42 Negative Confessions

The Papyrus of Ani from The Book of the Dead list the 42 Negative Confessions. Kemetics incorporate the principles of these 42 Negative Confessions into their lives to guide themselves toward obtaining "Ma'at". Ma'at is the concept of balancing everything in life. It is an ancient Egyptian's guide to morality and truth.

It is believed, when the body dies, the soul travels with the Great God Ra through the hours of Tuat, ending with one's judgment within the Great Hall of Ma'at. During this time of judgment, Anubis will weigh the heart on a scale and compare it to Ma'at's feather.

If the heart is heavier than the feather, the soul is destroyed by being fed to the beast Ammit. If the heart is lighter, it means Ma'at has been achieved. Only then is the soul allowed into the Abode of Osiris - the Eternal Field of Reeds - where mortals shall live amongst the great Gods and Goddesses.

The 42 Negative Confessions are coined as such because they begin with a negative statement, "I have not......". And some seem duplicated, a tragic result of attempting to interpret and recreate an ancient language. In their original form, they would be stated as, for example, #1- "Not have I done wrong".

The following list was translated in 1895 by Egyptologist E. A. Wallis Budge, with the divine names added to a later edition in 1913.

1. Ani saith: “Hail, thou whose strides
are long (Usekh-nemmt), who comest
forth from Annu (Heliopolis), I have
not done iniquity.”

2. “Hail, thou who art embraced by
flame (Hept-khet), who comest forth
from Kheraba, I have not robbed
with violence.”

3. “Hail, Fentiu, who comest forth
from Khemennu (Hermopolis), I have
not stolen.”

4. “Hail, Devourer of the Shade (Am-
khaibit), who comest forth from
Qernet, I have done no murder; I have
done no harm.”

5. “Hail, Nehau, who comest forth from
Re-stau, I have not defrauded offerings.”

6. “Hail, god in the form of two lions
(Ruruti), who comest forth from heaven,
I have not minished oblations.”

7. “Hail, thou whose eyes are of fire (Arfi-
em-khet), who comest forth from Saut
(Asyut), I have not plundered the god.”

8. “Hail, thou Flame (Neba), which
comest and goest, I have spoken no lies.”

9. “Hail, Crusher of bones (Set-qesu),
who comest forth from Suten-henen
(Herakleopolis), I have not snatched
away food.”

10. “Hail, thou who shootest forth the
Flame (Utu-nesert), who comest forth
from Het-Ptah-ka (Memphis), I have not
caused pain.”

11. “Hail, Qerer, who comest forth
from Amentet, I have not committed
fornication.”

12. “Hail, thou whose face is turned back (Her-
f-ha-f), who comest forth from thy hiding
place, I have not caused shedding of tears.”

13. “Hail, Bast, who comest forth from
the secret place (Bubastis), I have not
dealt deceitfully.”

14. “Hail, thou whose legs are of fire
(Ta-retiu), who comest forth out of the
darkness, I have not transgressed.”

15. “Hail, Devourer of Blood (Unem-
snef), who comest forth from the block
of slaughter, I have not acted guilefully.”

16. “Hail, Devourer of the inward parts
(Unem-besek), who comest forth from
Mabet, I have not laid waste the
ploughed land.”

17. “Hail, Lord of Right and Truth (Neb-
Ma’at), who comest forth from the city of
Right and Truth (Ma’ati), I have not been
an eavesdropper.”

18. “Hail, thou who dost stride backwards
(Tenemiu), who comest forth from the
city of Bast, I have not set my lips in
motion against any one.”

19. “Hail, Sertiu, who comest forth from
Annu (Heliopolis), I have not been angry
and wrathful except for a just cause.”

20. “Hail, thou being of two-fold
wickedness (Tutu), who comest forth
from Ati (the Busirite Nome), I have not
defiled the wife of any man.”

21. “Hail, thou two-headed serpent
(Uamemti), who comest forth from the
torture-chamber, I have not defiled the
wife of any man.”

22. “Hail, thou who dost regard what is
brought unto thee (Maa-antuf), who
comest forth from Pa-Amsu (Panopolis),
I have not defiled myself.”

23. “Hail, thou Chief of the mighty (Her-
uru) who comest forth from Amentet
(Nehatu), I have not caused terror.”

24. “Hail, thou Destroyer (Khemiu),
who comest forth from Kesiu, I have not
transgressed (the law).”

25. “Hail, thou who orderest speech
(Shet-kheru), who comest forth from
Urit, I have not burned with rage.”

26. “Hail, thou Babe (Nekhenu), who
comest forth from Uab (Heqat), I have
not stopped my ears against the words of
Right and Truth.”

27. “Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth
from Kenemet, I have not worked grief.”

28. “Hail, thou who bringest thy
offering (An-hetep-f), I have not acted
with insolence.”

29. “Hail, thou who orderest speech
(Sera-kheru), who comest forth from
Unaset, I have not stirred up strife.”

30. “Hail, Lord of faces (Neb-heru), who
comest forth from Netchfet, I have not
judged hastily.”

31. “Hail, Sekheriu, who comest forth from
Utten, I have not been an eavesdropper.”

32. “Hail, Lord of the two horns
(Neb-abui), who comest forth
from Saïs, I have not multiplied
words exceedingly.”

33. “Hail, Nefer-Tmu, who comest forth
from Het-Ptah-ka (Memphis), I have
done neither harm nor ill.”

34. “Hail, Tmu in thine hour, who
comest forth from Tattu (Busiris), I have
never cursed the king.”

35. “Hail, thou who workest with
thy will (Ari-em-ab-f), who comest
forth from Tebu, I have never fouled
the water.”

36. “Hail, thou bearer of the sistrum
(Ahi), who comest forth from Nu, I have
not spoken scornfully.”

37. “Hail, thou who makest humanity to
flourish (Uatch-rekhit), who comest forth
from Saïs, I have never cursed God.”

38. “Hail, Neheb-ka, who comest forth
from thy hiding place, I have not stolen.”

39. “Hail, Neheb-nefert, who comest
forth from thy hiding place, I have not
defrauded the offerings of the gods.”

40. “Hail, thou who dost set in order the
head (Tcheser-tep), who comest forth
from thy shrine, I have not plundered the
offerings to the blessed dead.”

41. “Hail, thou who bringest thy arm
(An-af), who comest forth from the city
of Ma’ati, I have not filched the food of
the infant, neither have I sinned against
the god of my native town.”

42. “Hail, thou whose teeth are white
(Hetch-abhu), who comest forth from
Ta-she (the Fayyum), I have not
slaughtered with evil intent the cattle of
the god.”

“. . . I have tried thee. . . Advance thou,
in very truth thou hast been tested.”