The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 224 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge
Chapter 38 (part 4)
I am pure, in my fore-parts have I been made clean, and in my hinder parts have I (19) been purified; my reins have been bathed in the Pool of right and truth, and no member of my body was wanting.
I have been purified in the pool of the south.
I have rested in Hemet, on the north of the (20) field of the grasshoppers, wherein the holy mariners do purify themselves in the night season, that they may pacify (?) the heart of the gods after I have passed over it (21) by night and by day.
May the gods say unto me, 'We let him come,' and they say unto me, 'Who art thou, and what is thy name?' My name is 'I grew among (22) the flowers, dwelling in the olive tree.' Then shall they say unto me, 'Pass on straightway.' I have passed by the city on the north of the groves, and the gods say, 'What didst thou see there?' [I saw] the Leg and the Thigh.
(23) 'What hadst thou to do with them?' I saw rejoicings in the lands of the Fenkhu.
'What did they give thee?' They gave me a (24) flame of fire together with a crystal tablet.
'What didst thou therewith?' I burned it at the place of Maati together with the things of the night.
'What didst thou (25) find there at the place of Maati?' A sceptre of flint which maketh a man to prevail.
'What then is [the name] of this sceptre of flint?' 'Giver of winds' is its name.
'What then didst thou unto the flame of fire with the tablet of (26) crystal after thou didst bury it?' I uttered words over it, I made (27) adjuration thereby, I quenched the fire, and I used the tablet to create (28) a pool of water.
'Come, then, pass through the door of this Hall of two-fold Maati, for thou (29) knowest us.' 'I will not let thee enter in over me,' saith the bolt of the door, (30) 'unless thou tell my name.' 'Weight of the place of right and truth' is thy name.
I will not let thee (31) pass in by me,' saith the right post of the door, 'unless thou tell my name.' (32) 'Weigher of the labours of right and truth' is thy name.
'I will not let thee enter in by me,' saith the left Post (33) of the door, 'unless thou tell my name.' 'judge of (34) wine' (?) is thy name.
'I will not let thee pass,' saith the threshold of the door, (35) unless thou tell my name.' 'Ox of Seb' is thy name.
'I will not open unto thee,' (36) saith the bolt-socket of the door, 'unless thou tell my name.' 'Flesh of his (37) mother' is thy name.
I will not open unto thee,' saith the lock of the door, 'unless thou tell my name.' The utchat of Sebek, the Lord of Bakhan, liveth' is thy name.
(38) 'I will not open unto thee, and I will not let thee pass over me,' saith the dweller at the door, 'unless thou tell my name.' 'Arm of Shu that placeth itself to protect Osiris' (39) is thy name.
'We will not let thee pass by us,' say the posts of the door, 'unless thou tell our names.' 'Serpent children of Rennut' are your names.
Themes
◆Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
One deity is addressed as coming forth from a 'hiding place'.
Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
Ritual actions like offerings and knowing names are used to engage divine power for protection.
Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.
[auto] The text explicitly describes the 'day of the great judgment' and the weighing of the balance.
[auto] The text is explicitly from the Book of the Dead, serving as a guide for the deceased to navigate judgment and avoid destruction 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 repeatedly invokes 'Right and Truth' (Maat) as the fundamental standard for conduct and judgment.