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 (691-704)

2120a (Nt. XXXII 819). To say: O my father, O Re‘, concerning these things which thou hast said:

2120b (Nt. 819). "O that I had a son who is glorified, who dawns, who is a soul, is honoured, is mighty,

2120c (Nt. 820). whose arm is stretched out, whose stride is wide."

2121a (Nt. 820). Behold me, I am thy son, behold I am N.;

2121b (Nt. 820-821). I am glorified, I dawn (or, am crowned), I am a soul, I am honoured, I am mighty;

2121c (Nt. 821). mine arm is stretched out, my stride is wide.

2122a. O N., he is purified;

2122b (Nt. 821-822). I take the rudder, I am glad of my seat on the shoulder of the sky;

2122c. N. voyages on the shoulder of the sky;

2122d. N. directs his rudder on the shoulder of the sky.

2123a. O my father, O Rē‘, concerning these things which thou hast said:

2123b. "O that I had a son who is glorified, who dawns, who is a soul, is honoured, is mighty,

2123c. whose arm is stretched out, whose stride is wide."

2124a. Behold me, I am thy son, behold I am N.

2124b. I am glorified, I dawn (or, am crowned), I am a soul, I am honoured, I am mighty;

2125a. I am purified;

2125b (Nt. 825). I take my rudder, I am glad of my seat in company with the Ennead;

2125c (Nt. 826). I voyage with the Ennead;

2125d (Nt. 826). I direct my rudder in company with the Ennead.

2126a - 1 (Nt. Jéquier, XXXII 826). To say: The two reed-floats of heaven are placed for Rē‘;

2126a - 2 (Nt. 826-827). the two reed-floats of heaven are placed for Rē‘,

2126a - 3 (Nt. 827). that he may be high from east to west at the side of his brothers, the gods.

2126a - 4 (Nt. 827-828). His, brother is Śȝḥ, his sister is Sothis;

2126a - 5 (Nt. 828). he is seated between them above (lit. in) this earth for ever.

2126a - 6 (Nt. 828). The two reed-floats of heaven are placed for this N.;

2126a (Nt. 828-829). the two reed-floats of heaven are placed for this N.;

2126b (Nt. 829). that she (lit. he) may be high from east to west at the side of her (lit. his) brothers, the gods.

2126b + 1 (Nt. 829). Her (lit. his) brother is Śȝḥ her (lit. his) sister is Sothis;

2126b + 2 (Nt. 830). she (lit. he) is seated between them above (lit. in) this earth for ever.

2127a - 1 (Nt. Jéquier, XXXII 830). Awake, awake, father Osiris,

2127a - 2 (Nt. 83 0). I am thy son, who loves thee, I am thy son, who loves thee.

2127a (Nt. 831). Behold me, enter, I am come, I have brought to thee that which he carried off belonging to thee.

2127b (Nt. SP). He rejoiced over thee; he exulted (?) over thee.

2126b + 1 (Nt. 829). Her (lit. his) brother is Śȝḥ her (lit. his) sister is Sothis;

2127b + 2 (Nt. 83 2 ). the two sisters who love thee, Isis and Nephthys; they are pleasing to thee.

2127b + 3 (Nt. 883). Thou shalt not pass me by, for I am entrusting myself to thee;

2127b + 4 (Nt. 833). thou shalt not pass by the bread of judgment; thou shalt be satisfied with Ḥr-’imi-pr.f.

2128a-1 (Nt. 833-834). I have rowed (thee) as Set, like Geb;

2128a, (Nt. 834). like the remains (of a corpse) (in) jars of viscera;

2128b (Nt. 834). thy forepart being like that of a jackal, thy hinderpart like Ḳbḥ.wt.

2128b + 1 (Nt. 834). It is clear that thou receivest a man of god.

2128b + 2 (Nt. 83 5). 1 have ploughed barley; I have reaped the spelt,

2128b + 3 (Nt. 835). which I have done (given) for thy years (festivals?).

2128b + 4 (Nt. 83 5). Awake, awake, father, for this thy bread.

2129-1 (N. Jéquier, XI 1011) -------- N. he

2129-2 (N. 1011) -------------- ‘ȝm --- ḥ ---

2129 (N. 1011-1012) ------ the might of N. -----------------

2129 + 1 (N. 1012) ----------- they see (?) -------

2129 + 2 (N. 1012) -----------------------------------

2129 + 3 (N. 1012). the throne of N. m -----

2129 + 4 (N. 1012). --- this N. on the head of Rē‘ dm -----

2129 + 5 (N. 1012) ------- m (?) ---------

2130 (N. 1012-1013) ------- in heaven strong ---------------

2130 + 1 (N. 1013) --------------- m(?)ś

2130 + 2 (N. 1013). N ---------------------------------

2130 + 3 (N. 1013). he smote (?) with the ‘bȝ-sceptre; he led with the ’iȝȝ.t-sceptre

2130+4 (N. 1013). this N -------- with (?) a voice

2130+ 5 (N. 1013). not --------

2131 (N. 1013-1014). ----------- his? names

2131 + 1 (N. 1014). ----------------------------------

2131 + 2 (N. 1014). ----------- ȝȝ rw -------------------

2131 + 3 (N. 1014). ----------------- with braids of hair

2131 +4 (N. 1014). -------------

2131 + 5 (N. 1014). praise was given, rejoicing ------

2132 (N. 1014-1015). ȝḫ ------------- Geb -------------

2132 + 1 (N. Jéquier, XI 1015). -------------

2132 + 2 (N. 1015). --------- his two arms guarded before N.

2132 + 3 (N. 1015). ----------------------------------

2132 + 4 (N. 1015). --------------------------- śr

2132 + 5 (N. 1015). N. shines --------------------------

2133 (N. 1015-1016). ---------------------------------

2133 + 1 (N. 1016). -----------

2133 + 2 (N. 1016). N. purified --------------- ’in --

2133 + 3 (N. 1016). comes as his soul ’inw -------------

2133 + 4 (N. 1016) ------ N., he withdraws by it

2134 (N. 1016). the hand of N. took -----------------

2135 (N. 1016 + 1). -------------

2136 + 1 (N. 1016 + 1). Harachte commanded thee, N -------- pȝw.t ntr

2136 + 2 (N. 1016 + 1). Khepri --- gods, clothes laid aside

2136 + 3 (N. 1016 + 2). -------------

2136 + 4 (N. 1016 + 2) ------------- lake of the jackals

2136 + 5 (N. Jéquier, XI 1016 + 2). N. sat ------------[Dwȝ]-mw.tf.

2136+ 6 (N. 1016 + 2). Dwȝ-mw.tf ------------------

2137 ----------------------------------------------

2138. ’i -------------- ’in --------------------

2139a. (N. Jéquier, XII 1021). To say: Awa[ke] -------- ḫnti n.k[m?] -----

2139b (N. 1021). -------------------------------------

2140a (N. 1022). the bows bend their head to thee, go[ing] from thee between (?) -----

2140b (N. 1022) --------------------------------

2141a (N. 1023). the gods rejoiced; exult ----------

2141a + 1 (N. 1923). ------ [he?] sees -------

2141b (N. 1023-1024). ------------- [Geb], prince of the gods

2142a (N. 1024). he has taken the heritage; [he has] carried off

2142b (N. 1024). ---N ------------------------------

2143a. (N. 1025). Equip thyself with his white crown; eat bread

2143b (N. Jéquier, XII 1025). ------- [wi]th a presentation

2144a (N. Jéquier, XII 1028-1029). ------ says Isis; "I have found (him)," says Nephthys,

2144b (N. 1029). when they saw Osiris on his side on the shore [of Ndi.t]

2145a (N. 1029). -------- rise up -----------------------

2145b (N. 1029-1030). --------- my brother, I sought thee;

2145c (N. 1030). raise thyself up, spirit." Geb said:

2145d (N. 1030). "I have smitten -------------- the [Enn]ead

2146a. --------------------- for thy father Atum,

2146b. that he may cause thee to be (on) the ḥnti-ocean among the gods,

2146c. as the Great One who is before -----------------

2146d. -----------------------------------------

2147a. Those who are in Nun come to thee; mankind (the blessed dead (?)) circulate for thee;

2147b. thou art like Horus -----------------------------

2148a ---------------------- with him, in thy time.

2148b. Thine annual (offerings) are made with him, in his hour,

2148c. by order of ----------------

2149a. ------------------------------------------

2149b. The way of N. is open for N.; the way of N. is made (prepared?).

2150a. N ------------------------------------------

2150b ---------------------- chief of the two lands.

2150c. N. is Thot chief of heaven; N. is Anubis chief of the house.

2151a. It was brought, open ---------------------------

2151b. ----------------------------- to N., before N.

2152a. He is the bittern (śdȝ-bird), which comes from the marsh

2152b. -------------------------------------------

2153a. -------------------------------------------

2153b. who is in tnw of the four tnw, depart from N.

2154a. N -----------

2154b. N -----------------------------------------

2154c. pure is the tongue which is in the mouth of N.

2155a. Protect N ------------

2155a + 1 (N. Jéquier, XII 1038). ---- N -------

2155b. ---------------- that N. may not be upside down.

2156a. N. is the bull ----------

2156b. N. is the bull -------------------------------

2156c. three in heaven; two on earth.

2157a. To say: The diadem comes into being; inundated ------- ti

2157b. tm ---------------------------------------

2158a. Seat thyself on the throne of Rē‘, which Horus, removed to the south of the sky.

2158b. removed ---------------- fḫ (?) ---------------

2158c. ------------------ he removed the secret (places) of the Nine (Bows?).

2159a. N. is seated ----------------------------------

2159a + 1 (N. Jéquier, XII 1042). ------ n.f nb ------

2159b. ------------------------ N. upon the sky. 2159c. The two hands of N. are on Heliopolis.

2160a. ----------- rd.wi [N.] -------------------

2160b. ------------ ’ir.ś

2160b + 1 (N. 1044). the head of N. is above; the legs of N. [are below].

2161a. [N.] ---------------

2161b. --------- more long than wide;

2161b + 1 (N. 1045). behold N. św t[ȝ?] -----

2162a. ----- śšm -----------------------------------

2162b. like to her following of Set; like to her foll[owing] -----

2162c. ----- m ------- ’i -----------------------------

2163a (N. Jéquier, XII 1047). O, strong one, jackal, Dḳḳ, bring these to [this] N.;

2163b. bring with these to N --------------------

2163c (N. 1048). messenger of Atum, O N., with linen of Tȝ(?)i.t

2164a. -----------------------------------

2164b (N. 1049). O! O! come; O! O! come; bring these to N.;

2165a. bring with (these) to N ----------------

2165b. lift him up -------

2165b + 1 (N. 1050). messenger of Atum, O N., with linen of Tȝ(?)i.t

2166a. -------------- the eye of Horus there

2166b (N. 10511). hurry against the fingers of Set

2166b + 1 (N. 1951). dȝ (or, wdȝ) ----------- ’in(f) m--ś--

2167a. (N. 1051-1052) ------ N. earth in peace

2167b (N. 1052). the two hands of N. ------------- to the heart

2168 (N. 1053). Raise thyself up N., tsi ----------------

2168 + 1 (N. 1054). N. raised himself up in this night --------

2168 + 2 (N. 1055). n these of N ---------------------

2168 + 3 (N. 1055 + 1 to 1055 + 2). ḥtm (?) --- Šśȝ --------belonging to the god

2168 + 4 (N. 1055 + 2). O N. ---------------------

2168 + 5 (N. 1055 + 3). 63 ------- ’im-n.n ------------

2168 + 6 (N. 1055 + 5) ------ he[aven] --------------

(Following 2168 + 6, there are in N. Jéquier, XII, eight additional columns, 1055 + 5 to 1055 + 12, the text of which is entirely destroyed).

2169a. To say: O N., the mouth of the earth opens for thee; Geb speaks to thee:

2169b. "Thou art great like a king; thou art mighty like Rē‘.

2170a. Thou purifiest thyself in the lake of the jackal; thou cleansest thyself in the lake of the Dȝt."

2170b. "Come in peace," say the Two Enneads to thee.

2170c. The eastern door of heaven is open for thee by ’Imn-kȝm.

2171a . Nut has given her arms to thee, N., she of the long hair, she of the hanging breasts;

2171b. she lifts thee high to herself to heaven; she did not cast N. down to the earth.

2172a. She gives thee birth, N., like S'ȝh;

2172b. she makes thee remain as chief of the two ’itr.t-palaces."

2172c. N. descends into the boat like Rē‘, on the shores, of the Winding Watercourse.

2173a. N. is transported by the indefatigables;

2173b. N. commands the imperishable stars;

2173c. N. is transported on the ḥnti-ocean;

2173d. N. takes the helm to the fields of ḫȝḫȝ.

2174a. Thy messengers go; thy runners hasten.

2174b. They say to Rē‘: "Behold, N. is come; behold, N. is come in peace."

2175a. Do not go by these water-courses of the west;

2175b. those who go there, they do not come back.

2175c. Go thou, N., by these water-courses of the east,

2175d. among the Followers of [Rē‘]

2175e. ------ him who lifts up the arm in the east.

2175f. ------------------------------------

2176a + 1 (N. 1300). N -------- N. pw -------------------

2176a + 2 (N. 1309). mdś ntr.w m ------------------

2177a (N. 1309). -------------- śki

2177b (N. 1309-1310). flesh; protect thyself; give way from behind N.

2178a. -----------------------------------------

2178b. ------- Anubis, he lays hold of thine arm; Nut, she gives to thee thy heart.

2179a. Thou fleest cloudlike as a falcon; thou drawest thyself out of the water like a nwr-bird;

2179b. thou goest towards the west -----------------

2180a. ----------------------------------------

2180b. ------ [thou livest], thou livest; thou art young, thou art young;

2180c. to the side of thy father, to the side of Śȝḥ, to heaven.

2181a. Thou livest -----------------------------------

2182a. To say: Father N.,

2182b. raise thyself up on thy right side; support thyself on thy left side.

2182c. Thy flesh has been collected for thee ------------

2182d. --------------------------------------

2183a. ---------------- with which thou art pure as a god.

2183b. The messengers of Rē‘ come forth for thee; the imperishable stars take thine arm.

2183c. [Thou] diest not ------------------------------

2184a. --------------------------------------

2184b. [like Anubis] who is in Tȝḫb.t.

2185a. Thy wȝg (offering) is of bread; wȝg is like the eye of Horus,

2185b. in (his) name of "Wȝg-(offering)."

2185c. Thy presentation -----------------------------

2185d. --------------------------------------

2186a. ----- thine enemies are destroyed; they perish;

2186b. they foam in opposing thee; throw them in the lake; throw them in the sea.

2187a. Men come to thee -----------------------------

2187b. --------------------------------------

2187c. -------

2188a. To say: The Great One is fallen in Ndi.t; Isis is loosed from her burden (tn).

2188b. Raise thyself up, thou who art in Ntrw; raise thyself up

2189a. --------------------------------------

2189b. ------------------------ the god is loosed.

2190a. Horus comes forth from Chemmis;

2190b. Buto arises for Horus; he purifies himself there.

2191a. Horus comes purified, that he may avenge [his father]

2191b. --------------------------------------

2192a. [I am thy sister], who loves thee, says Isis, says Nephthys.

2192b. They weep for thee; they awake for thee.

2193a. O N., raise [thyself] up -------------------------

2193b. --------------------------------------

2194a. ---------------------------------------

2194b. [(receive) thy thousand (loaves) of bread], [thy thousand (mugs) of beer], thy thousand cattle, thy thousand geese,

2194c. a roast, a double-rib piece from the slaughtering-bench of the god; the great bread and the rtḥ-bread from the broad-hall.

2195a. Provide thyself, N., with ------------------------

2195b. --------------------------------------

2196a. Thou hast thy wrr.t-crown; the wrr.t-crown is on thy head;

2196b. thou hast taken the wrr.t-crown before the Two Enneads

2196c. Thou art a spirit among [thy] brothers -------------

2197a. ---------------------------------------

2197b. ----------- spirits.

2198a. O N., stand up;

2198b. sit thou before thy heart like Anubis First of the Westerners.

2199a. Thou art come (again) to [thy] (right) state ---------

2199b. ---------------------------------------

2199c. -------

2200a. To say: N. is come to you,

2200b. ye great and powerful pair of goddesses, who are on the eastern side of heaven,

2200c. that you both may carry N. and set him on the eastern side of heaven.

2201a. To say: O. N., thy soul is with thee

2201b. ---------------- as Osiris.

2201c. O N., live, thou shalt not die.

2202a. Horus comes to thee; he separates thy bandages; he casts off thy bonds.

2202b. Horus has expelled thy rivals,

2202c. the earth-gods seize thee not.

2203a. O N., [thy] ka is mighty --------------------

2203b. Thy father is not among men; thy mother is not among mankind.

2204a. Thy mother is the great ḥwr.t-uraeus, the white (crown), the royal head-dress, resident in el-Kâb,

2204b. she with variegated feather, she with the two hanging (and shaking) breasts.

2205. N. is not seized by ------------------------------

2206a. To say: N. [is a male], coming forth from Rē‘;

2206b. N. has come forth from between the thighs of the Ennead;

2206c. Šsm.t.t conceived him; Šsm.t.t gave him birth;

2206d. N. is a falcon coming forth from Rē‘;

2206e. [N. is the living ’i‘r.t-serpent], which came forth from the eye of Rē‘;

2206f. he flies, he hovers over the throne of Khepri, in the bow of his boat in the sky.