The Pyramid Texts were funerary inscriptions that were written on the walls of the early Ancient Egyptian pyramids at Sakkara. These date back to the fifth and sixth dynasties, approximately the years 2350-2175 B.C.E. However, because of extensive internal evidence, it is believed that they were composed much earlier, circa 3000 B.C.E. The Pyramid Texts are, therefore, essentially the oldest sacred texts known.

Samuel Mercer was the first to produce a complete English translation of this mysterious text, in 1952. This was also the first complete translation in any language. The Mercer translation was followed by the R.O. Faulkner translation in 1969, which is considered the standard today.

Utterances (443-452)

823a. To say: Nut, two eyes are come forth from thy head.

823b. Thou hast taken possession of Horus and his Great-in-charms;

823c. thou hast taken possession of Set and his Great-in-charms.

823d. Nut, thou hast numbered thy children, in thy name of "rp.t-sedan-chair of Heliopolis."

823e. Thou shalt reclaim N. also for life; he shall not perish.

824a. To say: Nut, thou hast dawned as king of Lower Egypt, because thou hast gained power over the gods,

824b. together with their kas, together with their heritage,

824c. together with their food, together with all their possessions.

824d. Nut, him thou causest to endure, he will live. 824e. Nut, if thou livest, N. will live.

825a. To say: Osiris N., thy mother, Nut, has spread herself over thee,

825b. that she may hide thee from all evil things.

825c. Nut has guarded thee from all evil;

825d. thou art the greatest among her children.

826a. To say: He is gone who went to his ka; Osiris is gone to his ka; Set is gone to his ka;

826b. Mḫnti-’irti is gone to his ka; thou thyself art gone to thy ka.

827a. O N., he who comes, comes, thou shalt not be in need;

827b. thy mother comes, thou shalt not be in need; Nut, thou shalt not be in need;

827c. protectress of the great, thou shalt not be in need; protectress of the fearful, thou shalt not be in need.

828a. She protects thee, she prevents thy need, she gives back thy head to thee;

828b. she collects thy bones for thee;

828c. she brings thy heart into thy body for thee.

829a. Thou art (henceforth?) chief of those who were before thee;

829b. thou commandest those who will be after thee.

829c. Thou causest thy house to prosper after thee; thou protectest thy children from sorrow.

829d. Thy purity is the purity of the gods, who have gone to their kas;

829e. thy purity is the purity of the gods who have passed on, and so do not suffer hardship.

830a. To say: Thot, heal N., that he may live,

830b. that what is against him may cease. Thot, give him the eye of Horus.

831. To say: Horus, who art in Osiris N., take the eye of Horus to thyself.

832a. To say: He is gone, who went to his ka; Osiris is gone to his ka; Set is gone to his ka;

832b. Mḫnti-’irti is gone to his ka; N. is gone to his ka.

833a. O N., thou art gone, that thou mayest live; thou art gone, that thou mayest not die;

833b. thou art gone, that thy spirit may be at the head of the spirits, that thou mayest be powerful at the head of the living;

833c. that thou mayest be mighty (a soul), and thou art mighty (a soul); that thou mayest be honoured, and thou art honoured.

834a. He who comes, comes; thou shalt not be in need.

834b. Thy mother comes to thee, thou shalt not be in need; Nut comes to thee, thou shalt not be in need;

834c. the protectress of the great comes to thee, thou shalt not be in need.

835a. She protects thee, she prevents thy need, she gives back thy head to thee;

835b. she assembles thy bones for thee, she unites thy limbs for thee;

835c. she brings thy heart into thy body for thee.

836a. Thou art (henceforth?) chief of those who were before thee;

836b. thou commandest those who were before thee;

836c. thou protectest thy children from sorrow.

836d. Thy purity is the purity of the gods, 836e. the lords of want, who have gone to their kas.

837a. To say: O N., awake, raise thyself up,

837b. stand up, that thou mayest be pure, that thy ka may be pure,

837c. that thy soul may be pure, that thy might may be pure.

838a. Thy mother comes to thee, Nut comes to thee, the great protectress comes to thee;

838b. she purifies thee, N., she protects thee, N.,

838c. she prevents thy need. 839a. O N., thou art pure, thy ka is pure,

839b. thy might which is among the spirits is pure, thy soul which is among the gods is pure.

840a. O N.,

840b. "Thy bones are united for thee; take to thee thy head," says Geb.

840c. Let him efface the evil which is in thee, N., says Atum.

841a. To say: O N., stand up, that thou mayest be pure, that thy ka may be pure.

841b. Horus purifies thee in ḳbḥ.w.

842a. Thy purification is the purification of Shu, thy purification is the purification of Tefnut,

842b. thy purification is the purification of the four spirits of the houses,

842 C. when they rejoice in Buto because thou art pure.

842d. Thy mother Nut purifies thee, the great protectress, she protects thee.

843a. "Take to thee thy head; thy bones are united for thee," says Geb.

843b. "Effaced be the evil which is with N., destroyed shall be the evil which is with him," says Atum.