The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 236 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge
Chapter 40 (part 5)
Instead of three, the Nebseni papyrus has four ovals, which are called Hetep, An (?), Uakhakha, and Neb-taui.
3 In the Turin papyrus, published by Lepsius, the ploughing, sowing, reaping and treading out the corn are all shown in one division, and the deceased stands in adoration before "Hapi, the father of the gods." In the papyrus of Nebseni the deceased adores the company of the gods who live in the Field of Hetep, saying: "Hail to you, O ye lords of kas , I have come in peace into your fields to receive tchefau food.
Grant ye that I may come to the great god daily, and that I may have sepulchral meals, and that my ka may be supplied with the meat and drink offered to the dead.
May Osiris and the company of the gods, who dwell in the Field of Hetep, give a royal oblation, may they {footnote p.
365} grant meat and drink and all good things, and bandages and incense every day.
And may I sit down at the table [of the god] daily to receive bread of his bread, and cakes, and wine, and milk, and tchefau food; and may I follow in the train of the god when he maketh his appearance in his festivals in Res-tau." (For the text see Naville, Todtenbuch, Bd.
I., Bl.
123.)] ( d.
) A boat bearing a flight of steps and floating on a stream; above is the legend tehefau , (?)~ A boat of eight oars, each end shaped like a serpent's head, bearing a flight of steps; at the stern is written and at the bows meter am Un-nefer , "the god therein is Un-nefer." The stream which flows on the convex side of the small island is called ashet pet , "flood (?) of [heaven]." On the other island is placed a flight of steps, by the side of which is written The space to the left represents the abode of the blessed dead, and is described as:-- duset xu au-sen meh sexef at meh xemt an saku aqeru asexet-sen The seat of the shining ones.
Their length is cubits seven the wheat cubits three the blessed dead who are perfected they reap [it].
[1.
In the Turin papyrus this boat is called uda en Ra-Heru-xuti xeft t'a-f er Sexet Aanre : the boat of Ra-Harmachis when he goeth forth into the Field of Aanre.
2 In the Turin papyrus the words t'efu uru are written between the boats, the ends of which are shaped like serpents' heads.
3 In ancient papyri qeqsu is written, and in the Turin papyrus ###.
In the Nebseni papyrus four gods dwell on this island, and the accompanying text says that they are "the great company of the gods in Sekhet-hetep; but in the Turin papyrus three gods only, whose names are Shu, Tefnut, and Seb respectively, are depicted.
4 A small division called the "birthplace of the gods" is not marked in the Ani papyrus, although it is found in that of Nebseni (see Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.
i., Bl.
123).]
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 deceased declares having done 'that which is right and fair,' reflecting the Egyptian principle of Maat as the foundation for afterlife acceptance.
Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.
The text includes direct address to the divine, such as 'What thou wishest that shalt thou do, [saith the god],' indicating petitionary or liturgical speech.
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.
The deceased identifies with Osiris ('Osiris reaps') and seeks to be equipped in the divine Fields of Peace, implying transformation into a divine state.
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 deceased uses charms and ritual speech to pacify divine guardians and gain dominion over evil, engaging divine power through prescribed actions.