Egyptian Literature Part 15

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 30).]

THE CHAPTER OF ENTERING INTO THE HALL OF DOUBLE MAATI; A HYMN OF PRAISE TO OSIRIS, THE GOVERNOR OF AMENTET. Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant, saith:

"I have come, and [I] have drawn nigh to see thy beauties; my hands [are raised] in adoration of thy name 'Right and Truth.' I came and I drew nigh unto [the place where] the acacia-tree groweth not, where the tree thick with leaves existeth not, and where the ground yieldeth neither herb nor gra.s.s. Then I entered into the hidden place, and I spake with the G.o.d Set, and my protector(?) advanced to me, and his face was clothed (or covered), and [he] fell upon the hidden things. He entered into the Temple of Osiris, and he looked upon the hidden things which were therein; and the sovereign chiefs of the pylons [were] in the form of _khu_s. And the G.o.d Anpu spake [to those who were on] both sides of him with the speech of a man [as he] came from Ta-mera;(84) he knoweth our paths and our cities. I make offerings(?), and I smell the odor of him as if he were one among you, and I say unto him, I am Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant in peace, triumphant! I have come, and (I) have drawn nigh to see the great G.o.ds, and I feed upon the offerings which are among their food. I have been to the borders [of the territory of] Ba-neb-Tettet (_i.e._, the 'Soul, the lord of Tattu,' or Osiris), and he hath caused me to come forth like a _Bennu_ bird, and to utter words. I have been in the water of the stream, and I have made offerings of incense. I have guided myself to the _Shentet_ tree of the [divine] children. I have been in Abu (or Abu, _i.e._, Elephantine[?]) in the Temple of the G.o.ddess Satet. I have submerged the boat of mine enemies [while] I myself have sailed over the Lake in the _Neshmet_ boat. I have seen the _Sahu_ (_i.e._, the spiritual bodies) [in] the city of Qem-ur. I have been in the city of Tattu, and I have brought myself to silence [therein]. I have caused the G.o.d to have the mastery over his two feet. I have been in the Temple of Tep-tu-f (_i.e._, 'he that is on his hill,' or Anubis), and I have seen him that is lord of the divine temple. I have entered into the Temple of Osiris, and I have arrayed myself in the apparel of him that is therein. I have entered into Re-stau, and I have seen the hidden things which are therein. I was shrouded [therein], but I found a way for myself. I have gone into the city of An-aarret-f (_i.e._, the place where nothing groweth), and I covered my nakedness with the garments which were therein. There was given unto me the _anti_ unguent [such as] women [use], along with the powder of human beings. Verily Sut(?) hath spoken unto me the things which concern himself, and I said, 'Let thy weighing be in(?) us.' "

"The Majesty of the G.o.d Anpu saith, 'Knowest thou the name of this door so as to declare it unto me?' And Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant in peace, triumphant! saith, 'Destroyer of the G.o.d Shu' is the name of this door. The Majesty of the G.o.d Anpu saith, 'Knowest thou the name of the upper leaf and of the lower leaf?' 'Lord of Maat upon his two feet' is the name of the upper leaf, and 'Lord of twofold strength, the subduer of cattle,' [is the name of the lower leaf. The Majesty of the G.o.d Anpu saith], 'Since thou knowest pa.s.s on, O Osiris the scribe, the teller of the divine offerings of all the G.o.ds of Thebes, Ani, triumphant, the lord of reverence.' "

The Introduction To Maati

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10477, sheet 22).]

[THE FOLLOWING] SHALL BE SAID WHEN THE OVERSEER OF THE PALACE, THE CHANCELLOR-IN-CHIEF, NU, TRIUMPHANT, COMETH FORTH INTO THE HALL OF DOUBLE MAATI(85) SO THAT HE MAY BE SEPARATED FROM EVERY SIN WHICH HE HATH DONE AND MAY BEHOLD THE FACES OF THE G.o.dS. The Osiris Nu, triumphant, saith:

"Homage to thee, O Great G.o.d, thou Lord of Double Maati, I have come to thee, O my Lord, and I have brought myself hither that I may behold thy beauties. I know thee, and I know thy name, and I know the name[s] of the two and forty G.o.ds who exist with thee in this Hall of double Maati, who live as warders of sinners and who feed upon their blood on the day when the lives of men are taken into account in the presence of the G.o.d Un-nefer; in truth 'Rekhti-merti-neb-Maati' (_i.e._, 'twin-sisters with two eyes, ladies of double Maati') is thy name. In truth I have come to thee, and I have brought Maat (_i.e._, right and truth) to thee, and I have destroyed wickedness for thee. [I have not done evil to] mankind. I have not oppressed the members of my family, I have not wrought evil in the place of right and truth. I have had no knowledge of worthless men. I have not wrought evil. I have not made to be the first [consideration] of each day that excessive labor should be performed for me. [I have] not brought forward my name for [exaltation] to honors. I have not ill-treated servants. [I have not thought scorn of G.o.d.] I have not defrauded the oppressed one of his property.(86) I have not done that which is an abomination unto the G.o.ds. I have not caused harm to be done to the servant by his chief. I have not caused pain. I have made no man to suffer hunger. I have made no one to weep. I have done no murder. I have not given the order for murder to be done for me. I have not inflicted pain upon mankind. I have not defrauded the temples of their oblations. I have not purloined the cakes of the G.o.ds. I have not carried off the cakes offered to the _khu_s. I have not committed fornication. I have not polluted myself [in the holy places of the G.o.d of my city],(87) nor diminished from the bushel. I have neither added to nor filched away land.

I have not encroached upon the fields [of others]. I have not added to the weights of the scales [to cheat the seller]. I have not misread the pointer of the scales [to cheat the buyer]. I have not carried away the milk from the mouths of children. I have not driven away the cattle which were upon their pastures. I have not snared the feathered fowl of the preserves of the G.o.ds. I have not caught fish [with bait made of] fish of their kind. I have not turned back the water at the time [when it should flow]. I have not cut a cutting in a ca.n.a.l of running water. I have not extinguished a fire (or light) when it should burn. I have not violated the times(88) [of offering] the chosen meat-offerings. I have not driven off the cattle from the property of the G.o.ds. I have not repulsed G.o.d in his manifestations. I am pure. I am pure. I am pure. I am pure. My purity is the purity of that great _Bennu_ which is in the city of Suten-henen (Heracleopolis), for, behold, I am the nose of the G.o.d of the winds, who maketh all mankind to live on the day when the Eye (Utchat) of Ra is full in Annu (Heliopolis) at the end of the second month(89) of the season Pert (_i.e._, the season of growing) [in the presence of the divine lord of this earth].(90) I have seen the Eye of Ra when it was full in Annu, therefore let not evil befall me in this land and in this Hall of double Maati, because I, even I, know the name[s] of these G.o.ds who are therein [and who are the followers of the great G.o.d]."(91)

The Negative Confession

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 30).]

The scribe Nebseni, triumphant, saith:

1. "Hail, thou whose strides are long, who comest forth from Annu (Heliopolis), I have not done iniquity.

2. "Hail, thou who art embraced by flame, who comest forth from Kher-aba,(92) I have not robbed with violence.

3. "Hail, thou divine Nose (Fenti), who comest forth from Khemennu (Hermopolis), I have not done violence [to any man].

4. "Hail, thou who eatest shades, who comest forth from the place where the Nile riseth,(93) I have not committed theft.

5. "Hail, Neha-hau,(94) who comest forth from Re-stau, I have not slain man or woman.

6. "Hail, thou double Lion-G.o.d, who comest forth from heaven, I have not made light the bushel.

7. "Hail, thou whose two eyes are like flint,(95) who comest forth from Sekhem (Letopolis), I have not acted deceitfully.

8. "Hail, thou Flame, who comest forth as [thou] goest back, I have not purloined the things which belong unto G.o.d.

9. "Hail, thou Crusher of bones, who comest forth from Suten-henen (Heracleopolis), I have not uttered falsehood.

10. "Hail, thou who makest the flame to wax strong, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), I have not carried away food.

11. "Hail, Qerti, (_i.e._, the two sources of the Nile), who come forth from Amentet, I have not uttered evil words.

12. "Hail, thou whose teeth s.h.i.+ne, who comest forth from Ta-she (_i.e._, the Fayyum), I have attacked no man.

13. "Hail, thou who dost consume blood, who comest forth from the house of slaughter, I have not killed the beasts [which are the property of G.o.d].

14. "Hail, thou who dost consume the entrails, who comest forth from the _mabet_ chamber, I have not acted deceitfully.

15. "Hail, thou G.o.d of Right and Truth, who comest forth from the city of double Maati, I have not laid waste the lands which have been ploughed(?).

16. "Hail, thou who goest backward, who comest forth from the city of Bast (Bubastis), I have never pried into matters [to make mischief].

17. "Hail, Aati, who comest forth from Annu (Heliopolis), I have not set my mouth in motion [against any man].

18. "Hail, thou who art doubly evil, who comest forth from the nome of Ati,(96) I have not given way to wrath concerning myself without a cause.

19. "Hail, thou serpent Uamemti, who comest forth from the house of slaughter, I have not defiled the wife of a man.

20. "Hail, thou who lookest upon what is brought to him, who comest forth from the Temple of Amsu, I have not committed any sin against purity.

21. "Hail, Chief of the divine Princes, who comest forth from the city of Nehatu,(97) I have not struck fear [into any man].

22. "Hail, Khemiu (_i.e._, Destroyer), who comest forth from the Lake of Kaui, I have not encroached upon [sacred times and seasons].

23. "Hail, thou who orderest speech, who comest forth from Urit, I have not been a man of anger.

24. "Hail, thou Child, who comest forth from the Lake of Heq-at,(98) I have not made myself deaf to the words of right and truth.

25. "Hail, thou disposer of speech, who comest forth from the city of Unes,(99) I have not stirred up strife.

26. "Hail, Basti, who comest forth from the Secret city, I have made [no man] to weep.

27. "Hail, thou whose face is [turned] backward, who comest forth from the Dwelling, I have not committed acts of impurity, neither have I lain with men.

28. "Hail, Leg of fire, who comest forth from Akhekhu, I have not eaten my heart.(100)

29. "Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth from [the city of] Kenemet, I have abused [no man].

30. "Hail, thou who bringest thine offering, who comest forth from the city of Sau (Sas), I have not acted with violence.

31. "Hail, thou G.o.d of faces, who comest forth from the city of Tchefet, I have not judged hastily.

32. "Hail, thou who givest knowledge, who comest forth from Unth, I have not ... and I have not taken vengeance upon the G.o.d.

33. "Hail, thou lord of two horns, who comest forth from Satiu, I have not multiplied [my] speech overmuch.

34. "Hail, Nefer-Tem, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), I have not acted with deceit, and I have not worked wickedness.