The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 233 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 40 (part 2)

(5, 6) Thou hast been made victorious in (7) Nut, and thou art mighty to prevail with the gods." [Nephthys saith:] "(2) I have gone round about to protect thee, brother Osiris; (3) 1 have come to be a protector unto thee.

[My strength shall be behind thee, my strength shall be behind thee, for ever.

Ra hath heard thy cry, and the gods have granted that thou shouldst be victorious.

Thou art raised up, and thou art victorious over that which hath been done unto thee.

Ptah hath thrown down thy foes, and thou art Horus, the son of Hathor.]" [1.

In Ani the text is corrupt, and the passage within brackets is translated from the following version (Naville, Todtenbuch, Bd.

II., Bl.

428): maket-d ha-k sep sen t'etta setem nas-k an Ra smaaxeru an neteru thes-tu semaaxeru-k her arit erek xer en Ptah xeft-k entek Heru sa Het-Heru .] [The flame of Isis saith:] "I protect thee with this flame, and I drive away him (the foe) from the valley of the tomb, and I drive away the sand from thy feet.

I embrace Osiris Ani, who is triumphant in peace and in right and truth." [The flame of Nephthys saith:] "I have come to hew in pieces.

I am not hewn in pieces, nor will I suffer thee to be hewn in pieces.

I have come to do violence, but I will not let violence be done unto thee, for I am protecting thee." [The Tet saith:] "I have come quickly, and I have driven back the footsteps of the god whose face is hidden. I have illumined his sanctuary.

I stand behind the sacred Tet or, the day of repulsing disaster. I protect thee, O Osiris." [Mestha saith:] I am Mestha, thy son, O Osiris Ani, triumphant.

I have come to protect thee, and I will make thine abode to flourish everlastingly.

I have commanded Ptah, even as Ra himself commanded him." [Hapi saith:] "I am Hapi thy son, O Osiris Ani, triumphant.

I have come to protect thee.

Thy head and thy limbs are knit together; and I have smitten down thine enemies beneath thee.

I have given unto thee thy head for ever and for ever, O Osiris Ani, triumphant in peace." [Tuamautef saith:] "I am thy beloved son Horus.

I have come to avenge thee, O my father Osiris, upon him that did evil unto thee; and I have put him under thy feet for ever, and for ever, and for ever; O Osiris Ani, triumphant in peace." [1.

The text here is corrupt.

Brit.

Mus.

papyrus, No.

10,010 (Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.

II., Bl.

429) reads nuk ahu sa er teb ament xesef-a xesef su er teka set au seset-na set au setenem-na uat au-a em sa , "I surround with sand the hidden tomb, and drive away the violent one therefrom.

I lighten the valley of the tomb, I cast light therein, I traverse the ways, and I protect [Osiris]." 2 Reading i-a em heh xesef nemmat kep-hra-f sehet' kep-f .

See Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.

II., Bl.

428.

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Themes

Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] Divine beings are described with human characteristics such as hands, eyes, and speech (e.g., Anubis laying hands, Sun's eye).

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The text mentions the deceased being gazed upon by the 'Sun's eye,' invoking luminous divine power.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The passage is from the Book of the Dead and explicitly describes the mummy-chamber and rituals intended to guide the deceased through death.

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Living Godtheology

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

[auto] Deities are portrayed as active agents who perform specific actions like giving breath, binding, and raising up the deceased.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

Isis addresses the deceased directly in a liturgical speech offering protection and restoration.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] Anubis is depicted standing beside the mummy and providing for the deceased, acting as a guide in the afterlife 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] References to the 'holy house' and the 'region of the embalmed' imply a state of ritual cleanliness required for the divine encounter.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] Specific divine names (Anubis, Ptah-Seker, Shu) are invoked to effect restoration and protection upon the deceased.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

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

The deceased is described as being 'raised up' by the prince of eternity, implying an upward movement or elevation.

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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.

Isis explicitly states she has made the deceased 'like unto a god' and that he is in bliss with Osiris.

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Theurgypraxis

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.

The passage describes ritual actions and symbols (vignette, spells) intended to engage the gods directly to effect change upon the mummy.

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