Extracts from the Book of the Dead :

  
4th part : Voyage to the Underworld

This fourth part which runs from chapters 130 to 162 mainly expresses two ideas:

• The first thirty-six chapters repeat the themes from the Book of the Two Paths. The deceased identifies with Re and accompanies him in the barque of the sun.
• The rest of the chapters of this fourth part describe four of Horus's sons coming in the shape of torches to cover the spirit N. with their protection. This soul will become a son of the God Osiris as are the four Horuses who protect the deceased's organs.

 
CHAPTER 130 - Words to trensfigure the blessed N. on the day of Osiris's birth and to make the soul live for all eternity:

Osiris N. has become one who follows Re and takes possession of the firmament with him. He decks his sanctuary in the same way as that of Horus, which is mysterious in the purity of its chapel. Osiris N. takes Maat with him and offers him Maat's statue. And now Thot, from inside his hiding place, purifies He-who-counts-millions who opens the firmament and pushes the swarms away from him.

• Osiris N. opened Re's heavens and made Thot rejoice.
• Osiris N. saves Re every day from Apopis, the snake.
• Osiris N. takes the writings and gives what he has prepared to Thot.
• Osiris N. creates order around the prow of Re's ship which carries the proclamation of Justice in the assembly. Osiris N. establishes millions and leads Re's courtesans as Re's entourege gathers around his perfection. Maat places herself at its peak and when she rejoins her master, preises are heard to the Master of the Universe.
• Osiris N. is no longer inert, he exalts Re with what he has done for him, for the Osiris has taken Re's scepter to disperse the swarms and see his perfection. He enables Re's barque to navigate in the sky and makes light reappear…

 
CHAPTER 131 - Words to be at Re's side - Words spoken by the soul of the blessed N.:

• I am the Re who burns in the night. Any man who is in his following lives as a follower of Thot and makes apparitions like the great celestial Horus. I have come to you my father Re, I crossed celestial space and reached the Ancient One at the limits of the horizon, and I moved him aside. My soul respects the fear you inspire and honors your prestige. I have become one who trensmits Re's orders in the sky.

 

 
CHAPTER 133 - Book of the glorification of the blessed N - Words spoken by the Spirit N:

A tremor comes over the Eastern horizon as Nut the sky goddess's voice is heard:

• Stand up Re that you may swallow up the winds, that you may swallow the Northern breeze, that you may trep daylight, that you may breathe Maat and wander in your barque towards the lower sky! You return younger every day, for you are the golden image under Itenou's shadow.
• The gods, inhabitants of the sky, give up preises to Osiris N. as they do to Re.

How good it is to see and hear through Maat's eyes, for Osiris N. is Re, he will not say what he has seen and will not reveal the mysteries he has heard…

Osiris N. is a falcon who has many transformations…

• Osiris N. is unique (as is Re with whom he is mingled)

This is the same as glorifying a blessed one in front of Re so that he is powerful before the Great Ennead and so that the gods may see him as one of them and that he may be seen as one of Re's rays in the empire of the dead.

 
CHAPTER 134 - Words to glorify one of the blessed ones:

All the adversaries who would attack Osiris N., whether they come from the skies, the earth or the seas - even if they move with the stars - will be decapitated by Thot, the ibis.

Osiris N. is Horus who was brought into the world by his mother Isis. Nephtys (his aunt) rocked him in the cradle, as did his two wives did for Horus in order to ward off (evil) and the confederates of Seth…

 
CHAPTER 135 - Words for the first day of the month:

He who knows this Words will be one of the perfectly blessed ones in the empire of the dead who will not die again there and will eat at Osiris's side. He who knows him on earth will be adored by the living as is Thot. He will not fall due to the attack of a (bad) king or the fire (fever?) of Bastet, and will have a long and beautiful life.

On the left, the evil Seth, who murdered his brother Osiris, recognizes his authority along with Horus.
On the right, Apopis, the serpent of evil, tries to prevent the sun from being reborn at a new dawn.

 
CHAPTER 136 A - Words to glorify the blessed one, words spoken by the soul N.:

Yes, myriad stars are in Heliopolis(!), henemets are in Kher-aha (these are < sun worshipers >, who seem to be the deceased souls of the blessed ones who join the entourage of Re's barque)… Osiris N. is appointed to the ship yard of the gods… so as to build a boat 1000 cubits long…

Osiris N. is the being with a mysterious face who resides inside the Great Castle, the uppermost sanctuary of the god. Osiris N. is the messenger of the word, who transmits messages for his Master.

Each of the purified blessed ones who has been washed and sanctified before Re will be among the living a venerated god, who will not perish and whom no evil can reach. He will be a very blessed one in the West and will not die again. He will eat and drink every day before Osiris N. and will be introduced to the kings of High and Low Egypt, he will drink (the water of life) from the river and will come out at daybreak as does Horus. He will be like a god and the living will adore him each day as they do Re. This has been truly effective millions of times…

 
CHAPTER 136B - Navigation words so that Re's boat may cross the circle of flame:

Oh flame which burns around Re and forms a beam which protects from the hurricane, shines and is resplendent…

• Let us speak of his work, oh witness of Maat for the Master of All, proclaim his evening call; Come, pass!
• Let the Master of Knowledge's barque drift! You are the inheritor of the Most High.
• Clear (the path), it is those who are luminous (angels or beatified souls) who gave me the horizon, I pass by the great ones, I witness for him who is in his little boat. I have crossed the circle of flames which surrounds this Master of divine beings in the empire of the dead.

 
CHAPTER 137A - Words for the four torches of glorification:

Words to pronounce over the four red fabric torches… this is to give the aforementioned blessed one power over the imperishable Stars… This means that he must be: a god, a powerful being with the gods and the blessed ones, forever and always. He is able to enter by the secret portals without ever being separated from Osiris, without being neglected on the Day of Judgement.

This text has been transcribed in accordance with what was found written by Prince Djedefhor (from the family of King Cheops) who found it in a secret chest (could it belong to the lost texts destined for the teachings of Imhotep?) From one of the writings of a god (Imhotep?) which was itself found in the temple of Unut of Hermopolis when he was traveling to inspect the temples, the towns, the countryside and the gods' sacred mounds. That which is recited is a secret, a mystery of the Douat and a mystery of the empire of the dead…

J. Monnet, writing in the collection Egyptology (Vol. VIII) about the magical bricks which are preserved in the Louvre, explains that the family which placed the dead person in the tomb usually placed four protective amulets on a brick in the niches which were then walled up:

• A djed faience pillar placed on an unbaked brick on which is engraved words (to ward off Osiris' murderers); all of which is deposited in a niche on the western face.
• A statue of Anubis, made from unbaked clay mixed with incense (placed in a niche on the eastern wall) on which is written : "I am the one who prevents the sand from obstructing the secret place and who drives away [the evil of the shadows] by means of the torch of the city of the dead, I turned his path, I am the protection of Osiris."

• A wick soaked in oil, which is lit and placed in a niche in the northern face.
• Finally, a human figure made of wood, seven fingers high, the mouth of which has been opened. Although the niche is carved into the northern face the figure looks to the south.

The four orientations should protect the body from all evil which could come from the four cardinal points… Following the prayers which were recited after having washed the corpse, in order that it be pure it was forbidden to eat small livestock, fish, or even to have relations with a woman (!)…. Then incense was burned and offerings of bread were made to the gods…

 
CHAPTER 140 - The Book of that which must be done when the sacred eye is full in the second month of winter:

When Atoum rises with his heady perfume… when the Powerful One rises, who lights up the horizon, the Luminous One who burns in the sky, then the Castle of the pyramid (the temple of Atoum-Re at Heliopolis) is in jubilation and a cry of joy makes itself heard within the sanctuary. They kiss the ground at the word of Atoum-Horekhty. Thus speaks his majesty:

• See my body, all my members have been reinvigorated. Since this the fourth hour of the night the land is fulfilled in this the last day of the second month of winter…

 
CHAPTER 141 - The seven doors of the domain of Osiris:

… The Osiris N. (the beatified soul) is a blessed one, master of the blessed and those who are to be blessed… Osiris N. travels carrying the eye of Horus beside Thot during the night, when he crosses the sky as one who is justified. The Osiris N. passes in peace when he travels in the barque of Re, for Osiris N. is safe in the barque of Re.

…The Osiris N. is a pure one, who is among the followers of Osiris, Lord of the West. He has come like Horus from the farthest reaches of the horizon and the gods rejoice as they come to meet him.

…The Osiris N. is one who creates multitudes, who makes Maat rise for Re and who repels the power of Apopis the serpent who engenders evil. The Osiris N. is one who opens the firmament, who drives away the tempest… may the path therefore be open for the Osiris N. that he may pass upon it!

 
CHAPTER 148 - The Book to "transfigure the blessed" in the heart of Re:

That he may be powerful beside Atoum and magnified beside Osiris, and to assure his prestige among the divine gathering. This is a secret of the Douat (the underworld) and a religious mystery of the empire of the dead, this is to pierce the mountains and open valleys… This Book is the Book of Ounifer and it is a thing which is truly secret. Those of inferior condition, or those who speak freely, must not be allowed to know of it, besides you and your true and intimate friend:

O father of the gods, o mother of the gods, you who are on earth (!), you who are in the empire of the dead, save the spirit N. from all evil obstacles and from all ills…

The one who knows this Words will be called Just on earth and in the empire of the dead. The Words was found at Hermopolis on a block of quartzite of High Egypt, made in lapis-lazuli in the time of King Mycerinus by Prince Djedefhor (of the family of King Cheops). This Words having been read pure and without stain, you must then place a scarab (made of jade and ornamented with gold) upon the heart of the dead, after which you must complete the rite of the opening of the mouth after having anointed the body with myrrh.

 
CHAPTER 149 - … The Mount of the blessed… Words spoken by the spirit N.:

O this mount of the blessed upon which one cannot find one's way! It encloses the blessed and its flame is a burning fire; you whose faces are turned down, sanctify your paths, purify your hearts…

... the green mountain of his Highness Ha-hotep…

• O this very great mount of Ha-hotep, lake of water from which one cannot steal, great are the fear and the power which it inspires! A god is found there, his name is his Highness Ha-hotep. I am the guide of the northern horizon.

… the yellow mountain of Kher-aha

• O this yellow mountain of Kher-aha which stops the Nile upstream of Dedu (after Elephantine?)
• Gods of Kher-aha open your basins, open your lakes that I may make use of the water and be satiated by the wave, and that I may eat of Nepri (god of grain) that I may arise again and that my heart may become vigorous like that of the god who resides at Kher-aha.

 
CHAPTER 153B - Words for escaping from the fisher of fishes:

I am Eternal - I am Re who has come out of Noun; my soul is a god.

I am implored in the bull and invoked in the Ennead by this my name, the Eternal…

I am come from myself to existence with Noun by this my name Khepri, in which personage I return each day to existence.

I am the Master of light, I arose with Re, master of the East, and life has been given to me by means of his eastern apparitions. I am come from the heavens and I have occupied my throne which is in the East…

 
CHAPTER 154 - Words for preserving the body - Words spoken by the soul N.:

Hail to thee, MY FATHER OSIRIS! I am complete like my father Khepri, which is to say someone who is like the one who does not perish. Come! My breath is like your breath, O Master of breath, greater than that of his peers. You have brought me to the land of eternity, as you have done with my father ATOUM, (translation: the all and the nothing), so that my body does not perish.

I have not done that which you hate, ah may your ka love me and not push me away as you have done to many gods, many goddesses whose souls rose after death, yet fell and perished… But thus are all human beings, when they die like any quadruped, like any bird, like any fish… I am Khepri; I have my body for all time, I do truly exist and I do truly live, my body endures, it will not perish, it will not disappear in this land… 

 
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