The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 165 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 19 (part 12)

He to whom saffron cakes have been brought in (127) Tanenet is Osiris; or (as others say), The saffron cakes (128) in Tanenet are heaven and earth, or (as others say), They are Shu, strengthener of the two lands in (129) Suten-henen.

The saffron cakes are the eye of Horus; and Tanenet is the grave (110) of Osiris.

Tmu hath built thy house, and the two-fold Lion-god hath founded thy habitation; (131) lo!

drugs are brought, and Horus purifieth and Set strengtheneth, and Set purifieth and Horus strengtheneth.

(132) "The Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant before Osiris, hath come into the land, and hath possessed it with his feet.

He is Tmu, and he is in the city." (133) "Turn thou back, O Rehu, whose mouth shineth, whose head moveth, turn thou back from before his strength"; or (as others say), Turn thou back from him who keepeth watch (134) and is unseen.

"The Osiris Ani is safely guarded.

He is Isis, and he is found (135) with [her] hair spread over him.

I shake it out over his brow.

He was conceived in Isis and begotten in (136) Nephthys; and they cut off from him the things which should be cut off." Fear followeth after thee, terror is upon thine (137) arms.

Thou art embraced for millions of years in the arms [of the nations]; mortals go round about thee.

Thou smitest down the mediators of thy (138) foes, and thou seizest the arms of the powers of darkness.

The two sisters ( i.e.

, Isis and Nephthys) are given to thee for thy delight.

(139) Thou hast created that which is in Kheraba, and that which is in Annu.

Every god feareth thee, for thou art exceeding great and terrible; thou [avengest] every (140) god on the man that curseth him, and thou shootest out arrows .

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Thou livest according to thy will; thou art Uatchit, the Lady of Flame.

Evil cometh (141) among those who set themselves up against thee.

What then is this?

The hidden in form, granted of Menhu, (142) is the name of the tomb.

He seeth [what is] in [his] hand, is the name of the shrine, or (143) (as others say), the name of the block.

Now he whose mouth shineth and whose head moveth is (144) a limb of Osiris, or (as others say), of Ra.

Thou spreadest thy hair and I shake it out over his brow (145) is spoken concerning Isis, who hideth in her hair and draweth her hair over her.

Uatchi, the Lady of Flames, is the eye of Ra.[1]

Themes

◇Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] Deities are described with human physical attributes and actions, such as having mouths that shine, heads that move, and hair spread over the brow.

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◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The passage is explicitly from the Book of the Dead and details rituals and declarations guiding the deceased Ani through the afterlife.

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◇Living Godtheology

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

[auto] The gods are depicted as active, dynamic agents who build, purify, strengthen, and guard rather than abstract principles.

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◇Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

[auto] The deceased Ani identifies directly with divine figures, stating 'He is Tmu' and 'He is Isis', indicating a merging of identity.

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◇Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

[auto] The text presents a paradoxical reversal where Horus and Set swap roles of purification and strengthening.

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◇Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The text describes the soul's safe passage and guarding within the afterlife realm, implying a guided journey.

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◇Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

[auto] Purification is explicitly mentioned as a divine action performed by Horus and Set to prepare the deceased.

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◇Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The invocation of specific divine names like Osiris, Horus, Set, and Tmu is central to the ritual efficacy and protection described.

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◇Theosis Deificationsoteriology

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.

[auto] The passage describes the transformation of the human scribe Ani into a divine state, becoming Osiris and other gods.

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