CHAPTER XXXIX. =Saqâra, Grab 24.= LEPSIUS, “Denkmäler,” Abth. III, Bl 266. ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXXVI. _Chapter whereby the Āpshait is kept back._ Away from me, thou with parted lips! I am Chnemu, the Lord of Shennu, who am bringing the words of the gods to Rā. And I announce the news to Nebes. NOTE. The insect called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _āpšai_ or ⁂⁂⁂ _āpsȧit_ is difficult of identification. It is certainly not a tortoise as was formerly thought, but looks rather like the voracious _Blatta orientalis_. The form in _Le_ is peculiar, but I have met it in a later papyrus. The last word of the chapter is doubtful. The most recent papyri have ⁂⁂ ‘their Lord,’ which gives a very good sense, but even the Turin copy has ⁂ ‘her Lord’ which agrees with the oldest papyrus. Bekenrenef has ⁂⁂ _Nebes_, a lion-headed goddess. ------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXXVII. _Chapter whereby the Merta goddesses are kept back._ Hail ye Pair of goddesses Merta, Sister Pair, Merta!(1.) I inform you of my Words of Power. It is I who rise up from the Sektit boat. I am Horus the son of Isis, and I am come to see my father, Osiris. NOTE. 1. The _Pair of goddesses_ consists of Isis and Nephthys ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, _Rehetȧ_, as the word is written at Denderah. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, _Mertȧ_ signifies _two eyes._ ------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXXVIII. _Chapter whereby one liveth by the breath of air in the Netherworld, and keepeth back Merta._ I am the god in Lion form; the heir of Râ and Tmu in Chemmis,(1.) the Master in their halls. Those who are in their cells(2.) accompany me as guides. I have made my way and gone round the heavenly Ocean on the path of the Bark of Râ, and standing on the girders[52] of the Bark of Râ. I utter his words to the men of the present generation[53] and I repeat his words to him who is deprived of breath.(3.) I spy out for my father Râ at sunset, compressing my mouth,(4.) and feeding upon life. I live in Tattu, and I repeat my life after death like the Sun daily. NOTES. There are two recensions of this chapter, and both are found in the papyrus _Lb_. They are called by M. Naville, 38A and 38B. The latter is that adopted as canonical by all the manuscripts of a later date, and is the one here translated. The other recension is longer, and contains passages which are also found in other chapters, to which it accordingly furnishes important variants. It may possibly be older than those chapters.