Against Serpents

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

THE CHAPTER OF NOT [LETTING] NU, THE CHANCELLOR-IN-CHIEF, TRIUMPHANT, BE
DEVOURED BY SERPENTS IN THE UNDERWORLD. He saith:

“Hail, thou god Shu! Behold Tattu! Behold Shu! Hail Tattu! [Shu] hath the
head-dress of the goddess Hathor. They nurse Osiris. Behold the twofold
being who is about to eat me! Alighting from the boat I depart(?), and the
serpent-fiend Seksek passeth me by. Behold _sām_ and _aaqet_ flowers are
kept under guard(?). This being is Osiris, and he maketh entreaty for his
tomb. The eyes of the divine prince are dropped, and he performeth the
reparation which is to be done for thee; [he] giveth [unto thee thy]
portion of right and truth according to the decision concerning the states
and conditions [of men].”