The Pyramid Texts of UNAS

Burial-Chamber l Passage-way l Antechamber l Corridor l Serdab

introduction l English text l commentary

III

SARCOPHAGUS CHAMBER

South Wall
(213 - 219)

"<" or ">" between numbers = sequence of the text
"<" from right to left (facing right) or ">" from left to right (facing left)

VOYAGE TO THE DUAT

adapted from the pictures of L.F. Husson in :
Piankoff, A. : The Pyramid of Unas, Bollingen Series, 1968.

to download a larger picture click here
the text reads from right to left

Translation

The King enters the Duat

137 (213)  the King on the throne of Osiris

by the priest

O King Unas !
You have not gone away dead !
You have gone away alive !

Sit upon the throne of Osiris.
Your Power-scepter in your hand,
that You may give orders to the living.
Your Lotus-bud scepter in your hand,
that You may give orders to those whose seats are hidden.

Your lower arms are of Atum.
Your upper arms are of Atum.
Your belly is of Atum.
Your back is of Atum.
Your rear is of Atum.
Your legs are of Atum.
Your face is of Anubis.
The Mounds of Horus shall serve You.
The Mounds of Seth shall serve You.

138 (214) at the Head of the Westerners

by the priest

O King Unas, beware of the Lake (of Fire) !
-to say the words four times-

The messengers of your Ka come for You.
The messengers of your father come for You.
The messengers of Re come for You, (saying) : "Go after your Sun and cleanse yourself, for your bones are those of the divine falcon-goddesses who are in the sky. May You be beside the god. May You leave your house and ascend to your son."

May You <fetter> anyone who shall speak evilly against the name of King Unas !
Go up, for Geb has committed him to a low estate in the town of the pregnant one, so that he may flee and sink down weary.

But You shall bathe in the cool water of the stars !
You shall board (the Sunboat) upon ropes of iron, on the shoulders of Horus in his name of "Him who is in Sokar's boat". The Sun-folk will cry out to You once the Imperishable Stars have raised You aloft.

Ascend to the place where your father is, to the place where Geb is, that he will give You that which is on the brow of Horus, so that You shall come an Akh thereby, take control thereby and that You shall be at the head of the Westerners thereby.

The King is protected in the Duat by Atum

139 (215) healing the Rivals and becoming completed (an Atum) to every god

by the priest

O King Unas, your messengers have gone, your heralds have run to your father, to Atum (to say for You) :

"Atum, raise him up to You, enclose him within your arms.
There is no star-god who has no companion : I am your companion.

Look at me, as You have seen the shapes of the children of their fathers, who know their spell, who are Imperishable Stars ! See (in me) the two who are in the Palace - that is, Horus and Seth.

Spit on the face of Horus for him, that You may remove the injury against him ! Pick up the testicles of Seth, that You may remove his mutilation. That one has been born for You, this one has been conceived for You, for You have given birth to Horus, in his name of 'Him at whom the Earth quakes and the sky trembles'. This one has no mutilation, that one has no injury. That one has no injury, this one has no mutilation. You (Unas) have no injury, You have no mutilation."

You have been born, O Horus, for Osiris, and You have more Ba than he. You have more power than he. You have been conceived, O Seth, for Geb, and You have more Ba than he. You have more power than he.

There is no own seed of a god that has gone (from life), and You, his own, will not go. Re-Atum will not give You to Osiris, and he will not claim your mind, nor have power over your heart. Re-Atum will not give You to Horus, and he will not claim your mind, nor have power over your heart.

O Osiris, You cannot control him, your son cannot control him !
O Horus, You shall never have power over him, nor shall your father have power over him !

You belong, So-and-so, to that god of whom the Twin Children of Atum said :
"You are distinguished", say they, "in your identity of a god".

You shall become completed to every god ! :
your head is Horus of the Duat, O Imperishable Star.
your face is Eyes-Forward, O Imperishable Star.
your ears are the Twin Children of Atum, O Imperishable Star.
your eyes are the Twin Children of Atum, O Imperishable Star.
your nose is the Jackal, O Imperishable Star.
your teeth are Sopdu, O Imperishable Star.
Your hands are {Hapy} and Duamutef.
When You demand to ascend to the sky, You ascend !
Your feet are Imseti and Qebsenuf.
When You demand to descend to the Lower Sky, You descend !
Your limbs are the Twin Children of Atum, O Imperishable Star.
You will not perish, your Ka will not perish : You are a Ka !

The Midnight Mystery

140 (216) King Unas in the Nightboat of the Sun, encircled by the Duat

by the King

To say the words :
I have come to You, O Nephthys !
I have come to You, O Nightboat !
I have come to You, O Pilot-covered-in-Red !
I have come to You, O Place-where-the Kas-are-remembered !
May You remember me, this King Unas !

Orion has become encircled by the Duat,
as the Living One became pure in the horizon.
Sothis has become encircled by the Duat,
as the Living One became pure in the horizon.
I, this King Unas, has become encircled by the Duat,
as the Living One became pure in the horizon.

I have become Akh for them !
I have grown cool for them !
Inside the arms of my father,
inside the arms of Atum !

141 (217) King Unas gathering with Atum in darkness

by the priest

To say the words :
Re-Atum, this King Unas has come to You, an imperishable Akh, Lord of <the Affairs> of the Place of the Four Papyrus Pillars. Your son has come to You, this King Unas has come to You. You shall both traverse the sky, after gathering in the darkness (of the Duat) ! May You rise from the horizon, from the place in which You have both become Akh !

Seth and Nephthys, go, and proclaim to the gods of the Nile Valley as well as their Akhs : "This King Unas has come, an imperishable Akh. If he wishes You to die, You will die ! If he wishes You to live, You will live !"

Re-Atum, this King Unas has come to You, an imperishable Akh, Lord of <the Affairs> of the Place of the Four Papyrus Pillars. Your son has come to You, this King Unas has come to You. You shall both traverse the sky, after gathering in the darkness (of the Duat) ! May You rise from the horizon, from the place in which You have both become Akh !

Osiris and Isis, go, and proclaim to the gods of Lower Egypt and their Akhs : "This King Unas has come, an imperishable Akh, as one to be worshipped, (Osiris) who is in charge of the inundation. Worship him, You Akhs who are in the waters ! Whom he wishes to live will live ! Whom he wishes to die will die !"

Re-Atum, this King Unas has come to You, an imperishable Akh, Lord of <the Affairs> of the Place of the Four Papyrus Pillars. Your son has come to You, this King Unas has come to You. You shall both traverse the sky, after gathering in the darkness (of the Duat) ! May You rise from the horizon, from the place in which You have both become Akh !

Thoth, go, and proclaim to gods of the West and their Akhs : "This King Unas has come indeed, an imperishable Akh, arrayed on the neck as Anubis at the head of the Western Mountain, that he may claims minds, he control hearts. Whom he wishes to live will live ! Whom he wishes to die will die !"

Re-Atum, this King Unas has come to You, an imperishable Akh, Lord of <the Affairs> of the Place of the Four Papyrus Pillars. Your son has come to You, this King Unas has come to You. You shall both traverse the sky, after gathering in the darkness (of the Duat) ! May You rise from the horizon, from the place in which You have both become Akh !

Horus, go, and proclaim to Bas of the East and their Akhs : "This King Unas has come indeed, an imperishable Akh. Whom he wishes to live will live ! Whom he wishes to die will die !"

O Re-Atum, your son has come to You, King Unas has come to You. Raise him up to You, enclose him in your arms, for he is the son of your body for ever !

Osirian rebirth of the King

142 (218) King Unas presented to Osiris and empowered

by the priest

To say the words :
O Osiris, this King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh. He will claim minds, take away Kas and bestow Kas as what he reckons, including whomever he summons to his side or appeals to him. There is none who will be excluded without his bread, without his Kas bread, deprived of his bread.

Geb has spoken and it has come from the mouth of the Ennead : "O falcon who succeeds (his father) in acquiring (the throne)", they said : "You are a Ba and in control !"

This King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh, who surpassed You and surpasses You, wearier than You and greater than You, sounder than You and more acclaimed than You, and your time here is no more. It is what Seth and Thoth have done, your two brothers who do not mourn You.

Isis and Nephthys, come together, come together ! Unite, unite ! This King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh.

The Westerners who are on Earth belong to this King Unas : this King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh.

The Easterners who are on Earth belong to this King Unas : this King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh.

The Southerners who are on Earth belong to this King Unas : this King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh.

The Northerners who are on Earth belong to this King Unas : this King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh.

Those who are in the Lower Sky belong to this King Unas : this King Unas has come indeed, the <fledgling> of the Ennead, an imperishable Akh.

143 (219) Litany of identification with the Living Osiris (King Unas)

by the priest

To say the words :
Atum, this Osiris here is your son, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Shu, this Osiris here is your son, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Tefnut, this Osiris here is your son, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Geb, this Osiris here is your son, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Nut, this Osiris here is your son, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Isis, this Osiris here is your brother, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Seth, this Osiris here is your brother, who has been caused to be restored that he may live and punish You :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Nephthys, this Osiris here is your brother, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Thoth, this Osiris here is your brother, who has been caused to be restored that he may live and punish You :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Horus, this Osiris here is your father, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Great Ennead, this one here is Osiris, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Lesser Ennead, this one here is Osiris, whom You have caused to be restored that he may live :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

Nunet, this Osiris here is your son, of whom You said : "Someone has been born to me.", You said, and You wiped his mouth for him after his mouth had been parted by his beloved son Horus and his limbs numbered by the gods :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of Dweller in Heliopolis, who endures in his necropolis :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of Dweller in Busiris, chief of his nomes :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of Dweller in the Mansion of Selket, the Ka At Rest :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of Dweller in the divine booth, who is in the censing, the one of the coffer, the chest and the sack :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of him who is in the White Palace of Laurel wood :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of Dweller in Orion, with your season in the sky and your season on Earth :

O Osiris, turn your face and look on this King Unas, for your seed which issued from You is effective :

He lives ! This King Unas lives ! He is not dead ! This King Unas lives ! He is not destroyed ! This King Unas is not destroyed ! He has not been judged ! This King Unas has not been judged ! He judges. This King Unas judges !

In your name of Dweller in Buto, may your arms be about the meal, your daughter,