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Book of the Dead Chapter 99 (picture)

Source for the composition: before the New Kingdom (about 1550-1069 BC), chapter 99 occurs among funerary compositions on early Middle Kingdom coffins ('Coffin Texts', numbers 404-405)

The chapter comprises an initial address to the ferryboat, followed by a set of questions and answers in which the deceased must identify parts of the boat by mythic names, and a final address that recurs as chapter 72, often found on later coffins.

r n int mxnt m xrt-ntr
i innyw mxnt hr tst pwy ksn
in n.i mxnt ts n.i aka m htp m htp
mi mi xam xamii.n.i r maa it.i wsir
i.nb insy sxm m awt-ib i.nb igp tay skdwt
i.skdd hr tst pwy n aapp
i.ts tpw smn wsrwt m prt m nspw
i.iry mxnt stat sawty aapp
in n.i mxnt ts n.i aka r prt.i im.f
ta pn ksn xr sxd-sa im.f hr hr.sn
n gm.n.sn ts.sn st
hnswa nst n ra indbw ssmw ta
mngb m hmw.sn
shm pw wn itn hry-tp dsrw
in wi m iw.i
ii ax sn.i wda r bw rx.n.k

Formula for bringing the ferry
O bringers of the ferry over this difficult sandbank
Bring me the ferry, tie for me the cords, in peace, in peace
Come, come, hasten, hasten, I have come to see my father Osiris
O lord of the red cloth, who has power over joy
O lord of the tempest, man of the sailing
O he who sails over this sandbank of Aapep
O binder of heads, fastener of necks, in the emergence from the knives
O keeper of the secret ferry, guard of Aapep
Bring me the ferry, tie for me the cords, that I may emerge from it,
this difficult land in which the overturned fall on their faces
and are unable to raise themselves
Hensua tongue of Ra, Indebu guide of the land,
Mengeb, with their steering-oars
That power that opens the sun-disk, master of the red
Bring me, that I may not be without boat.
'Come spirit, my brother, proceed to the place you know'

(Twenty-two tabulated addresses for identification)

dd n.i rn.i in mnit nbt-tawy m kari rn.t
dd n.i rn.i in xrpw xnd stw rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in hatt  hsnkt mnit inpw rn.t m kat wtw
dd n.i rn.i in hdw aaawt pw nt xrt-ntr
dd n.i rn.i in hpt akrw rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in xtw in wrt m-xt wa.s rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in at-n-xr iat pw nt wp-wawt rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in dada sbb n imsty rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in tayt nwt rn.t
dd n.i rn.i in sdw-ar irwt.tn m mska n mn-wr bwt n sth
dd n.i rn.i in wsrw dbaw pw n hr smsw
dd n.i rn.i in mdabt drt pw n ist hr pnq snf m irt hr
dd n.i rn.i in gaw.s in imyw-ht.s imsty hpy dwa-mwt.f kbh-snw.f hak it-m-awa ma.n-it.f ir.n.f-ds.f
dd n.i rn.i in smat.f  xntt-hspw rn.t
dd n.i rn.i in ibayt  mrt rn.t
dd n.i rn.i in hmw aka rn.k ixw m mwt smw rn dnh.k
dd n.i rn.i in dpt  wart nt ist sat ra m dat-a xr innt snf r sktt
dd n.i rn.i in nfw wy rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in taw dr fa.k im.i  mhyt iwt m itm r srt n hnt-imntyw rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in itrw dr dat.k im.i ptri.sn rn.k
dd n.i rn.i in axmt shtm aw-a m wabt rn.t
dd n.i rn.i in satw dr xnd.k hr.i srt pt prt wtw imt sxt-iarw prrt hayt im.f

Tell me my name, says the mooring-post:
Your name is Lord of the Two Lands in the shrine.
Tell me my name, says the mallet: Your name is treader-shooter
Tell me my name, says the prow rope:
Your name is tress of the mooring of Anubis, in the labour of the embalmers
Tell me my name, say the hedju-timbers: it is the … of the necropolis
Tell me my name, says the rudder: Your name is Aker
Tell me my name, says the mast timber:
Your name is bringer of the great goddess after her distance
Tell me my name, says the lower …: Your name, it is standard of Wepwawet
Tell me my name, says the …: Your name is gullet of Imsety (?)
Tell me my name, says the sail: Your name is Nut
Tell me my name, say the …: product of the skin of Menwer, abomination of Seth
Tell me my name, say the oars: it is the fingers of Horus the Elder
Tell me my name, says the scoop: It is the hand of Isis dressing the blood from the eye of Horus
Tell me my name, says its … and its contents:
Imsety, hapy, Duamutef, Qebehsenuf, Haqu, Itjemawa, Manitef, Irnefdjesef
Tell me my name, says the uniter: Your name is Foremost of gardens
Tell me my name, says the …: Your name is Meret
Tell me my name, says the steering-oar:
Your name is Accurate, shining in water, drought is the name of your wing
Tell me my name, says the boat:
Leg of Isis cut by Ra violently when she brought him the Evening Boat
Tell me my name, says the captain: Your name is leaner
Tell me my name, says the wind, when you bear with me:
Your name is north wind that comes from Atum to the nose of Khentamentiu
Tell me my name, says the river, when you sail on me: Your name is Whom they See
Tell me my name, says the riverbank: Your name is Destroyer of him with the raised arm in the place of purification
Tell me my name, says the ground, when you tread upon me:
Nose of the sky, who comes from the embalmers, who is in the Field of Reeds, who
emerges continually, who rejoices over him

(Final address in chapter 99)

ddt xft.sn
i.nd hr.tn nfrw kaw nbw xt
wnnyw r nhh hnty rn.tn dt
wba.i r.tn di.tn n.i dbh-htpw r r.i mdw.i im.f
sns kfn st.i wsh m-bah ntr aa
iw.i rx.kwi ntr.tn pwy aa dd.tn dfaw r srt.f tkm rn.f
iw.f wba.f m axt iabtt nt pt
iw.f xp.f m imntt tkm rwi.f rwi.i
drt di.f hr msqt nn  sbiw m iwf pn
iw t.i m p hnqt.i m dpw

Speech before them
Hail beautiful of sustenance, lords of commodities
Who exist for eternity, your names extending for ever
I reach you that you may give me offerings for my mouth that I may speak with it
The offering-cake cooked, my place broad in the presence of the great god
I know this your great god, to whose nose you give offerings: his name is Tekem
He penetrates the eastern horizon of the sky
He travels in the west - Tekem - he rests, I rest
The hand he places on the birth srhine: the rebels have no power over this flesh
My bread is in Pe, my beer is in Dep


 

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