The Pyramid Texts of UNAS

by Wim van den Dungen


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

introduction l English text l commentary


IX

ANTECHAMBER

South Wall
(260 - 263, 267 - 272)

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


ON HIS WAY TO THE SKY


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


{...}  :  restored passage
<...> : conjectured translation of unknown word
(...)   : words added to bring out the sense and/or to clarify

The first number given, is the ordinal position of the utterance in the present English version of the 228 utterances of the Unas text, while the second is the traditional enumeration of the sayings by Sethe.


176 (260) the King is a Living Horus vindicated by the Two Truths (continued)

who have rejoiced in the strength of their fathers, one who desires to be vindicated by what he has done.

For judgment between the orphan and the orphaness has been made for me. The Two Truths have heard (the case), while Shu was witness and the Two Truths commanded that the thrones of Geb revert to me, so that I raise myself to what I have desired, my limbs -which were in concealment- join, I unite those who are in Nun and put a stop to the affair in Heliopolis.

Now that I go forth today in the real form of a living Akh, I shall break up the fight and punish strife. I have come forth for Maat, (so) that I may bring her, she being with me. Wrath will depart for me and those who are in Nun will assign life to me.

My refuge is my Eye !
My protection is <my> Eye !
My strength is my Eye !
My power is my Eye !

O You southern, northern, western, and eastern gods, honour me and fear me, for I sat down in the <pavilion> of the dual courtyards. That effective uraeus Djenenutet will burn for You, and strike your hearts.

O You who would come against me in obstruction, come to me, come to me !
I am the very person of my father, the bud of my mother.
I detest travelling in darkness, for then I cannot see those who are upside down.
I go forth today that I may bring Maat, for she is with me.
I will not be given to your flame, O You gods.


177 (261) the King is a Lightning Flash

by the priest

To say the words :
King Unas is woe to the heart, the son of the heart of Shu, extensively extended and with a terrible brilliance !
King Unas is a flame (burning) before the wind, to the end of the sky and to the end of the Earth, when the hand of the lightning bolts have become empty of King Unas.
King Unas will traverse Shu, travel the horizon, and kiss the Red Crown as one hurled by a god.
Those who are in <the firmament> will open their arms to him.
King Unas will stand up on the eastern side of the quartz of rain, and there is brought to him a way of ascent to the sky.
It is he who does the mission of the Stormy One (Seth).

The Horus-king in the afterlife

178 (262) the King remind the deities he knows them

by the King

To say the words :
Be not unaware of me, O god,
since You know me, I know You.
And I know You !

Be not unaware of me, O Re.
Know me, for I know You.
Be not unaware of me, O Re.
I call You : "Great of Provision, Lord of All !"

Be not unaware of me, O Thoth.
Know me, for I know You.
Be not unaware of me, O Thoth.;
I call You : "He Who Sets Alone !"

Be not unaware of me, O Sharp Horus.
Know me, for I know You.
Be not unaware of me, O Sharp Horus.
Know me, for I know You.
I call You : "The Difficult One !"

Be not unaware of me, O Dweller in the Duat.
Know me, for I know You.
Be not unaware of me, O Dweller in the Duat.
I call You : "He Who Wakes Sound !"

Be not unaware of me, Sky Bull.
Know me, for I know You.
Be not unaware of me, O Bull of the Sky.
I call You : "This One Who Endures !"

Behold, I have come !
Behold, I have come !
Behold, I have emerged !

I have not come of my own accord, a message having come for me. I have passed by my House of my Ba, the striking power of the Great Lake has missed me.

There is no one who requires my fare for the great ferry.
There is no one who bars me from the White Palace of the Great Ones at the Beaten Path of Stars - for look, I have reached the height of heaven.

I have seen the cobra in the Nightboat, and it is I who row in it. I have recognized the uraeus in the Dayboat, and it is I who bail it out. The Sun-folk have testified concerning me. The hailstorms of the sky have taken me (so) that they might raise me up to Re.


179 (263) the spirits of the dead meet the King

by the King

To say the words :
The two reed floats of the sky have been set in place for Re,
that he might cross on them to the horizon.
The two reed floats of the sky have been set in place for Horus of the Horizon,
that Horus of the Horizon might cross on them to Re.
The two reed floats of the sky have been set in place for me,
that I, King Unas, might cross on them to the horizon, to Re.
The two reed floats of the sky have been set in place for me,
that I might cross on them to Horus of the Horizon and to Re.

It has become well with me and my Ka !
I will live with my Ka !
My panther-skin is on me.
My Ames-staff is on my arm.
My Aba-scepter is in my hand.

Those who have gone way have missed me. They will bring me these four Akhs, the Elders who are at the head of the wearers of the side-lock, who stand in the eastern side of the sky and who sweep away with their electrum staves, that they may tell my good name to Re and announce me to Kas-Assigner, (saying) : "Greet this King Unas' entrance into the North of the Field of Reeds. Let King Unas across the Winding Canal. He is ferried over to the eastern side of the horizon ! He is ferried over to the eastern side of the sky ! His sister is Sothis ! His female sibling is the Morning Star !"

180 (267) leaving Osiris behind and crossing the horizon

by the King

To say the words :
You have your heart, O Osiris !
You have your legs, O Osiris !
You have your arms, O Osiris !
(So too) my heart is my own !
My legs are my own !
My arms are my own !

A stairway to the sky is set up for me that I, King Unas,
may ascend on it to the sky.
I will ascend on the smoke of the great censing.
I will fly up as a bird and alight as a beetle.
When I will fly up as a bird and alight as a beetle,
it will be in the empty throne in your bark, O Re !

Stand up, remove yourself, O You who do not know the thicket of reeds (of the horizon), that I may sit in your place.
I will row in the sky in your bark, O Re.
I will push off from the land in your bark, O Re !

When You are emerging from the horizon, I, with my scepter in my arm, will be the one sailing your bark, O Re, (so) that You may ascend to the sky and (I may) go away from the land, away from wife and kilt.

181 (268) the Royal Ka of the King comes to him

by the priest

To say the words :
This King Unas will wash himself when Re appears and the Elder Ennead shines.
Should he of Ombos become high at the head of the conclave, (then) this King Unas will take over the nobles as a limb of himself, and this King Unas will seize hold of the Great White Crown from the hands of the Two Enneads.

Isis {will nurse him.
Nephthys will suckle him.}
Horus {will accept him} beside him at his two fingers,
purify this King Unas in the Jackal Lake, and
release the Ka of this King Unas in the Lake of the Duat.
He will purge the flesh of the Ka of this King Unas and of his body by means of that which is on the shoulders of Re in the horizon, which he receives when the Two Lands shine and he opens the faces of the gods.
He will conduct the Ka of this King Unas to his body at the Great Mansion.

The portals will act for him, the Curl (of the Red Crown) will be tied on for him and this King Unas will guide the Imperishable Stars !
He will ferry across to the Fields of Reeds with those who are in the horizon rowing him and those who are in the firmament sailing him.
This King Unas will become truly efficient, and his arms will not fail.
This King Unas will become truly excellent, and his Ka will reach him !


182 (269) censing prayer, ascension and sweet milk

by the King

To say the words :
The fire is laid, the fire shines.
The incense is laid on the fire, the incense shines.
Your scent has come to me, O incense,
may my scent come to You, O incense.
Your scent has come to me, You gods,
may my scent come to You, You gods.

I, King Unas, shall be with You, gods ;
You shall be with me, gods.
I, King Unas, live with You, gods ;
You shall live with me, gods.
I, King Unas, shall love You, gods ;
love me, gods.

ascension


The wafer has come, the cap that comes from the knee of Horus has come :
the ascender has come, the ascender has come ;
the climber has come, the climber has come ;
he who flew up has come, he who flew up has come !

I will ascend upon the thighs of Isis !
I will climb up upon the thighs of Nephthys !
My father Atum will seize my hand for me,
and allot me to those excellent and wise gods :
the Imperishable Stars !

sweet milk

My mother Ipy, give me that breast of yours, that I may apply it to my mouth and suck this white, gleaming, sweet milk of yours.

As for yonder land in which I walk, I will neither thirst nor hunger in it, forever !

183 (270) summoning Osiris as the celestial ferryman

by the priest

To say the words :
Awake in peace !
Face Behind Him, in peace !
Sees Behind Him, in peace !
Ferryman of the sky, in peace !
Ferryman of Nut, in peace !
Ferryman of the gods, in peace !

by the King

I have come to You that You may ferry me across in this ferryboat in which You ferry the gods.
I have come to his side, just like a god coming to his side.
I have come near to his side, just like a god coming near to his side.
There is no one living who makes accusation against me.
There is no one dead who makes accusation against me.
There is no duck which makes accusation against me.
There is no longhorned bull which makes accusation against me.
 
So, if You should not ferry me over, I will leap up and put myself on the wing of Thoth, and he will ferry me over to yonder side.

184 (271) raising the Djed-Pillar

by the King

To say the words :
I, King Unas,
have inundated the land that came forth from the lake.
I have torn out the papyrus-plant.
It is I, (who) satisfied, (the) Two Lands.
It is I, (who) united, (the) Two Lands.
It is I, (who) joined my mother the great wild cow. O my mother, the wild cow on the hill of grass and on the hill of the stork.

Stand up, You two Djed-pillars, and descend, You crossbars, that I may ascend on this ladder which my father Re made for me.

Horus and Seth shall take hold of my arm and take me away from the Duat.
You with the eye-injury, beware of him with the command ;
You with the command, beware of him with the eye-injury.

The face of the god is open to me,
and I sit on the great throne beside the god.


185 (272) opening the Gate of Nun

by the King

To say the words :
O Height that will not be penetrated, Gate of Nun, I, King Unas, have come to You, have this opened to me !

by the gate

Is King Unas the little one in it ?

by the King


I am at the head of the Followers of Re !
I am not at the head of the gods who make disturbance !


siteplan l sitemenu l search l general info l copyrights l contact

initiated : 18 VI 2006 - 29 VI 2012 - version n°3

© Wim van den Dungen