Of Sekhet-Hetepet

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 17).]

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF SEKHET-HETEPET, AND THE CHAPTERS OF COMING
FORTH BY DAY; OF GOING INTO AND OF COMING OUT FROM THE UNDERWORLD; OF
COMING TO SEKHET-AARU; OF BEING IN SEKHET-HETEPET, THE MIGHTY LAND, THE
LADY OF WINDS; OF HAVING POWER THERE; OF BECOMING A _KHU_ THERE; OF
PLOUGHING THERE; OF REAPING THERE; OF EATING THERE; OF DRINKING THERE; OF
MAKING LOVE THERE; AND OF DOING EVERYTHING EVEN AS A MAN DOETH UPON EARTH.
Behold the scribe and artist of the Temple of Ptah, Nebseni, who saith:

“Set hath taken possession of Horus, who looked with the two eyes upon the
building(?) round Sekhet-hetep, but I have unfettered Horus [and taken him
from] Set, and Set hath opened the ways of the two eyes [which are] in
heaven. Set hath cast(?) his moisture to the winds upon the soul [that
hath] his day (or his eye) and who dwelleth in the city of Mert, and he
hath delivered the interior of the body of Horus from the gods of Akert.
Behold me now, for I make this mighty boat to travel over the Lake of
Hetep, and I brought it away with might from the palace of Shu; the domain
of his stars groweth young and reneweth its former strength. I have
brought the boat into the lakes thereof so that I may come forth into the
cities thereof, and I have sailed into their divine city Hetep. And
behold, it is because I, even I, am at peace with his seasons, and with
his guidance, and with his territory, and with the company of the gods who
are his first-born. He maketh the two divine fighters (_i.e._, Horus and
Set) to be at peace with those who watch over the living ones whom he hath
created in fair form, and he bringeth peace [with him]; he maketh the two
divine fighters to be at peace with those who watch over them. He cutteth
off the hair from the divine fighters, he driveth away storm from the
helpless, and he keepeth away harm from the _Khu_s. Let me gain dominion
within that Field, for I know it, and I have sailed among its lakes so
that I might come into its cities. My mouth is strong; and I am equipped
[with weapons to use] against the _Khu_s; let them not have dominion over
me. Let me be rewarded with thy fields, O thou god Hetep; that which is
thy wish, shalt thou do, O lord of the winds. May I become a _khu_
therein, may I eat therein, may I drink therein, may I plough therein, may
I reap therein, may I fight therein, may I make love therein, may my words
be mighty therein, may I never be in a state of servitude therein, but may
I be in authority therein. Thou hast made strong(?) the mouth and the
throat(?) of the god Hetep; Qetetbu is its(?) name. He is stablished upon
the watery supports(?) of the god Shu, and is linked unto the pleasant
things of Rā. He is the divider of years, he is hidden of mouth, his mouth
is silent, that which he uttereth is secret, he fulfilleth eternity and
taketh possession of everlastingness of existence as Hetep, the lord
Hetep. The god Horus maketh himself to be strong like unto the Hawk which
is one thousand cubits in length and two thousand [cubits in width] in
life; he hath equipments with him, and he journeyeth on and cometh where
the seat of his heart wisheth in the Pools thereof and in the cities
thereof. He was begotten in the birth-chamber of the god of the city, he
hath offerings [made unto him] of the food of the god of the city, he
performeth that which it is meet to do therein, and the union thereof, in
the matter of everything of the birth-chamber of the divine city. When
[he] setteth in life like crystal he performeth everything therein, and
these things are like unto the things which are done in the Lake of double
Fire, wherein there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are all manner of
evil things. The god Hetep goeth in, and cometh out, and goeth backward
[in] that Field which gathereth together all manner of things for the
birth-chamber of the god of the city. When he setteth in life like crystal
he performeth all manner of things therein which are like unto the things
which are done in the Lake of double Fire, wherein there is none that
rejoiceth, and wherein are no evil things whatsoever. [Let me] live with
the god Hetep, clothed and not despoiled by the lords of the north(?), and
may the lords of divine things bring food unto me; may he make me to go
forward and may I come forth, and may he bring my power to me there, and
may I receive it, and may my equipment be from the god Hetep. May I gain
the mastery over the great and mighty word which is in my body in this my
place, and by it I will remember and I will forget. Let me go forward on
my journey, and let me plough. I am at peace in the divine city,(65) and I
know the waters, cities, nomes, and lakes which are in Sekhet-hetep. I
exist therein, I am strong therein, I become a _khu_ therein, I eat
therein, I sow seed therein, I reap the harvest therein, I plough therein,
I make love therein, I am at peace with the god Hetep therein. Behold I
scatter seed therein, I sail about among its Lakes and I come forward to
the cities thereof, O divine Hetep. Behold, my mouth is equipped with my
horns [for teeth], grant me an overflowing supply of the food whereon the
_ka_s and _khu_s [live]. I have passed the judgment of Shu upon him that
knoweth him, so that I may go forth to the cities thereof, and may sail
about among its lakes and may walk about in Sekhet-hetep; and behold, Rā
is in heaven, and behold, the god Hetep is its double offering. I have
come onward to its land, I have put on my girdle(?), I have come forth so
that the gifts which are about to be given unto me may be given, I have
made gladness for myself. I have laid hold upon my strength which the god
Hetep hath greatly increased for me. O Unen-em-hetep,(66) I have entered
in to thee and my soul followeth after me, and my divine food is upon both
my hands, O Lady of the two lands,(67) who stablishest my word whereby I
remember and forget; I would live without injury, without any injury
[being done] unto me, oh, grant to me, oh, do thou grant to me, joy of
heart. Make thou me to be at peace, bind thou up my sinews and muscles,
and make me to receive the air. O Un[en]-em-hetep, thou Lady of the winds,
I have entered in to thee and I have opened (_i.e._, shown) my head. Rā
falleth asleep, but I am awake, and there is the goddess Hast at the gate
of heaven by night. Obstacles have been set before me, but I have gathered
together what he hath emitted. I am in my city. O Nut-urt,(68) I have
entered into thee and I have counted my harvest, and I go forward to
Uakh.(69) I am the Bull enveloped in turquoise, the lord of the Field of
the Bull, the lord of the divine speech of the goddess Septet (Sothis) at
her hours. O Uakh, I have entered into thee, I have eaten my bread, I have
gotten the mastery over choice pieces of the flesh of oxen and of
feathered fowl, and the birds of Shu have been given unto me; I follow
after the gods and [I come after] the divine _ka_s. O Tchefet,(70) I have
entered in to thee. I array myself in apparel, and I gird myself with the
_sa_ garment of Rā; now behold, [he is] in heaven, and those who dwell
therein follow Rā, and [I] follow Rā in heaven. O Unen-em-hetep, lord of
the two lands, I have entered in to thee, and I have plunged into the
lakes of Tchesert; behold me, for all filth hath departed from me. The
Great God groweth therein, and behold, I have found [food therein]; I have
snared feathered fowl and I feed upon the finest [of them]. O
Qenqentet,(71) I have entered into thee, and I have seen the Osiris [my
father], and I have gazed upon my mother, and I have made love. I have
caught the worms and serpents, and I am delivered. And I know the name of
the god who is opposite to the goddess Tchesert, and who hath straight
hair and is equipped with two horns; he reapeth, and I both plough and
reap. O Hast, I have entered in to thee, I have driven back those who
would come to the turquoise [sky], and I have followed the winds of the
company of the gods. The Great God hath given my head unto me, and he who
hath bound on me my head is the Mighty one who hath turquoise(?) eyes,
namely, Ari-en-ab-f (_i.e._, he doeth as he pleaseth). O Usert,(72) I have
come into thee at the head of the house wherein divine food is brought for
me. O Smam,(73) I have come into thee. My heart watcheth, my head is
equipped with the white crown, I am led into celestial regions, and I make
to flourish terrestrial objects, and there is joy of heart for the Bull,
and for celestial beings, and for the company of the gods. I am the god
who is the Bull, the lord of the gods, as he goeth forth from the
turquoise [sky]. O divine nome of wheat and barley, I have come unto thee,
I have come forward to thee and I have taken up that which followeth me,
namely, the best of the libations of the company of the gods. I have tied
up my boat in the celestial lakes, I have lifted up the post at which to
anchor, I have recited the prescribed words with my voice, and I have
ascribed praises unto the gods who dwell in Sekhet-hetep.”