The 42 Laws of Ma'at is an afterlife principle that the Ancient Egyptians held as a series of "levels" or "declarations" one's soul would make on the journey through the afterlife. In order to proceed, the soul of the recently deceased, would have to honestly declare all 42 to obtain passage into the everlasting joy of the afterlife.
Ma'at in ancient Egypt was the goddess of truth, justice, balance, and order. She is often depicted, in ancient texts, as having wings and an ostrich feather on the top of her head. It is said that the heart of the deceased is weighed on a scale against her ostrich feather of truth. Should your heart weigh heavy you would be denied into the afterlife. The worst part was, they believed that your heart would be eaten by Ammut, (a crocodile headed dog) called the Devourer, so that the soul would be cast unto the darkness. Should the scales be balanced than it was said your heart had passed the test and your soul was to be taken before the God Osiris (God of the underworld) and welcomed into the afterlife.
The list of the 42 laws of Ma'at were seen in their entirety in the The Chapters/Book of Going forth by Day better known as The Egyptian Book of the Dead. This translated hieroglyphic text depicts the journey on Papyrus of Ani through the afterlife (1250 BCE).
**I have placed a shortened list of the 42 laws, the modern depiction of the positive version of the laws, as well as, the fully annotated list that Ani would have stated in every level of the journey. Please feel free to read and question everything! Please keep in mind that much like modern society the Egyptians believed that one could live how they pleased in the physical, but that their souls would have to answer for everything once they passed.**
Are these laws a good set of morals we should all hope to live by?
Were the ancient Egyptians on to something with the implementation of these "Laws"?
The 42 Laws of Ma'at as noted in the Text (shortened) is listed below:
1- I have not committed sin
2- I have not committed robbery with violence
3- I have not stolen
4- I have not slain men and women
5- I have not stolen food
6- I have not swindled offerings
7- I have not stolen from God
8- I have not told lies
9- I have not carried away food
10- I have not cursed
11- I have not closed my ears to truth
12- I have not committed adultery
13- I have not made anyone cry
14- I have not felt sorrow without reason
15- I have not assaulted anyone
16- I am not deceitful
17- I have not stolen anyone’s land
18- I have not been an eavesdropper
19- I have not falsely accused anyone
20- I have not been angry without reason
21- I have not seduced anyone’s wife
22- I have not polluted myself
23- I have not terrorized anyone
24- I have not disobeyed the law
25- I have not been excessively angry
26- I have not cursed God
27- I have not behaved with violence
28- I have not caused disruption of peace
29- I have not acted hastily or without thought
30- I have not overstepped my boundaries of concern
31- I have not exaggerated my words when speaking
32- I have not worked evil
33- I have not used evil thoughts, words or deeds
34- I have not polluted the water
35- I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly
36- I have not cursed anyone in thought, word or deed
37- I have not placed myself on a pedestal
38- I have not stolen that which belongs to God
39- I have not stolen from or disrespected the deceased
40- I have not taken food from a child
41- I have not acted with insolence
42- I have not destroyed property belonging to God
The modern re-writing of the 42 Ideals of Ma’at. A Positive Confession for the Present Day.
1. I honor virtue
2. I benefit with gratitude
3. I am peaceful
4. I respect the property of others
5. I affirm that all life is sacred
6. I give offerings that are genuine
7. I live in truth
8. I regard all altars with respect
9. I speak with sincerity
10. I consume only my fair share
11. I offer words of good intent
12. I relate in peace
13. I honor animals with reverence
14. I can be trusted
15. I care for the earth
16. I keep my own council
17. I speak positively of others
18. I remain in balance with my emotions
19. I am trustful in my relationships
20. I hold purity in high esteem
21. I spread joy
22. I do the best I can
23. I communicate with compassion
24. I listen to opposing opinions
25. I create harmony
26. I invoke laughter
27. I am open to love in various forms
28. I am forgiving
29. I am kind
30. I act respectfully
31. I am accepting
32. I follow my inner guidance
33. I converse with awareness
34. I do good
35. I give blessings
36. I keep the waters pure
37. I speak with good intent
38. I praise the Goddess and the God
39. I am humble
40. I achieve with integrity
41. I advance through my own abilities
42. I embrace the All
(Modern re-writing of Ma’at 42 ideals credit: Lady Loren Vigne, Temple of Isis)
The Full (Unshortened) reversion of the 42 Confessions of Ani on Papyrus is Listed Below:
1. Hail, Usekh-nemmt, who comest forth from Anu, I have not committed sin.
2. Hail, Hept-khet, who comest forth from Kher-aha, I have not committed robbery with violence.
3. Hail, Fenti, who comest forth from Khemenu, I have not stolen.
4. Hail, Am-khaibit, who comest forth from Qernet, I have not slain men and women.
5. Hail, Neha-her, who comest forth from Rasta, I have not stolen grain.
6. Hail, Ruruti, who comest forth from Heaven, I have not purloined offerings.
7. Hail, Arfi-em-khet, who comest forth from Suat, I have not stolen the property of God.
8. Hail, Neba, who comest and goest, I have not uttered lies.
9. Hail, Set-qesu, who comest forth from Hensu, I have not carried away food.
10. Hail, Utu-nesert, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have not uttered curses.
11. Hail, Qerrti, who comest forth from Amentet, I have not committed adultery.
12. Hail, Hraf-haf, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have made none to weep.
13. Hail, Basti, who comest forth from Bast, I have not eaten the heart.
14. Hail, Ta-retiu, who comest forth from the night, I have not attacked any man.
15. Hail, Unem-snef, who comest forth from the execution chamber, I am not a man of deceit.
16. Hail, Unem-besek, who comest forth from Mabit, I have not stolen cultivated land.
17. Hail, Neb-Maat, who comest forth from Maati, I have not been an eavesdropper.
18. Hail, Tenemiu, who comest forth from Bast, I have not slandered anyone.
19. Hail, Sertiu, who comest forth from Anu, I have not been angry without just cause.
20. Hail, Tutu, who comest forth from Ati, I have not debauched the wife of any man.
21. Hail, Uamenti, who comest forth from the Khebt chamber, I have not debauched the wives of other
men.
22. Hail, Maa-antuf, who comest forth from Per-Menu, I have not polluted myself.
23. Hail, Her-uru, who comest forth from Nehatu, I have terrorized none.
24. Hail, Khemiu, who comest forth from Kaui, I have not transgressed the law.
25. Hail, Shet-kheru, who comest forth from Urit, I have not been angry.
26. Hail, Nekhenu, who comest forth from Heqat, I have not shut my ears to the words of truth.
27. Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth from Kenmet, I have not blasphemed.
28. Hail, An-hetep-f, who comest forth from Sau, I am not a man of violence.
29. Hail, Sera-kheru, who comest forth from Unaset, I have not been a stirrer up of strife.
30. Hail, Neb-heru, who comest forth from Netchfet, I have not acted with undue haste.
31. Hail, Sekhriu, who comest forth from Uten, I have not pried into other’s matters.
32. Hail, Neb-abui, who comest forth from Sauti, I have not multiplied my words in speaking.
33. Hail, Nefer-Tem, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have wronged none, I have done no evil.
34. Hail, Tem-Sepu, who comest forth from Tetu, I have not worked witchcraft against the king.
35. Hail, Ari-em-ab-f, who comest forth from Tebu, I have never stopped the flow of water of a neighbor.
36. Hail, Ahi, who comest forth from Nu, I have never raised my voice.
37. Hail, Uatch-rekhit, who comest forth from Sau, I have not cursed God.
38. Hail, Neheb-ka, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not acted with arrogance.
39. Hail, Neheb-nefert, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not stolen the bread of the gods.
40. Hail, Tcheser-tep, who comest forth from the shrine, I have not carried away the khenfu cakes from
the spirits of the dead.
41. Hail, An-af, who comest forth from Maati, I have not snatched away the bread of the child, nor treated
with contempt the god of my city.
42. Hail, Hetch-abhu, who comest forth from Ta-she, I have not slain the cattle belonging to the god.