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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 210 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 34 (part 3)

The four regions of Ra are the limits of the earth. I come forth; my tongue (10) is like unto the tongue of Ptah, my throat is even as that of Hathor, and I tell forth the words of my father Tmu with my lips. He it is who constrained (11) the handmaid, the wife of Seb; and unto him are bowed [all] heads, and there is fear of him. Hymns of praise are sung in honour of my mighty deeds (12), and I am accounted the heir of Seb, the lord of the earth, the protector. The god Seb giveth cool water, he maketh his dawnings to be mine. They who dwell in (13) Annu bow down their heads before me, for I am their bull. I grow strong from moment to moment; my loins are made strong for millions of years." Vignette: A Ram. Text [CHAPTER LXXXV.]: (1) THE CHAPTER OF CHANGING INTO THE SOUL OF Tmu. Saith Osiris Ani, triumphant: (2) "I have not entered into the house of destruction; I have not been brought to naught, I have not known decay. I am (3) Ra who come forth from Nu, the divine Soul, the creator of his own limbs. Sin is an abomination unto me, (4) and I look not thereon; I cry not out against right and truth, but I have my being (5) therein. I am the god Hu, and I never die (6) in my name of 'Soul.' I have brought myself into being together with Nu in my name of (7) 'Khepera.' In their forms have I come into being in the likeness of Ra. I am the lord of light." Appendix: In other ancient papyri the LXXXVth Chapter of the Book of the Dead ends as follows (Naville, Todtenbuch, Bd. I., Bl. 97):-- "What I hate shall be buried (5). Let me not enter into the secret place of the god Tuaa. I ascribe glory unto Osiris, and I pacify the heart of those who dwell in the god of creation, who love me, who spread (6) abroad fear of me, and who strike terror of me into those who dwell in their own places. Behold me, for I am exalted upon my resting-place, Nu, (7) upon the place which is adjudged unto me. I am Nu, and those who work evil shall not overthrow me. I am the eldest and the first-born son of matter; my (8) soul is the gods, who are the eternal souls. I am the creator of darkness who maketh his dwelling-place in the limits of the regions of heaven. I come, and my soul advanceth (9) over the way of the Ancient Ones. I cause darkness in the limits of the sky, and at my will I come unto the boundaries thereof I walk upon my feet, I am strong (10) to pass over the sky, and I fetter with bonds the darkness and the worm that hideth therein. I make my steps to advance unto the lord of the two hands (?) My soul (11) and the soul of my body are the uræi, and I live for ever, the lord of years, and the prince of eternity. I am exalted as lord of the earth, I am exalted (?). I grow young in (12) the cities, I grow youthful in my homestead, my name is 'My name decayeth not.' I am the Soul, the creator of Nu, who maketh his dwelling-place in (13) Neter-khert. My nest is not seen, my egg is not broken.
Themes
◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

The text contrasts evil dwelling in hearts against the speaker with that which is good and right.

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◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The text references forms of the gods which are 'not known' to ordinary perception.

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◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

Knowledge of secret forms and names implies esoteric teachings reserved for the initiated deceased.

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◆Self Examinationpraxis

Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.

The speaker acknowledges past sins committed against the gods as part of the purification process.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] Divine beings are described with human attributes such as hearts, drinking offerings, and sitting on thrones.

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◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text is from the Book of the Dead, explicitly functioning as a ritual guide for the deceased to navigate the afterlife and assert their identity before the gods.

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◇Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

[auto] Salvation and power are asserted through knowing the hidden names and forms of the divine beings rather than through faith alone.

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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 beings who rejoice, are glad, and interact with the deceased.

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◇Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

[auto] The deceased identifies themselves as living among the gods and being like unto the god, suggesting a merging of identities.

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◇Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The passage describes the deceased moving through the divine realm, overcoming opposition, and ascending to join the gods.

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◇Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

[auto] The deceased seeks to join the gods and sit upon the throne of Ra, returning to the divine realm.

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◇Ritual Puritypraxis

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

[auto] The speaker declares having made an end of all sin and evil to be acceptable before the divine judges.

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◇Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The speaker claims authority and power specifically through knowing the secret names and forms of the divine beings.

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◇Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

[auto] The speaker declares rising upon the throne of Ra and sitting in the horizon, indicating a movement upward to divine status.

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Related passages · 10 parallels
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn X (part 1)
“X. TO PAN * The FUMIGATION from VARIOUS ODORS I Call strong Pan, the substance of the whole, Etherial, marine, earthly, general soul, Immortal fire; for all the world is thine, And all are parts of thee, O pow'r divine. p. 131 Come, bles…”
Both passages describe a divine being that encompasses and governs the universe, with themes of creation, eternal existence, and divine power. The passages share a mystical understanding of a supreme, all-encompassing deity.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn LXXXII. OCEAN
“LXXXII. TO OCEAN. The Fumigation from AROMATICS OCEAN I call, whose nature ever flows, From whom at first both Gods and men arose; Sire incorruptible, whose waves surround, 3 And earth's concluding mighty circle bound: p. 220 Hence every ri…”
Both passages invoke a primordial, divine entity associated with the origins of the world and the boundaries of the earth. The Orphic Hymn addresses Ocean as the source of all things, while the Egyptian text references Tmu (Atum) and Ra, who are similarly associated with creation and the limits of the earth.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XVIII
“CHAPTER XVIII 1. I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation and the firm foundations of the earth. 2. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw the four winds which bear [ the earth a…”
Both passages describe mystical visions of the cosmos and the divine. They share themes of creation, divine order, and the mystical journey, though they are rooted in different cultural and religious contexts.
◆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 divine figure who is exalted and judged, with themes of righteousness, power, and eternal life. The passages share a conceptual parallel in their depiction of a divine being who is venerated and holds ultimate authority.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXXXI
“LXXXI. The Heavenly Tablets and the Mission of Enoch . CHAPTER LXXXI. 1. And he said unto me: 'Observe, Enoch, these heavenly tablets, And read what is written thereon, And mark every individual fact.' p. 108 2 And I observed the heavenly t…”
Both passages deal with themes of divine revelation, the nature of the soul, and the ultimate fate of the righteous and the unrighteous. They share a mystical focus on the divine and the afterlife, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆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 express a mystical connection to the divine and a sense of divine authority. They also share themes of creation, eternal existence, and the speaker's role as a righteous figure.
◆mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1c
“Whoever beholdeth them is overcome by terror, Their bodies rear up and none can withstand their attack. She hath set up vipers, and dragons, and the monster Lahamu, And hurricanes and raging hounds, and scorpion-men, And mighty tempests, a…”
Both passages deal with divine conflict and the establishment of order, with figures of authority (Kingu in Passage A and Osiris Ani in Passage B) playing central roles in cosmic battles and asserting their dominance.
◆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 share themes of divine transformation, triumph over chaos, and the exaltation of the deity. They describe the deity's power and control over cosmic forces, reflecting a common mystical insight into the divine's supremacy and renewal.
◆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 who is exalted, has multiple names and forms, and is associated with creation and renewal. They also emphasize the figure's role in appeasing the gods and bringing order.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|4. The Conjuration Of The Fourc
“Prayer of the Undines Dread King of the Sea, Who hast the keys of the floodgates of heaven and dost confine the waters of the underworld in the caverns of earth; King of the deluge and the floods of springtime; Thou Who dost unseal the sour…”
Both passages share the theme of divine transformation and the quest for immortality. Passage A describes the speaker transforming into the soul of Tmu and achieving eternal life, while Passage B invokes divine entities to lead the undines to true life and immortality through sacrifice. Both texts emphasize the speaker's connection to divine beings and their aspiration to transcendence.