, as in other African ethics and spinitg1
uality, achieved, tested and tempered in nelations with othe r s . M a a t b e g i n s w i t h f a m i l y n e l a E i o n st h a t m a k e s o n e
praised by his ther) father, loved by his (her) mother, and
cherishedby his (herl bnothers and sisters. Maat expnesses
i ts elf in a c las s i c s ta te me n t o f E g y p ti a n m oral i ty w hi ch
appears thousands of years laten in Hebrew-Chnistiansacred
bexts: "l gave food to the hungry, clothes to the naked,
water to the thirsty and a boat to those without one." The
last part of this declaration of vintue, of course, reflects
a g a i n t h e a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n s e a - fa n i n g e n v i r o n m e n t a n d
reveals the essentiality of having a means of transportation
on water.
These Declarationswhich were usually found on stelae, a
kind of memorial plaque, fonm a parallel and complement to
the Declarations of lnnocence which appear in the Book of
Coming Forth by Day (see belowl and thus, expness a consistent ethic of right thought and practice whose reward is
found in this life and the next.
The
Book of Declarations of Virtues
l. Harwa, chief official of the High Pniestessof
Amen-Rasays:
I am a noble for whom one should act, one of finm
heart to the end of life. I am one belovedof his city,
p n a i s e db y h i s d i s t n i c t , k i n d - h e a n t e dt o h i s t o w n s . I
have done what the people love and God praises. I
was one tnuly venenatedand had no fault, who gave
bneadto the hungnyand clothes to the naked, I put an
end to pain and enased wnongdoing,I buniedthe blessed, supported the aged and satisfied the needs of
the have-nots.I was a shelten fon the child and help
to the widow; one who gave nank even to an infant.
I d i d t h e s e t h i n g s k n o w i n gt h e i r v a l u e a n d k n o w i n g
t h e i n n e w a n df n o m t h e L o n d o f M a a t , i n a w o r d , t o
endunein the mouth of the people without end, to be
well-remembered
fon yeansand yeansto come,
It
ll .
D j e d k h o n s e f a n kphn, o p h e to f A m e n - R a s, a y s :
Hailto you who will come after me, who shalllive in
times to come. I shall make you call me blessed, fon
my destiny was gneat. Ra, as Khnum the Gneat Potter, fashioned me into one most able, an advisol' of
excellentcounsel. He made my chanactensupeniot'to
othens and guidedmy tongue to that which was excellent. I kept my mouth fnee fr^om attacking those who
attacked me. My patience turned my foes into fniends
and my enemiesinto allies. I conbnolledmy mouth and
was skilled in nesponse,yet I did not submib to evil
doing.
The peoplejudged me as one genenous,Fon I hated
the hoandingof riches, I caused them all to gneet me
fon my excellence,paying homageto my innenessence
93
and saying of me "he is a righteous offspring of his
fathen and a divine descendentof his mother. No one
spoke evil of my panents because of me. My panents
w e n e h o n o n e dg r e a t l y b e c a u s e o f m y w o n t h i n e s s ,
Indeed,they found me helpfulwhile they lived upon the
eanth, And I pnovideoffenings fon them now that they
have depanted. Moreover, I did not allow my senvants
t o a d d n e s sm e a s " o u r m a s t e n " , b u t i n s t e a d m a d e
myselfin the imageof their fathen.
lll.
P a h e n i s, c n i b eo f t h e n o y a rt n e a s u n ya n d m a y o no f
two towns, says:
I am a noble who served his Lord, one skilled and
fnee of negligence.I walked the noad I had explored.I
w a s g u i d e db y m y o w n h e a r t o n t h e r o a d o f t h o s e
praised by the pharoah. My good chanactennaisedme
high. I was summonedas one in whom no faulb was
found, lf I wene placed on the scales, I would come
out complete,blamelessand without a blemish.I came
and went with a firm heart, telling no lies to anyone.I
know the God that dwells in man and woman. Knowing
Him I knew this fnom that and perfonmedthe tasks as
they were commanded.I neven confused the message
with the messengen.I did not speak vurganwonds on
talk with wonthlesspeople. Indeed,I was the model of
kindness.
lV.
Harkuf, governonof Uppen Egypt and teacherpniest,says:
The phar"oahpnaisedme and my fathen made for me
a will, fon I was one wonthy. One belovedof his fathen,
p n a i s e db y h i s m o t h e n a n d o n e w h o m a l l h i s s i s t e r s
and bnothensloved. I gave bneadto the hungny,clothing to the nakedand brought the boatlessto dry land.
I was one who spoke justly, who nepeated t,hat
which was pleasingto hear. I neven spoke evilly
against anyone bo his on her supenior, Fon I wished to
stand well with the Most High God. Never-did I judge
between two contenders in such a way that it
depnived
a childof his on her parents' legacy.
V.
Nefer-seshem-Ra,
says:
I have spoken tnuly and done night. I spoke justly
and nepeated that which was just, I seized the night
moment so as to stand well with the people. I judged
between two in such a way that would satisfy both
o f t h e m . I n e s c u e dt h e w e a k f n o m t h o s e w h o w e n e
stnongenas much as was in my powen. I gave bread
to the hungry, clothes to the naked and bnought the
boatless to dry land. I bunied those who had no childnen and built a boat for those wene without one. I
respected my fathen, pleased my mothen and naised
my sistens and brothens.
Vl.
t f O s i n i s s, a y s :
W e n n o f e np, n o p h e o
M a y G o d g i v e m e i n c e n s ef o r t h e c i t y o f e t e n n i t y
and waten for the gnaveyandof the West. Fon I am a
man fon whom one shouldact. I was true-heanted,just
and tnustworthy. One who walked on the waten of
God. I was one praised in his town, generous in his
distnict and kind and compassionateto evenyone.I was
friendly and one welcomedby othens, widely loved and
cheenful.I was self-mastenedin times of sbness and
misfontune,beautiful of speech and well-spoken.I was
a stnong shelter fon the needy, one on whom all could
lean. I welcomed the stnanger and was a helpful adviser and an effective guide, I was one who pnotected
95
the weak fnom the strong and was a boat to cnoss
waten for everyone.
I was a worthy noble who did God's wish and one
kind and compassionateto his fniends.I was genenous
to the have-nots.My heart did not say "give me" to
anyone,I was one who loved justice and hated wnongdoing.And I alwaysdid what was good.
Vll.
t f AmenRa, says:
N e b n e f e r . up,n o p h e o
I live on earth as .
one who gave guidancein work
to the unawane,who instnuctedthe cnaftsman by the
rufe. Who knew what to say when speakingin the palace, who enasedwnong in eveny situation, who pleased
God with cleansing.I spoke to the people in a manner
they liked and judged evenyoneaccondingto thein chanacben,givingattention to what they wished.
Vlll.
Ankhrifi,gnear ruter of fhe dismicrs of Edfu
and Hienaconpolis,
says:
I am the vanguandand neanguand
of the people.One
who finds the solution whene it is lacking,A leader-of
the land thnough active assention. I choose and use
wonds well and am collected in thought on the day of
the joiningof three southennmost distnicts. Fon I am
a championwithout peen who spoke out when the people were silenb, on the day of fean when Upper Egypt
was silent. Those on whom I placed my hand, neven
met misfortune, for. my heant was committed and my
counselexcellent.
lX.
Beka,stewandof the publicgnanany,says:
I was just and tnue and one without malice. Fon I
placed God in my heant and was quick in discerning
His will. I have reached the city of those who dwell in
etennity. I have done good on earth. I have not injured
othens. I have neither been evil nor approved of anyt h i n g e v i l o n o f f e n s i v e . I h a v e d e l i g h t e di n s p e a k i n g
tnuth. For I knew well the neward that comes from
doing this on earth from the Eime of one's first act
til the time one reaches the grave. lndeed my sure
defense shall be in speaking truth on the day when I
reach the divine judges, the skillful interpneters, discoverensof all actions and chastisensof all offenses.
I took pleasure in righteousness, staying in hanmony
with the laws of the Hall of Maat. I have not oppnessed the lowly nor done harm to those who honon God.
I have spent my life in the way of righteousness. The
sincenityand goodness which wene in the heart of my
fathen and mother I returned through my love for
them. And I never acted in any mannerto dishonor
them, even fnom the earliest days of my youth. Though
of great status I have acted as one whose position
was low. And I have not underminedanyone worthier
than myself.
Antef, High Stewand of the office of the GovennX.
ment, says:
I am silent befone the angny, patient with the ignonant in ordento quell conflict, lam cool, free from
hasty acts, anticipatingthe outcome, expecting what
occuns. I am one who counsels in situations of strife,
a person who knows which words incite anger. I am
fr"iendly,when called upon, to those who would tell me
their concern. I am contnolled,kind, friendly, one who
comforts the weeper with good words. I am genenous
to those who count on me and one who does good to
his peens. I am one who is iust, in the house of his
Lond, who recognizesflatteny when it is spoken. I am
pleasant, openhanded,a possessor of food who does
not hide his face from those in need. I am a friend of
97
the poor and favonableto those who have not. I am
one who feeds the hungry who are needy and one who
is openhandedto those who are destrtute.
I am one who is informed to those who lack knowledge and one who teaches a person what is useful to
him or her. I am upright in the house of the phanoah,
one who knows that which should be said in every
office. I am a listener, one who listens to Maat and
who ponders it in the heart. I am a peacemakerin the
house of his Lond, one who is remembered by reason
of his excellentqualities.I am kind in the courts, one
who is calm, and not offensive,
I am a good man, not acting hastily, one who does not
attack a person for a single remank. I am accunate like
the scale, impartial and true like the Lord of Just Measure. I am a man firm of foot whose plans ane well
thought out who is loyal to those who have caused him
to prospen. I am a knower who taught himself knowledge, an advisor whose advice is sought. I am one who
speaks in the hall of justice, one who is skilled tn speech
in difficult situations.
Moreover, he says:
I set goodness under my house and love for me
went thnoughoutthe land. I gave bnead to the hungry,
waten to the thirsty and helped the shipwrecked on
thein way. I buried the aged, I clothed the naked. I
committed no sin against man on woman and none that
God hates. I appliedthe Law which the phanoahloved.
I have come to my city and entered my home. I have
done that which both man and woman love and things
that are approvedof by God.
n
/\
H
w
FI
il
ltU
g8
Booksof RisingLike Ba
THE BOOKS OF HISING LIKE RA. These books are singularly and together the oldest written record of the dawn of
strucEured moral consciousness, They nepresenb Afnicans
leadingthe human rupture with the animal world and establishing not only an ethical slandard of social behavior but
posing the possibility of resurrection, ascension and transformation into a livinggod. ln this section, I have given these
books titles diffenent than those most tnaditional egyptologists have assigned them. The oldcst texts which ane from
the Old Kingdom and are called by them the Pyramid Texts,
I h a v e t i t l e d t h e B o o k o f R i s i n g a n d T r a n s f o r m a t i o n .T h e
rationale for this is the focus and activity expressed in the
text where the royal vindicatedone, i,e., the pharoah in this
case, rises from the dead, ascends in the heavens and
ffansforms into a living god. Rising here refers both to resunnectionand ascension in the heavens. And transfonmation
is achieved through having lived righteously, becoming one
w i t h G o d a n d t h e n b e c o m i n ga l i v i n g g o d o n e s e l f , i . e . , a
power in the heavens.
The texts from the Middle Kingdom are called the Coffin
Texts by the tnaditional egypEologists.These I have titled
"The Book of Vindication"which, as the first line in the book
shows, is what at least one part of ib, if not the total text,
w a s c a l l e d . F i n a l l y ,I h a v e n e i e c t e d t h e t i t l e , B o o k o f t h e
Dead, and used also the title the ancient Egyptians assigned
the book,i.e., The Book of ComingForth By Day,
A lt hough E he B o o k o f R i s i n g a n d T n a n sformati on w as
10,,
appanentlyfirst used mainly for pharoahs, it was,
in my estim at ion, a m ode r fo n h u ma n p o s s i b i ri ty re p resented
by the
person who more than anyone else
symbolizedthe possibility
of divinity. Moneover, this book and the others
in this section wene eventuaily appnopriatedby the masses
and became
the basic texts for "nisinglike Ra", Thus, I used .,royal
vindicated one", or "vindicatedone" rather uhan the ,,N,,
or name
of. a parti!l'|". pharoah as is the practice of haditionar
egyptologists' For it is not just the phanoahwho nose
and transformed, but any and all vindicatedones.
I have put the books in an orden that is reversed
chronologically,but which logicallyfit accondingto the activity
each
contains. Finst a person comes forth (nesurrecLs),
declares
(her)
his
innocence in the Hail of Judgment, is vindicated,
and then rises and transforms into a riving god. ArEhough
there is some of each in all, each book tendl 1o have
more
of the activity by which it is named.
In the Book of coming Forth By Day, r have used the tide,
Declarations of Innocence, fon the thirty-six and forty-two
declarationsmade by a person in tne n"it of Righteousne"s
to establish his ther) blamelessness. Although some tnadibional egyptologists call this statement, "the Negative confession", others have used "the Declarations of Innocence,,
also. The Declaration is obviouslynot a confession eithen in
c o n t e n t o r c o n t e x t . l t i s n o t a n a d m i s s i o no f f a u l t s , b u t
rather a denial of them. And the Hall of Righteousnessis
not a place where one confesses faults, buL rather where
one declares oneself innocent so that he or she may be vindicatedand rise like Ra.
one of the majon significancesof these "Books of Rising
Like Ra" is Eheinemphasis on the ancient Egyptian belief in
the concept of the possibilityof immontalityand divinity fon
humans. ln a word, they posit that through right uhought
and pnactice, one could become a god and liu" foreven at
the right hand of Ba. This could be achieved as these books
and oEhers of rhe Husia state and suggest, in thnee basic
way s : 1) ac hieve d i n te n n a l d e v e to p m e n t;2 ) excefl ence i n
social nelations;and 3) significant socio-historicalsenviceand
achievement,
1A?
Finally,it is important to note that in the Declarations of
lnnocence,as has been poinbedout often, we find a source
of the Ten Commandmentsand in the Books of Rising Like
Fla we find again the histonicalsource of so many othen concepLs central to Hebrew and Chnistiantheology, i.e', resurrection, the Risen Savior, the BelovedSon, the Day and Hall
of Judgment, immontalityof the soul, etc. lt is this and the
other conEributionscited above as well as those unmentioned
in this volume which form the rich and ancient moral and
spiritual legacy Africa, through its daughter, ancient Egypt,
has giventhe world,
103
The
Book of GomingForth By Day
Hene begins the Book of Coming Fonth by Day, of
songs of pnaisingand glorifying,of coming fonth and
enteningGod's Blessed Domain in the beautiful West,
These are to be recited on the day of burial, of
enteringin after comingfonth.
L
O y o u w h o b n i n g b l a m e l e s ss o u l s i n t h e H o u s e o f
Osiris the Risen Savior, bring this excellent soul with
you. Let him heil hean as you hean and see as you
see. Let him heil stand up even as you stand up and
sit down as you sit down. O you who give bread and
been to blamelesssouls in the House of Osiris, give
bread and beer day and night to this soul whose word
is true befone God, Lord of the sacred city of Abydos,
and before you.
O you who open bhe way and clear bhe paths for
blamelesssouls in the House of Osinis,open the way
and clear the paths for the soul of this one whose
v o i c e i s v i n d i c a t e db y y o u . M a y h e b h e l e n t e r t h e
House of Osinis in boldness and ceme fonth in peace.
May he bhd not be opposed on sent back, May he
fshd enter praised and come fonth loved and triumphant. May his (herl commands be canried out in the
House of Osiris. May his heil wonds travel wiEh you.
And may he fshel not be found deficient in the Balance
and be free fnom all faults.
ll.
May I not be judged according to the mouth of the
multitude. May my soul lift itself up before my heant,
and be found to have been nighLeouson earth, May
105
I c o m e i n t o y o u r p n e s e n c eO ' L o n d o f L o n d s , m a y I
neachthe Hall of Flighteousness.May I nise like a living god and give fonth light like the divine powers that
anein heaven.
Let me proceed in peace to the Wes[, May the
l o n d s o f t h e s a c n e d L a n d n e c e i v em e a n d g i v e m e
thnee-foldpraise in peace. May they make a seat for
me besidesthe Eldensof the council, May I ascend in
the pnesence of the Beneficent one. And may I assume whatever fonm I want in whateven place my
spirit wishesto be.
llf.
O My heart, my mothen, my heant, my mothen, my
heant whenebyI come into being. stand not up against
me as a witness nor oppose me in the council of
Judgment.weigh nob heavy against me befonethe
K e e p e no f t h e B a l a n c e . y o u a n e m y d i v i n e e s s e n c e
which dwells in my body, the divine powen which makes
stnong my limbs. when you come forth in the place of
happinesswhere we go, may you not cause my name
to send fonth an offensive odon befone those who
assignpeopleto their rightful place.
May it be favorable fon us and the Hearer be favo'able to us and thene be joy at the weighingof wonds.
Let not falsehood be uttened against he befone the
Gneat God. Fon sunely youn r-igl'rteousness
will cause
you to rise up in triumph.
tv.
Behold, I am in youl- presence '0 Lor.d of Heaven.
Thene is no evil in my body, I have not knowinglyspo106
ken that which is not true, nor have I done anything
with a false heart. Gnanf that I may be like those
favonedones who are in youn followingand that I may
be an Osiris - one vindicated and risen - and greatly
favonedby the BeneficenbGod
V.
I come forth tniumphantlyagainst my enemies.I split
the heavensand open up the horizon. I travel acnoss
t h e e a n t h o n t h e h e e l s o f m y e n e m i e s .I c a u s e t h e
G l o n i o u sa n d G n e a t O n e s t o c o m e t o m e , f o r I a m
e q u i p p e dw i t h w o n d s o f p o w e n . I e a t w i t h m y o w n
mouth and chew with my own jaw. Fon I wonship God
in heavenand I am given that which endures in the
midst of things which ane overthnown.
Stand back from my path, for I am one with Ra,
coming fonth across the honizonagainst His enemy,
who shall not be nescuedfrom me, I have stneLched
out my hand as Lord of the Cnown of Upper Egypt. I
l i f b e du p m y l e g s a s o n e w h o h u r r i e s t h e d a w n . M y
enemy shall not escape me, Indeed he shall fall befone
me. He has beengivento me and shallnot be rescued.
vt.
I stand up as Horus, betoved son and avenger of his
father. I sit down as Ptah, God who taid the foundations of the universe, I have gnown stnong as ThoLh,
wisdom exalted. I have become as powenful as Atum
- Ra as the Perfecter. I walk with my own feeb, I
speak with my own mouth. I punsue my enemy. He is
g i v e n t o m e a n d h e s h a l l n o t b e n e s c u e df n o m h e , I
have entenedas a falcon and come fonth as a phoenix,
107
Morning star make way for me, so that I may adore
Ra in the beautiful paradise of the West.
vll.
My name does not pass away. I am the soul that
created the deep, that makes its seat in God's domain. My nest, my place of birth, is hidden and my egg
has not been broken. I am Lord of the heights ano I
have made my nest in the sky. But I come down to
earth bhauI may do away with my uncleanliness.
O Lord Osiris, come then and establish me and
make me strong. Gnant that I may enter the land of
e v e r l a s t i n g n e s sa s y o u h a v e d o n e a l o n g w i t h y o u r
father Ra, whose body never passed away and who is
one who indeed does not die. I have not done that
w h i c h y o u h a t e , b u t h a v e p n a i s e dy o u n n a m e a m o n g
those who love youn Divine Essence. May your spirit
love me and not neject me. And may you not let my
body decay, but delivenme as you did delivenyounself.
Let life rise out of death. Let not decay make an end
of me or my enemies come against me in thein many
fonms.
vllf.
I am the Great One, the son of a Great One. I am
the Fieny one, the son of the Fiery one, whose head
w a s n e s t o n e dt o h i m a f t e r i t h a d b e e n c u t o f f . T h e
head of osiris, the Risen savion, is not taken fnom hit m
and my head shall not be taken from me, I have risen
up and knitted myself together. I have made myself
whole. I nenew myself and gnow young again. I am one
with Osiris, Lord of Etennity.
108
He who shall accompany me who am about to f all
will lift me up when I have descendedin the valley of
Abydos and gone to nest. For sunely I am one who
worships Him, I have assumed divine authority in the
city where I found Him, I conquenedand carried away
the danknessby my strength. I have taken possession
of the crown of Uppen Egypt. Truth is my body. I have
c o m e t o l i g h t e n d a n k n e s sa n d t o o v e n t h r o w t h e e v i l
s p i r i t s t h e n e i n .T h o s e w h o d w e l l e d i n t h e d a r k n e s s
adore me. I have caused the weeping ones to stand up
even though they ane weary. Behold me, I am indeed
the Deep one who has subdueddankness.I have driven
away darknessso that light could be lifted up.
lx.
These ane words which shall be said on arniving at
the Gneat Hall of Maati, so that one may be separated from all offenses he on she may have committed
a n d m a y b e h o l dt h e f a c e s o f t h e d i v i n e o n e s . ( T h e
Declaration of lnnocenceJ
One says: Homage to you, Gneat God, Lond of
Maati. I have come to you O' Lond that I may behold
youn beauty. I know you; I know youn name; I know the
names of the forty-two divine beings who live with you
in this Hall of Maati, who live on the doens of evil and
feed on their blood on the day of taking account of
characten in the pnesenceof Osinis, The Good One,
Surely, the Two Daughtens,the Two Eyes, Lond of
Bighteousnessis youn name: Behold, I have come to
you, I have bnoughtyou righteousnessand have done
away with unnighteousness
fon you.
PART L have not done evil against people. I have not
mistneatedmy family and associates. I have not told
lies in the court of law, the seat of Truth. I have not
109
associatedwith evil or worthless pensons.I have not
done evil things. I have not begun a day by demanding
m o n e t h a n I w a s d u e . I h a v e n o t b n o u g h tf o n t h r v
n a m e f o n p n a i s e .l h a v e n o t c u n s e dG o d . l h a v e n o l
defnaudedthe poon of their property. I have not done
what is hateful to God. I have not slander-ed
a senvant
to his supenion.I have not infricted pain. I have not
caused anyone to be hungny.I have not made anyone
weep,
I have not committed murder. I have not ondereda
murden on tunned oven anyone to a killen. I have not
caused anyone to suffen. I have not stolen the offeni n g s o f t h e t e m p l e . I h a v e n o t d e f n a u d e dt h e d i v i n e
beings of thein bnead offer-irrgs,I have not stolen the
offeningsof the depanted.I have not committed adultery, I have not been unchaste in the sanctuary. I
have not incneasedor diminishedthe measuneof gnain.
I have not neducedthe length of the palm, I have not
encnoachedupon fields of anothen. I have not added to
the weight of the scales, I have not tampenedwith the
tongue of the scales, I have not taken milk fnom the
mouth of childnen.I have not dr-ivencattle fnom their
pastune.
I have not snared sacred birds. I have not caught fish
with the bait of thein own bodres. I have not stopped
the flow of waten in its season, I have not damed up
waten when it should flow. I have not put out a fire
when it should bunn. I have not viorated the times of
m a k i n gm e a t o f f e n i n g s .I h a v e n o t d r - i v e na w a y c a t t l e
from the pnoperty of God. And I have not turned back
God at His appearances.I am pune.
PART ll. I have not done wnong, I have not robbed. I
have not been gr-eedy.I have not stolen. I have nou mund e r e d p e o p l e .I h a v e n o t c h e a t e d a t t h e m e a s u r e s . I
have not committed fnaud. I have not stolen the propenty of God. I have noL told lies. I have not stolen food.
110
I have not spoken cunses. I have not violated the law, I
have not killed sacred animals, I have not dealt
deceitfully.
I have not stolen land. I have not eavesdnopped.
I have not talked overmuch, I have not been angry without just cause. I have not committed adultery.
I have not been unchaste. I have not ternorized anyone,
I have not violated the law. I have not been hottempened.I have not been deaf Lo wonds of tnuth. I
have not stinred up str.ife. I have not been blind to injust i c e , I h a v e n o t e n g a g e di n u n n a t u r a l s e x . I h a v e n o t
beendeceitful,
I have not indulgedin quarnelling.
I have not engagedin
v i o l e n c e .I h a v e n o t b e e n q u i c k t e m p e n e d ,I h a v e n o t
misrepnesentedmy natune. I have not gossiped. I have
not slanderedthe pharoah. I have not waded in drinking
waten. I have not been loud voiced. I have not blasphemed against God. I have not been ar.nogant.I have
not discniminated
against others. I have not coveted othens'property, I have not offendedthe God of my city.
X.
Behold,I have come to you, empty of evil and devoid
o f d e c e i t , a b l a m e l e s so n e , o n e w i u h o u t a w i t n e s s
against him heil. Thenefone,l e t n o c a s e b e b r o u g h t
againstme,
I live on Maat, I satisfy myself with the nighteousness of my heart. For I have done that which men and
women request and that which pleases God. I have
found favon with God by doing that which He loves, I
have given bnead to the hungny, waten to the thinsty,
clothes to the naked and a boat to bhose wi[hout one, I
have made due offeningsto God and funenaloffeningsto
111
the departed,Delivenme then, and protect me. Make no
report against me in the presence of the Gneat God,
For I am one whose mouth is pure and whose hands ane
clean. Thenefore,let, it be said to me: "Welcome, come
in peace"by those who shallsee me.
The
Book of Uindication
Hene beginsthe Book of Vindicatinga Person in the
Realmof the BeautifulWest.
l.
Seeker of vindication,you are the Lion, indeed the
Double Lion. You are Honus, pnoLectonof his father',
You ane the founth of these four powens of heaven
who ane strong and mighty who bning waten and make
bhe Nile flow through powen of thein divinity. O seeken
of vindication,naise yourself on your left side and put
yourselfon your nightside.
The God of eanth has commandedand the Double
Lion has nepeated,that you be given youn soul which
is on earth and youn shadow which is in secnet places.
Seekenof vindication,naise younselfthat you may be
vindicatedagainst your enemies.Take youn staff, youn
loin cloth and youn sandals and go to the Council of
J u d g m e n t . M a y y o u b e v i n d i c a t e da g a i n s t y o u n e n e mies, male and female, against those who would hanm
you and those who would bning a case against you in
the Councilof Judgment on this day of joy.
112
ll.
O' seeken of vindication, the earth opens its mouth
for you; it opens up its jaws in your behalf. May you
eat youn bnead and neceiveyour abundance.May you
neach the Gneat Stainway and annive at the Sacned
City, May you negainyoun wanmth upon the eanth and
may you become one with Osinis, the Bisen Savior. O'
seekenof vindication,the gneat ones stand up fon you
and the scnibes who sib upon their mats are in awe of
you in youn pnesence.You have assumed for younself
the attnibutes of the wise senpents in the sacr-ed city
of On, Hail seeken of vindication,take possessionof
the sky and inhenitthe eanth. Who shall take away the
sky fnom you, you beautiful youthful god? Fon you ane
vindicatedagainstyour enemies,maleand female,
ilt.
T h e s e e k e no f v i n d i c a t i o ns a y s : H a i l t o y o u , J u d g ment Councilof God, who shall judge me on this day
concerningwhat I have said and done being ignonant,
r e m i s s a n d u n m i n d f u l ,o ' y o u w h o s u n r o u n dm e a n d
stand at my back, may I be vindicated in bhe pnesence
of the Lord of eanth. He shall judge me accondingto
what I have knowinglydone. I have stood up witl-r my
feather of truth on my head and my righteousness on
my bnow. My enemies ane greatly gnievedand in my
vindication,I have gainedpossessionof all I own.
lv.
O' vindicatedone, go forth gneat and mighty even as
Ra went fonth gneat and mighty on the eastennside of
the sky. The powens of heaven who spoke on behalf of
Honus, the protector of his father, and who subdued
113
his enemieswho hated him, they shall speak on behalf
o f t h i s v i n d i c a t e do n e a n d s u b d u e t h o s e w h o w o u l d
injure him (heil, who hate him (heil, and who would
bring a case against him hefl on this day.
V.
H a i l , v i n d i c a t e do n e . Y o u s h a l l c n o s s t h e s k y a n d
travel acnoss the expanse of the heavens;those in the
windingwatenway shall neveneyou and see you when
you nise on the eastern honizon.You shall come forth
fnom the Night-bankof Ba arrd go aboandthe Day-bank
a s H o r u s , L o r d o f n o b l e s , h i m s e l f , c o m m a n d sy o u .
H a i l , v i n d i c a t e do n e , Y o u s h a l l g o u p o n t h e g n e a t
eastern side of the sky and go down on the gneat
western side of the eanth among those powens of
heavenswho ane in the company of Osinis, the Bisen
Savior. And you shall go in peace, in peace with Ra,
who is in the heavens,
vl.
Hail vindicatedone, You ane a god and you shall be
a god. You shall have no enemies or opponents before
Ra who is in the heavens or befone Osinis Lhe gneaL
and divine power who is in the sacred city of Abydos.
The Lond of the eanth will open your blind eyes and
straighten out your bent knees fon you. And you wilt
be givenyout' heant which came fnom your mothen,
younheart which belongsto youn body, youn soul which
was on eanth, and youn corpse which was in the
ground, Thene will be bnead for" youn body, waten fon
younthnoat, and sweet ainfon younnostnils.
vll.
Hail, vindicatedone. Come that you may nise up in
114
the heavens.The ladden at the side of Ra has been
assembledfon you among the powens of heaven who
pungethe stneams of thein pestilence so that you may
dninkwater from them, You shall walk upon your own
feet and you shall not walk with your"head downwand.
You ane clean and pure. As Ra lives you ape blameless
and without blemish,
vil l.
The doors of the heavens ane opened to you because of youn nighteousness.May you ascend and see
Hathor, Love and Eeauty Exalted.May any case
against you be cancelled.May any offense of yours be
erased by those who weigh hearts in the balance on
t h e d a y o f t a k i n g a c c o u n l o f c h a r a c t e n s .M a y i t b e
granted that you join those who are in the Sun-Bark
by those who are in the companyof Ra.
lx.
Go and open the mansion of the soul beyond. . ' lf
you find the powens of heaven seated, you shall sit
with them. Receive this sceptre of yours which is at
the feet of Ra and youn nod which is at Lhe feet of
the Monning Stan. You should rise into the heavens
amongthe stans which do not die and you shall strike
with your sceptneand nulewith younnod.
X.
May you cnoss the desent with Ra, May He cause
you to see the places of those who follow thein heart.
May you find Ehe valleys full of waten for youn washings. May you pick papyrus plants, l-ushes,and lotus
blossomsand buds. Watenfowls shall come Lo you in
t h o u s a n d s ,l y i n g o n y o u n p a t h . Y o u w i l l c a s t y o u l 115
throwing stick at them and a thousand will fall at the
sound of its wind. For you, a ladder to the heavens
shall be assembled and heaven shall extend hen hand
to you.
xl.
You have youn legs. Lift up youn body; gathen togethen
your membens that you might take the steps to the
Councilof Judgment, to the place whene the powens
of heavenare, that they may give you the life fluid
that comes fonth from you. May you neven be motionless when you regain it, May you tnavel and never tine.
May you travel across heaven and earth and neven
tire, o' vinLuous
and vindicatedone.
xll.
A ct'y went fonth fon me fnom bhe mouth of Ra, the
Penfecten,and [he arn openedup upon my ways. lt is I
who make the sky light after dankness.My pleasing
colon comes fnom the air which goes fonth aften me
from the mouth of Ra, the Penfecter. The storm
cloudsof heavenare that which flow fnom me; and hail
sbonmsand half-danknessane my sweat. The length of
the sky belongs to my stnides and the width of the
eanth belongsto my domain. I am one whom Ba, the
P e n f e c t e n ,c r e a t e d a n d I a m b o u n d f o n m y p l a c e i n
eternity.
xlll.
I have come into being fnom the flesh of the selfcneated God. I am the soul of Shu, the Lond of Light,
the God of invisible shape. I am he fshe) who is one
with God, I have become He. I am one who calmedthe
sky fon himself herselfl and established onder in the
116
Two Lands of Egypt. I am stnonger and more fience
than the Exalted Nine.
XIV.
I witl nevenobey any evil wonds of power and nothing
harmful will happen to me. I have ascended and have
s e t m y e n e m i e su n d e n m y f e e t t h a t I m a y e x e n c i s e
power over them in accordance with that which Ra
commandedof me, I am the wise senpent, Bull of the
Exalted Nine, who obeys no magic, who is not burned
b y f i r e a n d w h o i s n o t w e t b y w a t e r . I n d e e d ,I w i l l
never be burnt by fire on wet because of waten. I will
be like Ra everyday,one who will be shaped and prod u c e d e v e n y d a yb y t h e s u n p e o p l e w h o h a v e s e e n
yesbenday.
XV.
I shine like Ra daily. I establishtnuth and expel falsehood. I open the doonswhich ane in the abyss below, I
am this friend of Ra, weary with wounds. And I am
given stnength through wisdom. I have found the fenr.yboat which was lost in its flood wabensand I have
b r o u g h ti t L o l a n d . l h a v e g o n e f o n t h i n i t a n d h a v e
fennied acnoss. I have dinected my feet to the right
p l a c e . I h a v e e x t e n d e dm y a n m s . I h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d
nulein the heavensand taken possessionof bhe earth.
And the Exalted Ones of heavenare pleasedby it.
XVI.
I am the Lion, the Double Lion and the gneatest of
his heil pniesthood.I am Horus, the uniter. I am he
khel who bningsstillness aften the storm. I am lsis in
Chemmis taking refuge from Seth, the evil one, and I
will listen like one who is deaf and stnains to see. I am
117
the Lord of eanth,who entered
the eanth. I am he
{,shd who evaluates whoever senves him heil. I am
transfonmed into one whose spirits ane mighty. I am
one with Ra, Lord of His Two Lands, and am he bhe)
who is put behindHim. I am the watens and the eanth.
The Bitten Lakes and the Gneat Bull are my
will tnaveland enten the place which I know.
The
Book of Rising and Transformation
t.
R a i s e y o u r s e l f o ' v i n d i c a t e do n e . R u n , f o t ' y o u a r e
exceedinglystnong. You shall sit at the heads of the
powensof heaven.You shall do that which Osinis,the
Risen Savior, did in the Mansion of the Pnincewhich is
in the sacned city of On. Receive your due honor; your
foot will not be obstnucbedin heaven non will you be
opposed on eanth. For you ane the spinit whom Nut,
the mothen of heaven,bore and Nephthys, youn sister
spinit, suckled, and Lhey have put you togethen. Anise
in your stnength and do what you did before. For you
are a spinit. Arise o' spirit, exceedinglystrong, adorned as a great wild bull. You will not encounter opposit i o n a n y w h e n ey o u w a l k a n d y o u t ' f o o t w i l l n o t b e
obstnuctedanywheneyou wish to be,
il.
R i s e u p o ' v i n d i c a t e do n e , T a k e h o l d o f y o u n h e a d '
Gathen together yout' bones, collect youl' limbs and
118
shake bhe dust fnom your flesh. Take youn bneadwhich
k n o w s n o m o u l d i n e s sa n d y o u r b e e r w h i c h n e v e n
becomes soun. Stand at the gates that bar those with
no name. Lo, the gatekeeper comes out to you. He
takes hold of your hand and takes you to heaven to
youn Fathen.He rejoices at youn coming,gives you His
hands, kisses you, comfonts you and sets you befone
the spirits, the impenishable
stans.
ilr.
The Heavens declane: This royal vindicated one is my
belovedson in whom I am well pleased,
my first
born upon the thnone of eanth, and Ra has given him
his henitage in the pnesence of the Gneat Powens of
heaven. All the powers of heaven nejoice saying how
blessedis this vindicatedone, for His Fathenis greatly
pleasedwith him.
lv.
O' royal vindicated one, you have not departed dead.
You have left alive. Sit then upon the throne of Osinis,
the Bisen Savior, with your sceptne in youn hand, that
you may commandthe living,with youn lotus-budsceptre in your hand that you may give ordens to those
whose seats are hidden.Youn arms and shouldensane
those of Ra, your back and belly ane those of Ra, your
back loins and legs ane those of Ra. Youn face is that
of the God of the dead. And both the hills of Horus
and Seth serve you.
V.
O' Ra, this noyal vindicated one comes to you, an
undyingand indestnuctiblespirit, one who lays claim to
119
the foun pillars,the foun cardinalpoints of the universe, Your son tdaughEeil comes to you, this noyal
vindicated one comes to you. May you and he bhel
cnoss the sky togethen united in the dank and nise
together oven the horizon, in the place whene it pleases
you. Raise him (heil up, O' Ra, and enclose him herl
in youn embrace fon he khel is the son {daughterl of
your own body forevenand even.
vl.
The priest of the royal vindicatedone says: Stand up
upon this earth which originatedfrom Ra, as the one
who completes this spittle which came fonth fnom Ra
as the Bninger Into-Being.Come into being upon this
earth, o' noyal vindicatedone. Be exalted upon it, so
that youn Fathen, Ra, may behold you. Says the royal
vindicated one: I have come to you my Fathen; I have
come to you O' Ra. Gnant that I may seize the sky
and bake possessionof the honizon.Gnant that I might
rule the powers of heavenand pnovidefor them, Place
the crook of leadenshipin my hand that the head of
Lowenand Upper Egypt may be humbled.
vll.
The royal vindicated one says: I am this sacred
flowenwhich spnangup fnom earth. My hand is purified
by Him who pnepanedmy thnone and I am at Ehe nose
of Ra, the Great in Power. I have come to the lsland
of Fine for testing. I have established Right in the
place of wrong hene and I am on my way to clothe and
equip myself. I appeanas the lotus-blossomwhich is at
the nose of Ra. He will come fonth over the horizon
each day rn the splendor of the sun and the powers of
heavenwill be cleansedat the sight of Him.
120
vlll.
T h e n o y a lv i n d i c a t e d o n e s a y s : I h a v e c o m e b o m y
throne which is over the spinits. I unite heants, o' you
who are gneat and in charge of wisdom. I become the
e m b o d i m e n to f S i a , W i s d o m E x a l t e d , w h i c h b e a r s
God's book and which rests at the right hand of Ra. O
you who ane protected by my hand, it is I who speak
what is in the heant of Ra the Great. l, even, I am
Wisdom Exalted which resfs at the night hand of Ra;
the proud one who presides oven the cavennof the
depths,
tx.
The noyal vindicatedone says: o' you who ane oven
the houns, who stand befone Ra, pnepare a way fon
me that I may pass among the patrol of those with
wanniorfaces, fon I am on my way to this throne of
mine. / am one who is behind the Gneat God, one
whose head is set in place, who has acquineda shanp
T h a t w h i c h n e m o v e s E r - o u b l ef n o m
s t n o n g h o n n,
befoneRa, the Gneat Bull, that which causes those in
danknessto tnembleis the strong honnwhich is behind
the Great God. I have subdued those who should be
punished.I have stnuck them hand on thein foreheads
and I stand unopposedon the honizon,
X.
The reedfloats of the sky ane set in place fon Ra
that Ra may cnoss on Lhem to the honizon.And the
reedfloats of the sky ane set in place for me that I
may cross on them to the honizonto Ra. The canal is
opened,the Field of Rushes is filled and the winding
w a t e n w a y i s f l o o d e d s o t h a t I m a y b e f e n n i e do v e n
t h e n e o nb o R a . B n i n g t o m e t h e f o u n b r o t h e n s w h o
pass by, wearens of the side-lock who sband by rhein
121
staffs in the easEernside of the sky. May they tell my
good name to Ra. Reloicefon me, nejoicefon my divine
essence. For I am vindicated and my divine essence rs
vindicatedbefore God.
Ra has received me to himself, to the sky, to the
eastenn side of the sky, as Honus the avengenof his
father, as osinis the one Risen, as uhis star which
lights up the sky. My sis[en is sothis and my offspning
is the monningstan. Neven again wiil the sky be void oi
me on the eanth be empty of my pnesence,
xt.
The sky is clear and Sothis lives. Fon I am a living
one, the son [daughter] of Sothis and the Gneat Powens of heavenhave cleansedthemselvesfon me among
the stans of Unsa Majon, the everlasting.My house in
the heavens will nob pass away, and my throne on
eanth will not be destroyed. The Openen-of-the-Ways
has caused me to fly up to the sky in the company of
my bnothers and sisters, the powens of heaven. And
heavenhas extendedits anmsin welcomefon me.
My seat is with you, O' Ra, and I will not yield it to
a n y o n e .I w i l l a s c e n d t o t h e s k y t o y o u , O ' R a , M y
face is Ehe face of falcons; my wings are those of the
duck and my talons ane those of Him who dwells on
Cenastes Mountain. Thene is no evidence against me
on earth among men and women and no accusation
against me in the sky among the powers of heaven.
For I have proved false all evidenceagainst me; indeed,
I d i s p o s e do f i t s o t h a t I m i g h r f l y u p t o t h e s k y
among my bnothers and sistens, the powens of heaven.
I use my arms as a goose and flap my wings like a
122
hawk. Lo, the flier flies. O' men and women of earth. I
rise and fly away fnom you.
xlll.
" H o w b e a u t i f u l t o b e h o l d , a n d h o w w o n d e n f u lt o
witness," so say the powensof heavenwhen this noyal
vindicatedone nises in the sky, when you, o' vindicated
one, ascend in bhe sky with your powen upon you, your
awe around you, and youn words of powen at youn feet.
The powens of heaven and of eanth come Lo you. They
make supports fon you upon their anms. May you
ascend unto the sky and nise up in it on the Divine
Ladder'.Fon Ra says "The heavens and eanth ane given
t o y o u . " B e h o l d y o u h a v e b e c o m e t h e e n d u n i n gb u l l
among the wild bulls set against the evil one. Endure
and last, o' enduringbull, that you may prevail at the
head of them and at the head of the spirits forever
and ever.
XIV.
I am a holy one who stands in the forefnont, who
lifts the forehead, a star before whom the powers of
h e a v e na r e h u m b l e , a n d t h e E x a l t e d O n e s s t a n d i n
awe. And it is my own hand which will naise me up. I
am the one who escaped from the coiled senpent of
evil. I have nisen in a blast of fine, having turned myself around. I have travelled the noads of Heaven. I
have cleansedmyself on the hill where Ra naisedHimself, I place the stairway, I set up the ladder and
those in panadisetake hold of my hand and tift me up
into the heavens.
XV.
Homage to you, O' Ra, you who travels acnoss the
123
sky and heavens,who cross the windingwaterway. I
have grabbedhold of you for myself, for I am a god
and the son of a God. Indeed,I am a flower which
cameforth from the Nile, a goldenflower which originatesfrom lseion.
XVI.
Heaven has commended this vindicated one to Ra,
the Perfecter, and the Open-armed has commended
this vindicated one to the Lond of Light, that He may
cause yonder doors of heaven to be opened for the
v i n d i c a t e da n d b a r o t h e r s w h o h a v e n o n a m e . T a k e
hold of the hand of this vindicated one and carry him
up to the sky that he may not die on earth among
men and women.
XVII.
"How beauEifulto behold and wonderful to wiEness,"
says lsis, sacred mother, when you ascend in the
heavens, with your power upon you' your awe around
you and your words of power at your feet. You are
helped by Ra, the Perfecter, just as He always does.
The Exalted Ones of heaven are brought to you and
the exalted ones of earth are assembled fon you. They
place their hands under you and make a ladder for you
so thaE you may ascend on it to the heavens. The
doors of the heavens and the entranceways of the
starry expanse are opened for you. Ra, the Perfecter,
has gathered together the districts fon you and has
given you the cities of earth. You are the one who
presides over Upper Egypt and Nubia. Have they killed
you on said you shall die? You shall never die, but shall
surely live forever. You shall be effective agarnst them
bnil superionto them, living and enduring fonever and
ever.
1?4
xvlll.
I have come to you O' Mother of Heaven, I have duly
bunied my father and left Horus, the new pharoah,
behind me. My wings have grown into those of a falcon, full of feathers of the sacred hawk. My soul has
brought me and my words of power have made me
effective.
Behold me O' Ra and recognize me, I belong to
those who know you; thenefore know me also. lf this
vindicatedone is raised up, I will not forget the good
deed done for me. Commendme to the foun fience and
raging winds which ane around you and which see with
two faces, Lhe winds which confront with funious noaring those who are destined for distress, those whom
they would destroy. May they offer no opposition when
I tunn to you, when I come to you and tell you this
name of yours, "Great Flood which came forth from
One-who-is-Gneat."
I will not be blind, even if you put
me in darkness and I will not be deaf, even if I do not
hear your voice. Take me wiEh you, O' Ra. For I will
drive away storms for you, clear away clouds for you
and break up and scatter hail for you. Sunely, I will
produce praises upon praises for you and adorations
without end.
125
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