Egyptian Literature/The Book of the Dead/The Introduction to Maati (2)

Layout 2

THE INTRODUCTION TO MAATI

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 22).]

[The following] shall be said when the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, cometh forth into the Hall of double Maati^[1] so that he may be separated from every sin which he hath done and may behold the faces of the gods. The Osiris Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Homage to thee, O Great God, thou Lord of Double Maāti, I have come to thee, O my Lord, and I have brought myself hither that I may behold thy beauties. I know thee, and I know thy name, and I know the name[s] of the two and forty gods who exist with thee in this Hall of double Maāti, who live as warders of sinners and who feed upon their blood on the day when the lives of men are taken into account in the presence of the god Un-nefer; in truth ‘Rekhti-merti-neb-Maāti’ (i.e., ‘twin-sisters with two eyes, ladies of double Maāti') is thy name. In truth I have come to thee, and I have brought Maāt (i.e., right and truth) to thee, and I have destroyed wickedness for thee. [I have not done evil to] mankind. I have not oppressed the members of my family, I have not wrought evil in the place of right and truth. I at the end of the second month^[2] of the season Pert (i.e., the season of growing) [in the presence of the divine lord of this earth].^[3] I have seen the Eye of Rā when it was full in Annu, therefore let not evil befall me in this land and in this Hall of double Maāti, because I, even I, know the name[s] of these gods who are therein [and who are the followers of the great god]"^[4]

1. In other papyri this chapter is called: (1) “The Chapter of going into the Hall of double Maati;” (2) “The Chapter of [the Hall of] double Maati and of knowing what is therein;” and (3) “The Book of entering into the Hall of double Maati.” See Naville, op. cit., Bd. II. p. 275.
2. I.e., the month called by the Copts Mekhir, the sixth month of the Egyptian year.
3. These words are added from the Papyrus of Nebseni.
4. These words are added from the Papyrus of Ani.