The 42 Negative Confessions

The Declaration of Innocence Before the Gods of the Tribunal.

The Book of Going Forth By Day (The Papyrus of Ani) R. . Faulkner 125 Plate 31

Including the translations into modern world.
Retrieved from the website of The Temple Of Ma'at

  1. Oh Wide-strider who come forth from Heliopolis, I have not done wrong.
  2. Fire-embracer who come forth from Kheraha, I have not robbed.
  3. Nosey who came forth from Hermopolis, I have not stolen.
  4. Swallower of Shades who came forth from Kernet, I have not slain people.
  5. Terrible of Face who came forth from Rosetjau, I have not destroyed the food offerings.
  6. Double Lion who came forth from the sky, I have not reduced measures.
  7. He-whose-Eyes-are-in-Flames who comes forth from Asyut, I have not stolen the god's property.
  8. Burning One who came forth backwards, I have not told lies.
  9. Breaker of Bones who came forth from Memphis, I was not sullen.
  10. He-of-the-Cavern who came forth from the West, I have not fornicated with the fornicator.
  11. He-whose-Face-is-behind-him who came forth from his hole, I have not caused (anyone) to weep.
  12. Anointed One who came forth from the chapel, I have not dissembled.
  13. Hot-Legs who came forth at twilight, I have not transgressed.
  14. He-who-is-Blood who came forth from the place of slaughter, I have not done grain-profiteering.
  15. Eater of Entrails who came forth from the Council of Thirty, I have not robbed a parcel of land.
  16. Lord of Truth who came forth from Hall of Two Truths, I have not discussed (secrets).
  17. Strayer who came forth from Bubastis, I have brought no lawsuits.
  18. Planter (?) who came forth from Heliopolis, I have not disputed at all about property.
  19. Doubly Evil One who came forth from the Busirite Nome, I have not had intercourse with a married woman.
  20. He-who-Sees-what-he-has-brought who cam forth from the House of Min, I have not (wrongly)
    copulated.
  21. He-who-is-over-the-Great-Ones who came forth from (?), I have not struck terror.
  22. Demolisher who came forth from (?), I have not transgressed.
  23. Proclaimer of Speech who came forth from Weryt, I have not been hot (tempered).
  24. Youth who came forth from the Double Scepter Nome, I have not been neglectful of truthful words.
  25. Dark One. who came forth from darkness, I have not cursed.
  26. He-who-Brings-his-Offerings who comes forth from Asyut, I have not been violent.
  27. Proclaimer of Voice who came forth from Wenis, I have not confounded (truth).
  28. Possessor of Faces who came forth from Nedjefet, I have not been impatient.
  29. Captain who came forth from Weten, I have not discussed.
  30. Possessor of Two Horns who come forth from Asyut, I have not been garrulous about matters.
  31. Nefertum who came forth from Memphis, I have not done wrong
  32. I have not done evil.
  33. He-who-does-not-(allow)-Surviviors who came forth from Busiris, I have not disputed the King.
  34. He-who-Acts-as-he-Wishes who came forth from Antinaiopolis, I have not waded in water.
  35. Thy who came forth from the Primordial Waters, My voice was not loud.
  36. He-who-Prospers-the-Commom-People who came forth from Asyut, I have not cursed a god.
  37. Uniter of Attributes who came forth from the Cavern, I have not made extollings (?).
  38. Uniter of Good who came forth from the Cavern, I have not harmed the bread-ration of the gods.
  39. Upraised of Head who came forth from the shrine, I have not stolen the Khenef-cakes from the Blessed.
  40. He-who-Brings-his-Portion who came forth from the Hall of the Two Truths, I have not stolen Hefnu- cakes of a youth,
  41. (nor) have I fettered the god of my town.
  42. He-who-Brightens-the-Land who came forth from Faiyum (?), I have not slain sacred cattle.

Now the Translations

  1. I have not done wrong.
  2. I have not robbed
  3. I have not stolen.
  4. I have not killed people.
  5. I have not destroyed food offerings.
  6. I have not reduced the measures (possibly meaning cheating the grain measures).
  7. I have not stolen God's property.
  8. I have not told lies.
  9. I have not stolen food.
  10. I was not sullen (resentful or unnecesarily unhappy).
  11. I have not fornicated with the fornicator may mean homosexuality. Open to your interpretation.
  12. I have not caused anyone to weep.
  13. I have not pretended to be that which I am not.
  14. I have not violated divine law (Ma'at) or possibly civil, or secular law.
  15. I have not done grain profiteering.
  16. I have not robbed land.
  17. I have not told or discussed secrets.
  18. I have not brought about a lawsuit.
  19. I have not disputed property.
  20. I have not had intercourse with a married person.
  21. I have not wrongly copulated (could mean out of marriage)
  22. I have not made people afraid.
  23. I have not transgressed.
  24. I have not been hot tempered.
  25. have not told lies or withheld the truth.
  26. I have not cursed.
  27. I have not been violent.
  28. I have not purposely misconstrued the truth.
  29. I have not been impatient.
  30. I have not discussed (as in inappropriate disscussions of any kind)
  31. I have not been unnessecarily or annoyingly talkative.
  32. I have not done evil.
  33. I have not disputed the Pharaoh/King/Ruler/President/Queen/ruler in charge.
  34. I have not waded in the purified water.
  35. I have not been loud (yelled or raised my voice in anger).
  36. I have not cursed a God.
  37. I have not been boastful or glorified myself.
  38. I have not hamed the bread ration to God.
  39. I have not stolen the cakes from the Akhu.
  40. I have not stolen cakes of a child
  41. I have not fettered (constrained, or tried to shackle) the God of my town.
  42. I have not slain cattle sacred to the Gods.

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