The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians — John Shaqi
The Literature of the Ancient EgyptiansBudge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
History
The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians
Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
Egyptian literature -- History and criticism; Egyptian literature -- Translations into English
The prayers of the Book of the Dead consist usually of a string of
petitions for sepulchral offerings to be offered in the tombs of the
petitioners, and the fundamental idea underlying them is that by their
transmutation, which was effected by the words of the priests, the
spirits of the offerings became available as the food of the dead. Many
prayers contain requests for the things that tend to the comfort and
general well-being of the dead, but here and there we find a prayer for
forgiveness of sins committed in the body. The best example of such is
the prayer that forms Chapter CXXVI. It reads: "Hail, ye four Ape-gods
who sit in the bows of the Boat of Rā, who convey truth to Nebertchet,
who sit in judgment on my weakness and on my strength, who make the gods
to rest contented by means of the flame of your mouths, who offer holy
offerings to the gods, and sepulchral meals to the spirit-souls, who
live upon truth, who feed upon truth of heart, who are without deceit
and fraud, and to whom wickedness is an abomination, do ye away with my
evil deeds, and put ye away my sin, which deserved stripes upon earth,
and destroy ye every evil thing whatsoever that clingeth to me, and let
there be no bar whatsoever on my part towards you. Grant ye that I may
make my way through the Amhet[1] chamber, let me enter into Rastau,[2]
and let me pass through the secret places of Amentet. Grant that cakes,
and ale, and sweetmeats may be given to me as they are given to the
spirit-souls, and grant that I may enter in and come forth from Rastau."
The four Ape-gods reply: "Come, for we have done away with thy
wickedness, and we have put away thy sin, which deserved stripes, which
thou didst commit upon earth, and we have destroyed all the evil that
clung to thee. Enter, therefore, into Rastau, and pass in through the
secret gates of Amentet, and cakes, and ale, and sweetmeats shall be
given unto thee, and thou shalt go in and come out at thy desire, even
as do those whose spirit-souls are praised [by the god], and [thy name]
shall be proclaimed each day in the horizon."
[Footnote 1: A chamber in the kingdom of Seker in which the dead were
examined.]
[Footnote 2: The corridors in the kingdom of Seker.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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