The Egyptian Book of the dead

by Unknown

The book([1]) said by a man or his father or his son in the festival of the Amenta, and wherewith he acquires might([2]) with Rā, and with the gods when he is with them. Said on the day of the new moon, when offerings are made of bread, beer, oxen, geese, and burnt incense to

• Osiris Chentamenta,
• Nu,
• Māāt,
• The boat of Rā,
• Tmu,
• The Cycle of the great gods,
• The Cycle of the small gods,
• Horus the lord of the double diadem,
• Shu,
• Tefnut,
• Seb,
• Nut,
• Isis,
• Nephthys,
• The house of the ka of the inviolate god,([3])
• The storm of the sky which raises the god,
• The hidden one in her dwelling,
• Chebt the mummified form of the god,
• The greatly beloved, with red hair,
• The abundant in life, the veiled one,
• Her whose name is powerful in her works,
• The bull of the cows,
• The divine force, the good one, the good rudder of the Northern sky,
• Him who goes round and piloteth the double earth, the good rudder of the Western sky,
• The shining one, who dwelleth in the house of the devouring monster, the good rudder of the Eastern sky,
• The inner one in the house of the red ones, the good rudder of the Southern sky,
• Emsta,
• Hapi,
• Tuamautef,
• Kebehsenuf,
• The Southern part of heaven,
• The Northern part of heaven,
• The Sektit boat,
• The Atit boat,
• Thoth,
• The gods of the South,
• The gods of the North,
• The gods of the West,
• The gods of the East,
• The sejant gods,([4])
• The resting gods,
• The great house,
• The house of flame,
• The gods of the abodes,
• The gods of the horizon,
• The gods of the field,
• The gods of the houses,([5])
• The gods of the thrones,
• The ways of the South,
• The ways of the North,
• The ways of the West,
• The ways of the East,
• The halls of the Tuat,
• The holds of the Tuat,
• The mysterious doors,
• The doorkeepers of the halls of the Tuat,
• Those with hidden faces, the guards of the roads,
• The guardians of those who are lamenting,
• The guardians of those whose faces are joyous,([6])
• The burning ones who put the flame on the altar,
• The door openers who extinguish the flames in the Amenta,
• Osiris Unneferu,([7])
• Osiris the living,
• Osiris the lord of life,
• Osiris the inviolate god,
• Osiris in Kau,
• Osiris Orion,
• Osiris Sep,
• Osiris in Tanenit,
• Osiris in the South,
• Osiris in the North,
• Osiris creator of millions of men,
• Osiris the spirit in the crouching figure (?),
• Osiris Ptah lord of life,
• Osiris in Restau,
• Osiris inside the mountain,
• Osiris in the water of Heliopolis,
• Osiris in Hesert,
• Osiris in Siut,
• Osiris in Net’eft,
• Osiris in the South,
• Osiris in Pu,
• Osiris in Neteru,
• Osiris in Lower Saïs,
• Osiris in Bak,
• Osiris in Sun (Syene),
• Osiris in Rohenen,
• Osiris in Aper,
• Osiris in Keftennu,
• Osiris Sokaris in Petshe,
• Osiris in his city,
• Osiris in Pesekro,
• Osiris in his abodes in the land of the North,
• Osiris in heaven,
• Osiris in his abodes in Restau,
• Osiris in Nest,
• Osiris in Atefur,
• Osiris Sokaris,
• Osiris the lord of eternity,
• Osiris the begetter,
• Osiris the lord of Heliopolis,
• Osiris in the monstrance,
• Osiris the lord of eternity,
• Osiris the prince,
• Osiris of the gate of judgment,
• Osiris in Restau,
• Osiris on his sand,
• Osiris in the hall of the cows,
• Osiris in Tanenit,
• Osiris in Netit,
• Osiris in Sati,
• Osiris in Beteshu,
• Osiris in Upper Saïs,
• Osiris in Tepu,
• Osiris in Shennu,
• Osiris in Henket,
• Osiris in the land of Sokaris,
• Osiris in Shau,
• Osiris in Faur,
• Osiris in Maāti,
• Osiris in Hena,
• Osiris the great god the everlasting.

Notes.

The old texts which we follow here, join in one chapter, 141, what in the Turin Todtenbuch is divided into two, 141, 142; 143 being merely the vignettes which accompany them. This chapter is the first of a series in which the deceased has to show his knowledge. His being well-informed as to the names of the gods and of their sanctuaries, and also of the doors through which he passes, the halls which he enters, confers upon him certain privileges. Here the deceased has to recite the names of the gods while offerings are made to them; the second part of the chapter refers only to Osiris in all his forms, and in his numerous sanctuaries, which have not all been identified. The old versions differ only slightly in length, from one or two of the gods being omitted. The translation follows mainly the Cairo papyrus, Cc, with a few variants taken from other papyri, one of the best of which is the papyrus[papyrus] Nu of the British Museum (ed. Budge).

[1.] The title of the later texts is much longer: the book wherewith the Chuu acquire might, knowing the names of the gods of the Southern sky, and of the Northern sky, of the gods of the Bounds, of the gods who are the guides in the Tuat. If it is said by a man, to his father or to his mother, in the festival of the Amenta, he acquires might with Rā, and with the gods when he is with them. Spoken on the day of the new moon by Osiris N when offerings are made to him of ... etc., and offerings are made to Osiris under all his names by Osiris N.

[2.] See [note 1] to ch. 133. I cannot quite agree with Renouf as to the meaning of the word