The Pyramid Texts
Translation by Samuel A. B. Mercer
The Pyramid Texts
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.
Table Of Contents
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Preface |
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Introduction |
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The Pyramid Texts |
| 1 |
Nut and the Deceased King (1-11) |
| 2 |
Ritual of Bodily Restoration of the Deceased, and Offerings (12-203) |
| 3 |
A Group of Prayers And Charms (204-212) |
| 4 |
A Series of Old Heliopolitan Texts Partly Osirianized (213-222) |
| 5 |
The Deceased King Receives Offerings and is Re-Established in His Functions and Possessions (223-225) |
| 6 |
Mostly Serpent Charms (226-243) |
| 7 |
The Deceased King Arrives in Heaven Where He is Established (244-259) |
| 8 |
The Deceased King Triumphs Over His Enemies and is Recognized by the Gods (260-262) |
| 9 |
Means Whereby the Deceased King Reaches Heaven (263-271) |
| 10 |
The Deceased King in Heaven (272-274) |
| 11 |
Charms (275-299) |
| 12 |
The Ferryman and the Deceased King's Ascension (300-311) |
| 13 |
A Series of Five Charms (312-316) |
| 14 |
Miscellaneous Utterances on the Career of the Deceased King in the Hereafter (317-337) |
| 15 |
Offerings for the Deceased King (338-349) |
| 16 |
Miscellaneous Utterances on the Hereafter (350-374) |
| 17 |
Conjurations and Charms (375-400) |
| 18 |
Utterances Concerning Well-Being, Especially Food and Clothes (401-426) |
| 19 |
In Praise of Nut, Utterances (427-435) |
| 20 |
Miscellaneous Texts--Some Largely Osirian (436-442) |
| 21 |
Second Series in Praise of Nut (443-452) |
| 22 |
A Miscellaneous Group (453-486) |
| 23 |
A Series of Food Texts (487-502) |
| 24 |
A Series of Reed-Floats and Ferryman Texts (503-522) |
| 25 |
Miscellaneous Texts Chiefly About the Deceased King's Reception and Life in Heaven (523-533) |
| 26 |
For The Protection of the Pyramid Enclosure Against Osiris and His Cycle (534) |
| 27 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (535-538) |
| 28 |
A Litany of Ascension (539) |
| 29 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (540-552) |
| 30 |
Resurrection, Meal, and Ascension of the Deceased King (553) |
| 31 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (554-562) |
| 32 |
A Purification Litany (563) |
| 33 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (564-569) |
| 34 |
New-Birth of the Deceased King as a God in Heaven (570) |
| 35 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (571-575) |
| 36 |
The Resurrection and Ascension of the Deceased King (576) |
| 37 |
The Resurrection of Osiris with whom the Gods are Satisfied (577) |
| 38 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (578-586) |
| 39 |
An Early Hymn to the Sun (587) |
| 40 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (588-600) |
| 41 |
A Litany-Like Incantation for the Endurance of a Pyramid and Temple (601) |
| |
Utterance (601) |
| 42 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (602-605) |
| 43 |
The Resurrection, Ascension, and Reception of the Deceased King in Heaven (606) |
| 44 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (607-609) |
| 45 |
The Deceased King on Earth and in Heaven (610) |
| 46 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (611-626) |
| 47 |
The Ascended King, His Works, and Identifications (627) |
| 48 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (628-658) |
| 49 |
The Death of the King and His Arrival in Heaven (659) |
| 50 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (660-669) |
| 51 |
The Death, Resurrection, and Spiritualization of the King (670) |
| 52 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (671-675) |
| 53 |
Resurrection, Transfiguration, and Life of the King in Heaven (676) |
| 54 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (677-683) |
| 55 |
The Deceased King Ascends to Heaven (684) |
| 56 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (685-689) |
| 57 |
A Series of Addresses to the Deceased King as a God (690) |
| 58 |
Texts of Miscellaneous Contents (691-704) |
| 59 |
A Series of Unclassifiable Fragments (705-714) |
Utterance 601.
1660a. To say: O Great Ennead, who are in Heliopolis, make N. endure;
1660b. make this pyramid of N. endure, and this his temple, for ever and ever,
1660c. as the name of Atum, chief of the Great Ennead, endures.
1661a. As the name of Shu, lord of the upper mnś.t in Heliopolis, endures,
1661b. so may the name of N. endure,
1661c. so may this his pyramid endure, and this his temple, likewise, for ever and ever.
1662a. As the name of Tefnut, lady of the lower mnś.t in Heliopolis, is established,
1662b. so may the name of N. be established,
1662c. so may this pyramid be established, likewise, for ever and ever.
1663a. As the name of Geb, even the soul of the earth, endures,
1663b. so may the name of N. endure,
1663c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1663d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, even for ever and ever.
1664a. As the name of Nut, in the encircled mansion in Heliopolis, endures,
1664b. so may the name of N. endure,
1664c. so may this his pyramid endure,
1664d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
1665a. As the name of Osiris, in Abydos, endures,
1665b. so may the name of N. endure,
1665c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1665d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, even for ever and ever.
1666a. As the name of Osiris, as First of the Westerners, endures,
1666b. so may the name of N. endure,
1666c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1666d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
1667a. As the name of Set, in Ombos, endures,
1667b. so may the name of N. endure,
1667c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1667d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
1668a. As the name of Horus endures, in Buto,
1668b. so may the name of N. endure,
1668c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1668d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
1669a. As the name of Rē‘, on the horizon, endures,
1669b. so may the name of N. endure,
1669c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1669d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
1670a. As the name of Mḫnti-’irti, of Letopolis, is established,
1670b. so may the name of N. endure,
1670c. so may this his pyramid endure,
1670d. so may this temple of N. endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
1671a. As the name of Wȝd.t, in Buto, endures,
1671b. so may the name of N. endure,
1671c. so may this pyramid of N. endure,
1671d. so may this his temple endure, likewise, for ever and ever.
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