An agitated mind and an impure heart are obstacles to spiritual growth. The practice of Ma’at leads to mental ease and purity of heart. These precepts of Ma’at (popularly known as The Negative Confessions), are declarations of purity that come from the ancient Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) wisdom text, Book of the Coming Forth by Day (popularly known as The Book of the Dead), written by the enlightened sages of ancient Kemet. Cosmic consciousness and mystical experience are the rewards for those who follow the path of Ma’at and spread righteousness throughout the world. After death, your soul will stand in the Great Hall of Ma’at. Anubis will weigh your heart against the feather of Ma’at. Those whose heart is heavy with iniquity will be devoured the beast Ammit, tormented and returned to the profane world. Those whose heart is light will join with Ausar (Osiris). Learn these virtuous guidelines for virtuous living so that you will be able to recite them when you stand before the forty-two judges in the Great Hall.
- I have not done evil.
- I have not been a coward.
- I have not raped or molested.
- I have not stolen.
- I have not murdered.
- I have not defrauded the temple.
- I have not been deceitful toward allies, leaders, family or friends.
- I have not been sacrilegious in thought or deed.
- I have not lied to those who deserve the truth.
- I have not deprived the less fortunate.
- I have not uttered evil words.
- I have not attacked the righteous.
- I have not turned away from natural procreation.
- I have not become overcome with anguish or grief.
- I have not harmed the land or the animals thereon.
- I have not spied against the people.
- I have not spoken against the sacred teachings.
- I have not been undisciplined.
- I have not been an adulterer, homosexual or child molester.
- I have not harmed myself.
- I have not violated sacred times.
- I have not allowed myself to be abused.
- I have not surrendered to the enemy.
- I have not stopped my ears from the words of right and wrong.
- I have not been disobedient.
- I have not presented a false image of myself to loved ones.
- I have not lain with a child, animal, an enemy of my people, or others of my sex.
- I have not used ignorance to confront the ignorant.
- I have not abused children, the elderly, the infirmed, or my spouse.
- I have not been lazy.
- I have not been impatient.
- I have not deviated from the teachings.
- I have not multiplied my speech overmuch.
- I have not pondered evil, impure or harmful thoughts.
- I have not betrayed my leaders or my people.
- I have not fouled the water.
- I have not been contemptuous or patronizing.
- I have not been passive.
- I have not been arrogant or boastful.
- I have not been self-serving.
- I have not been greedy.
- I have not given in to my lower nature.
The ultimate goal of reuniting with the SOURCE, the GRAND ANCESTOR, the LIVING MIND, the ALL is only possible when you live a life on Earth guided by these forty-two declarations of virtue. Meditation, reflection, participation and daily utterances of these words of power will gradually replace old negative impressions and ideas, expand your consciousness, and lead to enlightenment.
cushiteforum 
How did you conclude for number 19 “I have not been a adulterer, homosexual or child molester”? The Egyptian book coming fourth by the day (Egyptian book of the dead) NOR the 42 principles of MA’AT says what you have there. Everyone is attempting to translate yet why not copy exactly what it has in the book Part I and Part II of the confessions not your own assumptions of both because other translations don’t have what you state. Misinterpretations and mistranslations……this is why it is important to learn Medu-Netert and other languages. I know you are attempting to make it simple yet it does not translate this way.
Translations between languages is difficult enough; even more so when a language isn’t spoken anymore. Ten linguists translating any particular passage in an ancient language can come up with ten different interpretations. Each more concerned with capturing the spirit of the passage in question rather than a word-for-word transcription. So, I won’t waste my time arguing about translation. What I will say is that the acient teachers tailored their message to each individual initiate. This is why you find different tellings of the same stories. Stop imposing YOUR assumptions on the ancients. They didn’t create staid philosophical concepts–like contemporary religions. There way of thinking was too dynamic for that. The point you so clearly miss is that this is not some self-congratulatory, academic exercise in transcibing an ancient language, or an attempt to simplify something that is not difficult for any person of average intelligence to understand in the first place. What it is , however, is the carrying on of a tradition of passing wisdom on the next generation in a way that is relevant to the realities of the contemporary world–i.e., TAILORED to their particular issues and circumstances.
You gained no clarity. I stated that no matter where I have saw the laws of Ma’at. I have never seen number 19. I am not talking about word-for-word transcript. Medu Netert and all languages/dialects are alive if people take time to learn them and translate to what was stated not what is subjective. The word homosexual in fact was coined in “19 century” by a German psychologists. I overstand that when declarations were confessed they are not the same as each individual stated different things. However, the 42 principles didn’t change as LAW. YET if one says that it is from the “Coming fourth by day” then translation should be addressed properly.
Self-righteous, self-styled experts and self-appointed guardians of ancient texts that think they have exclusive rights to this knowledge will never understand the practice of making ancient wisdom relevant for today’s world. Just like the staid religions and cults of today who believe they have some divine knowledge nobody else has, they are more concerned with intellectual masturbation and trying to berate, argue and badger everyone else into accepting their point of view. Nobody is forcing you to accept my translation, and you certainly will not force me to change it. My recommendation? If you don’t like what you see, look elsewhere.
I did look elsewhere that is why I asked how did you translate this? I never said I want you to nor did I state you need to change. I asked a question. My recommendation: Stop taking offense. I never stated anything in a way of “force”. This is a subjective question not “badger everyone else to accept their point of view”. I prefer empirical or tangible evidence when it comes to translation of dialects. Since you cannot provide that then it is your subjective reasons and also your own translation then that is what you want it to be. My comment was specifically “how” did you conclude that is what it translates to, since I seen it various places with nothing similar as number 19 except adultery. It’s clarity before assumptions. Anyway, hotep!
No need to fight. Identify a source and point to what it actually says. If there are differences of interpretation, try to clear them up by turning to one or more dictionaries. Turn from ego to mutual assistance. The scribes were commissioned by individuals, or their survivors, to compose the declarations. The result followed a basic format, but the passages were not always identical. If you go to Wallis Budge, The Egyptian Book of The Dead: The Papyrus of Ani, for example. there are two versions, one bearing 38 and the other 42 affirmations. You will find that the glyphs refer to masturbation, but Budge translates it as I have not polluted myself. Go check it out, if you are at the point where you can read the language. That passage does not appear in the version posted here.
And…? Is Budge a god? An infallible saint? Or maybe an actual Kemetic priest? Other than you, who made Budge the last word on these texts? If intellectual masturbation is your thing, fine. But why waste time harassing people who don’t live in 16th century BCE Kemet? Some of us live in the 21st century of the Common Era and choose to be inspired by ancient wisdom MADE RELEVANT for our lives in our times TODAY! If a line translated as “And be sure to keep your horses well fed and watered”, should I repeat it? That would be kind of stupid wouldn’t it? Maybe something like, “And be sure to keep the tools you rely on for your livelihood in good working order” would be more RELEVANT for today!
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