Let my heart be with me
in the House of Hearts.
Let my heart-case be with me
in the House of heart-cases.
Let my heart be with me,
and let it rest in me,
or I shall not eat the cakes of Osiris
in the eastern side of the Lake of Flowers,
nor have a boat wherein to float down the river,
nor a boat to sail up the river to thee,
nor be able to embark in a boat with thee.
Let my mouth be to me
that I may speak therewith.
Let my legs be to me
that I may walk therewith.
Let my arms be to me
that I may overthrow the foe therewith.
Let the two doors of the sky be opened unto me.
May Keb, the Erpat, open his jaws to me.
May he open my two eyes blinded by swathings.
May he make me to lift up my tied legs in walking.
May Anubis make my thighs to become vigorous.
May the goddess Sekhmet raise me,
and lift me up.
Let me ascend into heaven.
Let that which I command be performed
in the house of the KA of ptah.
I know how to use my heart.
I am master of my heart-case.
I am master of my hands and arms.
I am master of my legs.
I have the power to do
whatever my KA desires to do.
My heart-soul
shall not be kept prisoner
in my body at the gates of Amentet.
I will go in
in peace,
and I will go out
in peace,
and I will do
just as my KA
desires to do.
________________
~ from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, “The Chapter of Giving A Heart to the Osiris in Khert-Neter”, Papyrus of Ani. C. 1250 B.C.
[Art: Nadia Samchuk]
