pyramids texts E-Book

anonymous

• Herausgeber: Aroha
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 508

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Pyramid Texts (Ancient Egyptian Texts) Among the oldest religious writings, the Pyramid Texts contain spells, hymns, and instructions for the afterlife. Inscribed in ancient pyramids, they aim to guide the deceased pharaoh's soul toward immortality, reflecting ancient Egyptian beliefs on death and resurrection.

Leseprobe

Contents

Preface

Introduction

I. Nut And The Deceased King

II. Ritual Of Bodily Restoration Of The Deceased, And Offerings

III. A Group Of Prayers And Charms

IV. A Series Of Old Heliopolitan Texts Partly Osirianized

V. The Deceased King Receives Offerings And Is Re-Established In His Functions And Possessions

VI. Mostly Serpent Charms

VII. The Deceased King Arrives In Heaven Where He Is Established

VIII. The Deceased King Triumphs Over His Enemies And Is Recognized By The Gods

IX. Means Whereby The Deceased King Reaches Heaven

X. The Deceased King In Heaven

XI. Charms

XII. The Ferryman And The Deceased King’s Ascension

XIII. A Series Of Five Charms

XIV. Miscellaneous Utterances On The Career Of The Deceased King In The Hereafter

XV. Offerings For The Deceased King

XVI. Miscellaneous Utterances On The Hereafter

XVII. Conjurations And Charms

XVIII. Utterances Concerning Well-Being, Especially Food And Clothes

XIX. In Praise Of Nut

XX. Miscellaneous Texts-Some Largely Osirian

XXI. Second Series In Praise Of Nut

XXII. A Miscellaneous Group

XXIII. A Series Of Food Texts

XXIV. A Series Of Reed-Floats And Ferryman Texts

XXV. Miscellaneous Texts Chiefly About The Deceased King’s Reception And Life In Heaven

XXVI. For The Protection Of The Pyramid Enclosure Against Osiris And His Cycle

XXVII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XXVIII. A Litany Of Ascension

XXIX. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XXX. Resurrection, Meal, And Ascension Of The Deceased King

XXXI. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XXXII. A Purification Litany

XXXIII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XXXIV. New-Birth Of The Deceased King As A God In Heaven

XXXV. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XXXVI. The Resurrection And Ascension Of The Deceased King

XXXVII. The Resurrection Of Osiris With Whom The Gods Are Satisfied

XXXVIII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XXXIX. An Early Hymn To The Sun

XL. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XLI. A Litany-Like Incantation For The Endurance Of A Pyramid And Temple

XLII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XLIII. The Resurrection, Ascension, And Reception Of The Deceased King In Heaven

XLIV. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XLV. The Deceased King On Earth And In Heaven

XLVI. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XLVII. The Ascended King, His Works, And Identifications

XLVIII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

XLIX. The Death Of The King And His Arrival In Heaven

L. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

LI. The Death, Resurrection, And Spiritualization Of The King

LII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

LIII. Resurrection, Transfiguration, And Life Of The King In Heaven

LIV. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

LV. The Deceased King Ascends To Heaven

LVI. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

LVII. A Series Of Addresses To The Deceased King As A God

LVIII. Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents

LIX. A Series Of Unclassifiable Fragments

Preface

The Pyramid Texts of Ancient Egypt are the oldest large body of written material in the world. They are incised on limestone in thousands of lines of hieroglyphics, containing fragments of myths and legends, historical references and astronomical lore, geography and cosmology, religion and rituals, systems of theology, festivals, magic and morals, and with a literary technique capable of expressing the finest religious and ethical thoughts.

The purpose of this work is to furnish in English a translation and commentary of these texts--a translation and commentary which make use of all the texts at present extant and known to the author, and which is designed to be a standard but interim work in this subject until such time in the future as all remaining pyramid texts will have been discovered, which will then, it is hoped, make possible the writing of a complete and definitive work.

The contribution of this publication will be the first translation in English of the ancient Pyramid Texts; the first complete translation and full commentary of the Texts in any language; and an addition to the hieroglyphic text of Sethe of over four hundred lines (in translation) from the pyramids of Neit and Pepi II, in addition to the filling of many lacunae in the body of his text from Neit, Pepi II, and other pyramids, tombs and sarcophagi, discovered since the publication of Sethe’s unfinished translation and commentary in German after his death in 1934. Fuller details of these texts, their discovery, nature, extent, and value are given in the introduction.

There still remains the pleasant duty of acknowledging here the immediate help in the preparation of this publication given by the author’s colleagues and friends. And first I would mention the kind aid and assistance given me by Dr. Ludlow Bull of the Metropolitan Museum of New York who with the consent of Charles Breasted allowed me to read the late Professor J. H. Breasted’s penciled copy of translated portions of the Pyramid Texts, and who with his colleague in the Museum, Dr. William C. Hayes, aided me in many ways. I would also thank Dr. John D. Cooney and Mrs. Elizabeth Riefstahl of the Brooklyn Museum for their many kindnesses, as well as Dr. Drioton of Cairo, Dr. Grapow of Berlin and Professor Garnot of Paris. The memory of the help of others, such as the late Professors Sethe, Gunn, and Breasted, will always remain with me. And the published works of these three scholars, together with those especially of Professor Kees, have been my daily companions. I have an especially deep sense of gratitude to express to the writers of Excursuses, Professors Drioton, Kees, Garnot, Schott, van de Walle, M. Lacau, and Mr. Robert Briggs, in whose essays I have followed as closely as possible the form in which they were submitted to me. The assistance of the Reverend Father Keller, a former pupil of mine, not only in many details in the preparation of this work, but also and especially in the full and complete indexes to the translation which he has contributed, has been a great help and a priceless contribution. Also his map, made especially for the Pyramid Texts, will be found to serve its purpose well. In reading proof, Father Keller and Mr. Briggs have not only avoided many an error in detail, but have also made valuable contributions to the interpretation and illustration of many a difficult passage. Finally, Miss Seville Marshall, who has typed these hundreds of pages, has accomplished, as an expert in her art, a first-class task. But this work could not have been published had it not had the good fortune of receiving a substantial grant from the Zion Research Foundation, who have already on other occasions shown their enlightened interest in the publication of works in the realm of Biblical and religious research. To this Foundation, and especially to their secretary, Mr. Wilfred B. Wells, and board, the author expresses his most cordial thanks. Nor could the work of printing and publishing have been so efficiently and satisfactorily done without the cordial cooperation of Messrs. Longmans, Green and Company, who have done everything in their power to satisfy us.

SAMUEL A. B. MERCER

Worcester, MassachusettsAugust, 1952

Introduction

The famous Pyramid Texts herein translated for the first time in English with commentary were found inscribed on the walls of five pyramids at Saḳḳâreh, the ancient necropolis of Memphis in Egypt. These pyramids are those of the kings Unis of the Fifth Dynasty, and Teti, Pepi I, Merenrē’ and Pepi II of the Sixth Dynasty. To this translation has been added that of recently discovered additional texts, parallel and complementary, in the pyramids of Oudjebten, Neit, and Apouit, queens of Pepi II, and of Ibi, a king of the Seventh Dynasty, of whom little historically is known. Thus, according to the present generally accepted chronology, these pyramids were constructed, and apparently inscribed, between the years about 2350 to 2175 B.C. It is, however, certain that many of these texts came into existence before the final union of Upper and Lower Egypt, and perhaps long before that date, which is now put at about 3000 B.C. Indeed, some of them possibly existed in oral form before the art of writing was developed. These inscriptions together with others were after that probably written on papyrus and potsherds, many of which in time perished, the rest remaining in various forms until they were collected and incised on the walls of the Saḳḳâreh h pyramids. Evidence of a date previous to about 3000 B.C. is seen in passages which reflect events and conditions previous to the union of the two Lands, for example, the hostility between North and South, before the time of the first king, Menes; in the mode of burying bodies of the dead in the sand; in the pre-civilized era reflected in the so-called Cannibal Hymn; and in the many references to the assembling of the bones of the deceased, passages which indicate a pre-mummification period. And in the historic period various chronological points can be established with fair certainty, such as the time of the Second Dynasty, when both Horus and Set were in favour in royal circles; references to previously written material such as the “Chapter of those who ascend” and the “Chapter of those who raise themselves up,” 1245d-e, indicating a time in the historic period in which writing became common; and the formulae for the protection of pyramids, such as, Uts. 600-601, which represent a date after the time of the construction of pyramids. So that the myths and legends, the history and philosophy, the hopes and fears of people (subjects as well as monarchs) of many hundreds of years were finally inscribed in enduring stone, which over four thousand years removed from our time, may now be read with comparative ease and certainty, thanks to the modern discipline of archaeological research and philology. The extent of this written material may be appreciated in saying that it takes well over a thousand pages of two quarto volumes to contain it. In the standard modern edition of the original text, together with parallels and additions from the pyramids of Pepi II, Neit, and others, there are about 7000 lines, most of which are parallels, of more or less completeness of the estimated 2500 lines, which occur in one or other of the pyramids; for most of the utterances occur in more than one pyramid, but very few are repeated in all these pyramids. Thus, the pyramid of Unis has only two hundred and eight utterances out of a total of over seven hundred and thirty; and they with those of the pyramid of Teti are among the oldest in the collection.

A general idea of the contents of this mass of literary material may be seen in the detailed list of Contents preceding this Introduction; but that does not mean that these texts present a coherent whole, for they do not; and while there are clearly three outstanding elements in them, namely, Solar Theology, Religion and Myths of Osiris, and the Political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, yet the following seven points may be taken to represent the whole collection with fair general accuracy: 1) A funerary ritual of mortuary offerings, connected with the corporeal reconstitution and resurrection of the deceased king, 2) Magical formulae to ward against harm and evil, 3) A ritual of worship, 4) Religious hymns, 5) Mythical formulae, identifying the deceased king with certain deities, 6) Prayers and petitions on behalf of the deceased king, and 7) The greatness and power of the deceased king in heaven.

These pyramid texts were royal texts, and during the Old Kingdom there is no evidence that the people ever took them to themselves and used them in their own tombs. However, at the end of the Sixth Dynasty, Neit, one of the queens of Pepi II, had them applied to herself, though the second person and third person masculine singular were often used and applied to her; but during the Middle Kingdom the use of them spread to the nobles, and in the New Kingdom parts of them were incorporated in the popular Theban Book of the Dead. And doubtless because of their sanctity little attempt was made to put them in accord with changed circumstances.

When these small pyramids were built and inscribed the age of the great pyramids, like those at Giza, had passed, and with it the sense of royal security after this life. The great pyramids had been entered in spite of their thousands of tons of masonry, and kings came to look elsewhere for the assurance of a happy and glorious hereafter. They turned to religion and magic. By mortuary offerings and funerary rites the deceased king was armed for his future life; and by magic he was endowed with physical and spiritual power, becoming a great god and associating with the gods, to avoid whatever in the world to come might otherwise compromise his destiny. The purpose of these royal texts then was to guarantee the deceased king’s resurrection and new-birth, his transfiguration and divinity, his successful journey to heaven, and his immortality there with the other gods. There in heaven as a great god, sometimes as the greatest of all the, gods, the deceased king was believed to be able to overcome all difficulties by his own might, or by identifying himself with other gods.

In the earliest of these texts two very ancient doctrines may be discerned: that of the old heaven-god, perhaps Horus the elder, in which the deceased king as a star was prominent, and that of the sun-god where the deceased as the sun-god was contemplated. But the two were harmonized doubtless at a very early period, when the celestial abode of the heaven- and star-gods became identified with that of the solar deities. But what we do see more clearly in the Pyramid Texts are the two opposing systems of theological thought, that of Rē’ of Heliopolis and that of Osiris. The Pyramid Texts were largely solar, but long before the texts were inscribed in the pyramids of Saḳḳâreh, there existed Osirian texts as well as Solar ones, though there is reason to believe that the learned men and scribes of Heliopolis were the first to make collections of their texts. And gradually as such collections were being made, there was a tendency to include Osirian texts, as well as, an effort on the part of Osirians to facilitate the entrance of their texts into the great Solar collections (cf. Excursus XXVII), with the result that there was a redaction continually going on, in which not only was the name of Osiris introduced into the collections, especially as an epithet of the king, such as Osiris Teti, but also the name of the solar king was introduced into original Osirian texts. However, the great bulk of the texts remained solar and celestial with comparatively little trace of the underworld character of the Osirian faith. There are also traces in these texts of other systems of theological thought than the Heliopolitan and Osirian, namely, those of Memphis and Hermopolis.

As one reads these ancient texts, there is a primitiveness about them which is not unexpected, though they are never naive. There is much repetition, not much order, contradictions, errors, and sometimes what appear to be ridiculous statements, but in spite of all that, real poetic passages and consistent reasoning are not lacking. There is the art to create images, figures of speech, and metaphores in beautiful and choice language. There are paronomasiae, parallelisms, litanies, and hymns. There are poetic expressions, such as 567a-c; real lyrics, like Ut. 362; symbolical expressions, such as 681d; and really fine bits, like 307a-c. There are proverbs, such as 396d; and adages, such as 444e. The most symmetrically and mechanically arranged utterance in the whole collection is Ut. 575, which reminds one of Ps. 119. But the overall characteristic of these texts is their religious and funerary, their magical, mythological, and astronomic expressions, interpretations, and predispositions.

Auguste Mariette had the distinction, in the later part of his life, of being the modern discoverer of the inscribed pyramids at Saḳḳâreh,, but it was Maspero in 1880 working under Mariette’s direction, who discovered the first set of Pyramid Texts. They were those inscribed on the walls of the sarcophagus chamber of the pyramid of Pepi I. Following that, he found texts in the pyramids of Unis of the Fifth Dynasty, as well as in the pyramids of Teti, Merenrē’, and Pepi II, in addition to Pepi I, all of the Sixth Dynasty. This work of discovery of pyramid texts did not find a continuation until the years 1920 and 1936, when the Swiss Egyptologist, Jéquier, discovered texts in the pyramids of Oudjebten, Neit, and Apouit, queens of Pepi II, and in that of Ibi, an obscure king of the Seventh Dynasty, besides clearing that of Pepi II, whom Sethe records as N. (Neferkarē’).

These texts usually occupy the walls of the sarcophagus chamber except the west side, and are so disposed that the deceased king in his sarcophagus might spiritually see and read them. Texts are also on the walls of the antechamber, on the horizontal passages, and some are on the walls of the vestibule and even on those of the ramp. They are normally in vertical columns, incised on the limestone walls, some excellently done as in the pyramids of Unis and Pepi II, others very crudely done as in that of Ibi.

As Maspero was the discoverer of the Pyramid Texts, so be was the first to make an edition and translation of them. These were all the pyramid texts which were known at the time of their publication in 1894. And in view of what we now know about the difficulties of the Pyramid Texts, this edition and translation were evidence of the genius of the great master. Even today many of his translations accord with the best that is known on those passages, which is an indication of his great learning and insight.

For years before the beginning of this century Kurt Sethe, whose name will be forever associated with the Pyramid Texts, was deeply interested in everything which concerned them. He as well as other trained Egyptologists realized that the earlier copy of the texts was often incorrect, and that a new and scientifically copied edition was a necessity. Accordingly, taking advantage of the work of Dr. Heintze and Ludwig Borchardt, who were in Egypt taking impressions and photographs of the Pyramid Texts for slips in preparation for the making of the great Berlin Wörterbuch der Aegyptischen Sprache, Sethe made use of their material in preparing a new edition of the Pyramid Texts. And no Egyptologist was more thoroughly prepared for such an undertaking than Kurt Sethe. And so he began the critical and exacting task of constructing a text principally on the basis of the five versions Unis, Teti, Pepi I, Merenrē’, and Pepi II, which was finished and published in 1908-1910 in two great quarto volumes of over a thousand pages of hieroglyphic text, which is now the standard text. To accompany the text, he followed them with a third volume of critical apparatus in 1922 and a fourth of epigraphy in the same year. Thus the great work of giving to the world the text of the oldest collection of mythical, religious, and literary material in existence was finished. However, the text was marred by one blemish, but not due to the science of Sethe. It was due to the fact that a considerable Portion of the texts in the five pyramids was broken, damaged and destroyed--a condition which may never be completely remedied. It is along this line that Egyptologists who were specialists in these texts have been working since the time of Sethe. Already considerable progress has been made in the discovery of texts, anciently copied from the texts in these five pyramids, before they were damaged, and recorded elsewhere; in a further study of the walls of the five pyramids themselves; and in the discovery and publishing of new pyramids and tombs with parallel and additional texts, all which will be used in the future, but not till after many years of archaeological research in Egypt, in the construction of a more complete text. Already between 1920 and 1936 Jéquier discovered at Saḳḳâreh similar texts in the pyramids of Oudjebten, Neit, and Apouit of the Sixth Dynasty and of Ibi of the Seventh Dynasty; in 1932 the Egyptian Expedition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art discovered in the cemetery surrounding the pyramid of Se’n-Wosret I at Lisht the tomb of an official of the Twelfth Dynasty named Se’n-Wosret-’Ankh, containing a long series of inscriptions drawn from the Pyramid Texts, and published in 1937; and in 1935 William C. Hayes published the “Royal Sarcophagi of the Eighteenth Dynasty,” containing parts of the Pyramid Texts, which are useful in filling some lacunae in the Saḳḳâreh texts. Then older publications are useful, such as that of de Morgan in 1894-1895 of similar texts in a private tomb at Dahshûr; that of Firth and Gunn in 1926 of texts in the Teti Pyramid Cemeteries at Saḳḳâreh; and that of Borchardt in 1913 of similar texts in the mortuary temple of Sahurē’ at Abuṣîr. Then there are the Coffin Texts of the Middle Kingdom and the Theban Book of the Dead of the New Kingdom, which contain Pyramid Texts in modified and further modified form; as well as tombs of kings, such as that of Seti I, and of private individuals, which contain Pyramid Texts sometimes in quite exact quotation. All these and others may be drawn upon in the future construction of a still more perfect version of the famous ancient Pyramid Texts of Saḳḳâreh. Quite recently T. G. Allen of the University of Chicago has published a most useful guide to all parallel and illustrative Egyptian texts at present known in his valuable book, Occurrences of Pyramid Texts with cross Indexes of these and other Egyptian Mortuary Texts, Chicago, 1950.

After the publication of his text, Sethe’s next concern was to prepare a translation with a commentary. The central thought in his busy years of research as soon as the text was published was directed towards that purpose, and by 1929 he was ready to begin. He was master of an immense accumulation of philological, historical, and religious facts in the field of ancient Egyptian literature, and with him were associated co-workers and colleagues, such as Lange, Grapow, and Sander-Hansen. He began with Ut. 2 13 and by the time of his death in 1934 had finished up to and including Ut. 506, or less than one half of the text as he had published it. It remained for a commission of his associates to carry on the work. This they began to do immediately after the great master’s death.

Sethe’s translation and commentary on Uts. 213-506 was not ready for the printer. It needed revising, especially in the later portions, and writing. The Commission received the material left by Sethe and published it much as it was. Before the beginning of the war in 1939 four volumes of translation and commentary were published, which included Uts. 213-506, or between one-third and one-half of the whole. A fifth volume is said to be in preparation.

Not counting the early and tentative translation by Maspero in 1894, Sethe’s is the only translation--itself only between one-third and one-half of the whole--in any language of the Pyramid Texts, except one made in French by L. Speleers, a Belgian Egyptologist in 1923-1924, remade in 1934, but without a commentary. No translation in any other language has so far been published. Individual scholars have translated portions here and there for their use in works on various aspects of ancient Egyptian religion and thought, philology and literature, customs and history, such as Kees, Junker, Drioton, Weill, Breasted, Gardiner, Gunn, Sander-Hansen, etc.

The present translation is thus, the only complete one with full commentary in any language. It is not as full as that part of Sethe’s which is finished, but it has been planned to be more concise in its comments, leaving longer comments on important points for a series of Excursuses, so as not to interfere with the proportioned flow of comment on the current text. But it has been able to make use of large portions of the pyramids of Pepi II and Neit as well as of publications of other pyramids, tombs, and sarcophagi brought to light since Sethe’s day. It has thus added over four hundred lines to the text, besides, filling some smaller lacunae here and there.

It is not claimed to be a definitive translation, because we have not yet a definitive text. Such a text and translation may never be able to be made, because of quite natural causes. But with the further discovery of new texts and a complete comparison with all extant later parallels in texts already published as well as yet unpublished a future text and translation will be called for. For that reason, in this present translation use has been made of material later than the time of the Pyramid Texts themselves only when it was thought to have some light to throw upon a problem difficult of solution, or when it gave a new meaning to a passage. In other words, this is an interim translation and commentary of the Pyramid Texts for the use not only of Egyptologists but likewise of students of religions and comparative religions, of literature and comparative literature, of the history of ideas and customs, and of culture and civilization in general. There is published with it a complete apparatus for general use such as an analysis of each utterance with a discussion of its date, a series of Excursuses on important subjects, a full glossary of useful terms, phrases, and subjects, and a full index to the translation.

In translating and interpreting these texts many things have had to be taken into consideration and many allowances have had to be made. It must he remembered that many of these old utterances or discourses are veritable magic formulae to procure for the deceased king all kinds of material satisfaction, to protect him against any enemies he may meet on his way to the other world, and to procure for him an eternal life; and that very often place names refer to celestial locations and not to ancient places in Egypt. In keeping with their general magical character, most if not all of these utterances begin with the expression dd mdw, which is a rubrical direction “to say,” that is, the words are to be spoken or recited by someone, often a lector-priest, sometimes the deceased king himself, and sometimes by him in the first person. The rubric sometimes directs that the petition be repeated four times. There is evidence that some of the utterances were written in the first person singular, and were later changed to the third person singular. Ut. 506 is a good example of a text which was surely in the first person singular originally, but in general in translations the third person has been used unless the form of the first person has been reproduced in the hieroglyphic text. It has been useful to notice when the first person is used, for it is one of the signs of an early date for the text in which it is found, for example, Uts. 325 and 563 are late, and one of the indications is that the third person singular is always used. On the whole, the determination of the date of a text is rather uncertain, and sometimes impossible. There can be no systematic ordering of the dates as J. E. D. P. of Old Testament criticism. Nor is n, the sign of the genitive, a sure guide of date, its presence indicating a late and its absence an early date, as the occurrence and the absence of the n in the same sentence or compound sentence proves, Cf. 2056c.

Among the texts of the Saḳḳâreh pyramids there is evidence of redaction of some of them, thus, Ut. 55 is a re-writing for kings of the historic period of an older text, composed for the predynastic kings of Buto; and some long utterances are made up of independent short parts, with some changes added by the redactor, e.g. Ut. 468. Indeed the Pyramid Texts are to a large extent a composition, compiling, and joining of earlier texts. Moreover, there are corruptions in the texts, mistakes in writing, errors in grammar and syntax, contradictions and confusions, expressions which seem ridiculous, and illogical expressions, most of which have been referred to in the Commentary on the text where they occur. There are numerous paronomasiae and words of double meaning; and superstition led to the mutilation of hieroglyphic signs of creatures which were thought, if left whole, may be capable of injuring the deceased king, and the fish for the same reason was used only once (218c, N.) in the inscriptions in his burial chamber.

As there is a minimum of classification and order in the sequence of the texts, a list of Contents of the Pyramid Texts precedes this Introduction. Therein an attempt has been made to find groups of texts without disturbing the sequence of the text in Sethe’s edition. Consequently it often happens that we are obliged to group some texts under the heading “Texts of Miscellaneous Contents.” However, there are many instances where texts grouped in Sethe’s edition form a natural and often perfect group, e.g. the Serpent Charms of Uts. 226-244, or the Ferryman Texts, Uts. 300-337.

In translations an honest effort has been made to express the sense of the original in English, with the result that many translations are literal instead of free, thus in 1004d the original is translated “at the voice of lamentation” instead of “at the sound of lamentation,” so that the English will be apt to be stilted instead of elegant. As in all ancient languages, particles, such as adverbs, and conjunctions are rare, with the result that it is often not easy to make the correct sequence or dependence, rendering the sense of the sentence or passage uncertain. Again the same word in different contexts may require varied renderings, such as the word ȝgb which means “flood,” “abundance,” or “violence,” in accordance with the context. To save as much space as possible, very few alternative translations have been introduced, where in many cases the same phrase or sentence could be rendered in different ways. In most lines of the Pyramid Texts the line as it appears in two or more pyramids is given; in other words, in Sethe’s edition every line is given in as many pyramids as it occurs; so as a rule the earliest text is the one followed in translating the line unless one of the other pyramids has decidedly the best text. Where important differences occur, they are pointed out in the commentary; but where differences are not helpful in interpretation they are not always noted. Nor are variants in other texts not in the Sethe edition referred to unless they are useful in a better understanding of the meaning of the text. Whenever “to say” occurs if in only one of the parallel pyramids, it is used in the translation. In the Commentary on Uts. 213-506, Sethe’s discussions were ever before me, and I felt myself constrained by his logic and learning to follow him, but wherever I felt that another solution to a problem of interpretation was better though different from his I have not hesitated to use it. In other words, in those utterances, Sethe became my standard unless I could improve on it, as I often did, I believe, in the light of additional Nt. or N. texts, or still later texts, or comparative literature or religion. In all my comments, I have felt free to draw upon any sources, especially ancient ones, whenever I felt the need of an illustrative idea or custom. But I have been unable to take advantage of some of the new points made by my colleagues in their Excursuses, due to a difference of date in the completion of the earlier parts of this work and the arrival of their manuscript. At the same time, obvious remarks have been avoided as much as possible, and only important differences and similarities between lines, paragraphs, and utterances have been noted. Minor errors, whether in the original hieroglyphics, or in Sethe’s text, are not always noted, neither are the presence or absence of an ’i prosthetic, or a genitival n always mentioned, nor has the analysis of the utterances been too meticulous in unessential matters, for as the German proverb has it:

“Wer auf jede Feder acht,Nie das Bette fertig macht.”

The Excursuses are meant to treat subjects ordinarily too large for the Commentary, but the discussion is confined to the Pyramid Texts, except for parallel and illustrative matter. The Glossary is meant to give a brief description or definition of important words, names, phrases, and subjects which occur in the Translation and Commentary, with as a rule only one reference, usually the most important one. Other references may be found in the Commentary, in the Index, or in Speleers’ excellent Vocabulary. The List of Abbreviations applies to the chief works actually used in this book; and the Index which follows is that to the Translation alone, but which naturally serves the Commentary as well. On account of the lack of hieroglyphic type only a few hieroglyphs, considered essential in the comments, have been used, and are collected together on three plates at the end of the work, but referred to in the Commentary by plate and number. With a few exceptions of names of a general character, only those found in the Translation and Commentary are entered in the map, which appears at the end of the last volume.

As noted above, the only scientific edition of the hieroglyphic texts of the inscribed pyramids was made by Sethe in 1908-1910. The texts form a collection of 714 utterances or chapters, and although most of the utterances occur in more than one pyramid and very few are repeated in all the pyramids in which the texts are found, many of them are damaged and incomplete wherever they are found in the texts published by Sethe. However, since the time of Sethe’s publication similar texts have been found in other pyramids at Saḳḳâreh of the Sixth and Seventh Dynasties as well as in private tombs of the Middle Kingdom, and which have been published, and are specified above. A study of these additional texts has made it possible for me to add in translation 386 lines to the approximately 6500 lines in Sethe’s hieroglyphic edition, and to make 57 larger restorations, besides many smaller ones, amounting to about 40 additional lines, making in all an addition of about 426 lines, in translation, to Sethe’s original edition. The confirmation from texts not available to Sethe of his restorations are not recorded in these lists, but they are given in the Commentary (e.g. that in 130, while emendations and restorations as well as all substantial additions are mentioned in the comments on the lines where they occur. Therefore, for convenience of reference to the published hieroglyphic texts, there follow here two lists, the first a list of the added lines, and the second a list of the larger restorations. The additions as well as the restorations, larger and smaller, are also recorded, at their appropriate places in the Commentary:

ADDED LINES

40c-40u, - Nt. - Jéquier, - XII - 283-301

41a-43b, - “ - “ - “ - 302-308

45a-1 to 49 + 12, - “ - “ - “ - 309-328

68i-q, - N. - “ - V - 392+ I to 392 + 9

1059b + 1 to 1059b + 5, - Nt. - “ - XIV - 1055 + 47-52, andJéquier, XXVI 700-XXVII. 706

1060 + 1, - N. - “ - XIV - 1055 + 49

1061a + f to 1061a + 2, - Nt. - “ - XXVII - 704, and N. Jéquier, XIV 1055 + 50

1061c + 1 to 1061c + 4, - N. - Jéquier, - XIV - 1055 + 5, and Nt. Jéquier, XXVII 705-706

1063c-e, - Teti, - Firth and Gunn, -   - 235

1582a-1586, - Nt. - Jéquier, - VIII - 14-17

1675a-b, - N. - “ - VII - 709 + 40

1676c, - “ - “ - VII - 709 + 41

1676c + 1, - “ - “ - VII - 709 + 42

1757, - Nt. - “ - VIII - 1

1758b, - “ - “ - VIII - 1

1761c, - “ - “ - VIII - 4

1763a, - “ - “ - XXXI - 806

1764a, - “ - “ - “ - 807

1785a, - N. - “ - I - 171

1792, - “ - “ - V - 474

1793a + 1, - N. - Jéquier, - V - 475

1793b, - “ - “ - “ - 475-476

1824f-g - Nt. - “ - XIII - 361-363

1825a-1 and 1825a-2, - “ - “ - “ - 358-359

1828a, - “ - “ - “ - 363-364

1831a + 1 to 1831a + 5, - “ - “ - XIII - 366-368

1832a + 1, - “ - “ - “ - 370

1832b + 1 to 1832b + 14, - “ - “ - “ - 371-375

1845a, - N. - “ - I - 576

1845c, - “ - “ - “ - 577

1846b, - “ - “ - “ - 577

1854b, - “ - “ - VII - 580

1857a, - “ - “ - “ - 582

1859, - “ - “ - “ - 583

1859 + 1 to 1859 + 11, - “ - “ - “ - 583 to 583 + 3

1882a-1 to 1882d, - “ - “ - “ - 709 + 20 to 709 + 21

1883a-d, - “ - “ - “ - 709 + 2 1 to 709 + 22

1884-1897, - “ - “ - “ - 583 + 4 to 583 + 10

1898a-b, - “ - “ - IX - 719 + 20, and Nt. Jéquier, XXV 658

1899c-f, - N. - Jéquier, - IX - 719 + 20 to 719 +21, and Nt. Jéquier, XXV 659-660

1900a-b, - Nt. - Jéquier, - XXV - 660

1901a, - N. - “ - IX - 719 + 21

1901b, - Nt. - “ - XXV - 661

1902a, - “ - “ - “ - 661-662

1902b, - “ - “ - “ - 662

1902e, - “ - “ - “ - 663

1903b, - “ - “ - “ - 663-664

1903c, - “ - “ - “ - 664

1904a, - N. - “ - IX - 719 +23, and Nt. Jéquier, XXV 664

1904b, - N. - Jéquier, - IX - 719 + 23

1905a, - “ - “ - “ - 219+23

1905b, - Nt. - “ - XXV - 665

1906a-e, - “ - “ - “ - 665-667

1907a-e, - “ - “ - “ - 667-668

1908d-e, - “ - “ - XXVIII - 729-730

1909a, - “ - “ - XVII - 480

1909b, - “ - “ - XXVIII - 130

1909c, - Nt. - Jéquier, - XXVIII - 731

1910b-c, - “ - “ - “ - 731-732

1911-1 to 1911-2, - “ - “ - “ - 732

1911, - “ - “ - “ - 732-733

1912b, N. - “ - “ - IX - 719 + 27

1912c-d, - Nt. - “ - XXVIII - 733-734

1913-1, - “ - “ - “ - 734

1913a, - “ - “ - “ - 734

1914a-c, - N. - “ - VI - 709 + 2

1914d-f, - Nt. - “ - XXVIII - 735-736

1916-1, - “ - “ - “ - 737

1916-2, - N. - “ - VI - 709 + 4

1916-3, - Nt. - “ - XXVIII - 738

1916a-b, - “ - “ - “ - 738-739

1917, - “ - “ - “ - 739

1818, - “ - “ - “ - 739

1919a, - “ - “ - “ - 739-740

1919b, - N. - “ - VI - 709 + 6

1919c, - Nt. - “ - XXVIII - 740

1920a-b, - “ - “ - “ - 740

1921-1, - “ - “ - “ - 741

1921-2, - “ - “ - “ - 741

1921-3, - “ - “ - “ - 741

1921, - “ - “ - XXVIII - 741-742

1921 + 1 to 192 1 + 6, - “ - “ - “ - 742-743

1922, - “ - “ - “ - 743

1922 + 1 to 1922 + 7, - “ - “ - “ - 744-745

1924 + 1 to 1924 + 3, - “ - “ - “ - 746

1924+4, - “ - “ - “ - 747

1925, - “ - “ - “ - 747

1926a +1 to 1926a + 2, - “ - “ - “ - 747-748

1926a. + 3, - N. - “ - “ - 709 + 16 and Nt. Jéquier, XXIX 749

1927a-1 to 192 7a-2, - N. - Jéquier, - VI - 709 + 16

1927a-3, - Nt. - “ - XXIX - 750

1927a, - “ - “ - “ - 750-751

1927c + 1 to 1927c + 5, - “ - “ - “ - 752-754

1927c + 6 to 1927c + 7, - N. - “ - VI - 709 + 18

1929, - Nt. - “ - XXIX - 757

1930-1, - “ - “ - “ - 758

1930-2, - N. - Jéquier, - VI - 709 +19

1930-3 to 1930-5, - Nt. - “ - XIX - 759-760

1930+ 1, - N. - “ - “ - 709 + 2, Nt. Jéquier, XXIX 761

1931-1 to 1931-3, - Nt. - Jéquier - XXIX - 761-762

1932, - “ - “ - “ - 763

1932 + 4 - “ - “ - “ - 763

1933a (differs from Sethe 1933a), - “ - “ - XXIX - 763

1933b (differs from Sethe 1933a), - “ - “ - “ - 764

1933b + 1 to 1933b + 4, - “ - “ - XXIX - 764-765

1934a, - “ - “ - “ - 765

1934 + 1 to 1934 + 3, - “ - “ - XXX - 766

1935-1 to 1935, - “ - “ - “ - 766-767

1936b, - “ - “ - “ - XXX 767

1936 + 1 to 1936b + 5, - “ - “ - “ - 768-769

1938b, - “ - “ - “ - 769

1938b + 1, - “ - “ - “ - 769

1939-1 to 1939-4, - “ - “ - “ - 769-770

1939+ 1, - “ - “ - “ - 771

1940, - “ - “ - “ - 771

1940 + 1 to 1940 +6, - “ - “ - “ - 771-772

1941b + 1 to 1941b + 3, - “ - “ - “ - 773-774

1942b + 1, - “ - “ - “ - 774-775

1943a-1 to 1943a-3, - “ - “ - “ - 775

1943a, - “ - “ - “ - 775-776

1944a + 1 to 1944a-4, - “ - “ - “ - 776-778

1945c + 1, - “ - “ - “ - 778-779

1946a-1 to 1946a-3, - “ - “ - “ - 779

1946a, - “ - “ - “ - 779-780

1947b + 1 to 1947b + 6, - “ - “ - “ - 780-781

1948c + 1 to 1948c + 3, - “ - “ - XVII - 491

1948c + 4 to 1948c + 7, - “ - “ - “ - 491-492

1949-1, - “ - “ - XXX - 783

1950c + 1, - “ - “ - “ - 784

1950C + 2, - “ - “ - “ - 784

1951-1 to 1951-2, - “ - “ - “ - 784

1952 + 1 to 1952 + 6, - “ - “ - “ - 785-786

1955a-i, - “ - “ - “ - 787

1958b+1, - N. - Jéquier, - X - 744

1960a-1 to 1960a-2, - “ - “ - “ - 750

1962a + 1 to 1962a + 2, - “ - “ - “ - 755

1966c, - “ - “ - “ - 756

2120a, - Nt. - “ - XXXII - 819

2123a, - “ - “ - “ - 822-823

2126a-1 to 2126a-6, - “ - “ - “ - 822-828

2126a, - “ - “ - “ - 828-829

2126b + 1 to 2126b + 2, - “ - “ - “ - 829-830

2127a-1 to 2127a-2, - “ - “ - “ - 830

2127a, - “ - “ - “ - 831

2127b + 1 to 2127b +4, - “ - “ - “ - 832-833

2128a-1, - “ - “ - “ - 833-834

2128a, - “ - “ - “ - 834

2128b + 1 to 2128b +4, - “ - “ - “ - 834-835

2130 + 3 to 2130 + 4, - N. - “ - XI - 1013

2131 + 5, - “ - “ - “ - 1014

2133 +4, - “ - “ - “ - 1016

2136 + 1 to 2136 + 2, - “ - “ - “ - 1016 + 1

2136 + 4 to 2136 + 6, - “ - “ - “ - 1016 + 2

2136b + 1, - “ - “ - XII - 1050

2066b, - “ - “ - “ - 1051

2168 + 1 to 2168 + 6, - “ - “ - “ - 1054-1055 + 4

2176a + 2, - “ - “ - XX – 1309

LARGER RESTORATIONS

12b, - N. - Jéquier - II - 213, and Ib. Jéquier, III 27

16e, - Nt. - “ - IX - 68; cf. Hayes Se’n-Wosret-’Ankh, IV 293

1062, - Nt. - Jéquier, - XXVII - 706

1739a + 1, - N. - “ - XXIV - 1350 + 74-75

1745b, - “ - “ - XX - 1315

1757, - Nt. - “ - VIII - 1

1761a, - Nt. - Jéquier, - VIII - 3

1855c, - N. - “ - VII - 581

1859 + 1 to 1859 + 11, - “ - “ - VI-VII - 583 to 583 + 3

1902c, - N. - Jéquier, - IX - 719 + 22, and Nt. Jéquier, XXV 662

1902d, - Nt. - Jéquier, - XXV - 662

1923, - “ - “ - XXIX - 745

1924, - “ - “ - “ - 745

1927b, - “ - “ - “ - 751

1927c, - “ - “ - “ - 752

1929c, - “ - “ - “ - 757

1930 (Sethe 19390a), - “ - “ - “ - 760

1913a-b, - “ - “ - “ - 762

1942a, - “ - “ - XXX - 774

1943b, - “ - “ - “ - 776

1945c, - “ - “ - “ - 778

1947b, - “ - “ - “ - 780

1948a, - “ - “ - “ - 781

1949, - “ - “ - “ - 783

1950c, - “ - “ - “ - 783

1951a, - “ - “ - “ - 785

1964c, - N. - “ - X - 756

1966b, - “ - “ - “ - 756

1969a, - “ - “ - “ - 758

1970b, - “ - “ - “ - 759

1970d, - “ - “ - “ - 759

1994a, - Nt. - “ - XXII - 601-602

2083b, - “ - “ - VII - 28

2118c, - “ - “ - XXII - 600-601

2121a, - “ - “ - XXXII - 820

2121b, - “ - “ - “ - 820-821

2122b, - “ - “ - “ - 821-822

2123b, - “ - “ - “ - 823

2124a, - “ - “ - “ - 824

2124b, - “ - “ - “ - 824

2125b, - “ - “ - “ - 825

2126b, - “ - “ - “ - 829

2127b, - “ - “ - “ - 831

2128b, - “ - “ - “ - 834

2134, - N. - “ - XI - 1016

2136, - “ - “ - XI - 1016 + 1

2156b, - “ - “ - XII - 1039

2163b, - N. - Jéquier, - XII - 1047

2163c, - “ - “ - “ - 1048

2168, - “ - “ - “ - 1053

2176b, - “ - “ - XX – 1309

For reasons given in the Commentary at the points under consideration a few changes in the numbering of lines and utterances have had to be made, a list of which follows:

CHANGES IN NUMBERING OF LINES

CHANGES IN NUMBERING OF UTTERANCES

Ut. 665  (§§ 1898-1907)“  665A (§§ 1908-1918)“  665B (§§ 1919-1930 + 1)“  666  (1931-1 to 1934)

=Sethe 665A (§§ 1898-1916)Sethe, Ut. 666 (§§1917-1933)

Ut. 667  (§§ 1934 + 1 to 1942b + 1)“  667A (§§ 1943a-1 to 1948c + 3)“  667B (§§ 1948c + 4 to 1948c + 7)“  667C (§§ 1949-1 to 1958b + 1)=Sethe, Ut. 667 (§§ 1934-1958)

Ut. 691 (§§ 2120-2125)“  691A (§§ 2126a-1 to 2126b + 2)“  691B (§§ 2127a-1 to 2128b + 4)“  691C (§§ 2129-1 to 2136+6)=Sethe, Ut. 691 (§§ 2120- 2136)

Ut. 696 (§§ 2163 to 2168 + 6)=Sethe, Ut. 696 (§§ 2163-2168)

I. Nut And The Deceased King

Utterances 1-11

Utterance 1.

1a. To say by Nut, the brilliant, the great: This is (my) son, (my) first born, N., opener of (my) womb;

1b. this is (my) beloved, with whom I have been satisfied.

Utterance 2.

1c. To say by Geb: This is (my) son, N., of (my) body -----

1d. --------

Utterance 3.

2a. To say by Nut, the great, who is within the lower mansion: This is (my) son, N., (my) beloved,

2b. (my) eldest (son), (who is) upon the throne of Geb, with whom he has been satisfied,

2c. to whom he gave his inheritance in the presence of the Great Ennead.

3a. All the gods are in exultation; they say: “How beautiful is N., with whom his father Geb is satisfied!

Utterance 4.

A To say by Nut: N., I have given to thee thy sister Isis,

3c. that she may take hold of thee, that she may give thy heart to thee which belongs to thy body.

Utterance 5.

3d. To say by Nut: N., I have given to thee thy sister Nephthys,

3e. that she may take hold of thee, that she may give thy heart to thee which belongs to thy body.

Utterance 6.

4a. To say by Nut-Nekhbet, the great: This is (my) beloved, N., (my) son;

4b. I have given the horizons to him, that he may be powerful over them like Harachte.

4c. All the gods say: “It is a truth that thy beloved among thy children is N.,

4d. to whom one will do service of courtier for ever.”

Utterance 7.

5a. To say by Nut, the great, (who is) within the encircled mansion: This is (my) son N., of (my) heart.

5b. I have given to him the Dȝ.t, that he may be chief therein, like Horus, chief of the Dȝ.t.

5c. All the gods say (to Nut):

5d. “Thy father Shu knows that thou lovest N. more than thy mother Tefnut.”

Utterance 8.

6. He lives, king of Upper and Lower Egypt, beloved of Rē’, living for ever.

Utterance 9.

7a. Horus [lives], beloved of the two lands, N., king of Upper and Lower Egypt, N., of the two goddesses beloved bodily, N., lords of Ombos, N.

7b. Heir of Geb, whom he loves, N., beloved of all the gods, N., given life, endurance, joy, health, all happiness, like Rē’.

Utterance 10.

8a. Horus lives, living apparition of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, N.,

8b. (of the land of) the two goddesses, living apparition, N.,

8c. (of the land of) the two lords (of Ombos), N.,

8d. Osiris, lord of the Dȝ.t, N.,

8e. the beloved son of Geb, N.,

8f. son of Nut, opener of her body (womb), N.,

8g. endowed with life, endurance, joy, health, like Rē’, eternally.

Utterance 11.

8h. To say by Nut: I unite thy beauty with this body (and with) this ba, for life, endurance, joy, health

8i. of Horus, divine apparition, king of Upper and Lower Egypt, N. (of the land of) the two goddesses, divine apparition, N.,

8j. powerful lord (of Ombos), N., living eter[nally].

II. Ritual Of Bodily Restoration Of The Deceased, And Offerings

Utterances 12-203

Utterances 12-19.

12.

9a. --------------------------------------------

13.

9b. To say: I give to thee thy head; I fasten for thee thy head to (thy) bones.

14.

9c. To say: I give to him his eyes, that he may be satisfied. Offering of food and drink.

15.

9d. To say: Geb has given to thee thine eyes, that thou mayest be satisfied -----

16.

10a. eye of Horus. One nmś.t--jar of water.

17.

10b. To say: Thot, he has given his head to him. A pitcher of water.

18.

10c. To say: He has caused it to be brought to him. One drink of water.

19.

10d. --------------------------------------------

Utterance 20.

11a. [To say: O] N., I have come in search of thee; I am Horus.

11b. I have pressed for thee thy mouth. I am thy son, thy beloved. I have opened for thee thy mouth.

12a. [He is the defender of his mother when she weeps for him, the defender of her who is united with him].

12b. [How good is the condition (?) of thy mouth after] I have adjusted for thee thy mouth to thy bones!

12c. To say four times: Osiris N., I open for thee thy mouth with the thigh, the eye of Horus. One thigh.

Utterance 21.

13a. [To say: How good is the condition (?) of thy mouth after] . I have adjusted for thee thy mouth to thy bones!

13b. I open for thee thy mouth; I open for thee thine eyes, O N.

13c. I open for thee thy mouth with the nwȝ, the mśḫtiw-hook of copper (or, iron), which opens the mouth of the gods.

13d. Horus opens the mouth of this N.; [Horus opens the mouth of this N.].

13e. [Horus has opened] the mouth of this N.; Horus has opened the mouth of this N.

13f. with that wherewith he opened the mouth of his father; with that wherewith he opened the mouth of Osiris;

14a. with the copper, (or, iron) which comes forth from Set, the mśḫtiw-hook of copper (or, iron), which opens the mouth of the gods.

14b. He opens the mouth of N. therewith, that he may go,

14c. that he himself may speak before the Great Ennead in the house of the prince, which is in Heliopolis,

14d. that he may carry off the wrr.t-crown (which is) with Horus, lord of men.

Utterance 22.

15. To say: Osiris N., I bring to thee thy ba, whom thou lovest. I open thy mouth.

Utterance 23.

16a. Osiris, carry off all those who hate N., who speak evilly against his name.

16b. Thot, go, carry off him who has injured Osiris. Bring him who speaks evilly against the name of N.

16c. Get him into thy hand. To say four times: Do not separate thyself from him.

16d. Take care that thou be not separated from him. A libation.

Utterance 24.

16e. (Nt. Jéquier, IX 68). To say: Thot, hurry, carry off the enemy of this N.

16f. ----- N. to Osiris.

Utterance 25.

17a. He who goes, goes with his ka: Horus goes with his ka; Set goes with his ka;

17b. Thot goes with his ka; the god goes with his ka; Osiris goes with his ka;

17c. Mḫnti-’irti goes with his ka; thou also goest with thy ka.

18a. O N., the hands of thy ka are before thee; O N., the hands of thy ka are behind thee;

18b. O N., the feet of thy ka are before thee; O N., the feet of thy ka are behind thee.

18c. Osiris N., I have given to thee the eye of Horus, so that thy face may be equipped with it.