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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 158 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 19 (part 5)

Eternity is the day, and everlastingness (30) is the night. "I am the god Amsu[3] in his coming-forth; may his (31) two plumes be set upon my head." [1. See above, p. 277, note 2. 2. Or, "I am he that presideth over the arrangement (or ordering) of things," etc. Birch renders it, "The Creator of beings and existences," and Pierret, "La loi de 1'existence et des êtres." In a hymn Ra is called neb enti , "lord of things which are," and ari enti , "maker of things which are," and ari unenet , "maker of things which shall be." See Grébaut, Hymne à Ammon-Ra , pp. 5, 16, 27, who, however, believes to mean inanimate objects; see p. 130. 3. The name of this god was first read Khem, and then Min, but it has been proved ( Aeg. Zeitschriff , 1877, p. 98, and Trans. Soc. Bibl. Arch. , Vol. VIII., p. 204, note 2) that the correct {footnote page 283} reading is Amsu (compare the variants in Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. II., Bl. 41). This god was associated with Amen-Ra, and represented the power of reproduction (see Pierret, Panthéon , p. 39; and Lanzone, Dizionario , p. 935). The seat of his worship was Apu, the Panopolis of the Greeks, and the Akhmîm of Arabic writers. For the forms of the name of the town, see Brugsch, Dict. Géog. , p. 19. Figures of Amsu, in bronze and faïence , are common, and good examples are Nos. 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 a , and 13,520 in the Third Egyptian Room.] Who then is this? Amsu is Horus, the (32) avenger of his father, and his coming-forth is his birth. The (33) plumes upon his head are Isis and Nephthys when they go forth to set themselves (34) there, even as his protectors,[1] and they provide that which (35) his head lacketh,[2] or (as others say), They are the two exceeding great uræi which are upon the head of their (36) father Tmu, or (as others say), His two eyes are the two plumes. (37) "Osiris Ani, the scribe of all the holy offerings, riseth up in his place in triumph; he cometh into (38) his city."[3] What then is this? It is the horizon of his father Tmu. (39) "1 have made an end of my shortcomings, and I have put away my faults." What then (40) is this? It is the cutting off of the corruptible[4] in the body of Osiris, the scribe Ani, (41) triumphant before all the gods; and all his faults are driven out. (42) What then is this? It is the purification [of Osiris] on the day of his birth. (43) "I am purified in my exceeding great double nest[5] which is in Suten henen, (44) on the day of the offerings of the followers of the great god who is therein." (45) What then is this? "Millions of years" is the name of the one [1.
Themes
Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The description of the god in his "coming-forth" portrays the deity as active and dynamic rather than a static abstract principle.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] The text describes setting plumes upon a head, attributing physical human-like features and attire to the deity.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] This passage is an excerpt from the Book of the Dead, a text specifically designed to guide the deceased through the afterlife via spells and declarations.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

[auto] The speaker declares "I am the god Amsu," indicating a ritual identification or merging of the individual self with the divine entity.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

[auto] The footnotes emphasize the correct reading and power of the name "Amsu," highlighting the ontological importance of divine names in magical practice.

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Related passages · 4 parallels
greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Front Matter, p. 4 (part 6)
34 all things, and yet as separate and apart from all; as the source of all multitude, yet himself perfect unity; and as immensly prolific, yet divinely solitary and ineffably good. Thus, according to Porphyry m , explaining the properties…”
Both passages explore the concept of a supreme deity that encompasses all things and serves as the source of creation. The Egyptian Book of the Dead describes Amsu as a god who contains the essence of creation, while the Orphic hymn portrays Jove as the all-encompassing divine being from which all things originate. Both texts emphasize the unity and omnipresence of the divine.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XLVIII
p. 66 XLVIII. The Fount of Righteousness; the Son of Man--the Stay of the Righteous: Judgement of the Kings and the Mighty . CHAPTER XLVIII. 1. And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness Which was inexhaustible: And around it wer…”
Both passages describe a divine figure who is central to the spiritual and cosmic order. The Egyptian text speaks of Amsu, associated with Horus and the avenger of his father, while the Ethiopian text describes the Son of Man as a righteous figure who brings wisdom and judgment. Both figures are integral to the spiritual and moral framework of their respective traditions.
mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1j
Tutu [Marduk] is "He who created them anew"; Should their wants be pure, then are they satisfied; Should he make an incantation, then are the gods appeased; Should they attack him in anger, he withstandeth their onslaught! Let him therefor…”
Both passages describe a divine figure associated with creation, purification, and the ordering of the cosmos. They share themes of divine birth, protection, and the establishment of order, reflecting a common mystical insight into the role of a divine being in the cosmos.
mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1k
May he hold the Beginning and the Future, may they pay homage unto him, Saying, "He who forced his way through the midst of Tiamat without resting, Let his name be Nibiru, 'the Seizer of the Midst'! For the stars of heaven he upheld the pa…”
Both passages describe a divine figure who overcomes chaos and establishes order, with themes of creation, purification, and divine authority. The passages share a conceptual parallel in their depiction of a divine being who brings about cosmic order and is celebrated for their deeds.