Egyptian Book of the Dead

CHAPTER CLXXI

CHAPTER CLXXI Chapter of wrapping up (the deceased) in a pure garment. O Tmu, Shu, Tefnut, Seb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Sut, Nephthys, Horus of the two Horizons, Hathor in the great dwelling, Chepera, Mentu lord of Thebes, Amon lord of Nestaui, ye the great cycle of the gods, ye the small cycle of the gods, ye gods and goddesses issued from Nu, Sebek of Shet, Sebek in all his manifold names, in all the abodes where his ka likes to be; ye gods of the South and of the North, ye gods in heaven and on earth, grant a pure garment to the mighty Chu N. ; give him to be glorious by it and destroy all that was wrong in him. This pure garment of N. has been allotted to him for ever, for eternity, for you destroy all that is wrong in him. Notes. This Chapter, which has no vignette, is found in one papyrus only, written for a deceased of the name of Amenophis. Its Theban origin is clearly indicated by the mention of Mentu and Amon, the two great gods of Thebes. Its character is different from the Book of the Dead in general. It seems to be part of a ritual such as the Ritual of Amon and Mut, with which it has a great likeness (see Moret, Rituel du culte divin , ch. 6). (1) The clothing in a pure or perhaps a clean garment, will be the sign that all that was wrong in the deceased has been destroyed by the gods. Therefore the deceased calls on them, asking them to complete this destruction in order that he may shine or be glorious, wearing the pure garment. It is alluded to in the next Chapter (fifth verse), “thou puttest on the pure garment, and thou divestest the apron, when thou stretchest thyself on the funereal bed.”