Thoth's Appointment and Protective Rites

65 spread the radiance of the Radiant One

66 through the underworld and the Island of the Two Souls.

67 Write this there. Bring peace to those who are within it,

68 whom we created, who stirred up

69 rebellion among the earth gods,

70 followers of that Discontented Heart.

71 You shall be in my place, my deputy. You shall be called Thoth, Re’s deputy. I shall also send you those greater than you.” Thus came into being Thoth’s Hebi ibis. “I shall have you stretch forth your hand before the primeval gods, greater than you; my purpose will prosper when you do so.

72 Thus came into being Thoth’s Tekhni ibis. I shall have you embrace the two heavens with your perfection and your brilliance.”

73 Thus came into being Thoth’s moon. “I shall have you drive back the island dwellers.” Thus came into being Thoth’s baboon. “You who have become vizier shall also be my deputy.

74 The gaze of all who look upon you is opened through you. All that I have created gives thanks to you.” A man shall speak these words over himself while anointed with behen oil and fragrant oil,

75 with a censer on his arm containing incense.

76 The backs of both his ears shall be cleansed; natron shall be in his mouth; his clothing shall be two pieces of

77 fresh linen. He shall wash himself in the waters of the Nile flood, wearing sandals made of

78 white leather. Let what is true be written upon his tongue in the scribe’s red ink. If Thoth desires to recite it

79 before Re, he shall cleanse himself with a purification of nine days. The servants of humankind shall act

80 likewise. As for whoever recites it: if he performs this rite written in this book,

81 he shall pass his lifetime amid […] abundance. His two eyes will serve him;

82 all the members of his body will serve him. His undertakings will not fail. The people shall say of him, “He is like

83 Re on the day he was born.” His possessions will not dwindle; the entrance to his house will not suffer harm.

84 It is a thing truly excellent, a million times over. Nun was embraced by the Great One himself, who said to the gods who came forth from the east of heaven, “Praise the eldest god from whom I came into being!

85 I am he who made the sky and set it firm, to place within it the ba-spirits of the gods. I shall be with them until eternity, brought forth by the years. Magic is my ba; it is older than the years. The ba of Shu is Khnum. The ba of eternity is Hewit.

86 The ba of darkness is Gereh; the ba of Nun is Re; the ba of Osiris is the Ram of Djedet; the ba-spirits of Sobek are crocodiles. The ba

87 of every god is serpents; the ba of Apophis is the white of the eye; the ba of Re pervades the whole land.” A man shall say, making his protection through magic: “I am that

88 pure magician in Re’s mouth and body. Gods, keep far from me, for I am Re the Radiant One.” Say as you pass in the evening twilight and the last glow of sunlight: “Down upon your face! Fall, enemy of Re!

89 I am his ba, the magician. O lord of eternity, maker of everlasting time, who brings the gods’ years to an end, into whom Re descends, lord of his god, ruler who made him, beloved of the ancestors and gods.”

90 Magician whose head is pure, make an image of a woman standing to your south; make a goddess on it, at its center, and a serpent standing upon its tail, her hand upon its body, its tail upon the earth.

91 Recite: “O you to whom Thoth gives praise and the dignity of heaven, for whom Shu extends his two arms, may I be delivered by those two great gods who dwell in the east of heaven,

92 who guard the heavens, who guard the earth, enduring in their mysteries!” They shall say, “How great he is when he comes forth to look upon Nun!” To be recited by a wab priest at the New Moon festival and at the […] festival of the fifteenth,

93 according to this ancient prescription. Whoever recites this spell shall live in the realm of the dead. Awe of him will be greater than awe of those who live upon earth. If they ask, “What are your names?”, he shall answer, “Eternity and Everlasting Time.” Then they shall say, “He is truly a god,”

94 and they shall say, “He has reached us here on the road.” I know the ba of this god whose face is that of Heryshef. I am the one for whom an amulet is bound at evening. I am Re

95 in his ennead, whose retinue are magicians. I pass on unhurt. The flame belongs to me. It is the ba of the fire. There are no enemies among […]. […] beauty; […] the Heh gods before the breast; […] the Heh gods at the back; […] Duamutef; […] Atum; […] the support of the sky; […] my son is beside me; […] you shall not grow weary; […] my body does not tire; […] Shu; […] your condition is like one who lives forever; […] life, prosperity, health are at this nose of yours! Your son is in me. […] The one who belongs to his going forth. Sealed after the going forth. […] The going forth from there is sung, and then his entry. O! Ah! O! Praise is given […]. I know the name of these two gods: Eternity and Everlasting Time. […] Osiris, King Menmaatre, vindicated before Osiris. […] Osiris Menmaatre, vindicated. […] Son of Re, Sethy Merenptah.

65 bring the light of the Shining One

66 in the underworld and on the Island of the Two Souls.

67 Write this there. Settle those who are in it,

68 whom we created, who started

69 a rebellion as the Akeriu, the earth gods,

70 the followers of the one called Discontented Heart.

71 You are in my place as my deputy. People will call you Thoth, Re's deputy. I will send out those greater than you through you.” This is how Thoth's hbj ibis came into being. “I will also

72 have you stretch out your hand before the first gods, who are greater than you. My affairs go well when you do this.” This is how Thoth's tkhny ibis came into being. “I will also have you surround

73 the two skies with your beauty and your light.” This is how Thoth's moon came into being. “I will also have you drive back the island people.” This is how Thoth's baboon came into being. “You have become

74 a vizier, and you will also be my deputy. All who see you have their eyes opened by you. Everything I created thanks you.” A man must recite this speech over himself

75 after rubbing himself with moringa oil and ointment. He should have an incense burner with incense on his arms.

76 The backs of his two ears must be clean. He should have natron in his mouth and wear two pieces of

77 new linen. He must wash himself with water from the Nile flood and wear sandals of

78 white leather. What should be spoken for him must be written with the scribe's red ink. If Thoth wants to recite it

79 to Re, he must purify himself for 9 days. Human servants must do the same.

80 Whoever recites it, if he performs the rite written in this scroll,

81 will spend his lifetime amid […] increase. His two eyes will serve him,

82 as will all his limbs. His affairs will not fail. People will say of him, “He is like

83 Re on the day he was born.” His possessions will not diminish, and his entrance will not be damaged.

84 This is something truly excellent, tested a million times. The great god himself embraced Nun and said to the gods who came out of the eastern sky, “Praise the eldest god from whom I came into being.

85 I made the sky and keep [it] in place [to put the gods' souls in it]. I will be with them forever, for as long as years are born. Magic is my soul, and it is older than the years. Khnum is Shu's soul. The soul

86 of eternity is Rain. The soul of darkness [is] Night. Re is Nun's soul. The ram of Djedet is Osiris's soul. Crocodiles are Sobek's souls, and the soul

87 of every god is in snakes. The white of the eye is Apophis's soul. Re's soul is throughout the whole land.” A man protecting himself with magic must say, “I am that

88 pure magician, in Re's mouth and body. Gods, keep away from me. I am Re, the Shining One.” As you pass in the evening's last sunlight, say, “Fall on your face, enemy of Re!

89 I am his soul, the magician. O lord of eternity, who created endless time and makes the gods' years pass, into whom Re descends, lord of his god, ruler who created him, whom the ancestral gods love,

90 magician with a clean head: make a woman's figure standing on your southern side. Make a goddess on it, in its middle, and a snake standing on its tail. Her hand must rest on its body and its tail on the ground.

91 Thoth gives him praise and heavenly rank, and Shu places his two arms toward him. May I be saved by those two great gods living in the eastern sky,

92 who guard the sky and the earth and whose secrets last.” They must say, “How great he is as he comes out to see Nun!” A purified priest must recite this at the Abed festival and at the […] festival of the 15th day,

93 according to this ancient instruction. Whoever recites this spell will live in the realm of the dead. People on earth will respect him more than they respect others. If they ask, “What are your names?” he must reply, “Eternity and Everlasting Time.” Then they will say, “[He truly is a god],”

94 and they will say, “He reached us here on the road.” I know the soul of this god, whose face is Harsaphes. I am the one for whom [an amulet is tied] [in the evening]. [I am Re]

95 in [his] group of nine gods, and his attendants are magicians. [I pass on safely.] [The flame belongs to me.] [It is the] soul [of fire]. There are no enemies [among …]. […] Beauty. […] The Heh gods [before the chest]. […] The Heh gods [behind the back]. […] Duamutef. […] Atum. […] Support of the sky. […] My son is with [me]. […] You will not grow tired. […] My body will not grow tired. […] Shu. […] Your condition is like someone who lives forever. […] May life, prosperity, and health be at this nose of yours! I am your son. […] The one belonging to his departure. Sealed after the departure. […] The departure from there and his entry are sung. Oh, hey, oh! Praise is given. […] I know the names of these two gods: [Eternity] and [Everlasting Time]. […] Osiris, King Menmaatre, justified before Osiris. […] Osiris Menmaatre, justified. […] Son of Re, [Seti, beloved of Ptah].