The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 186 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge
Chapter 24 (part 2)
May naught rise up (3) against me in judgment in the presence of the lord of the trial; let it not be said concerning me and of that which I have done.
'He hath done deeds against that which is right and true'; may naught be against me in the presence of the great god, the lord of Amenta.
Homage to thee, O my heart!
Homage to thee, O my heart!
Homage to you, O my reins![3] Homage to you, O ye gods who rule over the divine clouds, and who (5) are exalted by reason of your sceptres; speak ye comfortably unto Ra, and make me to prosper before Nehebka." And behold him, even though he be joined to the earth in the innermost parts thereof, and though he be laid upon it, he is not dead in Amenta, but is a glorified being therein.
Vignette: The deceased holding his heart to his breast with his left hand, and kneeling before a monster with a knife in its hand.
Text [CHAPTER XXVIII.]: (1) [THE CHAPTER OF] NOT LETTING THE HEART OF THE DECEASED BE CARRIED AWAY IN THE UNDERWORLD.
[Saith he]: (2) "Hail, Lion-god!
I am Un.[4] That which I hate is the block of the god.
Let not this my heart be taken away from me by (3) the Fighter[5] in Annu.
Hail thou who dost bind Osiris, and who hast seen Set!
Hail thou who returnest after smiting and destroying him.
(4) This heart sitteth and weepeth in the presence of Osiris; it hath with it the staff for which it entreated him.
May there be given unto me for it, may there be decreed unto me for it the hidden things[6] of the heart in the (5) house of Usekh-hra; may [1.
See Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.
I., Bl.
40.
2.
Understanding some word like ###; see the text in Lepsius.
3.
Brugsch believes that the word means the liver or kidneys, or some special organ.; see Wörterbuch , p.
421.
4.
Reading; another variant has "I am Ra." 5 I.e.
, the being represented in the vignette.
6 Var.
ta ab , "warmth of heart."] there be granted unto it food at the bidding of the Eight.[1] Let not this my heart be "taken from me!
I make thee to dwell in thy place, joining together hearts in (6) Sekhet-hetepu, and years of strength in all places of strength, carrying away food (?) at thy it moment with thy hand according to thy great strength.
My heart is placed upon the altars of Tmu (7), who leadeth it to the den of Set; he hath given unto me my heart, whose will hath been done by the godlike rulers in Neter-khert.
When they find the leg[2] and the swathings they bury them." Vignette: Ani and his wife Thuthu, each holding the emblem of air in the left hand, and drinking water with the right from a pool, on the borders of which are palm trees laden with fruit.
Text [CHAPTER LVIII.]: (1) THE CHAPTER OF BREATHING THE AIR AND OF HAVING POWER OVER THE WATER IN THE UNDERWORLD.
Saith Osiris Ani: "Open to me!
Who art thou then, and whither dost thou fare?
(2) I am one of you.
Who is it with thee?
It is Merti.
Themes
◆Cosmic Dualismtheology
Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.
The text contrasts righteous deeds with actions against truth, implying an opposition between order and disorder.
All passages →◇Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
[auto] Divine beings are depicted with human or animal characteristics such as hearts, reins, sceptres, and knives.
All passages →◇Asha Cosmic Ordercosmology
Truth as the fundamental structure of reality.
[auto] The judgment process relies on adherence to 'right and true,' reflecting truth as a fundamental cosmic structure.
All passages →◇Funerary Navigationpraxis
Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.
[auto] This text serves as a ritual guide for the deceased to navigate the dangers of death and the underworld.
All passages →◇Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
[auto] The gods are portrayed as active entities who can speak, rule, and grant prosperity to the petitioner.
All passages →◇Psychopomp Journeycosmology
Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.
[auto] The passage details the soul's guided movement through the underworld realms and judgment halls.
All passages →◇Ritual Puritypraxis
The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.
[auto] The deceased emphasizes the necessity of moral cleanliness regarding deeds done against what is right and true.
All passages →◇Sacred Namestheology
Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.
[auto] Specific divine names like Ra, Nehebka, and Un are invoked to exert power and establish identity.
All passages →◇Self Examinationpraxis
Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.
[auto] The heart is summoned to testify about the actions performed by the individual during their earthly life.
All passages →◇Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
[auto] The goal is to become a glorified being in Amenta rather than remaining dead or buried in the earth.
All passages →Related passages · 8 parallels
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECONDt
“O Lord, my God, if I did this (thing) if there is violence in my hands, if I repaid to those who repaid to me evil (things), may I perish by my enemy, being empty: and may my enemies persecute my soul and seize it: and trample my life down…”
Both passages deal with the theme of judgment and protection in the afterlife, with the speakers seeking to ensure their hearts (or souls) are not taken away or harmed. They also invoke divine beings for protection and guidance, showing a conceptual parallel in their mystical traditions.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXII
“LXII. Judgement of the Kings and the Mighty: Blessedness of the Righteous . CHAPTER LXII. 1. And thus the Lord commanded the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, and said: 'Open your eyes and lift up your…”
Both passages describe a judgment scene where the righteous are vindicated and the unrighteous are punished. They share themes of divine justice, the fate of the soul, and the intervention of a divine figure in the afterlife.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXXXIV
“CHAPTER LXXXIV. 1. And I lifted up my hands in righteousness and blessed the Holy and Great One, and spake with the breath of my mouth, and with the p. 113 tongue of flesh, which God has made for the children of the flesh of men, that they…”
Both passages involve a plea to divine beings for protection and favor in the afterlife or judgment. They share themes of righteousness, divine judgment, and the importance of the heart or soul, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Greater Holy Assembly (Idra Rabba Qadisha)|Idra Rabba, Chapter 1 (part 2)
“1 12.
"For it is written, Deut.
xxxiii.
29: 'Blessed art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee?' Also it is written, Exod.
xv.
11: 'Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Tetragrammaton?'" 2 13.
He called Rabbi Eleazer, his son, and…”
Both passages deal with the theme of the heart and its significance in the afterlife or spiritual realm. In Passage A, the heart is central to the judgment of the deceased in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, while in Passage B, the heart and spirit are central to the spiritual stability and secrecy in the Idra Rabba. Both texts emphasize the importance of the heart in spiritual contexts.
◆mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1d
“rejoice and be glad; The neck of Tiamat shalt thou swiftly trample under foot.
...
rejoice and be glad; The neck of Tiamat shalt thou swiftly trample under foot.
0 my son, who knoweth all wisdom, Pacify Tiamat with thy pure incantation.…”
Both passages deal with the theme of judgment and the heart's role in the afterlife, with the deceased seeking protection and favor from divine beings. The passages share a concern with the heart's integrity and its importance in the afterlife, though they come from different cultural and religious contexts.
◆mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1f
“She hath given him the Tablets of Destiny on his breast she laid them, saving: Thy command shall not be without avail, and the word of thy mouth shall be established.' Now Kingu, thus exalted, having received the power of Anu, Decreed the f…”
Both passages deal with the theme of divine judgment and the power of words or commands. In Passage A, the deceased seeks to have his heart, which represents his conscience, vindicated in the underworld. In Passage B, Marduk is given the power to decree fate and his word is established as unalterable. Both texts emphasize the importance of divine approval and the power of divine speech.
◆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 deal with the theme of divine judgment and the protection of the heart or soul in the afterlife. They share a common concern with the moral evaluation of the deceased and the need for divine intervention to ensure a favorable outcome in the underworld.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part II (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialoguea
“.
Interlocutors : Liberio.
Laodonio.
Lib.
Reclining in the shade of a cypress-tree, the enthusiast finding his mind free from other thoughts, it happened that the heart and the eyes spoke together as if they were animals and substances…”
Both passages explore the dialogue between the heart and the eyes, symbolizing inner conflict and the struggle for spiritual understanding. They share a mystical theme of the heart's longing and the eyes' role in perceiving the divine, though they come from different cultural and religious contexts.