Of Bringing The Makhent Boat

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 21 and 22).]

THE CHAPTER OF BRINGING ALONG A BOAT IN THE UNDERWORLD. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, ye who bring along the boat over the evil back [of Apepi], grant
that I may bring the boat along, and coil up [its] ropes in peace, in
peace. Come, come, hasten, hasten, for I have come to see my father
Osiris, the lord of the _ansi_ garment, who hath gained the mastery with
joy of heart. Hail, lord of the rain-storm, thou Male, thou Sailor! Hail,
thou who dost sail over the evil back of Apep! Hail, thou that dost bind
up heads and dost stablish the bones of the neck when thou comest forth
from the knives. Hail, thou who art in charge of the hidden boat, who dost
fetter Apep, grant that I may bring along the boat, and that I may coil up
the ropes and that I may sail forth therein. This land is baleful, and the
stars have overbalanced themselves and have fallen upon their faces
therein, and they have not found anything which will help them to ascend
again: their path is blocked by the tongue of Rā. Antebu [is] the guide of
the two lands. Seb is stablished [through] their rudders. The power which
openeth the Disk. The prince of the red beings, I am brought along like
him that hath suffered shipwreck; grant that my _Khu_, my brother, may
come to me, and that [I] may set out for the place whereof thou knowest.”

“Tell me my name,” saith the wood whereat I would anchor; “Lord of the two
lands who dwellest in the Shrine,” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Rudder; “Leg of Hāpiu” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Rope; “Hair with which Anpu (Anubis)
finisheth the work of my embalment” is thy name.

“Tell us our name,” say the Oar-rests; “Pillars of the underworld” is your
name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Hold; “Akar” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Mast; “He who bringeth back the great lady
after she hath gone away” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Lower deck; “Standard of Ap-uat” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Upper post; “Throat of Mestha” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Sail; “Nut” is thy name.

“Tell us our name,” say the Pieces of leather; “Ye who are made from the
hide of the Mnevis Bull, which was burned by Suti,” is your name.

“Tell us our name,” say the Paddles; “Fingers of Horus the first-born” is
your name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the _Mātchabet_; “The hand of Isis, which wipeth
away the blood from the Eye of Horus,” is thy name.

“Tell us our names,” say the Planks which are in its hulk; “Mesthi, Hāpi,
Tuamāutef, Qebh-sennuf, Haqau (_i.e._, he who leadeth away captive),
Thet-em-āua (_i.e._, he who seizeth by violence), Maa-an-tef (_i.e._, he
who seeth what the father bringeth), and Ari-nef-tchesef (_i.e._, he who
made himself),” are your names.

“Tell us our name,” say the Bows; “He who is at the head of his nomes” is
your name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Hull; “Mert” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Rudder; “Aqa” (_i.e._, true one) is thy name,
O thou who shinest from the water, hidden beam(?) is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Keel; “Thigh (or Leg) of Isis, which Rā cut
off with the knife to bring blood into the _Sektet_ boat,” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Sailor; “Traveller” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Wind by which thou art borne along; “The
North Wind which cometh from Tem to the nostrils of Khenti-Amenti”(60) is
thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the River, “if thou wouldst travel upon me;”
“Those which can be seen,” is thy name.

“Tell us our name,” say the River-Banks; “Destroyer of the god Au-ā
(_i.e._, he of the specious hand) in the water-house” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Ground, “if thou wouldst walk upon me;” “The
Nose of heaven which proceedeth from the god Utu, who dwelleth in the
Sekhet-Aaru, and who cometh forth with rejoicing therefrom,” is thy name.

THEN SHALL BE RECITED BEFORE THEM THESE WORDS:

“Hail to you, O ye divine beings with splendid _Ka_s, ye divine lords of
things, who exist and who live forever, and [whose] double period of an
illimitable number of years is eternity, I have made a way unto you, grant
ye me food and sepulchral meals for my mouth, [and grant that] I may speak
therewith, and that the goddess Isis [may give me] loaves and cakes in the
presence of the great god. I know the great god before whose nostrils ye
place _tchefau_ food, and his name is Thekem; both when he maketh his way
from the eastern horizon of heaven and when he journeyeth into the western
horizon of heaven may his journey be my journey, and his going forth my
going forth. Let me not be destroyed at the _Mesqet_ chamber, and let not
the devils gain dominion over my members. I have my cakes in the city of
Pe, and I have my ale in the city of Tepu, and let the offerings [which
are given unto you] be given unto me this day. Let my offerings be wheat
and barley; let my offerings be _ānti_ unguent and linen garments; let my
offerings be for life, strength, and health: let my offerings be a coming
forth by day in any form whatsoever in which it may please me to appear in
Sekhet-Aarru.”

IF THIS CHAPTER BE KNOWN [BY THE DECEASED] HE SHALL COME FORTH INTO
SEKHET-AARRU, AND BREAD, AND WINE, AND CAKES SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO HIM AT
THE ALTAR OF THE GREAT GOD, AND FIELDS, AND AN ESTATE [SOWN] WITH WHEAT
AND BARLEY, WHICH THE FOLLOWERS OF HORUS SHALL REAP FOR HIM. AND HE SHALL
EAT OF THAT WHEAT AND BARLEY, AND HIS LIMBS SHALL BE NOURISHED THEREWITH,
AND HIS BODY SHALL BE LIKE UNTO THE BODIES OF THE GODS, AND HE SHALL COME
FORTH INTO SEKHET-AARRU IN ANY FORM WHATSOEVER HE PLEASETH, AND HE SHALL
APPEAR THEREIN REGULARLY AND CONTINUALLY.