Nov.7] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY. [1893.MayI be restored! May I be restored!
I fly up to heaven andI alight uponthe earth ; and mineeye
turnethbacktheretowardsthe traces of my footsteps.
I am the offspring of Yesterday ; the tunnels (23)of the earth
havegivenme birth, andI am revealed at my appointed time.
May I be under shelter from the warlike handed god who
comethbehindme, may my flesh be sound and maymy glories be
a protection to the limbs of one whowaitethfor the purpose of
takingcounsel. Maythe Cycle of the gods listento what I say.
To be said on coming forthby day ; that one may not be kept back
on the path of the Tuat, whetheron entering or on coming forth; for
takingall the forms whichone desireth; and the soul of the person
die not a second time.
If thenthis chapter be known the person is made triumphantupon
earth [andin the Netherworld] andhe performeth all things which
are done by the living.
Thischapterwasdiscoveredon a plinth of the god of the Hennu
Bark(23)by a master builderof the wall in the time of King Septa,
the Victorious. (24)
Thiscompositionis a secret ; not to be seen or looked at.
Recite the chapter whensanctifiedandpure; not approaching
women,not eatinggoafsfleshor fish.
Notes.Thisis one of the most importantas it is one of the most ancient
chapters. Thetextof it was alreadydoubtfulat the time of the
Xlthdynasty. It had been handeddownin two recensions, both
of which were inscribedon the coffin of Queen Mentuhotep,the
discoveryof one of these beingattributedto the time of King Septa
of the 1st dynasty, and that of the second to the time of Menkaura,
the king of the third pyramid. Thesetwo recensions are also found
in the papyrus of Nebseni. TheMSS.presentinnumerablevarious
readings,few of which are of the slightest value. Thesehavebeen
collected,as far as they couldbe discovered, in the French and
someotherMuseumsin 1876, in a very admirableworkuponthe
chapter,by M. Paul Guieysse,*whohas translated and commented
uponit and andall the variations of it known to him at the time.* Etudes Egyptologiques; sixieme livraison.
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