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Book of the Dead Chapter 124

This chapter is among the Formulae for assuming the shape of a divine being animal, or bird, though Chapter 124 more often bears the title ‘for entering the Great Temple’. The following version is from that found in Papyrus Cairo 2512, an Eighteenth Dynasty manuscript where these three formulae also occur together in this sequence.

r n irt xprw m bnw
kd ba.i xnrt m ddw
hdw m dp ska.n.i ahwt.i m sxt-iarw
iw.i hr mama .i mnw hr.s
hr-ntt bwt.i pw hs n wnm.i sw
bwt.i sp sn hs n wnm.i sw
htp ka.i n anx.i im.sn n xmy.i im.s n ar.i n.f m awy.i
n xnd.i hr.f m tbwty.i
hr-ntt t.i m bty hdt hnkt.i m bty dsrt
in sktt mandt inn st wnm.i xrt.i maw isrw
iw.i rx.kwi rmnw nfrw
ix ir.tw n.i saxt hdt ts wi in arwt
i.iry-aa shtp-tawy iry nw htp.k
fa n.i satw wn n.i axw rmnw.f xr.i
wsr m pt m-m
ir ntr nb ntrt nbt da.t.fy (r).i im
sip.tw.f n tpyw-a ra sip.tw.f n ssp hnmmt
iw axw hbsw pt m-m wrw
iw xrt.i im t m r.i ntr
ak.i hr itn pr.i hr ihw
swsf.i mdw.i n smsw ntrw
wbn.i m itn hnmwwt.f
nrw.i imyw smaw m nw mht-wrt r-gs imy-nhd.f
isk wi im hna wsir tma.i r tma.f m-m wrw
dd.i n.f mdw rmt whm.i n.f mdw ntrw
ii ax apr sar.k maat mrr.s
ink apr axw nbw

Formula for taking the form of the benu-bird
My soul builds an enclosure in Djedu
My white loaves are in Dep, I have ploughed my fields in the Field of Reeds
I am on my dom-palm, Min is upon it
For excrement is my abomination, I have not eaten it
Excrement is my abomination, twice, I have not eaten it
My ka is content; I have not lived on it, not touched it, raised my hands to it
I have not trodden upon it with my soles
For my bread is of white emmer, my beer is of red emmer
Evening and the Morning Boat bring it to me, and I eat my portion under the branches
I know the fair carriers
May they make for me the hymn of the White Crown, may I be carried by the cobras
O door-keeper of the Contentment of the Two Lands, make the time of your offering
Bring me the branches, may the Illuminated One open his arms before me
May I be mighty in the sky among (them)
As for any god or goddess opposing me there
May he be allotted to the ancestors of Ra, allotted to the taking of the Sun Retinue
The Illuminated One clothing the sky among the great (gods)
My portion is there, bread in my mouth, for the god,
I enter by the sun disk, and go out by the camp (originally ‘Moon’)
My speech is relayed to the followers of the gods
I shine in the sun-disk for his Sun Retinue
The fear of me fills the murderers in the flood of Mehytweret beside Imynehedef
I am there with Osiris, my mat is by his mat among the great (gods)
I tell him the words of people, I repeat to him the words of the gods
‘Come, equipped spirit, and raise the Truth of the one who loves her’
I am equipped more than any spirit


 

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