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BookofBreathingsTranslation

Translation
ofThe

BookofBreathings
by

MichaelD.Rhodes
DepartmentofAncientScripture
BrighamYoungUniversity
HieroglyphicTextAccompanyingtheVignette.
(1)...godsservantofAmonRe,[king]ofthegods,godsservantofMin,...beautiful...,priest
ofKhonsu,thecontrollerof...(2)...Hr,justified,thesonofoneofliketitles,masterofthe
secrets,godspriest,Wosirwer,justified,[bornof](3)...Taikhebyt.
Mayyoursoulliveintheirmidst.Mayyoubeburied<in>theWest....(4).......(5)[Mayyou
giveto]himbeautifulandusefulthingsonthewest[ofThebes]like...
TextoftheBookofBreathings
I.[TheydragOsirisin]tothePoolofKhonsu,(2)andlikewise[theOsiris,Hr,justified]bornof
Taikhebyt,justified,(3)afterhehasgraspedhisheart.Theybury(4)theBookofBreathingswhich
<Isis>made,which(5)iswrittenonbothitsinsideandoutside,(wrapped)inroyallinen,anditis
placed<under>the(6)leftarmnearhisheart.Thebearermakes(7)hiscoffinontheoutsideofit.
Thisdocumentismadeforhimsothat(8)hemightbreathelikethesoulsofthegodsforeverand(9)
ever.
II.Beginning[oftheBookofBreathings]which[Isis]made[forherbrother,Osiristocausehissoul
tolive,tocausehisbodytolive,torejuvenateallhislimbs](2)again,[sothathemightjoin]the
horizonwithhisfather,Re,[andtocausehissoultoappearinheaveasthediskofthemoon,sothat
hisbodymightshinelikeOrioninthewombofNut,to](3)cause[thesame]thingtohappentothe
Osiris,Hr,justified,[bornofTaikhebyt,justified.Keepitsecret!](4)Donotletanyonereadit.Itis
useful[foroneinthenecropolis.Hewillliveagainsuccessfu]llymillionsoftimes.
(5)O[Osiris,]Hr,justified,bornofTa[ikhebyt,justified.Youhavebeenpurified.Yourhearthas
beenpurified.Yourfrontisin]astateofpurity,yourback(6)isinastateofcleanliness.Your
midsectionis<cleansed>withsoda[andnatron.Nopartofyouisinvolvedinwrongdoing.
TheOsiris,Hr,]justified,bornof[Taikhebyt,justified,begottenof]Remnyqa,ispurifiedinthat
poolof[theFieldofOfferingstothenorthoftheFieldoftheGrasshopper.]Wadjet(8)andNekhbet
havepurifiedyouinthefourthhourofthenightandthe[fourth]hour[oftheday.]
[Come,Osiris,Hr,justified,bornofTaikhebyt],justified.MayyouentertheHall(9)oftheTwo
GoddessesofTruth.Youhavebeenpurifiedfromeverysin[andmisdeed.StoneofTruthisyour
name.]
[O]Osiris,Hr,justified,mayyouenter(10)intotheafterlife[in]astateofgreatpurity.[TheTwo
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GoddessesofTruth]havecleansedyou[intheGreatHall.Apurificationhasbeenperformedforyou
intheHallofGeb.YourbodyhasbeenpurifiedintheHall](11)ofShu.YouseeRewhen[he]sets
[andAtumintheevening.Amoniswithyou,givingbreathtoyou.Ptah(12)isfashioning]your
limbs.MayyouenterintothehorizontogetherwithRe.[Yoursoulhasbeenreceivedintothe
NeshmetshipwithOsiris.YoursoulismadedivineintheHouseofGeb.Youarejustifiedforeverand
ever.]
III.[Osiris,]Hr,justified,bornofTai[khebyt,justified.Mayyournameendure.Mayyourbodylast.
Thenyourmummywillendure.[1]Youshallnotbeturnedbackfromheavenorearth.Mayyoube
madehappyinthepresenceofRe.](2)MayyoursoulliveinthepresenceofAmon.Mayyourbody
berenewedinthepresenceofOsiris.Mayyoubreatheforever[andever.]
[Mayyoursoulmakeinvocationofferingsforyouofbread,beer,beefandfowl,libationsand](3)
incenseduringthecourse[ofeveryday.Yourfleshison]<your>bones,madelikeyourformon
earth.Mayyoudrinkwith[yourthroat.[2]Mayyoueatwithyourmouth.Mayyourreceive](4)
offeringswith[thesoulsofthegods.May]Anubis[protect]youandmayheguardyou.Youshallnot
beturnedbackfromthegates[oftheafterlife.]Maythetwice[great]andmighty[Thoth,]Lordof
Hermopolis,cometoyouandwriteforyoutheBookofBreathingswithhisownfingers.Mayyour
soulbreathe(6)forever.Mayyouassumeagainyourformonearthamongtheliving.Youaredivine
withthesoulsofthegods.YourheartistheheartofRe.Yourlimbs(7)[arethelimbsoftheGreat
God.]
[OOsiris,]Hr,justified.Amoniswithyoueveryday...intheHouseofRe.Mayyouliveagain.
MayWepwawetopenforyouthe[beautiful]path.(8)[Mayyouseewithyoureyesandhearwith
your]ears,speakwithyourmouth,andwalkwithyourlegs.Yoursoulsisdivineintheafterlifeso
thatitcanassumeanyformitdesires.Mayyoucausetherustlings(?)[3]ofthenobleIshedtreein
Heliopolis.Mayyouawakeeverydayandseetherays(10)[ofthesun.MayAmoncometoyou
bearingthebreathoflife.Mayhecauseyoutobreathe[in]yourcoffin.Mayyougoforthtotheearth
everyday.MayyoubegiventheBook(11)[ofBreathingsofThothfor]yourprotection.Mayyou
breathebymeansofitlikeRe.Mayyoureyeseetheraysofthe(suns)disk.Maytruthbespokento
you(12)[inthepresenceofOsiris.May"justified"bewrittenuponyourbody.Horus,theAvengerof
HisFather,HorusofEdfu,mayheenfoldyourbodyinprotection,[4]andmayhecauseyoursoulto
bedivinelikeallthegodsdo.ThesoulofReisanimating[yoursoul].(13)[ThesoulofShuunites
withyour[nos]trils.
OOsiris,Hr,justified,bornofTaikebyt,justified.Mayyoursoulbreathe[anyplaceyouwant.]IV.
[YouareintheseatofOsiris.ForemostoftheWesternersisyourname.MaytheGreatInundation
cometoyoufromElephantine,andmayhefillyourofferingtablewithprovisions.]
(2)Osiris,Hr,[justified,bornofTaikhebyt,justified.MaythegodsofUpperandLowerEgyptcome
toyouandguideyoutotheAlchaa[5]togetherwithyoursoul.May]you[accompany](3)Osirisand
mayyoubreathewithinthenecropolis[togetherwiththeGreatGod.Mayyourbodylive](4)in
BusirisandtheThiniteNome.Mayyoursoulliveinheaveneveryday.
[Osiris,Hr,justified,bornofTaikhebyt,justified.MaySekhmethavepoweroverthosewhoconspire
againstyou.Horus,](5)GreatofHeart,isprotectingyou.HorusofEdfu[doeswhatyouwant.Horus
theBelovedguardsyourbody.Mayyouendurein](6)life,prosperity,andhealth.Youhavebeen
establisheduponyourseatintheSacredLand.
[ComenowOsiris,Hr,justified,bornofTaikhebyt,justified.You]haveariseninyourlikeness,the
likenessofyourroyalregalia.Mayyoubeestablishedinlife.[Mayyouspendyourtimeinhealth.
Mayyouwalkandbreathe](8)anywhere.MayReshineuponincave[6]like(hedidupon)Osiris.
May[you]breathe[andliveonhisrays.MayAmonanimate](9)yourka,mayitlive,prosper,andbe
healthy.[7]MayhecauseyoutoflourishbytheBookofBreathings.MayyouaccompanyOsiris[and
Horus,LordoftheHenuboat.YouaretheGreatGod,](10)foremostamongthegods.Mayyourface
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liveandyourformbebeautiful.Yournameisestablishedeveryday.Mayyouenterintothegods
[greathall(orcouncil)](11)inBusiris,andmayyouseetheForemostoftheWesternersattheWag
festival.[8]Mayyourodorbeaspleasantasayoungman.[Mayyournamebeasgreatas](12)an
august[noble].
OOsiris,Hr,justified.MayyoursoullivebymeansoftheBookofBreathings.[Mayyoujoinwith]
(13)<your>soul.Mayyouenterintotheafterlifewithoutyourenemy.Youareadivinesoul[in
Busiris.]
(Theremainderofthepapyrusismissing.LouvrePapyrus3284,III,21toV,11canbeusedforthe
missingtext.)
III.(21)Youhaveyourheart.Itisnotfarfromyou.[9](22)Youhaveyoureyes,whichareopen
everyday.
IV.WordsspokenbythegodswhoareinattendanceonRe.OsirisNN(3)Mayyouaccompany(4)
Osiris.Mayyoursoulliveforeverandever.
Wordsspokenbythegodswhoareintheafterlife(5)toOsiris,ForemostoftheWesterners,andto
OsirsNN(6)inordertoopenforhimthedoorsoftheafterlife.
Mayyoubereceived(7)inthenecropolis.Come,letyoursoulliveforever.Mayitbuildaportalin
thenecropolis.(8)Mayyourkapraiseitsgod,forithasreceivedtheBookofBreathings.Come,letit
causebreathing.
(9)AboonwhichthekinggivestoOsiris,ForemostoftheWesterners,theGreatGod,Lordof
Abydos.Mayhegiveainvocationoffering(10)ofbread,beer,beef,fowl,wine,milk,offerings,
provisions,andevery(11)goodthingtothekaofOsirisNN(12)Mayyoubehealthy.Mayyour
corpselive,enduringatthecommandofRehimself,andlikeReneitherperishing(13)norbeingsick
foreverandever.
(14)OFarStrider[10]whohascomeforthfromHeliopolis.OsirisNNhasnotdone(15)anywrong.
[11]
(16)OGreatofStrength,whocomesforthfromHeryaha.[12]OsirisNNhasnotcommitted(17)any
robbery.
(18)OOnewiththeNose,[13]whocomesforthfromHermopolis.OsirisNNhasnot(19)shown
favoritism(?).[14]
(20)OEyeSwallower,whocomesforthfromtheDoubleCaverns.[15]OsirisNNhasnotmade(21)
anyseizureofpropertybytheft.
V.OTerribleofVisage,[16]whocomesforthfromthenecropolis,OsirisNNhasnotengagedinany
disputes.
(2)ORuty,whocomesforthfromheaven.OsirisNNhasnotcauseafalsereadingofthebalance.
[17]
(3)OHeWhoseEyeisonFire,[18]whocomesforthfromLetopolis.OsirisNNhasnotcommitted
anydeception.
(4)OGodswhoareinthehereafter,hearthevoiceofOsirisNN.Hehascomebeforeyou(5)without
anyevilcommittedbyhim,withoutanywrongdoingheldagainsthim,andwithoutanywitnesswho
risesupagainsthim.Helivesbyrighteousness.Heconsumesrighteousness.Theheartsofthegods
arecontentwithallthathehasdone.(6)Hehasgivenbreadtothehungry,watertothethirsty,
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clothingtothenaked.Hehasgivenofferingstothegodsandinvocationofferingstotheblesseddead.
Thereisnoaccusationagainsthimbeforeanyofthegods.Lethimenterintotheafterlifewithout
beingturnedaway.LethimaccompanyOsiristogetherwiththegods(8)ofthecavern,forhehaslife,
prosperity,andhealthamongtheliving,andheisdivineamongthejustifieddead.Lethimlive,and
lethissoullive.Let(9)hissoulbeadmittedintoanyplacehedesires.AccepthisBookofBreathings.
Lethimbreathetogetherwiththatsoulofhisin(10)theafterlifewithanyformhisheartdesires
togetherwiththeWesterners.Lethissoulgowhereveritwants.Lethimliveupontheearthforever
andever.
TextAccompanyingtheVignetteattheEndoftheBookofBreathingsText
PresumablytheoriginalofFacsimile3cameattheendoftheBookofBreathingstext(notnecessarily
theendofthepapyrus).Atentativetranslationofthetextfollows.
Bottomline:[19]
ThegodsoftheWest,thegodsofthecavern,[20]thegodsofthesouth,north,west,andeastsay:
[21]MayOsiris,Hr,justified,prosper.[22]Make(?)...summon.
LinetotheRightofFigure2:
ThegreatIsis,[23]motherofthegod.[24]
TheThreeLinestotheRightofFigure1:
(1)WordsspokenbyOsiris,theForemostoftheWesterners:(2)MayOsiris,Hr,abideat(3)theside
ofthethroneofhisgreatness.
LineinFrontofFigure4:
(1)Maat...[25]
TheTwoLinesinFrontofFigure5:[26]
(1)Osiris,Hr,[27]the[28](2)justifiedforever.
TheThreeLinesinFrontofFigure6:[29]
(1)WordsspokenbyAnubis[30]...(2)Lordofheaven,preeminentin(3)theHalloftheGod.[31]

Footnotes:
[1]OthercopiesoftheBookofBreathingshaveasimplesjm=fformratherthanthesjm.ur=fform
foundhere.
[2]IntheLatePeriod,vnb.tcanalsomean"throat"(WB.IV,513,11).
[3]vrvrisahapaxlegomenon(cf.Wb.IV,529,7).
[4]xnm,othercopieshaveuwitoprotect.
[5]orqeeholyplaceinAbydos(OldCopticalakhaa,Greekalakhai)Wb.I,213,56.
[6]tpe.t>tp(e).t(Wb.V,364,11)
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[7]Theabreviatedformofthestandardformula,onu,wja,snbhasbeenwrittenafterka=k(yourka).
Itisnotfoundinparalleltexts.
[8]AfestivalofOsiriscelebratedonthe18thdayofthefirstmonthoftheEgyptianyear.
[9]Emendingtonnerw,=f.r=k.
[10]EpithetofRe.
[11]isf.t>isty(Wb.I,129,2).
[12]AcitysouthofHeliopolis,presentdayOldCairo,GreekBabylon(Wb.III,394,7).
[13]I.e.Thoth,theIbisheadedgod.
[14]cnov(literally"distinguishingthecall").
[15]FromwhichtheinundationoftheNilewasthoughttoarise.
[16]Anepithetofanevilbeing,especiallyApophis.(Wb.II,1516)
[17]irisfymu(a).t.
[18]AnepithetofHorusofLetopolis(Goyon,J.,RituelFunrairesdeL'Anciennegypte,224,n.8.
[19]Thislinereadsfromlefttorightratherthanthenormalrighttoleft.
[20]qrt.y(w),acommonepithetforgodsofthekingdomofthedead(Wb.V,62,10).
[21]iin>in(cf.Gardiner,EgyptianGrammar,43637).
[22]swajintransitiveinLateandHellenisticperiods(Wb.IV,65,8).
[23]Isisisregularlyportrayedwearingcow'shornswithamoondisk.Seeforexampleweethe
illustrationinFaulkner,R.O.,TheAncientEgyptianBookoftheDead,18283.
[24]IsisisthemotherofHorus.
[25]Thegureherehasthema'atfeatherheaddress
[26]Thesesignsalsoreadfromlefttorightratherthanthenormallefttoright
[27]ThefigureisthatofHr,theownerofthepapyrus,beingintroducedintothepresenceofOsiris.
[28]Theuseofthedefinitearticlepabeforemaourwismostunusual,butitisclearlythere.
[29]Thesesignsalsoreadreadfromlefttorightratherthanthenormallefttoright.
[30]AnubisisoftefoundconductingthedeadintheHallofJudgment.(Agoodexampleisfoundin
thevignettetoChapter125oftheBookoftheDeadshowninFaulkner,R.O.,TheAncientEgyptian
BookoftheDead,34.)
[31]Thereadingisfarfromcertain,butthisisacommontitleforAnubis(Wb.III,305,18).

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Lastupdated:February7,1998

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