The 42 Negative Confessions (Excerpt from the Book of the Coming Forth by Day). Translation by E.A. Wallis Budge (Translated 1913)

The 42 Negative Confessions are the confessions a soul must make, according to the Book of the Coming Forth by Day, or as it’s also popularly known, the Book of the Dead, before being judged before the scale of Ma’at and entering the afterlife. This brief text has a short introductory paragraph explaining what the confessions are, to whom they are given, and who the translator was. After the introduction the rest of the text is presented the confessions as they were meant to take place.

As I stated above, the confessions are those that a newly deceased soul would give before being judged by the scale of Ma’at. The text itself does not give any more illumination as to what happens if one is deemed worthy or unworthy by the scale, but does illuminate what traits were valued by Ma’at. Each confession was given to a different of the 42 Gods and Goddesses of the Nomes (a territorial division) of Egypt. There is likely some correlation as to which confession is delivered to which God or Goddess, but the sparseness of the explanatory text makes it so that a reader must have background information to know what that correlation is.

The bulk of the test takes place in the form of a numbered list wherein at each interval the “speaker” hails a new God or Goddess, calls them by their title and proclaims that they have not done a particular type of wickedness in the eyes of Ma’at; for example, I have not snatched away food, and I have not set my lips in motion against anyone. The negative confessions shed a decent amount of light on the nature of Ma’at itself; Ma’at means to be truthful, righteous, and honest. The basic concepts are familiar to anyone; it’s just the form it takes that is foreign.

The biggest question that the form of negative confessions brings to my mind is, is it good enough to not do evil, or must one do good in order to be ethical?

23 thoughts on “The 42 Negative Confessions (Excerpt from the Book of the Coming Forth by Day). Translation by E.A. Wallis Budge (Translated 1913)

  1. RW Akile

    We consider the “Kujanu” an integral part of living a life in accordance with the Golden Rule – As you sow so shall you reap.

    Reply
  2. Taylor Gardner

    However, if something is non-fungible, this is impossible – it means it has unique properties so it can’t be interchanged with something else. Security issues relating to NFTs are most often related to phishing scams, smart contract vulnerabilities or user errors , making good wallet security critical for NFT owners better to read guide on how to get verified on opensea. Since NFTs are on Ethereum, they can be used to unlock Ethereum tokengates on any platform that implements them. A single NFT you own could unlock gated content, private chat servers, and exclusive products across completely different websites and applications.

    Reply
  3. SMM Panel One

    Discover the power of SMM Panel One, the all-in-one SMM Panel that takes your social media presence to new heights! Whether you’re a business owner, influencer, or content creator, our platform offers a seamless and efficient way to boost your reach, engagement, and visibility across popular social networks. From instant likes, shares, and comments to targeted audience growth and analytics, SMM Panel One empowers you with the tools you need to stand out in the digital landscape. Join us today and unlock the potential of social media success!

    Reply
  4. Prateek Karnadhar

    The 42 Negative Confessions, as described in the Book of the Coming Forth by Day (commonly known as the Book of the Dead), offer a fascinating glimpse into the ancient Egyptian belief system and their approach to ethics and the afterlife. This collection of confessions was an essential part of the journey of a soul into the afterlife, where it would be judged by the scale of Ma’at.

    Your explanation provides valuable insights into the purpose and significance of these confessions. It’s intriguing to consider the meticulous nature of these declarations, where the deceased soul addresses different deities associated with Egypt’s territorial divisions. The emphasis on what deeds they have not committed in the eyes of Ma’at sheds light on the values of truth, righteousness, and honesty held in high regard in ancient Egyptian culture.

    The question you pose regarding whether abstaining from evil deeds is sufficient or if actively doing good is necessary for ethical behavior is a thought-provoking one. It invites contemplation on the nature of ethics, morality, and the cultural contexts that shape our understanding of right and wrong.

    Thank you for sharing this enlightening exploration of the 42 Negative Confessions, offering us a window into the beliefs and ethical considerations of ancient Egypt.

    Warm regards,
    ClearHolidays

    Reply
  5. ClearHolidays™

    The 42 Negative Confessions, as described in the Book of the Coming Forth by Day (commonly known as the Book of the Dead), offer a fascinating glimpse into the ancient Egyptian belief system and their approach to ethics and the afterlife. This collection of confessions was an essential part of the journey of a soul into the afterlife, where it would be judged by the scale of Ma’at.

    Your explanation provides valuable insights into the purpose and significance of these confessions. It’s intriguing to consider the meticulous nature of these declarations, where the deceased soul addresses different deities associated with Egypt’s territorial divisions. The emphasis on what deeds they have not committed in the eyes of Ma’at sheds light on the values of truth, righteousness, and honesty held in high regard in ancient Egyptian culture.

    The question you pose regarding whether abstaining from evil deeds is sufficient or if actively doing good is necessary for ethical behavior is a thought-provoking one. It invites contemplation on the nature of ethics, morality, and the cultural contexts that shape our understanding of right and wrong.

    Thank you for sharing this enlightening exploration of the 42 Negative Confessions, offering us a window into the beliefs and ethical considerations of ancient Egypt.

    Warm regards,
    ClearHolidays

    Reply
  6. Tiny Fishing

    When I’m in a bad mood, I like to play games Tiny Fishing since they are entertaining, and afterward, I always feel better about myself. If you’ve never done so, you should give it a go at least once.

    Reply
  7. run 3

    The problems are thoroughly delineated, and everything is remarkably clear and sincere. Undoubtedly, possessing the information is useful. Does my website generate substantial revenue in terms of sales? Kindly direct your attention to the following: run 3

    Reply
  8. aniclouds

    anicloud ist Ihre ultimative Anlaufstelle, um Anime kostenlos und in hoher Qualität zu streamen. Mit einer riesigen Auswahl an Serien und Filmen bietet Anicloud eine benutzerfreundliche Plattform, die regelmäßig mit den neuesten Episoden und Titeln aktualisiert wird. Egal, ob Sie ein Fan von Action, Romantik, Fantasy oder Comedy sind, auf Anicloud finden Sie garantiert Ihre Lieblingsanime. Erleben Sie stundenlangen Spaß und tauchen Sie ein in die faszinierende Welt des japanischen Animationsfilms.

    Reply
  9. Zachary Lewis

    Hi! After reading a few of the postings, I realized that I had never been to this website before, despite the fact that I could have sworn that I had been here before. On the other hand, I can’t express how happy I am that I discovered run 3. en and make sure to check back!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *