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Book of the Dead Chapter 114

This chapter is among the Formulae for assuming the shape of a divine being animal, or bird. Two features of the early Middle Kingdom (about 2025-1700 BC) 'Coffin Texts' taken up and worked over in the Book of the Dead manuscripts are the Formulae for knowing the powers of certain cities, and the Formulae for assuming the shape of a divine being animal, or bird. The Middle Kingdom versions of the first group are among the earliest narrative passages in Egyptian religious literature, and provide reasons from myth for the naming or existence of places or things. In the manuscript of Hepres, UC 71000, the powers of cities and transformations occur in one block together, with Chapters 114, 112 and 113 (from 'Coffin Texts' number 156, 157 and 158 respectively) followed by the formulae for taking the form of a serpent (Chapter 87, without known antecedent) and a serpent (Chapter 88, from 'Coffin Texts' 969 and 991). Other transformation formulae are found in this manuscript, perhaps separately, in the group 124-83-84

r n rx bAw xmnw
iSS Swt m rmn wbn nt m mnTAt
sHDw ir in wDA-sy
iw.i rx.kwi st iw.i rx.kwi inn s m ksy
n Dd.i n rmT n wHm.i n nTrw
ii.n.i m wpwt nt ra r smnt Swt m rmn
r wbn nt m mnTAt r sHtp irt n ip s
ii.n.i m sxm Hr rx bAw xmnw
mrryw rx mr.tn
iw.i rx.kwi Swt rwd.ti kmt ip sy
rsy.i Hr ip ipt
i.nD Hr.Tn bAw xmnw
iw.i rx.kwi Srt m abd aAt m mddiwnt
siA ra StAw grH rx.n.Tn siA.n wi DHwty pwy
i.nD Hr.Tn bAw xmnw mi rx.i Tn ra nb

Formula for knowing the powers of Khemenu
The plume is planted in the shoulder, the Red Crown shines in the dais
The whiteness (of the eye) is caused by its judge
I know it, I know who brought it from Qesy
I tell no person, I repeat to no god
I am come on a mission of Ra to fix the plume in the shoulder,
till the Red Crown shines in the dais, to pacify the eye for its counter
I am come as a power knowing the powers of Khemenu
You who love the knower, love
I know the plume, firm, filled (for) its counter
I rejoice over the counting of the counted
Hail powers of Khemenu
I know what is small in the Month, great in the Half Month
Ra perceives the mystery of the night that you know, this Thoth perceived me
Hail powers of Khemenu as I know you every day


 

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