The Egyptian Book of the Dead 23

Opening the Mouth of Osiris [From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of opening the mouth of Osiris. The scribe Ani, triumphant, saith:

“May the good Ptah open my mouth, and may the god of my city loose the swathings, even the swathings which are over my mouth. Moreover, may Thoth, being filled and furnished with charms, come and loose the bandages, even the bandages of Set which fetter my mouth; and may the god Tem hurl them at those who would fetter [me] with them, and drive them back. May my mouth be opened, may my mouth be unclosed by Shu with his iron knife wherewith he opened the mouths of the gods. I am the goddess Sekhet, and I sit upon [my] place in the great wind(?) of heaven. I am the great goddess Sah who dwelleth among the Souls of Annu (Heliopolis). Now as concerning every charm and all the words which may be spoken against me, may the gods resist them, and may each and every one of the company of the gods withstand them.”