Egyptian Literature Part 13

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

[THE CHAPTER OF PROTECTING THE BOAT OF RA.](61)

"O thou that cleavest the water as thou comest forth from the stream and dost sit upon thy place in thy boat, sit thou upon thy place in thy boat as thou goest forth to thy station of yesterday, and do thou join the Osiris, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, the perfect _Khu_, unto thy mariners, and let thy strength be his strength. Hail, Ra, in thy name of Ra, if thou dost pa.s.s by the eye of seven cubits, which hath a pupil of three cubits, then verily do thou strengthen the Osiris, Nu, triumphant, the perfect _Khu_, [and let him be among] thy mariners, and let thy strength be his strength. Hail, Ra, in thy name of Ra, if thou dost pa.s.s by those who are overturned in death then verily do thou make the Osiris, Nu, triumphant, the perfect soul, to stand up upon his feet, and may thy strength be his strength. Hail, Ra, in thy name of Ra, if the hidden things of the underworld are opened unto thee and thou dost gratify(?) the heart of the cycle of thy G.o.ds, then verily do thou grant joy of heart unto the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, and let thy strength be his strength. Thy members, O Ra, are established by (this) Chapter(?)."

[THIS CHAPTER] SHALL BE RECITED OVER A BANDLET OF THE FINE LINEN OF KINGS [UPON WHICH] IT HATH BEEN WRITTEN WITH _ANTI_, WHICH SHALL BE LAID UPON THE NECK OF THE PERFECT _KHU_ ON THE DAY OF THE BURIAL. IF THIS AMULET BE LAID UPON HIS NECK HE SHALL DO EVERYTHING WHICH HE DESIRETH TO DO EVEN LIKE THE G.o.dS; AND HE SHALL JOIN HIMSELF UNTO THE FOLLOWERS OF HORUS; AND HE SHALL BE STABLISHED AS A STAR FACE TO FACE WITH SEPTET (SOTHIS); AND HIS CORRUPTIBLE BODY SHALL BE AS A G.o.d ALONG WITH HIS KINSFOLK FOREVER; AND THE G.o.dDESS MENQET SHALL MAKE PLANTS TO GERMINATE UPON HIS BODY; AND THE MAJESTY OF THE G.o.d THOTH LOVINGLY SHALL MAKE THE LIGHT TO REST UPON HIS CORRUPTIBLE BODY AT WILL, EVEN AS HE DID FOR THE MAJESTY OF THE KING OF THE NORTH AND OF THE SOUTH, THE G.o.d OSIRIS, TRIUMPHANT.

Of Going Into The Boat Of Ra

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

THE CHAPTER OF GOING INTO THE BOAT OF RA. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"Hail, thou Great G.o.d who art in thy boat, bring thou me into thy boat. [I have come forward to thy steps], let me be the director of thy journeyings and let me be among those who belong to thee and who are among the stars which never rest. The things which are an abomination unto thee and the things which are an abomination unto me I will not eat, that which is an abomination unto me, that which is an abomination unto me is filth and I will not eat thereof; but sepulchral offerings and holy food [will I eat], and I shall not be overthrown thereby. I will not draw nigh unto filth with my hands, and I will not walk thereon with my sandals, because my bread [is made] of white barley, and my ale [is made] of red barley; and behold, the _Sektet_ boat and the _Atet_ boat have brought these things and have laid the gifts(?) of the lands upon the altar of the Souls of Annu. Hymns of praise be to thee, O Ur-arit-s, as thou travellest through heaven! Let there be food [for thee], O dweller in the city of Teni (This), and when the dogs gather together let me not suffer harm. I myself have come, and I have delivered the G.o.d from the things which have been inflicted upon him, and from the grievous sickness of the body of the arm, and of the leg. I have come and I have spit upon the body, I have bound up the arm, and I have made the leg to walk. [I have] entered [the boat] and [I] sail round about by the command of Ra."

Of Knowing The Souls Of The East

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

THE CHAPTER OF KNOWING THE SOULS OF THE EAST. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"I, even I, know the eastern gate of heaven-know its southern part is at the Lake of Kharu and its northern part is at the ca.n.a.l of the geese-whereout Ra cometh with winds which make him to advance. I am he who is concerned with the tackle(?) [which is] in the divine bark, I am the sailor who ceaseth not in the boat of Ra. I, even I, know the two sycamores of turquoise between which Ra showeth himself when he strideth forward over the supports of Shu(62) toward the gate of the lord of the East through which Ra cometh forth. I, even I, know the Sektet-Aarru of Ra, the walls of which are of iron. The height of the wheat therein is five cubits, of the ears thereof two cubits, and of the stalks thereof three cubits. The barley therein is [in height] seven cubits, the ears thereof are three cubits, and the stalks thereof are four cubits. And behold, the _Khu_s, each one of whom therein is nine cubits in height, reap it near the divine Souls of the East. I, even I, know the divine Souls of the East, that is to say, Heru-khuti (Harmachis), and the Calf of the G.o.ddess Khera, and the Morning Star(63) [daily. A divine city hath been built for me, I know it, and I know the name thereof; 'Sekhet-Aarru'

is its name]."(64)

Of Sekhet-Hetepet

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 17).]

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF SEKHET-HETEPET, AND THE CHAPTERS OF COMING FORTH BY DAY; OF GOING INTO AND OF COMING OUT FROM THE UNDERWORLD; OF COMING TO SEKHET-AARU; OF BEING IN SEKHET-HETEPET, THE MIGHTY LAND, THE LADY OF WINDS; OF HAVING POWER THERE; OF BECOMING A _KHU_ THERE; OF PLOUGHING THERE; OF REAPING THERE; OF EATING THERE; OF DRINKING THERE; OF MAKING LOVE THERE; AND OF DOING EVERYTHING EVEN AS A MAN DOETH UPON EARTH.

Behold the scribe and artist of the Temple of Ptah, Nebseni, who saith:

"Set hath taken possession of Horus, who looked with the two eyes upon the building(?) round Sekhet-hetep, but I have unfettered Horus [and taken him from] Set, and Set hath opened the ways of the two eyes [which are] in heaven. Set hath cast(?) his moisture to the winds upon the soul [that hath] his day (or his eye) and who dwelleth in the city of Mert, and he hath delivered the interior of the body of Horus from the G.o.ds of Akert.

Behold me now, for I make this mighty boat to travel over the Lake of Hetep, and I brought it away with might from the palace of Shu; the domain of his stars groweth young and reneweth its former strength. I have brought the boat into the lakes thereof so that I may come forth into the cities thereof, and I have sailed into their divine city Hetep. And behold, it is because I, even I, am at peace with his seasons, and with his guidance, and with his territory, and with the company of the G.o.ds who are his first-born. He maketh the two divine fighters (_i.e._, Horus and Set) to be at peace with those who watch over the living ones whom he hath created in fair form, and he bringeth peace [with him]; he maketh the two divine fighters to be at peace with those who watch over them. He cutteth off the hair from the divine fighters, he driveth away storm from the helpless, and he keepeth away harm from the _Khu_s. Let me gain dominion within that Field, for I know it, and I have sailed among its lakes so that I might come into its cities. My mouth is strong; and I am equipped [with weapons to use] against the _Khu_s; let them not have dominion over me. Let me be rewarded with thy fields, O thou G.o.d Hetep; that which is thy wish, shalt thou do, O lord of the winds. May I become a _khu_ therein, may I eat therein, may I drink therein, may I plough therein, may I reap therein, may I fight therein, may I make love therein, may my words be mighty therein, may I never be in a state of servitude therein, but may I be in authority therein. Thou hast made strong(?) the mouth and the throat(?) of the G.o.d Hetep; Qetetbu is its(?) name. He is stablished upon the watery supports(?) of the G.o.d Shu, and is linked unto the pleasant things of Ra. He is the divider of years, he is hidden of mouth, his mouth is silent, that which he uttereth is secret, he fulfilleth eternity and taketh possession of everlastingness of existence as Hetep, the lord Hetep. The G.o.d Horus maketh himself to be strong like unto the Hawk which is one thousand cubits in length and two thousand [cubits in width] in life; he hath equipments with him, and he journeyeth on and cometh where the seat of his heart wisheth in the Pools thereof and in the cities thereof. He was begotten in the birth-chamber of the G.o.d of the city, he hath offerings [made unto him] of the food of the G.o.d of the city, he performeth that which it is meet to do therein, and the union thereof, in the matter of everything of the birth-chamber of the divine city. When [he] setteth in life like crystal he performeth everything therein, and these things are like unto the things which are done in the Lake of double Fire, wherein there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are all manner of evil things. The G.o.d Hetep goeth in, and cometh out, and goeth backward [in] that Field which gathereth together all manner of things for the birth-chamber of the G.o.d of the city. When he setteth in life like crystal he performeth all manner of things therein which are like unto the things which are done in the Lake of double Fire, wherein there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are no evil things whatsoever. [Let me] live with the G.o.d Hetep, clothed and not despoiled by the lords of the north(?), and may the lords of divine things bring food unto me; may he make me to go forward and may I come forth, and may he bring my power to me there, and may I receive it, and may my equipment be from the G.o.d Hetep. May I gain the mastery over the great and mighty word which is in my body in this my place, and by it I will remember and I will forget. Let me go forward on my journey, and let me plough. I am at peace in the divine city,(65) and I know the waters, cities, nomes, and lakes which are in Sekhet-hetep. I exist therein, I am strong therein, I become a _khu_ therein, I eat therein, I sow seed therein, I reap the harvest therein, I plough therein, I make love therein, I am at peace with the G.o.d Hetep therein. Behold I scatter seed therein, I sail about among its Lakes and I come forward to the cities thereof, O divine Hetep. Behold, my mouth is equipped with my horns [for teeth], grant me an overflowing supply of the food whereon the _ka_s and _khu_s [live]. I have pa.s.sed the judgment of Shu upon him that knoweth him, so that I may go forth to the cities thereof, and may sail about among its lakes and may walk about in Sekhet-hetep; and behold, Ra is in heaven, and behold, the G.o.d Hetep is its double offering. I have come onward to its land, I have put on my girdle(?), I have come forth so that the gifts which are about to be given unto me may be given, I have made gladness for myself. I have laid hold upon my strength which the G.o.d Hetep hath greatly increased for me. O Unen-em-hetep,(66) I have entered in to thee and my soul followeth after me, and my divine food is upon both my hands, O Lady of the two lands,(67) who stablishest my word whereby I remember and forget; I would live without injury, without any injury [being done] unto me, oh, grant to me, oh, do thou grant to me, joy of heart. Make thou me to be at peace, bind thou up my sinews and muscles, and make me to receive the air. O Un[en]-em-hetep, thou Lady of the winds, I have entered in to thee and I have opened (_i.e._, shown) my head. Ra falleth asleep, but I am awake, and there is the G.o.ddess Hast at the gate of heaven by night. Obstacles have been set before me, but I have gathered together what he hath emitted. I am in my city. O Nut-urt,(68) I have entered into thee and I have counted my harvest, and I go forward to Uakh.(69) I am the Bull enveloped in turquoise, the lord of the Field of the Bull, the lord of the divine speech of the G.o.ddess Septet (Sothis) at her hours. O Uakh, I have entered into thee, I have eaten my bread, I have gotten the mastery over choice pieces of the flesh of oxen and of feathered fowl, and the birds of Shu have been given unto me; I follow after the G.o.ds and [I come after] the divine _ka_s. O Tchefet,(70) I have entered in to thee. I array myself in apparel, and I gird myself with the _sa_ garment of Ra; now behold, [he is] in heaven, and those who dwell therein follow Ra, and [I] follow Ra in heaven. O Unen-em-hetep, lord of the two lands, I have entered in to thee, and I have plunged into the lakes of Tchesert; behold me, for all filth hath departed from me. The Great G.o.d groweth therein, and behold, I have found [food therein]; I have snared feathered fowl and I feed upon the finest [of them]. O Qenqentet,(71) I have entered into thee, and I have seen the Osiris [my father], and I have gazed upon my mother, and I have made love. I have caught the worms and serpents, and I am delivered. And I know the name of the G.o.d who is opposite to the G.o.ddess Tchesert, and who hath straight hair and is equipped with two horns; he reapeth, and I both plough and reap. O Hast, I have entered in to thee, I have driven back those who would come to the turquoise [sky], and I have followed the winds of the company of the G.o.ds. The Great G.o.d hath given my head unto me, and he who hath bound on me my head is the Mighty one who hath turquoise(?) eyes, namely, Ari-en-ab-f (_i.e._, he doeth as he pleaseth). O Usert,(72) I have come into thee at the head of the house wherein divine food is brought for me. O Smam,(73) I have come into thee. My heart watcheth, my head is equipped with the white crown, I am led into celestial regions, and I make to flourish terrestrial objects, and there is joy of heart for the Bull, and for celestial beings, and for the company of the G.o.ds. I am the G.o.d who is the Bull, the lord of the G.o.ds, as he goeth forth from the turquoise [sky]. O divine nome of wheat and barley, I have come unto thee, I have come forward to thee and I have taken up that which followeth me, namely, the best of the libations of the company of the G.o.ds. I have tied up my boat in the celestial lakes, I have lifted up the post at which to anchor, I have recited the prescribed words with my voice, and I have ascribed praises unto the G.o.ds who dwell in Sekhet-hetep."

Of Knowing The Souls Of Pe

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

ANOTHER CHAPTER OF KNOWING THE SOULS OF PE. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"[Hail,] Khat, who dwellest in Khat, in Anpet,(74) and in the nome of Khat! [Hail,] ye G.o.ddesses of the chase who dwell in the city of Pe, ye celestial lands(?), ye stars, and ye divine beings, who give cakes and ale(?), do ye know for what reason the city of Pe hath been given unto Horus? I, even I, know though ye know it not. Behold, Ra gave the city unto him in return for the injury in his eye, for which cause Ra said to Horus, 'Let me see what is coming to pa.s.s in thine eye,' and forthwith he looked thereat. Then Ra said to Horus, 'Look at that black pig,' and he looked, and straightway an injury was done unto his eye, [namely,] a mighty storm [took place]. Then said Horus unto Ra, 'Verily, my eye seems as if it were an eye upon which Suti had inflicted a blow;' [and thus saying] he ate his heart.(75) Then said Ra to those G.o.ds, 'Place ye him in his chamber, and he shall do well.' Now the black pig was Suti who had transformed himself into a black pig, and he it was who had aimed the blow of fire which was in the eye of Horus. Then said Ra unto those G.o.ds, 'The pig is an abominable thing unto Horus; oh, but he shall do well although the pig is an abomination unto him.' Then the company of the G.o.ds, who were among the divine followers of Horus when he existed in the form of his own child, said, 'Let sacrifices be made [to the G.o.ds] of his bulls, and of his goats, and of his pigs.' Now the father of Mesthi, Hapi, Tuamautef and Qebhsennuf is Horus, and their mother is Isis. Then said Horus to Ra, 'Give me two divine brethren in the city of Pe and two divine brethren in the city of Nekhen, who [have sprung] from my body and who shall be with me in the guise of everlasting judges, then shall the earth blossom and thunder-clouds and rain be blotted out.' And the name of Horus became 'Her-uatch-f' (_i.e._, Prince of his emerald stone). I, even I, know the Souls of Pe, namely, Horus, Mesthi, and Hapi."

Of Knowing The Souls Of Nekhen

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

THE CHAPTER OF KNOWING THE SOULS OF NEKHEN. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"I know the hidden things of the city of Nekhen, that is to say, the things which the mother of Horus did for him, and how she [made her voice to go forth] over the waters, saying, 'Speak ye unto me concerning the judgment which is upon me, [and shew me] the path behind you, and let me discover [it];' and how Ra said, 'This son of Isis hath perished;' and what the mother of Horus did for him [when] she cried out, saying, 'Sebek, the lord of the papyrus swamp, shall be brought to us.' [And Sebek] fished for them and he found them, and the mother of Horus made them to grow in the places to which they belonged. Then Sebek, the lord of his papyrus swamp, said, 'I went and I found the place where they had pa.s.sed with my fingers on the edge of the waters, and I enclosed them in [my] net: and strong was that net.' And Ra said, 'So then, there are fish with the G.o.d Sebek, and [he] hath found the hands and arms of Horus for him in the land of fish;' and [that] land became the land of the city of Remu (_i.e._, Fish). And Ra said, 'A land of the pool, a land of the pool to this net.'

Then were the hands of Horus brought to him at the uncovering of his face at the festivals of the month and half month in the Land of Remu. And Ra said, 'I give the city of Nekhen to Horus for the habitation of his two arms and hands, and his face shall be uncovered before his two hands and arms in the city of Nekhen; and I give into his power the slaughtered beings who are in them at the festivals of the month and half month.' Then Horus said, 'Let me carry off Tuamautef and Qebhsennuf, and let them watch over my body; and if they are allowed to be there, then shall they be subservient to the G.o.d of the city of Nekhen.' And Ra said, 'It shall be granted unto thee there and in the city, of Senket (_i.e._, Sati), and there shall be done for them what hath been done for those who dwell in the city of Nekhen, and verily they shall be with thee.' And Horus said, 'They have been with thee and [now] they shall be with me, and shall hearken unto the G.o.d Suti when he calleth upon the Souls of Nekhen.' Grant to me [that I, even I, may pa.s.s on to the Souls of Nekhen, and that I may unloose the bonds of Horus]. I, even I, know the Souls of Nekhen, namely, Horus, Tuamautef, and Qebhsennuf."

Of Knowing The Souls Of Khemennu

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 7).]

THE CHAPTER OF KNOWING THE SOULS OF KHEMENNU (Hermopolis).

"The G.o.ddess Maat is carried by the arm at the s.h.i.+ning of the G.o.ddess Neith in the city of Mentchat, and at the s.h.i.+ning of the Eye when it is weighed. I am carried over by it and I know what it bringeth from the city of Kesi,(76) and I will neither declare it unto men nor tell it unto the G.o.ds. I have come, being the envoy of Ra, to stablish Maat upon the arm at the s.h.i.+ning of Neith in the city of Mentchat and to adjudge the eye to him that shall scrutinize it. I have come as a power through the knowledge of the Souls of Khemennu (Hermopolis) who love to know what ye love. I know Maat, which hath germinated, and hath become strong, and hath been judged, and I have joy in pa.s.sing judgment upon the things which are to be judged.

Homage to you, O ye Souls of Khemennu, I, even I, know the things which are unknown on the festivals of the month and half month. Ra knoweth the hidden things of the night, and know ye that it is Thoth who hath made me to have knowledge. Homage to you, O ye Souls of Khemennu, since I know you each day."

Of Coming Forth From Heaven

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH FROM HEAVEN, AND OF MAKING A WAY THROUGH THE AMMEHET, AND OF KNOWING THE SOULS OF ANNU (HELIOPOLIS). The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"I have pa.s.sed the day since yesterday among the great divine beings, and I have come into being along with the G.o.d Khepera. [My] face is uncovered before the Eye, the only One, and the orbit of the night hath been opened.

I am a divine being among you. I know the Souls of Annu. Shall not the G.o.d Ur-ma pa.s.s over it as [he] journeyeth forward with vigor? Have I not overcome(?), and have I not spoken to the G.o.ds? Behold, he that is the heir of Annu hath been destroyed. I, even I, know for what reason was made the lock of hair of the Man. Ra spake unto the G.o.d Ami-haf, and an injury was done unto his mouth, that is to say, he was wounded in [that] mouth.

And Ra spake unto the G.o.d Ami-haf, saying, 'O heir of men, receive [thy]