Part 5 (2/2)
Abolis.h.i.+ng The Slaughterings
[From the Papyrus of Nebseni, sheet 25.]
THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING AWAY THE SLAUGHTERINGS WHICH ARE PERFORMED IN THE UNDERWORLD. Nebseni, the scribe and designer in the Temples of Upper and Lower Egypt, he to whom fair veneration is paid, the son of the scribe and artist Thena, triumphant, saith:
”Hail, Tem, I have become glorious (or a _Khu_) in the presence of the double Lion-G.o.d, the great G.o.d, therefore open thou unto me the gate of the G.o.d Seb. I smell the earth (_i.e._, I bow down so that my nose toucheth the ground) of the great G.o.d who dwelleth in the underworld, and I advance into the presence of the company of the G.o.ds who dwell with the beings who are in the underworld. Hail, thou guardian of the divine door of the city of Beta, thou [G.o.d] Neti(?) who dwellest in Amentet, I eat food, and I have life through the air, and the G.o.d Atch-ur leadeth me with [him] to the mighty boat of Khepera. I hold converse with the divine mariners at eventide, I enter in, I go forth, and I see the being who is there; I lift him up, and I say that which I have to say unto him, whose throat stinketh [for lack of air]. I have life, and I am delivered, having lain down in death. Hail, thou that bringest offerings and oblations, bring forward thy mouth and make to draw nigh the writings (or lists) of offerings and oblations. Set thou Right and Truth firmly upon their throne, make thou the writings to draw nigh, and set thou up the G.o.ddesses in the presence of Osiris, the mighty G.o.d, the Prince of everlastingness, who counteth his years, who hearkeneth unto those who are in the islands (or pools), who raiseth his right shoulder, who judgeth the divine princes, and who sendeth [Osiris] into the presence of the great sovereign princes who live in the underworld.”
Abolis.h.i.+ng The Slaughterings
[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]
THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING BACK THE SLAUGHTERINGS WHICH ARE PERFORMED IN SUTEN-HENEN. Osiris Nu, triumphant, saith:
”O thou land of the sceptre! (literally, wood) O thou white crown of the divine form! O thou resting-place of the boat! I am the Child, I am the Child, I am the Child, I am the Child. Hail, Abu-ur, thou sayest day by day: 'The slaughter-block is made ready as thou knowest, and thou hast come to decay.' I am Ra, the stablisher of those who praise [him]. I am the knot of the G.o.d within the _Aser_ tree, the doubly beautiful one, who is more splendid than yesterday (say four times). I am Ra, the stablisher of those who praise [him]. I am the knot of the G.o.d within the _Aser_ tree, and my going forth is the going forth [of Ra] on this day.”
”My hair is the hair of Nu. My face is the face of the Disk. My eyes are the eyes of Hathor. My ears are the ears of Ap-uat. My nose is the nose of Khenti-khas. My lips are the lips of Anpu. My teeth are the teeth of Serqet. My neck is the neck of the divine G.o.ddess Isis. My hands are the hands of Ba-neb-Tattu. My forearms are the forearms of Neith, the Lady of Sais. My backbone is the backbone of Suti. My phallus is the phallus of Osiris. My reins are the reins of the Lords of Kher-aba. My chest is the chest of the Mighty one of Terror. My belly and back are the belly and back of Sekhet. My b.u.t.tocks are the b.u.t.tocks of the Eye of Horus. My hips and legs are the hips and legs of Nut. My feet are the feet of Ptah. [My fingers] and my leg-bones are the [fingers and] leg-bones of the Living G.o.ds. There is no member of my body which is not the member of some G.o.d.
The G.o.d Thoth s.h.i.+eldeth my body altogether, and I am Ra day by day. I shall not be dragged back by my arms, and none shall lay violent hold upon my hands. And shall do me hurt neither men, nor G.o.ds, nor the sainted dead, nor those who have perished, nor any one of those of ancient times, nor any mortal, nor any human being. I am he who cometh forth, advancing, whose name is unknown. I am Yesterday, and Seer of millions of years is my name. I pa.s.s along, I pa.s.s along the paths of the divine celestial judges.
I am the lord of eternity, and I decree and I judge like the G.o.d Khepera.
I am the lord of the _Ureret_ crown. I am he who dwelleth in the _Utchat_ [and in the Egg, in the _Utchat_ and in the Egg, and it is given unto me to live [with] them. I am he that dwelleth in the _Utchat_ when it closeth, and I exist by the strength thereof. I come forth and I s.h.i.+ne; I enter in and I come to life. I am in the _Utchat_],(37) my seat is upon my throne, and I sit in the abode of splendor(?) before it. I am Horus and (I) traverse millions of years. I have given the decree [for the stablis.h.i.+ng of] my throne and I am the ruler thereof; and in very truth, my mouth keepeth an even balance both in speech and in silence. In very truth, my forms are inverted. I am Un-nefer, from one season even unto another, and what I have is within me; [I am] the only One, who proceedeth from an only One who goeth round about in his course. I am he who dwelleth in the _Utchat_, no evil thing of any form or kind shall spring up against me, and no baleful object, and no harmful thing, and no disastrous thing shall happen unto me. I open the door in heaven, I govern my throne, and I open up [the way] for the births [which take place] on this day. I am (?) the child who marcheth along the road of Yesterday. [I am] To-day for untold nations and peoples. I am he who protecteth you for millions of years, and whether ye be denizens of the heavens, or of the earth, or of the south, or of the north, or of the east, or of the west, the fear of me is in your bodies. I am he whose being has been moulded in his eye, and I shall not die again. My moment is in your bodies, but my forms are in my place of habitation. I am he who cannot be known, but the Red Ones have their faces directed toward me. I am the unveiled one. The season wherein [the G.o.d] created the heavens for me and enlarged the bounds of the earth and made great the progeny thereof cannot be found out; but they fail and are not united [again]. My name setteth itself apart from all things [and from] the great evil [which is in] the mouths [of men] by reason of the speech which I address unto you. I am he who riseth and s.h.i.+neth, the wall which cometh out of a wall, an only One who proceedeth from an only One.
There is never a day that pa.s.seth without the things which appertain unto him being therein; pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing. Verily I say unto thee, I am the Sprout which cometh forth from Nu, and my Mother is Nut.
Hail, O my Creator, I am he who hath no power to walk, the great Knot who is within yesterday. The might of my strength is within my hand. I myself am not known, but I am he who knoweth thee. I cannot be held with the hand, but I am he who can hold thee in his hand. Hail, O Egg! Hail, O Egg!
I am Horus who lives for millions of years, whose flame s.h.i.+neth upon you and bringeth your hearts to me. I have the command of my throne and I advance at this season, I have opened a path, and I have delivered myself from all evil things. I am the dog-headed ape of gold three palms and two fingers [high], which hath neither arms nor legs and dwelleth in Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), and I go forth as goeth forth the dog-headed ape that dwelleth in Het-ka-Ptah.”
Air And Water
[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]
THE CHAPTER OF SNUFFING THE AIR AND OF HAVING THE MASTERY OVER THE WATER IN THE UNDERWORLD. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:
”Hail, Hap-ur, G.o.d of heaven, in thy name of 'Divider of heaven,' grant thou unto me that I may have dominion over the water, even as the G.o.ddess Sekhet had power over Osiris on the night of the storms and floods. Grant thou that I may have power over the divine princes who have their habitations in the place of the G.o.d of the inundation, even as they have power over their own holy G.o.d of whose name they are ignorant; and may they let me have power even as [he hath let them have power].”
”My nostrils are opened in Tattu,” or (as others say), ”My mouth and my nostrils are opened in Tatau, and I have my place of peace in Annu, which is my house; it was built for me by the G.o.ddess Sesheta, and the G.o.d Khnemu set it up for me upon its walls. If to this heaven it cometh by the north, I sit at the south; if to this heaven it cometh by the south, I sit at the north; if to this heaven it cometh by the west, I sit at the east; and if to this heaven it cometh by the east, I sit at the west. I draw the hair of my nostrils, and I make my way into every place in which I wish to sit.”
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