The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 161 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge
Chapter 19 (part 8)
, who are these gods?] Mestha, Hapi[1] Tuamautef, and Qebhsennuf.
(83) "Homage to you, O ye lords of right and truth, and ye holy ones who [stand] behind Osiris, who utterly do away with (84) sins and crime, and [ye] who are in the following of the goddess Hetep-se(85)-khus, grant that I may come unto you.
Destroy ye all the faults which (86) are within me, even as ye did for the seven Shining Ones (87) who are among the followers of their lord Sepa.[1] (88) Anubis appointed their place on the day [when was said], 'Come therefore thither.'" What then (89) is this?
These lords of right and truth are Thoth and (90) Astes, lord of Amenta.
The holy ones who stand behind Osiris, even Mestha, (91) Hapi, Tuamautef, and Qebhsennuf, are they who are (92) behind the Thigh[2] in the northern sky.
They who do away with (93) sins and crime and who are in the following of the goddess Hetep-se-khus (94) are the god Sebek in the waters.
The goddess Hetep-se-khus is the eye of (95) Ra, or (as others say), It is the flame which followeth after Osiris to burn up (96) the souls of his foes.
As concerning all the faults which are (97) in Osiris, the scribe of the holy offerings of all the gods, Ani, triumphant, [they are all that he hath done against the lords of eternity][3] since he came forth (98) from his mother's womb.
As concerning (99) the seven Shining Ones, even Mestha, Hapi, Tuamautef, Qebhsennuf, (100) Maa-atef-f, Kheri-beq-f, and Horus-Khenti-maa, Anubis appointed (101) them protectors of the body of Osiris, or (as others say), (102) [set them] behind the place of purification of Osiris; or (as others say), Those seven glorious ones are (103) Netcheh-netcheh, Aqet-qet, An-erta-nef-bes-f-khenti-heh-f,[4] (104) Aq-her-unnut-f,[5] Tesher-maa-ammi (105) -het-Anes,[6] [1.
British Museum papyrus No.
10,477 reads ### which agrees with many of the variants given in Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.
II., P1.
liii.
The papyrus of Nebseni agrees with that of Ani; No.
19,471 has the curious reading, ###.
2.
The Egyptian name for the constellation of the Great Bear.
See Brugsch, Astronomische und Astrologische Inschriften , p.
123.
3.
Some such words as have been omitted.
See Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.
IL, Pl.
lv.
4.
I.e.
, "He doth not give his flame, he dwelleth in the fire." 5.
I.e.
, "He goeth in at his hour." 6.
I.e.
, "He that hath two red eyes, the dweller in Het-Anes." According to Brugsch (Dict.
Géog., p.
64), Het-Anes, i.e.
Themes
◆Return To Sourcesoteriology
The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.
The deceased petitions to 'come unto' the gods and holy ones, seeking reunion with the divine realm.
The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.
The deceased is identified as 'Osiris Ani,' reflecting the Egyptian belief in the transformation of the dead into a divine state.
[auto] The passage is from the Book of the Dead and explicitly details the deceased's journey, invoking gods to grant passage and appoint places in the afterlife.
The Egyptian principle of truth, balance, and right order underlying both the cosmos and human conduct; the parallel to Zoroastrian asha and Greek dike.
[auto] The passage explicitly invokes 'lords of right and truth,' which directly corresponds to the Egyptian principle of Maat as cosmic order and truth.