The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 164 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge
Chapter 19 (part 11)
The unclean man who would walk thereover doth fall down among the knives; or (as others say), His name is "Mathes,"[2] and he is the watcher of the door of Amenta; or (as others say), His name is "Heri-sep-f." "Hail, Lord of terror, chief of the lands of the North and South, lord of the red glow, who preparest the slaughter-block, and who dost feed upon the inward parts!" Who then is this?
The guardian of the Bight of Amenta.
What then is this?
It is the heart of Osiris, which is the devourer of all slaughtered things.
The urerit crown hath been given unto him with swellings of the heart as lord of Suten-henen.
What then is this?
He to whom hath been given the urerit crown with swellings of-the heart as lord of Suten-henen is Osiris.
He was bidden to rule among the gods on the day of the union of earth with earth in the presence of Neb-er-tcher.
What then is this?
He that was bidden to rule among the gods is [Horus] the son of Isis, who was appointed to rule in the place of his father Osiris.
As to the day of the union of earth with earth, it is the mingling of earth with earth in the coffin of Osiris, the Soul that liveth in Suten-henen, the giver of meat and drink, the destroyer of wrong, and the guide of the everlasting paths.
Who then is this?
It is Ra himself.
"Deliver thou [me] from the great god who carrieth away souls, and who devoureth filth and eateth dirt, the guardian of the darkness [who himself " liveth] in the light.
They who are in misery fear him." As concerning the souls within the (113) tchafi [they are those which are] with the god who carrieth away the soul, who eateth hearts, and who feedeth (114) upon offal, the guardian of the darkness who is within the seker boat; they who live in (115) crime fear him.
Who then is this?
It is Suti, or (as others say), It is Smam-ur,[3] (116) the soul of Seb.
"Hail, Khepera in thy boat, the twofold company of the gods is thy body.
Deliver thou Osiris (117) Ani, triumphant, from the watchers who give judgment, [1.
Reading se en Unt .
2 The one with a knife.
3 I.e.
, Great Slayer.] who have been appointed by Neb-er(118)-tcher to protect him and to fasten the fetters on his foes, and who slaughter in the shambles (119); there is no escape from their grasp.
May they never stab me with their knives, (120) may I never fall helpless in their chambers of torture.
(121) Never have the things which the gods hate been done by me, for I am pure within the Mesqet.
(122) Cakes of saffron have been brought unto him in Tanenet." Who then is this?
(123) It is Khepera in his boat.
It is Ra himself.
The watchers (124) who give judgment are the apes Isis and Nephthys.
The things which the gods hate (125) are wickedness and falsehood; and he who passeth through the place of purification within the Mesqet is Anubis, who is (126) behind the chest which holdeth the inward parts of Osiris.
Themes
◇Funerary Navigationpraxis
Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.
[auto] This passage is from the Book of the Dead and explicitly details the guardians, doors, and dangers of the underworld (Amenta) that the deceased must navigate.
Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.
[auto] The text emphasizes knowing the specific names (Mathes, Heri-sep-f) and titles of underworld entities as crucial for identification and safe passage.