The Short Form of the Book of Am-Tuat (Budge, 1905)

Editor’s Note: This text is based on E. A. Wallis Budge’s Egyptian Heaven and Hell (1905). The original hieroglyphic inscriptions and illustrations are not fully reproduced in this digital edition. Some transcription imperfections may remain.

Hour 1

THIS god entereth into the earth through the Hall of the horizon of Amentet. There are one hundred and twenty ATRU to journey over in this Hall before a man arriveth at the gods of the Tuat.

The name of the first Field of the Tuat is NET-RA. He (i.e., Ra) allotteth fields to the gods who are in [his] following, and he beginneth to send forth words to and to work out the plans of the divine beings of the Tuat in respect of this Field.

Whosoever shall have these made (i.e., copied) according to the similitude which is in Ament of the Tuat, [and] whosoever shall have knowledge of these similitudes, [which are] the copies of this great god himself, they shall act as magical protectors for him upon earth regularly and unfailingly, and they shall act as magical protectors for him in the Great Tuat.

USHEMET-HATU-KHEFTI-RA is the name of the [first] hour of the night which guideth this great god through this Hall.

Hour 2

This great god afterwards taketh up his position in UR-NEST, which is three hundred and nine ATRU in length, and one hundred and twenty ATRU in width.

The name of the gods who are in this Field is BAIU-TUATI. Whosoever knoweth their names shall have his existence with them, and unto him shall this great god allot fields in the place wherein they are in the FIELD OF URNES. He shall stand up with the Gods who Stand Up (AHAU), he shall travel on in the following of this great god, he shall enter into the earth, he shall force a way through the Tuat, he shall cleave a passage through the tresses of the gods with flowing hair (HENKSU), he shall travel on by the EATER OF THE ASS (AM-AA) after the emptying of the lands, he shall eat bread-cakes in the Boat of the Earth, and there shall be given unto him the fore-part of TATUBA.

Whosoever shall have made in writing (or, in drawing) similitudes of the BAIU-TUATI (i.e., the Souls of the Tuat) in the forms in which they are in Ament of the Tuat-now the beginning of such representations should be from Amentet,— and whosoever shall make offerings unto them upon earth in their names, [these things I say] shall act as magical protectors to that person upon earth, regularly and unfailingly.

And whosoever shall know the words which the gods of the Tuat speak to this god, and the words which are said by him to them when he is approaching the gods of the Tuat, [these words I say] shall act as magical protectors to him that knoweth them upon earth, regularly and unfailingly.

SHESAT-MAKET-NEB-S is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god through this Field.

Hour 3

This great god afterwards taketh up his position in the Fields of the PERU-gods (i.e., the Fighters), and this great god paddleth his way over the STREAM OF OSIRIS (NET-ASAR) in sailing up this Field, which is three hundred and nine ATRU long, and one hundred and twenty ATRU wide. This great god uttereth words to those who are in the following of Osiris to this City, and he allotteth unto them estates which are situated in this Field.

BAIU-SHETAIU (i.e., Hidden Souls) is the name of the gods who are in this Field, and whosoever knoweth their names upon earth shall be able to approach to the place where Osiris is, and there shall be given unto him water for his Field.

NET-NEB-UA-KHEPER-AUATU is the name of this Field. Whosoever shall know these hidden similitudes of the Hidden Souls in the correct forms wherein they are depicted in Ament of the Tuat— now the beginning of such representations should be from Amentet— [these figures I say] shall act as magical protectors to that man upon earth, [and] in Neter-khert, regularly and unfailingly.

Whosoever knoweth these, when he is making his journey past them shall escape from their roarings, and he shall not fall down into their furnaces (or, pits).

Whosoever knoweth this, when he is keeping ward over [his] seat (or, place), his bread-cake shall be with Ra; and whosoever knoweth this, being soul [and] spirit, shall have the mastery over his legs, and shall never enter into the place of destruction, but he shall come forth with his attributes (or, forms), and shall snuff the air for his hour.

THENTENT-BAIU is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god through this Field.

Hour 4

The majesty of this great god, having been towed along, afterwards taketh up his position in the secret Circle of AMENTET, and he performeth the affairs of the gods of the Tuat who are therein by means of his voice, but he seeth them not.

ANKH-KHEPERU is the name of the gate of this Circle. AMENT-SETHAU is the name of this Circle.

Whosoever knoweth this representation of the hidden roads of RE-STATET, and the holy paths of the AMMEHET, and the secret doors which are in the Land of SEKER, the god who is upon his sand, shall be in the condition of him that eateth the bread-cakes which are [made] for the mouth of the LIVING gods in the Temple of Tem.

Whosoever knoweth this shall be in the condition of him that is maat on the ways, and he shall journey over the roads of RE-SETHAU, and he shall see the representations of the AMMEHET. URT-EM-SEKHEMU-SET is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god.

Hour 5

This great god is towed along over the ways of Maat of the Tuat through the upper half of this secret Circle of the god SEKER, who is upon his sand, and he neither looketh upon nor gazeth at the secret figure of the earth which containeth the flesh of this god. The gods who are in [the train of] this god hear the words of Ra, who crieth unto them from where this god is.

AHA-NETERU is the name of the door [of this City].

AMENT is the name of the Circle of this god, [and in it are] the secret path of Amentet, and the doors of the hidden palace, and the holy place of the LAND OF SEKER [with his] flesh, and [his] members, [and his] body, in the divine form which they had at first.

BAIU-AMU-TUAT is the name of the gods who are in [this] Circle. Their forms (aru) who are in their hour, and their secret shapes (kheperu) neither know, nor look upon, nor see this image (or, similitude) of SEKER (or, the hawk) himself.

Whosoever shall make these representations according to the image which is in writing in the hidden places of the Tuat, at the south of the Hidden Palace, and whosoever shall know them shall be at peace, and his soul shall unite itself to the offerings of SEKER, and the goddess KHEMIT shall not hack his body in pieces, and he shall go on his way towards her in peace. Whosoever shall make offerings to these gods upon earth—[these offerings, I say, shall act as magical protectors to that man upon earth, and in NETER-KHERT, regularly and unfailingly].

SEM-HER-AB-UAA-S is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god through this Field.

Hour 6

The majesty of this great god taketh up his position in the stream of NEBT-MU-TUATIU (i.e., the Lord of the waters of the gods of the Tuat), and he sendeth forth words to the gods who are therein, and he commandeth that they have the mastery over their divine offerings in this City. He maketh his way through this Field, being provided with his Boat, and he setteth apart by his words the estates which are [to produce] their offerings in this City, and he giveth to them water for their lakes, and he travelleth through the Tuat every day.

SEPT-METU is the name of the door of this City.

The secret roads of Amentet, and the manner wherein this great god is being rowed along over the water therein in his boat to perform the plans (or, affairs) of the gods of the Tuat, the gathering together [of them] by their names, the manifestations of their shapes (or, forms), and [their] secret hours, such are the things of which the secret representation of the Tuat is not known to men and women.

Whosoever shall make [a copy of] this image in writing, according to the representation of the same which is in the hidden things of the Tuat, at the south of the Hidden Palace, and whosoever shall know them shall be in the condition of one who awardeth offerings in abundance in the Tuat, and he shall be united to the offerings of the gods who are in the following of Osiris, and his parents (or, kinsfolk) shall make the offerings which are obligatory on the earth.

The majesty of this great god sendeth forth words, and he giveth divine offerings to [the gods of] the Tuat, and he standeth up by them; and they see him, and they have dominion over their Fields and over the gifts made to them, and they effect their transformations by reason of the words which this great god hath spoken unto them.

METCHET-NEBT-TUATIU is the name of this Field, which is the road of the Boat of Ra.

MESPERIT-AR-MAAT is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god through this country.

Hour 7

The majesty of this great god taketh up his position in the secret place of Osiris, and the majesty of this great god sendeth forth words into this to the gods who dwell therein. This god maketh to himself other forms for this hidden place in order to drive out of his path the serpent fiend APEP by means of the words of power of Isis, and the words of power of SEMSU (?).

RUTI-ASAR is the name of the gate of this City through which this god passeth.

TEPHET-SHETA is the name of this City.

This great god maketh his way over the road of Ament in the holy boat, and he passeth in it over this road which is without water, without being towed along. He maketh his way by means of the words of power of Isis, and by means of the words of power of SEMSU (?), and the utterances of this great god himself [act as] magical protectors, and perform the slaughters of Apep in the Tuat, in this Circle, in his windings in the sky.

Whosoever shall make [a copy of] these [pictures] according to the similitudes which are in writing at the northern side of the Hidden Palace in the Tuat, they shall act as magical protectors for him that maketh them in heaven and in earth. And whosoever knoweth them shall be a soul of souls with Ra. And whosoever shall make (i.e., recite) the words of power of Isis and the words of power of SEMSU, shall make to be driven back the Apep of Ra in Amentet. Whosoever shall do [this] in the Hidden Palace of the Tuat, and whosoever shall do [this] upon earth, [the result is] the same. Whosoever knoweth this shall be in the Boat of Ra, both in heaven and upon earth; but he that hath no knowledge of this representation shall not know how to drive back NEHA-HRA (i.e., Stinking-Face).

Now the ridge of earth of NEHA-HRA in the Tuat is four hundred and fifty cubits in length, and he filleth it with the undulations of his body. The regions which belong to him are made (i.e., kept) for him, and the great god doth not make his way over him when he maketh him to turn aside out of the way for him, from the secret place of Osiris, when this god maketh his way through this city in the form of the serpent MEHEN.

Whosoever shall know this upon earth, the serpent NEHA-HRA shall not drink his water, and the soul of him that knoweth it shall not be evilly entreated by the gods who are in this Circle; and whosoever knoweth it the crocodile AB-SHAU shall not devour his soul.

KHESEF-HAI-HESEQ-NEHA-HRA is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god through this Circle.

Hour 8

When the majesty of this great god hath taken up his position in the secret Circles of those who are in their sand, he sendeth forth words to them from out of his Boat, and the gods tow along him that is in the holy embrace (?) of the serpent MEHEN.

AHA-AN-URT-F is the name of the gate of this City.

TEBAT-NETERU-SET is the name of this City.

As for the secret Circle of AMENTET, this great god maketh his way over it in his Boat, by means of the towing of the gods who are in the Tuat.

Whosoever shall make [a copy of] these things according to the similitude which is in writing on the north [wall] of the Hidden Palace in the Tuat, and whosoever shall know them by their names, shall be in the condition of one who is fully provided with swathings on the earth, and he shall never be repulsed at the secret gates, and he shall have abundant offerings in the great funeral hall regularly and unfailingly for millions of years.

NEBT-USHA is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god.

Hour 9

When the majesty of this great god hath taken up his position in this Circle, he sendeth forth words from his Boat to the gods who dwell therein, and the sailors join the Boat of this great god in this City.

SAA-KEB is the name of the gate of this City through which this great god passeth to take up his position on the stream which is in this City.

BES-ARU is the name of this City, which is the secret Circle of AMENTET, wherein take up their positions in the Tuat this great god and his sailors.

Whosoever maketh [a copy of] these things in their names according to the similitudes which are in writing on the east [wall] of the Hidden Palace of the Tuat, and whosoever knoweth their names upon earth, and knoweth their habitations in Amentet, shall rest in his habitation in the Tuat, and he shall stand up among the lords of the provisions of the gods, and his voice shall be maat before the tchatcha beings on the day of the reckoning of Pharaoh (literally, the thrice great house). And these things shall act as magical protectors to him that knoweth them upon earth.

MAK-NEB-S is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god in this Circle.

Hour 10

The majesty of this great god taketh up his position in this Circle, and he sendeth forth words to the gods who are in it.

AA-KHEPERU-MES-ARU is the name of the gate of this City through which this great god passeth.

METCH-QA-UTEBU is the name of this City. [This is] the secret Circle of Amentet whereto KHEPERA joineth himself before Ra, and the gods, and the spirits, and the dead cry out from it over the secret representations (or, images) of AKERT.

Whosoever shall make [a copy of] these [representations] according to the figures which are depicted on the east [wall] of Ament, and whosoever knoweth them by their names shall journey round about in the Tuat, and shall travel through it, and he shall not be driven back, and he shall flourish with Ra.

TENTENIT-HESQ-KHAKABU is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god through the secret ways of this City.

Hour 11

The majesty of this great god taketh up his position in this Circle, and he sendeth forth words unto the gods who are therein.

SEKHEN-TUATIU is the name of the gate of this City through which this great god passeth.

RE-EN-QERERT-APT-KHAT is the name of this City. [This is] the secret Circle of the Tuat into which this great god passeth on his way, and [he] cometh forth at the eastern mountain of the sky, the eater of eternity. The form thereof is in the presence of the serpent PETRA, which dwelleth in this City, and they (i.e., the gods) place themselves in the train of [Ra] when the birth of KHEPER upon earth is about to take place.

Whosoever shall make [a copy] of these [representations] according to the figures which are depicted on the east [wall] of the palace of Ament in the hidden [places] of the Tuat, and whosoever knoweth them shall be in the position of him that divideth his offering, and of him who is a spirit who is suitably equipped [to travel] both in heaven and upon earth, regularly and unceasingly.

SEBIT-NEB-UAA-KHESEF-SEBIU-EM-PERT-F is the name of the hour of the night which guideth this great god in this Circle.

Hour 12

The majesty of this great god taketh up his position in this Circle at the limits of the thick darkness, and this great god is born under the form of KHEPERA in this Circle. The gods NU and AMMUI, and HEH and HEH[UT] are in this Circle at the birth of this great god, when he maketh his appearance from the Tuat, and taketh up his place in the Matet Boat, and riseth from between the thighs of the goddess Nut.

THENEN-NETERU is the name of the gate of this City.

KHEPER-KEKUI-KHA-MESTI is the name of this City. [This is] the secret Circle of the Tuat, wherein this great god is born, when he maketh his appearance in NU, and taketh up his place in the body of NUT.

Whosoever shall make [a copy] of these [representations] according to the figures which are depicted on the east [wall] of the palace of Ament of the Tuat, they shall be magical protectors to him that knoweth them upon earth, both in heaven and on earth.

At this point the light beginneth [to come], and it is the end of the thick darkness which Ra travelleth through in Amentet, and of the secret matters which this great god performed therein. He who hath no knowledge of the whole (?) or part (?) of the secret representations of the Tuat, shall be condemned to destruction.

Whosoever shall make [a copy] of these [representations] according to this copy of what is in the Ament of the Tuat, [which] cannot be looked at or seen, and whosoever shall know these secret images shall be in the condition of the spirit who is equipped [for journeying], and shall come forth [from] and shall descend into the Tuat, and shall hold converse with the men and women who live [there] regularly and unfailingly, millions of times.